In industry, traditionally powerful sectors are the processing of agricultural raw materials, as well as food, light, furniture, etc. In recent decades, manufacturing industries have been actively developing.

The energy sector is focused on imported fuel: oil is imported from Libya and Iran, and gas from Russia and Algeria. Total electricity production in countries Southern Europe is 618.3 million kW. In the electric power industry, a significant share of hydroelectric power plants in Italy produces up to 1/3 of electricity, in Spain - almost half, in Portugal - more than 60%. Nuclear power generation is developed only in Spain (8 nuclear reactors producing 19% of electricity). In Italy, after a referendum in 1988, 4 nuclear reactors were closed.

Metallurgy. In the region, especially in Spain, ferrous metallurgy and some non-ferrous industries are developed: aluminum, copper, lead-zinc.

Mechanical engineering. The industry is of international importance, in particular transport engineering (FIAT - Italy and SEAT - Spain, which generally produce more than 4.5 million passenger cars annually). FIAT is the largest private concern in the region (29 thousand workers and employees), uniting more than 100 companies and concentrates in its hands the majority (1.3 million, more than 80%) of passenger car production in the country, and also controls about 15% European automobile market. Its headquarters, as well as its main automobile plant, are located in Turin.

Precision engineering and instrument making are developed in the region. Italy ranks first in the world in the production of certain types of household appliances - refrigerators, washing machines, gas stoves (trademarks ARISTON, INDESIT, ZANUSSI, ARDO; the Merloni factories produce 3,200 washing machines daily. The Olivetti company is known for the production of office equipment and office equipment.Shipbuilding and ship repair are represented in Malta (the Maltese ones are still owned by the state and are the largest in the Mediterranean).

Chemical industry. Petrochemicals occupy a prominent place in the structure of the industry (developing due to imported raw materials), the production of acids, soda, mineral fertilizers, etc. is growing, primarily in Spain, which is rich in various chemical raw materials. The largest Italian chemical concern is Montadison. Portugal is one of the world's leading suppliers of chemical raw materials of organic origin - agar-agar, which is obtained from seaweed and used to produce gelatin. Its main buyer is Japan.

The building materials industry specializes in the production of tiles and facing tiles, tiles, sanitary equipment, etc. This industry has gained significant development in Spain, Italy, and Portugal.

Forestry and woodworking industry. Although the region is not rich in forest resources Since the Middle Ages, Italy and Spain have been famous in Europe for the production of expensive furniture. And now these countries are known for their furniture made of natural wood, as well as prefabricated furniture for consumer use. Portugal and Spain are the world's leading producers of cork (cork oak bark).

Light industry. Its largest industry is cotton, which operates mainly on imported raw materials. All countries in the region have developed sewing, textile, and footwear industries (Italy ranks first in footwear exports in the world). Greece is famous for its fur products (products from fur trimmings imported from all over the world have long been made here) from mink.

Food industry. The industry operates primarily on its own raw materials. The canning, wine-making, flour-grinding, pasta, and tobacco industries have international specialization. Portugal is one of the leading countries in the world for the production of canned sardines in olive oil. From time immemorial, winemaking in the countries of the region has been famous: Italy shares first place with France, and Spain ranks third in the world in wine production. The most famous Portuguese wines are port (from the name of the city of Porto) and Madeira (from the name of the island of Madeira with its famous grape varieties). Spanish arch wines Malaga and sherry are also world famous.

South European countries pay great attention to the development of labor-intensive industries (production of household appliances, light appliances, furniture, food, etc.), involving a significant army of working-age population in production. This to some extent curbs economic emigration from the countries of the region.

Southern Europe is an agricultural region with ancient traditions. By EU standards, agriculture in most countries in the region is not efficient enough. Farms are small in area, usually no more than 5 hectares. Small farms are unproductive and have little marketable value.

The reasons for the backwardness of agriculture are varied: the predominance of extensive forms of farming, the presence in places of feudal remnants; low level mechanization, chemicalization and power supply of peasant labor; age fragmentation of land plots. Crops are grown according to tradition, without taking into account market conditions and soil conditions.

