Climatic Conditions

Temperature: The mean annual temperatures are usually between 5°C and 15°C. The annual range of temperature is small. Summers are, in fact, never very warm. Monthly temperatures of over 18°C even in mid-summer are rare.

Precipitation: The British type of climate has adequate rainfall throughout the year with a tendency towards a slight winter or autumn maximum from cyclonic sources. Since the rain- bearing winds come from the west, the western margins have the heaviest rainfall. The amount decreases eastwards with increasing distance from the sea.

Natural Vegetation: The natural vegetation of this climatic type is deciduous forest. The trees shed their leaves in the cold season. This is an adaptation for protecting themselves against the winter snow and frost. Shedding begins in autumn, the 'fall' season, during which the leaves fall and are scattered by the winds. Some of the more common species include oak, elm, ash, birch, beech, poplar, and hornbeam. Unlike the equatorial forests, the deciduous trees occur in pure stands and have greater lumbering value from the commercial point of view. The deciduous hardwoods are excellent for both fuel and industrial purposes.

Economy: The region differs from many others in its unprecedented industrial advancement.

The countries are

concerned in the production of machinery, chemicals, textiles and other manufactured articles rather than agriculture, fishing or lumbering, though these activities are well represented in some of the countries. Fishing is particularly important in Britain, Norway and British Columbia. A very large part of the deciduous woodlands have been cleared for fuel, timber or agriculture.