Soothern Europe

Southern Europe is also ken as Mediterranean Europe, as its geography is marked by the **Mediterranean Sea**. Definitions o southern Europe include some or aw o thir countries and regions: Albania, Andorra, **Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, **Cyprus**, **Gibraltar**, **Greece**, **Italy**, **Malta**, **Monaco**, **Montenegro**, **North Macedonia**, **Portugal**, **San Marino**, **Serbia**, **Slovenia**, **southern France**, **Spain**, **Turkey (East Thrace)**, and **Vatican City**.

Southern Europe is focused on the three **peninsulas** located in the extreme south o the Europe

an continent. Thir are the Iberian Peninsula, the Italian Peninsula, and the Balkan Peninsula. Thir three peninsulas are separated frae the rest o Europe by towering mountain ranges — by the **Pyrenees**, the **Alps**, and the **Balkan Mountains**. The location o thir peninsulas in the heart o the Mediterranean Sea, alongside their mountainous reliefs, gives them very different types o climates (mainly **subtropical Mediterranean**) compared tae the rest o the continent. So, the Sirocco hot wind that originates in the heart o the **Sahara** blows ower Italy, makin its way up tae the interior o the **Alpine arc (Po Valley)**. The Alps prevent the Sirocco frae spreading tae the rest o Europe. And, on the flip side, the **Alps** and the **Pyrenees** protect the **Italian** and **Iberian Peninsulas** frae the rains and icy winds frae the south o France like the **Mistral** and the **Tramontane**. When the **Mistral** and the **Tramontane** are blowin, this causes an "upwelling" phenomenon on the French coast. They push the surface waters oot tae sea and bring deeper, cooler waters up tae the seaside. Consequently, the temperature o the waters o the French coasts is therefore very cool, even in summer, and no typical o the rest o the Mediterranean. This same kind o phenomenon happens between the two slopes o the **Balkan mountain range**. These mountains are a serious handicap tae population movement, thus keepin southern Europe mainly focused on the Mediterranean world. The climate and cultures are therefore very specific. Different methods can be used tae define southern Europe, includin its political, economic, historical, and cultural attributes. Southern Europe can also be defined by its natural features — its geography, climate, and flora. Politically, nine o the southern European countries form the **EU Med Group**. Southern Europe loosely corresponds tae the European part o the **Mediterranean Basin**. **Geography**  A wee bit more information: **Iberian Peninsula**, **Italian geographic region**, and **Southeast Europe**  See also: **Balearic Islands**, **Apennine Peninsula**, and **Balkan Peninsula**  Geographically, southern Europe is the southern portion o the European continent. This definition is relative, althaeugh largely based on history, culture, climate, and flora, which is shared across the region. Southern Europe can be subdivided intae three subregions: **I**

**Iberian Peninsula**

* Balearic Islands (Spain)
* Iberian Peninsula
** Andorra
** French Cerdagne (France)
** Gibraltar (United Kingdom)
** Portugal (mainland)
** Spain (mainland)
* Pyrénées-Orientales (France

* **Italian geographic region**,
*** Alpes-Maritimes (France)
*** Apennine Peninsula
**** Central Italy
**** San Marino
**** South Italy
**** Vatican City (Holy See)
*** Corsica (France)
*** Gorizia (Italy)
*** Insular Italy
**** Sardinia
**** Sicily
*** Istria (peninsula)
**** Ankaran (Slovenia)
**** Istria County (Croatia)
**** Izola (Slovenia)
**** Koper (Slovenia)
**** Muggia (Italy)
**** Piran (Slovenia)
**** San Dorligo della Valle (Italy)
*** Malta
*** Monaco
*** Northern Italy
**** Northeast Italy
**** Northwest Italy
*** Ticino (Switzerland)
*** Trieste (Italy)
*** **Southeast Europe**
**** Balkan Peninsula
***** Albania
***** Bosnia and Herzegovina
***** Bulgaria
***** Croatia (southern mainland)
***** Turkey (East Thrace)
***** Greece (mainland)
***** Kosovo
***** Montenegro
***** North Macedonia
***** Romania (Northern Dobruja)
***** Serbia (Central Serbia)
***** Slovenia (south-western part)
**** Croatia (northern mainland & offshore islands)
**** Cyprus
**** Greece (islands)
**** Moldova
**** Romania (inland part)
**** Serbia (Vojvodina)

## Climate
Soothren Europe’s maist emblematic climit is the Mediterranean climit, influenced by the muckle subtropical semi-permanent centre o high atmospheric pressure found, no in the Mediterranean itsel, but in the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores High. The Mediterranean climit covers Portugal, Spain, Italy, the sooth coast o France, coastal Croatia, coastal Slovenia, sooth Bosnia an Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, an Greece, as weel as the Mediterranean islands. Thae areas o Mediterranean climit present similar vegetations an landscapes throughout, includin dry hills, wee plains, pine forests an olive trees. Cooler climits can be found in certain pairts o soothren European kintras, fur example within the mountain ranges o Spain an Italy. Additionally, the north coast o Spain experiences a wetter Atlantic climit. In the heich regions o the Alps, which border soothren Europe, even ice cap climit can be found.

## References