Plant growing. In all countries of the region it prevails over livestock farming. In terms of cultivation volumes, “Mediterranean crops” dominate. Cereals are also cultivated: wheat (mainly in central and southern regions countries of the region), corn (in the northern regions), rye and oats (in areas adjacent to the Alps and Pyrenees). Durum wheat (for the pasta industry) is grown in southern Italy. Significant territories are occupied by rice (Spain has the highest yield in Europe - 60-70 centners per hectare, and Italy ranks first in Europe in its collection). Parts for cereals use rainfed lands.

Among the industrial crops, the most important are: in the group of oilseeds - oils, plantations of which are spread over large areas of the countries of the region; the group of sugar crops is dominated by sugar beet cultivation (especially in the Padan lowland in northern Italy and central Spain); the only area in Europe where sugar cane is grown is located in southern Spain. Portugal and Spain are the world's largest producers of cork oak bark. Cotton is grown in small quantities in Spain and Italy, and Greece is Europe's leading producer of this crop. Essential oil crops are cultivated (in total on the territory of the Italian Riviera) - rose, lavender, sage, etc.

Large areas are occupied by vegetables: tomatoes (Italian region of Campania), cabbage, lettuce, onions. In San Marino, the agricultural sector specializes in growing green onions for export. The volume of cultivation of melons and melons is significant.

The warm Mediterranean climate is better for the development of gardening. In the north, apple trees, pears, cherries, and plums are common; closer to the south - figs, apricots, peaches, pomegranates, almonds, and walnuts. Citrus trees are grown for export: oranges (in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece), lemons (especially in Greece). Only in the south-east of Spain do date palms bear fruit.

The countries of the region are among the largest producers of grapes. Thus, Italy ranks first in the world in grape harvesting (8.6 million tons) and wine production (sharing the lead with France - 5.1 million tons). Spain (4th in the world in grape harvest and 3rd in wine production) and Portugal are also leading producers of viticulture products.

Due to the predominance of crop production in the structure of agriculture, with a specialization in vegetable gardening and horticulture, the region is often called the “garden” and “city” of Europe.

Animal husbandry. It has traditionally been a minor branch of agriculture (conditions in the Mediterranean are not favorable for it), but is becoming increasingly important. They mainly breed goats (9.7 million heads), cattle (15 million), pigs (37.8 million), sheep (45.2 million) and poultry. Dairy cattle are raised primarily on alpine pastures. A separate area of ​​livestock farming in Spain has long been the raising of bulls for bullfighting.

Fisheries are underdeveloped. The reason for this is the small shelf (weak food supply for fish) and the long-standing development of the sea (great depletion of fish resources). The total fish catch is 1.3 million tons, Spain is in the lead - 768 thousand tons.

general characteristics economies of Southern Europe. For a long time in terms of economic development, the countries of Southern Europe were significantly inferior to the countries of Western and Northern Europe. However, at the end of the 20th century. Thanks to smart economic policies and assistance from the European Union, they managed to overcome the gap. Today the level of social economic development Southern European countries are comparable to the EU average. The main features of the economic development of the countries of Southern Europe are: good supply of labor resources and certain types of mineral resources; economic development in conditions of lack of own fuel and energy resources; a significant role in the economy of agricultural countries, and in it - the predominance of crop farming over livestock farming; development of a powerful tourism business associated with the presence of large number historical and architectural monuments, as well as exceptionally favorable natural conditions of the Mediterranean.

