Earth’s Tectonic Plates, European Geography, and State Functions
ITEM 1
According to plate tectonics, Earth’s crust is composed of several plates, called tectonic plates, that move very slowly and sometimes overlap one another. When plates overlap or collide, they cause earthquakes and volcanic activity, creating cracks that release accumulated energy from the Earth’s core in the form of lava. The relief refers to the inequalities that present the land surface. Most people live in flat areas situated below 500 m altitude, and modify the relief with bridges, balconies, and terraces. 70% of the Earth’s surface is water, of which only 2.5% is freshwater. Oceans are large bodies of salt water with hot and cold currents called ocean currents. Rivers are freshwater streams flowing into a lake or sea and are composed of tributaries. Lakes are permanent bodies of water in closed, sunken areas. Almost 25% of continental water is underground, known as groundwater.
ITEM 2
Europe, with 10.4 million square kilometers, is the second smallest continent after Oceania. Its territory is mostly flat, and its coasts are highly indented with many inlets and peninsulas. Mountains, ancient massifs, and plateaus are located in the north and east of the continent. The Great Plains extend across the central and eastern continent (from France to European Russia), and the Alpine ranges are located along the Mediterranean coast. The rivers are numerous and flow into different basins: the Atlantic (with the most significant rivers of the continent), the Mediterranean (generally with shorter flows), and the Arctic slope (where waters remain cold in winter). In the European continent, temperate climates predominate:
- Oceanic climate: along the Atlantic coast, the characteristic landscape is heathland, composed of heather and gorse.
- Continental climate: in the center and east of the continent, its characteristic vegetation is prairie, and in colder areas, the taiga.
- Mediterranean climate: dominant on the Mediterranean coast, with abundant species such as pines in the Mediterranean forest.
The Iberian Peninsula is dominated by a large central plateau, divided into two sub-plateaus by the Central System.
A set of mountain ranges and massifs surrounds the peninsula, including the Galician Massif (Galicia), Sierra Morena (between the Guadiana and Guadalquivir rivers), the Cantabrian Mountains (Cantabria), and the Iberian System (where the Ebro River is located).
ITEM 3
A state consists of a territory bounded by borders, a population living within the state with rights and obligations, and the power of the state, which governs the territory and makes laws.
Its functions are to maintain public order, defend its territory, establish international relations, develop legislation, provide educational services, and regulate the economy.
The world is made up of approximately 200 states. Some were founded recently, while others have a long history. Some are huge, and others are tiny, but not all states have the same power.
The welfare state is a system where the government provides aid by collecting a percentage of the population’s wages, called taxes, which are allocated to public education, public health, etc.
The parliament has legislative power, the government has executive power, and judges have judicial power.