The Alps

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  • Created by: Jiya
  • Created on: 05-04-16 14:51

Formation

  • 35 million years old
  • collision between African and Eurasion plates
  • accumulated sediments forced upwards to form mountains
  • border between France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Slovenia
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Uses

  • Farming
    • vineyards in Lavaux, Switzerland
  • Hydro Electric Power
    • ideal due to steep slopes, high precipitation and summer melting
    • produce fast flowing rivers, ideal for generating HEP
    • narrow alley sides, dammed to generate HEP in Berne, Switzerland
    • 60% electricity in Switzerland, generated by HEP which is renewable
  • Mining
    • Iron extracted from the mountain in Erzberg, Austria
  • Tourism
    • 100 million people visit the Alps each year
    • in winter, skiing, snowboarding and ice climbing
    • in summer, people walk and hike through mountains
    • money earned used to protect the natural area
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Overcoming Problems

  • Goats farmed because they are adapted to live there
    • produce milk and cheese which can be sold
  • New villages built to accomodate tourists
    • Tignes, France
  • Most towns built on valley floor for easy access to roads and railways
    • Chamonix, France
  • Tunnels cut through mountains for fast transport
    • Lotschberg Base Tunnel through Bernese Alps, Switzerland
  • Farmers move cattle to high pastures in summer and low ones in winter, where grass grows best
    • transhumance
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