Agriculture of foreign Europe. Characteristics of agriculture in foreign Europe
Despite some limitations in landresources, foreign Europe was able to establish a very highly productive agriculture. The countries of this part of the world are not only able to provide food for their own population, but also for the most part are large exporters of crop and livestock products. As for the first industry, the most developed in the states of Europe is dairy cattle breeding. Such areas as gardening and horticulture prevail in the plant growing of this region. Some countries are also the largest grain exporters, mostly wheat.
Agriculture of foreign Europe: the proportion of the active population
After the Second World War in the economies of statesThis region has undergone major changes. The share of the active population employed in agriculture has significantly decreased. This was due to the development of new intensive production methods, increasing the welfare of the population and many other factors. However, serious differences between individual countries in this regard have been preserved. For example, in the UK, in 2005, about 1.4% of the total active population was employed in the agricultural sector, in Portugal - 19%, and in Romania - 42%. A similar situation continues today.
A specialization that can be proud ofagriculture of foreign Europe, is subtropical agriculture. The bulk of imports of food products from this part of the globe are grape, fruit, sugar and wine. The second place is occupied by products of dairy farming - milk, meat, cheese, butter.
Thus, the main types of agriculture in foreign Europe are as follows:
- Central European with a predominance of livestock (mainly dairy) in the structure.
- South European with a predominance of crop production, mostly subtropical.
You can also highlight the Eastern European type of agriculture, much less specialized. Such an organization is typical for the states of the former socialist camp.
Central European type
Countries of foreign Europe with such organizationsagriculture specialize mainly in meat and dairy cattle breeding and forage-producing plant growing. Also, rather important sub-strains in these states are vegetable growing and the cultivation of industrial crops.
Livestock raising
In the western regions of England, in the north of Germany andFrance, the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland are particularly well-developed dairy cattle. Oil, margarine, condensed milk and cheeses constitute a significant part of food imports from these countries. In Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark, a lot of resources are also involved in meat and milk cattle breeding, pig breeding and poultry farming. A significant part of the structure of agriculture, these sub-sectors also occupy the UK. In areas with a scanty fodder base (Scotland, the Central Massif in France, Pennins), traditional extensive sheep breeding has developed well.
Crop production
Agriculture of foreign Europe, iftalking about the northern and western regions, as already mentioned, specializes mainly in livestock. Crop production in countries with a Central European type of organization usually plays a secondary role and is oriented, first of all, to the assistance of cattle breeding and pig production. Two-fifths of the land in this part of foreign Europe is used for meadows and pastures. On cultivated soils, mainly potatoes, rye, oats and forage crops are grown. However, in recent years, plant growing in countries with a Central European type of management has become an increasingly independent industry. First of all, this can be attributed to France. At the moment this state is, for example, one of the largest importers of wheat and sugar.
Floriculture
Agriculture of foreign Europe in the northern andWestern countries are mainly oriented to fodder crop production. However, in this region there is another very well-developed sub-sector - floriculture. Specializing in it is mainly the Netherlands. Cultivate bulbous and arboreal and shrubby ornamental plants in this country began a long time ago - more than 400 years ago. The first tulips were brought to the Netherlands from Turkey. In a short period of time, thousands of varieties and varieties of this flower were harvested in the Netherlands. To date, the Netherlands is one of the largest suppliers of ornamental plants - tulips, roses, chrysanthemums, daffodils, etc. - in the world.
Characteristics of agriculture in foreign Europe: the southern type
For countries with such an organization,specialization in plant growing. Grow in the states of southern Europe, including grain. However, the most popular are such crops as almonds, citrus fruits, vegetables and fruits. Lion's share of agricultural production is occupied by grapes and olives.
The most striking examples of specialization insubtropical cultures are the southern, adjacent to the sea areas of Spain and Italy. The latter takes, for example, the first place in the collection of grapes in the world. The annual harvest of vegetables in Italy is 14-15 million tons, fruits, citrus fruits and grapes - 18-18 million tons. In the southern regions of Spain, with the help of ancient Roman irrigation systems, mainly grains, cotton and tobacco are grown. Also here very well developed vegetable growing, viticulture and citrus gardening. By collecting the same olives, Spain ranks first in the world.
Eastern European type
Agriculture of countries such as Poland,Slovakia, Bulgaria, etc., developed under special economic conditions. In the middle of the last century collective farms and state farms were actively created in this region. Therefore, these countries of foreign Europe have no clear specialization in agriculture. More or less clearly, it manifested itself only in the cultivation of vegetables, tobacco, fruits and grapes. Developed in these regions and the grain economy. In particular, Hungary has made good progress in this sector of crop production. The yield of cereals in this country is 50 centners per hectare. The per capita is 1400 kg. In Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia, mainly vegetables, fruits and grapes are grown.
Agriculture of foreign Europe (table):
Type of agriculture | Direction | A country | |
Livestock raising | Crop production | ||
Central European | Milk, meat and dairy | Forage crops, vegetables, potatoes, cereals, floriculture | France, Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands |
Sheep breeding | France, Great Britain | ||
South European | Horticulture, viticulture, olives, citrus fruits | Italy, Spain | |
Eastern European | Cereals, horticulture, viticulture, vegetable growing | Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary | |
This is how the agriculture of foreign Europe is distributed approximately by branches and sub-branches. The table, of course, is not too detailed, but gives a general idea of its structure.
