The countries of the Mediterranean region were where many of the world's ancient cultures and cities were born. These cities and cultures have grown to be today's modern countries.

Mediterranean Climate

The climate of the Mediterranean region is unique to the rest of Europe. The area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea has hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. This makes it a great place for growing tress such as pines, cypress, and cork. Mediterranean countries such as Greece are known for growing and producing products such as pine nuts, olives, and cheeses.

Volcanoes

The Mediterranean region is a very active place as a far as volcanoes go. Italy has many volcanoes that have been active in recent history and in the past. In fact, the only active volcanoes on the mainland of Europe are found in Italy. One of the world's most infamous volcanoes, Mount Vesuvius, last erupted in 1944. You may have heard of Mount Vesuvius. This is the same volcano that erupted in the year 79 c.e. and buried the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum with a thick layer of ash. Pompeii and Herculaneum have been excavated, and scientists and historians have studied the artifacts to learn about life in ancient Italy. Pompeii is one of the top tourist sites in Italy today. You can visit and walk through the old city streets and see the ruins of the old buildings.

Another volcano, Mount Etna, has been very active in recent years. It is located off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily, and it is the most active volcano in Europe. Footage from one of the eruptions was used in Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. With the help of computer technology, it served as the background for the final fight between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Fun Fact

Sea or Ocean?

The Mediterranean Sea is actually part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is almost entirely surrounded by land and connects to the rest of the Atlantic by the Strait of Gibraltar. This is the area that separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Northern Africa.

Cyprus

Cyprus is an island nation located in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean. Cyprus has a varied past, and it has been influenced by both Greece and Turkey. This is because of its proximity to both of these countries.

Greek mythology says that Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was born on the island of Cyprus — and what a beautiful place to be born! The lowest spots on the island of Cyprus are its beaches, which are at sea level. The highest mountain on Cyprus is Mount Olympus, which reaches about 6,400 feet into the air.

There are two main mountain ranges on Cyprus. The Pentadactylos are in the north and the Troodos are in the south central part of the island. Between these two mountain ranges is an area of fertile soil. This is where most of the farming occurs.

Cyprus is known for its mineral resources. Copper, pyrite, asbestos, and gypsum are all mined and exported from Cyprus. Cyprus is also known for its tourism and exports of clothing. The country has been a place where traders and explorers have stopped for centuries. Its location between Asia, Africa, and Europe makes the small island nation a good stopping point on many voyages.

Stratovolcano

Mount Vesuvius and Mount Etna are stratovolcanoes. Stratovolcanoes are also known as composite volcanoes. This type of volcano is made of layers of ash, rock, and lava that build up in a steep-sided mountain, which eventually explode. These eruptions are violent and can be very dangerous.

Fun Fact

Mount Olympus

The Mount Olympus in Cyprus is not the Mount Olympus you may have heard about from Greek mythology. That Mount Olympus, the home of Zeus, is located in Greece. Olympus is a popular name for mountains. There are others in Utah, Washington State, and even on Mars!