Industry. The formation of the industrial structure was affected almost complete absence of oil in the region and natural gas- the most important sources of energy and raw materials. Mineral fuels are supplied from the countries of Northern Europe, Russia, North Africa and the Middle East. As a consequence, the location of industry tends to gravitate towards sea coasts. The majority of enterprises in the oil refining and petrochemical industries, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, and light industry are concentrated here. The bulk of electricity is produced at thermal power plants running on fuel oil and natural gas. In Spain, 25% of electricity is generated by nuclear power plants. In conditions of shortage of mineral fuel, the use of renewable energy sources is important. In Italy and Spain, the role of hydropower is great. Numerous hydroelectric power plants, providing cheap energy, were built on mountain rivers in the Alps and Pyrenees. Increasing development economies of Southern Europe, receives the use of solar energy.
In the port cities of Italy, Spain, and Greece, where imported oil is delivered, a powerful oil refining and petrochemical industry has formed. Ferrous metallurgy also depends on imported raw materials. Large deposits of coal and iron ore are found only in Spain; however, their reserves are significantly depleted. Therefore, ferrous metal production enterprises are also concentrated in port centers. Electrometallurgy predominates, and as a result, the steel produced in these countries differs high quality . The leading industry in large countries ah region is mechanical engineering. Its basis is production Vehicle- cars and trucks, sea vessels. IN Lately Electronics and electrical engineering and instrument making are developing rapidly. The brands of Italian refrigerators and washing machines, as well as Olivetti computers, are world famous. In Italy the machine tool industry has reached a high level.
Traditionally important role in economic development economies of Southern Europe light and food industries play a role. The countries are major producers of cotton and woolen fabrics, knitwear, clothing and footwear, furniture, and jewelry. The food industry specializes in the production of pasta, olive oil, grape wines, canned vegetables and fruits, and juices. Rich reserves of various building stones and raw materials for the cement industry contribute to the development of production. A significant part of the products (cladding tiles, marble, cement) is exported.
Agriculture. Feature of rural economies of Southern Europe- predominance of crop farming over livestock farming. The reason for this industry structure lies in natural conditions. The warm Mediterranean climate, combined with artificial irrigation, allows for the world's most diverse range of crops to be grown. And the presence of a large European market nearby contributes to the production of subtropical crops in large volumes. The disadvantage is the limited amount of land suitable for farming. The use of mountain slopes for agriculture is possible only with the help of terracing, which has long been common in Mediterranean countries. The most typical crops for the region are olives and grapes. A variety of vegetables and fruits are grown everywhere. Among vegetables, tomatoes stand out in terms of production volumes; fruits - peaches, apricots, and cherries. Most of the typical subtropical crops - figs, citrus fruits - are exported. Cereals (wheat, barley, rice), legumes and melons are produced for our own needs. Of the industrial crops, the most important are sugar beets, tobacco and cotton.
The development of livestock farming has always been hampered by a lack of food supply. IN last years, unable to withstand the competition of highly specialized farms in Western and Northern Europe, livestock production is declining. All major branches of livestock farming are represented in the region: breeding large and small (sheep, goats), cattle, pigs, and poultry. Sheep are widely raised on natural pastures. Depending on the season, the herds are moved. Stall livestock farming is combined with agriculture and is characteristic of the fertile lowlands, especially the Podan Plain in Italy. Here and also in suburban areas major cities, concentrated dairy farming, pig farming and poultry farming. Important role Seafood plays a significant role in the diet of the region's residents.
Transport and services. To the transport system economies of Southern Europe strongly influenced by the peninsular position. Plays a major role in international and domestic transportation sea ​​transport. All countries have large merchant fleets, some of which are leased. Freight of sea vessels is especially developed in Greece. Air transport is rapidly developing, providing both domestic and international transportation of passengers.. All the largest settlements The regions are connected by roads and railways. Through tunnels built in the mountains, connections are made with continental regions of Europe.
The development of the service sector is aimed at serving numerous foreign tourists. Every year, the countries of Southern Europe are visited by more than 100 million vacationers from all over the world. They are attracted by the favorable climate, warm sea combined with mountainous terrain, unique architectural ensembles of cities, high level services in numerous hotels and restaurants. Mountain resorts are very popular. Traditional place pilgrimage for believers is the Vatican. Annual revenues from foreign tourism in each of the major countries in the region amount to tens of billions of dollars.

