Southern Europe - online puzzles

Southern Europe is the southern region of the European continent. Most definitions of Southern Europe, also known as Mediterranean Europe, include Italy, Malta, Greece, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Slovenia, Spain, Southern France, East Thrace or European Turkey and Cyprus. Also often included despite not having a coast in the Mediterranean are Portugal, Serbia, North Macedonia, Andorra, San Marino and Vatican City.Different methods can be used to define Southern Europe, including its political, economic, and cultural attributes. Southern Europe can also be defined by its natural features — its geography, climate, and flora. Politically, seven of the Southern European states form the EU Med group.

Geography

Geographically, Southern Europe is the southern half of the landmass of Europe. This definition is relative, although largely based in history, culture, climate, and flora which is shared across the region. Southern Europe can be subdivided in:

Southwestern Europe: the Iberian Peninsula (Andorra, Portugal and Spain) including the British overseas territory of Gibraltar and Southern France.Southcentral Europe: The Italian peninsula (Italy and the micro-states of San Marino and the Vatican City)Southeastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, East Thrace (part of European Turkey), Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.The major islands in the region include Sardinia, Sicily, Corsica, Crete, the Balearic Islands and the Island countries of Cyprus and Malta.

Climate

Southern Europe's most emblematic climate is that of the Mediterranean climate, which has become a typically known characteristic of the area, which is due to the large subtropical semi-permanent centre of high atmospheric pressure found, not in the Mediterranean itself, but in the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores High. The Mediterranean climate covers Portugal, Spain, Italy, coastal Croatia, coastal Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, as well as the Mediterranean islands.