• What is Europe?
• Characteristics of Europe
• List of European countries
• Europe map
• Limits of Europe
• The other continents

We explain everything about Europe, its characteristics, limits and which countries make up this continent. Also, what is the European Union.

The impact of the Roman Empire on European culture is still visible today.

What is Europe?

Europe is a continent of the Northern Hemisphere, the second smallest in the world and the third most populous (after Asia Y Africa).

It is made up of the Eurasian peninsulas (a large land mass that it shares with the Asian continent) to the west, encompassing part of the continent and part of the nearby islands such as Great Britain and Iceland. The island of Greenland, despite being physically closer to America, from the political division it is part of a European country (Denmark).

The European Union (EU) is a geopolitical entity formed in 1993 by its founding countries Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany, whose objective it was to achieve economic interaction through a common market without internal borders, of free competition, safe and fair.

Currently the EU has expanded, reaching various issues such as politics, environment, health and foreign relations. It is made up of 28 European countries that came together to promote peace and the well-being of their peoples.

Trade relations in Europe date back several centuries. In fact, the ancient Roman Empire notably influenced much of the world. culture Europe by establishing trade links with the most remote regions of the continent.

Starting in the 19th and 20th centuries, major revolutions based on republican and liberal ideals took place, ending some ruling monarchies. These events were the basis of the first democratic movements and voting systems.

Characteristics of Europe

Many European cities are located on the banks of rivers such as the Volga.

The European continent covers almost 7% of the world's land area. The largest country is Russia and the nation Independent Vatican City is the smallest. Has a population estimated 747 million inhabitants and more than 50 languages ​​are spoken, including Russian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, German and French.

The weather that predominates is the temperate continental, although there are varieties such as:

• Polar climate. In the most remote northern regions, such as Scandinavia and northern Russia.
• Oceanic climate. In the extreme west.
• Alpine climate. In the mountain chain of the Alps, located in central Europe.
• Mediterranean climate. In coastal regions in the south of the continent, such as northern Italy, Gibraltar, France, Monaco, and Greece.

The European geography is highlighted by the extension of vast mountain systems, such as the Alps that cross part of Switzerland, Italy, Austria and France, and the highest peak on the continent, Mount Elbrús of 5,642 meters, located on the border of Russia together with the Ural Mountains.

Europe has important river basins and the largest proportion of coastlines in the world. Most of its lakes are of glacial origin and its most important rivers include the Volga, the Rhine, the Danube, the Seine, the Elbe, the Rhone, the Don, the Ural and the Vistula.

List of European countries

The European continent has 50 sovereign countries, of which 43 are fully European and 7 are Eurasian (due to the absence of limits well defined are considered, at the same time, European and Asian countries).

The countries of Europe are:

• Albania. Capital: Tirana
• Germany. Capital berlin
• Andorra. Capital: Andorra La Vieja
• Austria. Capital: Vienna
• Belgium. Capital: Brussels
• Belarus. Capital: Minsk
• Bosnia and Herzegovina. Capital: Sarajevo
• Bulgaria. Capital: Sofia
• Vatican City. Capital: Vatican City
• Croatia. Capital: Zagreb
• Denmark. Capital: Copenhagen
• Slovakia. Capital: Bratislava
• Slovenia. Capital: Luibliana
• Spain. Capital: Madrid
• Estonia. Capital: Tallinn
• Finland. Capital: Helsinki
• France. Capital: Paris
• Greece. Capital: Athens
• Hungary. Capital: Budapest
• Ireland. Capital: Dublin
• Iceland. Capital: Reykjavik
• Italy. Capital of Rome
• Latvia. Capital: Riga
• Liechtenstein. Capital: Vaduz
• Lithuania. Capital: Vilnius
• Luxembourg. Capital: Luxembourg
• North Macedonia. Capital: Skopje
• Malt. Capital: Valletta
• Moldova. Capital: Chisinau
• Monaco. Capital: Monaco
• Montenegro. Capital: Podgorica
• Norway. Capital: Oslo
• Netherlands. Capital: Amsterdam
• Poland. Capital: Warsaw
• Portugal. Capital: Lisbon
• United Kingdom. Capital: London
• Czech Republic. Capital: Prague
• Romania. Capital: Bucharest
• San Marino. Capital: San Marino
• Serbia Capital: Belgrade
• Sweden. Capital: Stockholm
• Swiss. Capital: Bern
• Ukraine. Capital: Kiev

The Eurasian countries are:

• Armenia. Capital: Yerevan
• Azerbaijan. Capital: Baku
• Cyprus. Capital: Nicosia
• Georgia. Capital: Tbilisi
• Kazakhstan Capital: Astana
• Russia. Capital: Moscow
• Turkey. Capital: Ankara

Europe also has 14 States with limited recognition or with a sovereignty that is not recognized internationally by the United Nations (UN). They are categorized into:

Non-UN member states:

• Abkhazia. Capital: Sukhumi
• Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic). Capital: Tiráspol

Non-UN member states (recognized by at least one UN member state):

• Artsakh. Capital: Stepanakert
• Northern Cyprus. Capital: North Nicosia
• Kosovo. Capital: Pristina
• South Ossetia. Capital: Tsjinval
• Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Capital: Laayoune
• Republic of China (Taiwan). Capital: Tapéi
• Somaliland. Capital: Hargeisa

The UN Observer State (not recognized by at least one UN Member State):

• Palestine. Capital: East Jerusalem (or East Jerusalem)

UN member states (not recognized by at least one UN member state):

• Armenia. Capital: Yerevan
• South Korea. Capital: Seoul
• Israel. Capital: Jerusalem
• People's Republic of China. Capital: Beijing (or Beijing)

Europe map

sea Black and the Mediterranean Sea, and to the southeast with the Caspian Sea.

To the west with the Atlantic Ocean.

To the east with the Asian continent.

The division between the continents of Europe and Asia is not clearly demarcated, but these continents are considered to be separated by the mountain ranges of the Ural Mountains and the Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, and the Caspian and Black Seas. The countries that are spread over those territories bordering are considered "Eurasian".

The other continents

The continents of the planet are 6 in total: Africa, America, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Antarctica (the southernmost, with a population of approximately 4,000 inhabitants in summer and 1,000 in winter).