There are different classifications for dividing countries into regions. There are geographical ones, there is a UN classifier, there are copyright ones. Therefore, there is only one doubt that Southern Europe is the one near the Mediterranean Sea, because this sea washes precisely the south of Europe. We will include in Southern Europe:

• Andorra, southern Spain and Portugal
• Monaco,
• states located on the Apennine Peninsula (Italy, Vatican City, San Marino),
• Greece,
• island states of Malta and Cyprus.

Sometimes Southern Europe also includes Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, southern regions Ukraine and the European part of Turkey. But if memory serves, we have already entered them into .

Important peculiarity of the situation in the countries of Southern Europe, which are located on the peninsulas and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, is that they are on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa and Australia, and Spain and Portugal are also ports on the way to America. All these countries, their history and economy are closely connected with the sea.

Equally important is the fact that the region is located between the rest of Europe and the countries North Africa. Although the countries’ connections are carried out across the sea, these connections are multilateral and centuries-old. There were times when people from Africa claimed dominance in this region, then vice versa - northern Africa became colonies of Portugal, Italy and Spain. And Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, led by Great Britain, i.e. still a colony (to put it bluntly).

The relief of the region is an alternation of lowlands, hilly ridges and individual mountain ranges up to 1000 m high.

Southern Europe. Climate

Southern Europe is a region with a predominant subtropical climate. The coast here is dry and hot, especially in summer period. There is practically no vegetation on the coast, bare earth and rocks. The waters of the Mediterranean Sea will delight you with pleasant temperatures starting in May. The average temperature in summer is about +24 °C, in winter it is quite cool - about +8C. Precipitation is about 1000-1500 mm per year.

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Inland waters

Southern Europe has mountainous terrain and a subtropical climate with dry summers that create unique conditions for the formation of a river network. Rivers, as a rule, have a large slope and a shallow bed. On many of them, especially on Iberian Peninsula, there are rapids in the lower reaches. The amount of water in rivers fluctuates greatly throughout the year. In winter, during rains, the rivers are quite muddy due to suspended matter from the banks and the bottom of the riverbed. In summer, rivers become shallow, and some in southern Italy and Greece dry up completely in the summer.

Flora and fauna

Even the names themselves are unusual: strawberry trees, holm oaks, myrtles, olives, grapes, citrus fruits, magnolia, cypresses, chestnuts, junipers. Animal world roe deer, servals, horned goats, foxes, monitor lizards, wolves, badgers, raccoons. But the places where all this grows or runs around to look for it - as was written above, especially on the coast, the area is deserted of vegetation.

Population and economic activity

Traditionally, Southern Europe has a high birth rate, but natural population growth is low. Peoples: Spaniards, Italians, Portuguese, Greeks. Population density, from 10 or more people per km² (someone wrote that this is high density!?). The predominant religion is Catholicism.

Southern Europe includes 8 countries and one dependent territory- Gibraltar (possession of Great Britain) (table). Feature region is the location of the smallest state-city of the Vatican, whose territory is 44 hectares, and the oldest republic in the world - San Marino

Table 5 – Southern European countries

Important peculiarity of the economic and geographical position of the countries of Southern Europe, located on the peninsulas and islands of the Mediterranean Sea, is that they are all located on the main sea routes from Europe to Asia, Africa and Australia, and Spain and Portugal also to Central and South America. All this since the times of the great geographical discoveries affected the development of the region, the life of the countries of which is closely connected with the sea. No less significant is the fact that the region is located between Central Europe and the Arab countries of North Africa, which have multilateral ties with Europe. The former metropolises of Portugal, Italy and Spain still retain influence over some African countries. All countries (except the Vatican) are members of the UN, the OECD, and the largest are members of NATO and European Union. Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, led by Great Britain.

