Fold Mountains Case Study - The Alps

Location - South central Europe

Cause - Collision Plate Boundary (African and Eurasian)

· Home to 11 million people

· People make a living using the coniferous forest, farming dairy cattle, goats and sheep and generating electricity using HEP

· Valley floors are good places to build settlements and farm in rich soils

· Steep slopes make living conditions difficult

· Away from the valley floor, soil is poor

· Communications are good along long valleys, but difficult from one valley to another

· The summer climate is pleasant, but the winter snow and storms make living conditions difficult

· Purpose built ski resorts

· Walkers

· Cable car riders

· Paragliders

· Creates jobs and wealth

· Steep slopes, deep valleys and high rainfall

· Many industries have grown up in the lower valleys

· Brings more jobs and money to the area

· Natural environment destroyed, rubbish and pollution becoming more of a problem

· Coniferous trees are the main trees forested

· Deforestation can destroy the natural beauty and lead to soil erosion

· Tree planting schemes

· Wide meadows, ideal for sheep and dairy cattle farming

· Goat herding in extreme upland areas