Video Transcript – Western Europe: People and Culture Video

Video Transcript – Western Europe: People and Culture Video

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Transcribed by YouTube Transcription for www.Miacademy.co

Brian [0:00]:
Welcome back. I’m Brian and I’ll be your tour guide today as we continue our field trip through the nations of Western Europe. As you may recall, those nations include the United Kingdom, Ireland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. As in other regions, these nations possess many cultural similarities. Today, we’ll get into those, analyze a lot of data about these countries, including population, ethnicity, religion, language, and political and economic structures, and point out many interesting similarities and differences along the way.

[0:47]
Government! So first of all, let’s look at the political structures of these five nations. You may be especially surprised at this first nugget of information. Did you know that 4 of these 5 nations are constitutional monarchies? It’s true! In a constitutional monarchy, the person in charge has a title such as king, queen, or duke. In this region, Ireland is unique in that its government is a republic. The other nations are all constitutional monarchies, though they have elected leaders such as prime ministers to handle most political affairs, all are officially led by royalty.

[1:24]
Next, you’ve heard us reference the European Union several times; a coalition of 27 nations on the continent that make political and economic decisions for the betterment of Europe. Did you know that only 4 of the 5 nations in Western Europe are members? It’s a fact! In the United Kingdom, a former member of the EU, actually dropped out of the alliance in January 2020. Meanwhile, Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands all remain members of the EU.

[1:52]
Language, now you might think that all of these nations speak English, and if so you’d be mistaken. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and northern Ireland does in fact speak English. Although each nation of the kingdom, other than England, employs other languages as well. Ireland is the only other nation in which English is an official language.

[2:14]
Ethnicity. When looking at this data keep in mind that each nation selects its own criteria when identifying ethnicity. A new one seen in Latin America as well. The populations in each nation vary but are predominantly European in heritage. Religion. You’d expect Europe to be largely Christian and this region certainly meets that expectation but different forms of Christianity are preferred in different regions. The Republic of Ireland is overwhelmingly Catholic. Northern Ireland is not, rather it is mostly Protestant. Specifically, Northern Ireland adheres to beliefs from the church of England or Anglicanism, which is referred to as Episcopalians in Scotland. In both Belgium and Luxembourg Catholicism is a religion of majority preference. Back to the religious divergence between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Those differences in beliefs are actually what precipitated the political division as well.

[3:11]
The home rule movement, Ireland’s campaign for self-government, culminated in 1922 with most of the island breaking free from Britain and forming the Irish free state; which later evolved into the Republic of Ireland. The dispute lingered as violence was common on the island throughout much of the 20th century. Population. The United Kingdom, with 68 million, is Europe’s third-largest nation behind only Russia and Germany. The bulk of those residents live in England. London, with more than 9 million people, is by far the largest city of the region. None of the other nations in the region surpassed the Netherlands 17.7 million as of 2021. Although, that number is the 10th highest in Europe. Consider population density however and things are different.

[4:00]
The Netherlands has more than a thousand people per square mile. The highest in Europe of any nation that is not a microstate such as, Vatican City. Still, none of the citizens in these nations has the opportunity to find solitude in the wide open spaces like we enjoy here in the US. On the other hand, perhaps having close neighbors is healthy. Each of these nations has life expectancies surpassing that of the United States for both men and women, and significantly higher than the worldwide averages of 75.6 years for women and 70.8 years for men. Kind of makes you wonder what they’re doing that we in the US aren’t, huh?

[4:39]
Economies. No matter how you measure wealth, the 5 nations of Western Europe are among the most prosperous in the world. All are developed nations, all have transitioned from industrial to service-oriented economies with large numbers of people working in tertiary activity professions, and all rank high on the indices of economic freedom. Take a look at each nation’s estimated GDP per capita for 2021, as provided by the international monetary fund. The UK, though 29th in the world, actually lags behind its Western European neighbors, though all are well above the European average. Of special interest is Luxembourg with the third-highest GDP per capita in the world and Ireland with the sixth-highest, both rank higher than even the United States.

[5:28]
So what makes these nations so successful? Let’s start with Luxembourg. The industrial sector, once dominated by steel, has diversified to include rubber and chemicals. Growth in the financial sector over the last half-century has propelled Luxembourg’s economic rise as services such as banking and investments account for most economic output now. However, questions about banking practices and tax avoidance have plagued the nation since 2009. Ireland features a service-oriented industry propelled by foreign multinational corporations. Exports are largely centered on pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and software-related items. In the Netherlands, the Port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe and situated between prolific economies in Germany and the United Kingdom.

[6:18]
Shipping is a major reason for financial success. Belgium’s main exports are machinery and equipment, finished diamonds, chemicals, and metal products. Most work in a service profession as Brussels is a highly industrialized center of employment for Belgium and surrounding nations. The United Kingdom’s service sector comprises nearly 80 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. London is ranked behind only New York among the world’s financial centers. All 5 nations are mixed market economies as 4 of the 5 nations are members of the European Union. Remember, the United Kingdom opted out in 2020. They also used the euro as their national currency, while the UK features the pound sterling.

[7:04]
Culture. Each of these nations possess cultural icons for which they are famous. Let’s look at a few for each. Luxembourg is noted for its many museums and cultural diversity. In fact, Luxembourg city was the first two-time honoree as the European capital of culture. Belgium is famous for its waffles and chocolate, as well as beer. Fries reportedly originated here, not in France, but they’re usually eaten in Belgium with mayonnaise rather than ketchup. The nation is also noted for its artistic movements in fields such as architecture and painting. In addition to windmills and tulips, the Netherlands is known for its architecture, dikes, and canals. If you are like many Dutch residents, you’ll go sightseeing while bicycling.

[7:54]
Much of the culture in Ireland revolves around religion, which is important in the everyday lives of many residents. Irish music and dance have increased in popularity worldwide; as have its whiskey and stout beers. “An don’t forget the shamrock.” And in the United Kingdom, London receives more international visitors than any city in the world; as the UK ranks 10th among world destinations for tourists. The famous sites of London are among the top priorities of course. Tea remains a must for any occasion while on the island. Cultural linchpins for the UK include literary giants ranging from Shakespeare to Dylan Thomas. And we must mention the UK’s influence on contemporary music including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Queen. And you can’t discuss this region without mentioning its love affair with soccer. Professional football, as it’s called here, is a passion throughout Europe. But in nations such as Ireland and the UK, it’s manic.

[8:54]
That’s a lot of information but, it also completes this leg of our European journey. Now, keep your passport ready, I don’t want to give away where we’re headed next but, you might want to grab a coat. Until next time, keep exploring!