Natural conditions and resources. The region is located on the peninsulas of the Mediterranean Sea - the Iberian, Apennine and Balkan. Only Italy is part of mainland Europe. The Mediterranean Sea largely determined the similarity of the natural conditions of the region. There is an acute shortage of fuel in the region. useful fossils. There is almost no oil, very little natural gas and coal. However, the rich are deposits of various metals, especially colored ones: bauxite(Greece belongs to the top three European leaders), mercury, copper, polymetals(Spain, Italy), tungsten(Portugal). Huge reserves building materials – marble, tuff, granite, cement raw materials, clay. In southern European countries it is underdeveloped river network. Large massifs forests preserved only in the Pyrenees and the Alps. The average forest cover of the region is 32%. Natural and recreational resources are extremely rich. These are warm seas, many kilometers of sandy beaches, lush vegetation, picturesque landscapes, numerous sea and mountain resorts, as well as areas favorable for mountaineering and skiing, etc. There are 14 national parks in the region. Unique natural resource potential region contributed to the significant development of the agricultural sector and tourism and recreational activities in its countries.

Population. Traditionally, Southern Europe is characterized by a high birth rate, but natural population growth is low: from 0.1% per year in Italy to 0.4-0.5% in Greece, Portugal and 0.8% in Malta. Women account for 51% of the region's population. The majority of the population belongs to the southern (Mediterranean) branch of e Caucasian race. During the era of the Roman Empire, most of them were Romanized, and now people belonging to the Romanesque group predominate here Indo-European language family(Portuguese, Spaniards, Galicians, Catalans, Italians, Sardinians, Romansh). Exception are: Greeks(Greek group of the Indo-European family); Albanians(Albanian group of the Indo-European family), represented in Italy; Gibraltar (Germanic group of the Indo-European family); Maltese(Semitic group of the Semitic-Hamitic language family). The Maltese language is considered to be a dialectal form of Arabic; Turks(Turkic group of the Altaic language family) - there are many of them in Greece; Basque(in the rank of a separate family) - live in the historical region of the Basque Country in northern Spain. Population composition in the countries of the region is predominantly homogeneous. High indicators of mononationality characteristic of Portugal (99.5% Portuguese), Italy and Greece (98% Italians and Greeks each, respectively), and only in Spain there is a significant weight (almost 30%) of national minorities: Catalans (18%), Galicians (8%) , Basques (2.5%), etc. The majority of the population is Christians. Christianity is represented by two branches: Catholicism(west and center of the region); Orthodoxy(east of the region, Greece). In Southern Europe there is a spiritual and administrative center The Roman Catholic Church is the Vatican, which exists in the IV century. Some Turks, Albanians, Greeks - Muslims.

Population posted unevenly. Highest density- in fertile valleys and coastal lowlands, the smallest - in the mountains (Alps, Pyrenees), in some areas up to 1 person / km 2. Urbanization level in the region is much lower than in other parts of Europe: in Spain and Malta alone, up to 90% of the population lives in cities, and, for example, in Greece and Italy - more than 60%, in Portugal - 36%. Labor resources are about 51 million people. In general, 30% of the active population is employed in industry, 15% - in agriculture , 53% - in service sector. Recently, many employees from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe come to Southern Europe for the fruit and vegetable harvest season, who cannot find work in their own countries.

Features of economic development and general characteristics farms. The countries of the region still lag economically behind the highly developed countries of Europe. Although Portugal, Spain, Greece and Italy are members of the EU, all of them, except Italy, lag behind the leaders in many socio-economic indicators. Italy is the economic leader of the region, belongs to highly developed industrial-agrarian countries, with a clear tendency to form a post-industrial type of economy. At the same time, the country still has significant contrasts in the development of many industries and production, in the social sphere, and in the socio-economic conditions of the North and South. Italy lags behind many highly developed countries in terms of scientific and technological development. Ahead of some countries Western Europe in terms of the volume of net profits from tourism, it is inferior to them in terms of the scale and intensity of international trade and credit and financial transactions. Spain. This is the second country in the region in terms of socio-economic development. The public sector plays a significant role in the Spanish economy, accounting for up to 30% of the country's GDP. The state carries out economic programming, controls railways, coal industry, a significant part of shipbuilding and ferrous metallurgy. In the second half of the 80s. XX century Portugal was experiencing significant economic growth. The average GDP growth during this period was one of the highest in the EU and amounted to 4.5-4.8% per year; in 2000, GNP was equal to $159 billion. Greece has a larger GNP than Portugal (181.9 billion in 2000). The country's industry is significantly monopolized by large local and foreign capital (mainly the USA, Germany, France and Switzerland). Up to 200 companies receive over 50% of all profits. Greece has fairly high inflation rates for EU countries (3.4% per year). Government measures to reduce it (cutting government subsidies, freezing wages, etc.) predetermine social instability.

