Agriculture of foreign Europe. Characteristics of agriculture in foreign Europe

Despite some limitations in landresources, foreign Europe was able to establish a rather high-productive agriculture. The countries of this part of the world are not only able to provide their own population with food, but most of them are major exporters of crop and livestock products. As for the first industry, the most developed in the states of Europe is dairy cattle breeding. Crop production in this region is dominated by areas such as gardening and horticulture. Some countries are also the largest exporters of cereals, mainly wheat.

Agriculture overseas Europe: the proportion of the active population

После Второй мировой войны в экономике государств This region has undergone major changes. The share of the active population employed in agriculture has declined significantly. It was connected with the development of new intensive methods of production, increasing the well-being of the population and many other factors. However, serious differences between individual countries in this regard remain. For example, in the UK in 2005, about 1.4% of the total active population was employed in the agricultural field, in Portugal - 19%, and in Romania - 42%. A similar situation persists today.

Main types of reference

A specialty that can rightfully be proud ofagriculture overseas Europe is subtropical farming. The bulk of food imports from this part of the globe are grapes, fruit, sugar and wine. The second place is occupied by dairy products - milk, meat, cheese, butter.

Thus, the main types of agriculture in foreign Europe are:

• 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 East European type of agriculture, much less specialized. Such an organization is characteristic of the states of the former socialist camp.

Central European type

Countries of foreign Europe with such organizationsAgriculture specializes mainly in meat and dairy farming and feed production. Also quite important subgrowths in these states are vegetable growing and cultivation of industrial crops.

Livestock

In the western regions of England, in the north of Germany andFrance, in the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland dairy cattle breeding is especially well developed. Butter, margarine, condensed milk and cheeses make up 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 dairy cattle breeding, pig breeding and poultry farming. A significant part of the structure of agriculture, these sub-sectors occupy in the UK. In areas with a poor feed base (Scotland, the Central Massif in France, the Pennins), traditional extensive sheep breeding has found a good development.

Plant growing

Agriculture overseas Europe iftalk about the northern and western regions, as already mentioned, specializes mainly in livestock. Crop production in countries with an average European type of organization usually plays a secondary role and is aimed primarily at helping cattle breeding and pig breeding. Two-fifths of the land of this part of foreign Europe is occupied by meadows and pastures. On cultivated soils, mainly potatoes, rye, oats and fodder crops are grown. Recently, however, crop production 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 overseas Europe in the northern andWestern countries focused mainly on fodder crops. However, in this region there is another very well-developed sub-branch - floriculture. It specializes mainly in the Netherlands. To grow bulbous and tree-shrub 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. For a short period of time in the Netherlands thousands of varieties and varieties of this flower were bred. At the moment, 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 is characteristicspecialization in crop production. Grown in the states of southern Europe, including grain. However, the most popular are such cultures as almonds, citrus fruits, vegetables and fruits. The lion’s share of agricultural production is grapes and olives.

The most prominent examples of specialization insubtropical cultures are southern, adjacent to the sea areas of Spain and Italy. The latter is, for example, the first place to collect grapes in the world. The annual crop of vegetables in Italy is 14–15 million tons, of fruits, citrus fruits and grapes — 18–18 million tons. In the southern regions of Spain, with the help of ancient Roman irrigation systems, they mainly grow cereals, cotton and tobacco. Vegetable growing, viticulture and citrus gardening are also very well developed here. As for the collection of olives, Spain ranks first in the world.

Eastern European type

Agriculture of countries like PolandSlovakia, Bulgaria, etc., developed in 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 in agriculture do not have any pronounced specialization. More or less clearly, it manifested itself only in the cultivation of vegetables, tobacco, fruits and grapes. Grain farming is also developed in these regions. Hungary has achieved particularly good success in this branch of crop production. The grain yield in this country is 50 centners per hectare. Per capita accounts for 1,400 kg. Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia mainly grow vegetables, fruits and grapes.

Agriculture overseas Europe (table):

In just such a manner, agriculture of foreign Europe is distributed by industry and sub-industry. The table, of course, is not very detailed, but gives a general idea about its structure.