Considering its latitude, the climate of the European continent is much milder than that of other continents. A number of factors account for climatic differences in various parts of the world. The first is latitude – that is to say, distance from the equator. This is regarded as a sound guide in general, but if it is the only one considered, it will lead to serious error.

The second factor is the location of the region – in other words, whether it is adjacent to a large body of water. If it lies next to the open sea, winds from the tropics will sweep across the water's surface, lose heat and pick up sea-water, before blowing across the land. Such winds always have a moderating effect on climate. This phenomenon causes temperatures to be comparatively low in such places as the South Sea islands despite the fact that they lie in the tropics. Europe faces the Atlantic to the south-west, and prevailing winds from the south and south-west always pass over this ocean, so the continental land mass is warmed by them.

Ocean currents are the third factor. The main current in the Atlantic is called the ‘Gulf Stream’. As a result of the influence of this warm current, Britain enjoys a mild climate. Although the islands of Great Britain are on exactly the same latitude as the island of Karafuto [Sakhalin], north of Hokkaidō, their climates are very different.