IN MGRT The countries of the region are represented by individual branches of mechanical engineering (production of cars, household appliances, technological equipment for the light and food industries), furniture industry, production of construction products and equipment, light industry branches (fruit and vegetable canning, oilseeds - production of olive oil, winemaking, pasta, etc.). P.). Agriculture is dominated by agricultural sectors - the cultivation of various subtropical crops: citrus fruits, wood oils, grapes, vegetables, fruits, essential oil plants, etc. Due to the insufficient feed supply, livestock farming is dominated by sheep breeding and, to a small extent, beef cattle breeding. The countries of the region are actively developing merchant shipping and ship repair. They are the undisputed leaders in the development of international tourism. Warm sea, Mediterranean climate, rich subtropical vegetation, numerous monuments ancient culture and architecture are the main factors thanks to which Southern Europe is a favorite place of recreation and entertainment for many holidaymakers in the world, the largest tourist center.

5. General characteristics of the countries of Eastern (Central) Europe

The countries of Eastern (Central) Europe began to be distinguished as a socio-political and economic integrity in the 90s of the twentieth century. This is due to the collapse former USSR and the socialist system, the formation of independent states. The region covers 10 countries (Table 6). The economic and geographical position of Eastern Europe is distinguished by the following features : delineation in the west with highly developed countries, and in the east and southeast - with Russia and the countries of South-Eastern Europe - potential markets for Eastern Europe; the passage of trans-European transport routes of meridional and latitudinal directions through the region. Over the past 10 years in EGP (economic-geographical position) of the region the following took place changes : collapse of the USSR, formation of the CIS and new countries; unification of Germany; the collapse of Czechoslovakia, as a result of which two independent states were formed: the Czech Republic and Slovakia; the appearance on the southern borders of “unstable” neighbors in relation to the military-political state - the Balkan countries, Yugoslavia.

Table 6 – Eastern European countries

Political and socio-economic changes influenced the formation of modern political map Of Eastern Europe. As a result of the collapse of the USSR, independent states were formed: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia. A new political and economic association arose - the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Baltic countries were not included in it. In the process of profound revolutionary changes, the countries of Eastern Europe entered a period of political and economic reforms, actively asserting the principles of real democracy, political pluralism, market economy. All countries in the region are members of the UN. Russia, Ukraine and Belarus are in the CIS, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary are in NATO. Natural conditions and resources. The length of the coastline (excluding Russia) is 4682 km. Belarus, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic do not have access to the World Ocean. Climate in the predominant part of the territory it is moderate continental. Natural resources . The region has significant mineral resources , in terms of their richness and diversity, it ranks one of the first places in Europe. He fully satisfies his needs in coal , brown coal . On oil and gas The mineral resources of Russia are rich, there are small reserves in Ukraine and Hungary, as well as in the south of Belarus. Peat lies in Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, in the north of Ukraine, the largest reserves of oil shale are in Estonia and Russia. Countries are forced to import a significant portion of fuel and energy resources, especially oil and gas. Ore minerals are represented: iron ores , manganese , copper ores , bauxite , mercury nickel . Among nonmetallic mineral reserves available rock salt , potassium salt , sulfur , amber , phosphorites, apatites . The average forest cover of the region is 33%. To the main recreational resources belong to the sea coast, mountain air, rivers, forests, mineral springs, karst caves. The region is home to famous seaside resorts.

