The region includes the mountains of the Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines, Dinaric Alps, Balkans, and Carpathians. High elevations, rugged plateaus, and steeply sloping land define the region.

Physical geography looks at the natural processes of the Earth, such as climate and plate tectonics. Human geography looks at the impact and behaviour of people and how they relate to the physical world.

Physical geography is what we are more familiar with as it involves earth’s land areas, bodies of water, plant life etc. Physical geographers help in making decisions about managing different types of resources such as water, forests and land. Human geography is more about people’s religion, culture and way of life.

Physical characteristics include land forms, climate, soil, and natural vegetation. For example, the peaks and valleys of the Rocky Mountains form a physical region. Some regions are distinguished by human characteristics. These may include economic, social, political, and cultural characteristics.

At the broadest level, geography is divided into physical geography, human geography, geographic techniques, and regional geography. The natural environment is the primary concern of physical geographers, although many physical geographers also look at how humans have altered natural systems.

The geography of France consists of a terrain that is mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in the north and west and mountainous in the south (including the Massif Central and the Pyrenees) and the east (the highest points being in the Alps).

Asian Russia consists of Western Siberia, Eastern Siberia and the Far East. European Russia is more economically developed and has the highest population density as well as Russia’s most modern and developed transportation and communication infrastructure.

The Chara Sands in Russia’s Siberia is probably the strangest desert in the world. In some ways it’s a normal desert with high dunes and sand storms. However, this small desert (only 5 x 10 km) is surrounded by taiga, rivers, swamps, and springs. The Chara Sands is a popular tourist spot.