摘要

Europe is the second smallest continent in the world. Only Australia is smaller. Europe is only a little larger than the United States. But almost three times as many people live there as in the United States. The far northern part of Europe includes a large area of evergreen forest. There are areas of rugged mountains. The weather is cold and harsh, especially during the winter. Animals and plants must work hard to survive. The central and western parts of Europe were once covered by forests. But most of the trees were cut down to make room for towns and farms. Over the years, people have replanted forests. Now large areas of woodlands cover many parts of Europe. They provide homes to many different animals. The main feature of southern Europe is the Mediterranean Sea. Its warm waters keep southern Europe hot and dry in the summer and cool and wet during the winter. Many animals inhabit this warm climate. Large numbers of people live in this part of Europe or travel there on vacation. Unfortunately, many have destroyed or polluted the animals' habitats and put some species in danger. Book jacket.