Population size. The territory of Eastern Europe excluding Russia is home to 132.1 million people, including the European part of Russia - 246.4 million. The largest population is in Ukraine and Poland. In other countries it ranges from 1.5 to 10.5 million people. Demographic situation is quite complex, due to the consequences of the Second World War, increasing urbanization and related industrial development states As in most other European countries, natural population growth has decreased significantly in recent decades, primarily due to a sharp decline in the birth rate, and in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Slovakia it has become negative. The population is also declining - the birth rate is lower than the death rate, which has led to the aging process of the population. The gender composition of the population is dominated by women (53%). Among the inhabitants of the region, representatives of the transitional (Central European) group predominate Caucasian race . Countries have mostly heterogeneous ethnic composition . The population belongs predominantly to two language family: Indo-European And Ural . Dominates the region Christianity , represented in all directions: Catholicism professed in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, by a significant number of Hungarians and Latvians; Orthodoxy - in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus; Protestantism (Lutheranism ) - in Estonia, the majority are Latvians and some Hungarians; To Uniate (Greek Catholic ) the church is inhabited by Western Ukrainians and Western Belarusians.

Population posted relatively evenly. The average density is almost 89 persons/km a. The level of urbanization is low - on average 68 %. The urban population is constantly increasing. Labor resources approximately 145 million people (56%). Industry employs 40-50 % working population, in agriculture - 20-50%, in the non-production sector - 15-20%. Since the mid-90s. XX century In the countries of Eastern Europe, economic emigration of the population in search of work and permanent income has increased significantly. Significant and intra-regional migration from the eastern regions (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus) to the economically developed western countries of the same region - Poland, the Czech Republic. Based on GDP indicators and its level per capita, the UN divides the countries of the region into 3 groups : 1) Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia (20-50% of GDP per capita from the US level); 2) Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia (10-20%); 3) Ukraine, Belarus, Russia (less than 10%). All states in the region belong to countries with an average level of socio-economic development.

IN ICCPR countries are represented by regions fuel and energy complex (coal, oil, gas), metallurgy, chemical industry (mainly by the branches of basic chemistry and coal chemistry), certain industries mechanical engineering , timber industry complex, easy (textile, knitwear, footwear, etc.) and food (meat and fish processing, sugar, oil and flour milling, etc.) industries. The agricultural specialization of countries is determined by the cultivation cereals (wheat, rye, barley, corn), technical (sugar beet, sunflower, flax, hops) and fodder crops , potatoes, vegetables and so on.. Livestock It is represented mainly by dairy and beef cattle breeding, pig farming, and poultry farming. Fishing has long been traditional in the countries along the Baltic Sea coast. Industry. The leading sector of the economy of the countries of the region is industry, mainly processing (mechanical engineering, metallurgical complex, chemical, light and food, etc.). Transport. Eastern Europe has all types of transport. An important task for the countries of the region is to bring the transport system up to EU standards. Foreign economic relations countries of Eastern Europe are still in their infancy and do not have a clearly defined orientation. Foreign trade mostly serves the needs of this region, since the products of many countries are still uncompetitive on the world market. IN export , which amounts to 227 billion dollars, is dominated by products of mechanical engineering, chemical and light industry, and some products of non-ferrous metallurgy. Foreign economic relations Ukraine with the countries of the region: significant volumes of exports of Ukrainian goods go to Russia, Belarus, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and greatest number imports to Ukraine - from Russia, Poland, Belarus, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania. Eastern Europe rich in resources for development recreational industry and tourism.

