Agriculture of foreign Europe. Characteristics of agriculture in foreign Europe

Despite some limitations in land resources, foreign Europe was able to establish quite a 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. In the plant growing of this region, such areas as gardening and horticulture prevail. 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, the economies of the states of this region underwent 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, increased 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 for 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.

Main types of reference

A specialization, which can rightly be proud of the agriculture of a foreign Europe, is subtropical farming. 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 organizations of agriculture specialize mainly in meat and dairy farming and fodder 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 northern Germany and France, in the Netherlands, Denmark and Switzerland, dairy cattle breeding is particularly well developed. 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, if we talk about the northern and western regions, as already mentioned, specializes mainly in animal husbandry. Crop production in countries with a Central European type of organization usually plays a secondary role and is primarily aimed at helping livestock and pig production. Two-fifths of the land in this part of foreign Europe is used for meadows and pastures. On the cultivated soils, mainly potatoes, rye, oats and fodder crops are grown. However, in recent years, plant growing in countries with the average 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

The agriculture of foreign Europe in the northern and western countries is mainly oriented to fodder crop production. However, in this region there is another very well-developed sub-sector - floriculture. Specializing in it are 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. For 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 crop production is characteristic. Grow in the states of southern Europe , including grain. However, the most popular are such crops as almonds, citrus fruits, vegetables and fruits. The lion's share of agricultural production is occupied by grapes and olives.

The most striking examples of specialization in subtropical cultures are the southern, adjacent to the sea regions 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

The agriculture of such countries 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 plant growing. 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):

This is how the agriculture of foreign Europe is distributed approximately in the sectors and sub-branches. The table, of course, is not too detailed, but gives a general idea of its structure.