Physical Map
Impact of Physical Features:
Every country in Northern Europe is surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean. Settlement is mostly concentrated near the coasts because of access to resources. The mountains found in northern Europe posed as a boundary between the migrating settlers that came here. Transportation around those areas was difficult to navigate and manage, especially when the advanced technology we have today wasn't available back then. As you go farther north the temperature becomes colder, resulting in more settlements towards the south of northern Europe.
Major Landforms:
Denmark- Gudenå River, Kongeåen River, Odense River
Estonia- Pedja River, Narva River, Kasari River, and the Haanja Upland
Finland- Mount Halti, Salpausselkä ridges, Lake Saimaa, and the Tornio River
Iceland- Hekla volcano, Lake Thingvallavatn,
Ireland- Wicklow Mountains, River Shannon, Comeragh Mountains, and Sligo Bay
Latvia- Western Dvina River, Guava River, and the Latvian Lowland
Lithuania- Curonian Lagoon, Medvegalis Mountain, Neman River, and the Venta River
Norway- Hardanger Plateau, Lang Mountains, and the Glåma River
Sweden- Mount Kebne, Dal River, Lakes Väner, and Helags Mountain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland- River Thames, Strait of Dover, Ben Nevis, Grampian Mountains, and the Cairngorm Mountains
Estonia- Pedja River, Narva River, Kasari River, and the Haanja Upland
Finland- Mount Halti, Salpausselkä ridges, Lake Saimaa, and the Tornio River
Iceland- Hekla volcano, Lake Thingvallavatn,
Ireland- Wicklow Mountains, River Shannon, Comeragh Mountains, and Sligo Bay
Latvia- Western Dvina River, Guava River, and the Latvian Lowland
Lithuania- Curonian Lagoon, Medvegalis Mountain, Neman River, and the Venta River
Norway- Hardanger Plateau, Lang Mountains, and the Glåma River
Sweden- Mount Kebne, Dal River, Lakes Väner, and Helags Mountain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland- River Thames, Strait of Dover, Ben Nevis, Grampian Mountains, and the Cairngorm Mountains
Historical Political Map
Current Political Map
Changing Borders:
In Northern Europe, there were very few major border changes that did not include the Baltic States of the former Soviet Union. In 1839, the Treaty of London separates Belgium from the Netherlands. Norway then separates from Sweden in 1905. In 1918, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia declared their independence from Russia, but did not become individual countries in Northern Europe. As a delayed result of the end of World War II, the Soviet Union finally returned Porkkala to Finland in 1956. In 1964 Malta became independent from the UK which annexed Rockall in 1972. In 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the USSR split up into 15 independent states including Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia and in 2003, the Vištytis swap between Russia and Lithuania takes place.