6. General characteristics of the countries of South-Eastern Europe

South-Eastern Europe covers 9 countries of the former socialist camp, located in the south-eastern part of Europe, not included in the region of Eastern (Central) Europe (Table 6)

Table 6 – Countries of South-Eastern Europe

The region has a rather favorable economic and geographical position due to its location on the routes from South-West Asia to Central Europe. The states of the region border with the countries of Eastern, Southern and Western Europe, as well as South-West Asia, are washed by the Atlantic seas (Black, Adriatic), and through the Mediterranean Sea they have access to transport routes in the Atlantic Ocean. The peculiarities of the political and geographical position of the region are negatively affected by religious and ethnic conflicts (Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro). All countries in the region have economies in transition. Member of the UN, Moldova is a member of the CIS.

Natural conditions. The countries of the region are rich in diverse landscapes. Climate in most of the territory it is temperate continental, only in the south and southwest it is subtropical Mediterranean. To obtain stable harvests, they irrigate large areas. Natural resources. Hydropower resources regions are among the most powerful in Europe. Mineral resources are varied, but the supply of them to the countries of the region is not the same. Largest reserves coal - in Transylvania (Romania), minor - west of Sofia in Bulgaria. Brown coal lies in Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Bulgaria, Albania, Slovenia. The only country in the region that is entirely self-sufficient oil and gas , - Romania. All others depend on their imports. H chernozems occupy large areas of Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova. Forests , covering over 35% of the territories are the national wealth of the countries of the region. The region has significant recreational resources. Favorable agroclimatic resources determined the development of a fairly significant agricultural sector in most countries in the region. Population. Demographic situation characterized by the same trends as in most other European countries. It is characterized by a sharp decline in the birth rate and natural increase, which is caused by socio-economic factors. There are more women than men in the region (51 and 49%). Most countries in the region are dominated by representatives of the southern group e European race. In the northern regions, the majority of the population belongs to Central European racial types . South-Eastern Europe - nationally and religiously heterogeneous region, which predetermines numerous conflicts. Constant military conflicts gave rise to significant population migrations. In the countries of the region, a large percentage national minorities , and in some of them there was territorial mixing of ethnic groups (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro). Residents of the region belong to Indo-European language family, Altaic and Uralic families . Religious composition also quite varied. The vast majority of the population professes Christianity (Orthodox - Bulgarians, Romanians, Moldovans, Serbs, Montenegrins, a significant part of Macedonians, and Catholics - Slovaks, Croats, part of Romanians and Hungarians) and Islam (Albanians, Kosovo Albanians, Bosnians, Turks). In Albania the entire population is Muslim. Hosted Population evenly. Increasingly influences population distribution urbanization , associated primarily with the movement of rural residents to cities. Labor resources make up over 35 million people. Employment in agriculture is very high - 24%, and in Albania - 55%, the highest figure for Europe, 38% of the population is employed in industry, construction and transport, 38% in the service sector. One of important issues region is to overcome the socio-demographic and religious-ethnic crisis that arose in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

Features of economic development and general characteristics of the economy. By The level of socio-economic development of the countries in the region belongs to the moderately developed ones. Only Albania meets the criteria of a developing country. The structure of the economy is dominated by industrial-agrarian countries. Each country is characterized by specific features of the transition period .

IN MGRT countries of the region are represented by non-ferrous metallurgy, individual industries chemical industry(production of fertilizers, soda, perfumes and cosmetics), transport, agricultural engineering, machine tool manufacturing, furniture, light (clothing, footwear, leather goods) and food (sugar, oil, canned fruits and vegetables, tobacco, wine) industries. IN agriculture agriculture traditionally predominates with the cultivation of cereals (wheat, barley, corn) and industrial crops (sugar beet, sunflower, tobacco, essential oil plants). They have significant development vegetable growing, horticulture, viticulture . In the countries of the Black Sea and Adriatic coasts, developed tourist and recreational complex .

Foreign economic relations. There are close economic ties between the countries of the region. They export products worth $33.9 billion: petroleum products, agricultural products, etc. Import ($45.0 billion) fuel, industrial goods, equipment, etc. The main ones trading partners are EU countries, CIS countries, Austria, Germany, Italy, Turkey, etc. Ukraine exports many goods to Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria, imports mainly from Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Slovenia.