The culture of Europe might better be described as a series of overlapping cultures. Whether it is a question of West as opposed to East; Christianity as opposed to Islam; many have claimed to identify cultural fault lines across the continent. There are many cultural innovations and movements, often at odds with each other, such as Christian proselytism or Humanism. Thus the question of "common culture" or "common values" is far more complex than it seems. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... See also the specific life stance known as Humanism For the Renaissance liberal arts movement, see Renaissance humanism Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human qualities...

Global influence

European culture also has a broad influence beyond the continent of Europe due to the legacy of colonialism. In this broader sense it is sometimes referred to as Western Civilization. Nearly all of the Americas and all of Africa were ruled by European powers at one time or another, and some parts of the New World, such as French Guiana, still are. The vast majority of the population of the Americas speak European languages, specifically Spanish, English, Portuguese, French and to a much lesser extent Dutch. Additionally the cultures of the European colonial powers (Spain, Britain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium and France) exert a strong influence. It has been suggested that Benign colonialism be merged into this article or section. ... The term Western world, the West or the Occident (Latin occidens -sunset, -west, as distinct from the Orient) [1] can have multiple meanings dependent on its context (e. ... World map showing the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere historically considered to consist of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

The legacy has spread European culture elsewhere in the world. Europe profoundly influenced on the cultures of Africa,Australia, and other places colonised or settled by Europeans. The Culture of Africa encompasses and includes all cultures which were ever in the continent of Africa. ...

Language

Main article: European languages

Languages of Europe:
                    North Germanic                 West Germanic                 Celtic
                    Western Romance    Italian+Southern     Eastern Romance     Basque
                    East Slavic                 West Slavic             South Slavic         Baltic
    Greek     Albanian     Armenian     Iranian
            Finno-Permic     Hungarian     Ob-Ugric
    Caucasian     Turkic     Kalmyk     Arabic+Maltese     Berber

European languages are the object of Eurolinguistics. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 697 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1215 × 1045 pixel, file size: 85 KB, MIME type: image/png) Languages of Europe:      North Germanic     West Germanic     Celtic      Western Romance Italian+Southern  Eastern Romance  Basque      East Slavic     West Slavic    South Slavic   Baltic  Greek  Albanian  Armenian  Iranian... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 697 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1215 × 1045 pixel, file size: 85 KB, MIME type: image/png) Languages of Europe:      North Germanic     West Germanic     Celtic      Western Romance Italian+Southern  Eastern Romance  Basque      East Slavic     West Slavic    South Slavic   Baltic  Greek  Albanian  Armenian  Iranian... Map showing approximate current distribution of languages in Europe, but with emphasis on locations of minority languages Most of the many languages of Europe belong to the Indo-European language family. ... The North Germanic languages make up one of the three branches of the Germanic languages, a sub-family of the Indo-European languages, along with the West Germanic languages and the East Germanic languages. ... The Germanic languages in Europe are divided into North (blue) and West Germanic (green and orange) Languages  Low Saxon-Low Franconian (Dutch)  High German (standard German, Schwyzerdütsch)  Insular Anglo-Frisian (English, Scots)  Continental Anglo-Frisian (Frisian)  East North Germanic (Danish, BokmÃ¥l Norwegian, Swedish)  West North Germanic (Nynorsk Norwegian... The Celtic languages are the languages descended from Proto-Celtic, or Common Celtic, a branch of the greater Indo-European language family. ... “Italo-Western” redirects here. ... The Southern Romance languages are a sub-group of the family of Romance languages that includes the Sardinian language and the Corsican language. ... Map of Balkans with regions inhabited by Romanians/Vlachs highlighted The Eastern Romance languages, sometimes known as the Vlach languages, are a group of Romance languages that developed in Southeastern Europe from the local eastern variant of Vulgar Latin. ... Basque (native name: euskara) is the language spoken by the Basque people who inhabit the Pyrenees in North-Central Spain and the adjoining region of South-Western France. ... The East Slavic languages constitute one of three regional subgroups of Slavic languages, currently spoken in Eastern Europe. ... The Slavic languages (also called Slavonic languages) comprise the languages of the Slavic peoples. ... This article or section should be merged with List of South Slavic languages South Slavic languages is one of the three groups of Slavic languages (besides West and East Slavic). ... The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. ... The Finno-Permic languages form one of the two main branches of the Finno-Ugric languages. ... The Ob-Ugric languages are a subset of the Finno-Ugric languages, specifically referring to the Khanty (Ostyak) and Mansi (Vogul) languages. ... The term Caucasian languages is loosely used to refer to a large and extremely varied array of languages spoken by more than 7 million people in the Caucasus region of Eastern Europe, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. ... The Turkic languages constitute a language family of some thirty languages, spoken across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are traditionally considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family. ... Kalmyk (Kalmuck, Calmouk, Oirat) is the language of the Kalmyks, spoken in Kalmykia (Russian Federation), Western China and Western Mongolia. ... Arabic ( or just ) is the largest living member of the Semitic language family in terms of speakers. ... The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages mainly spoken in Morocco and Algeria. ...

Food and drink

See European cuisine See the individual entries for: // Belarusian cuisine Bulgarian cuisine Czech cuisine Hungarian cuisine Jewish cuisine Polish cuisine Romanian cuisine Russian cuisine Slovak cuisine Slovenian cuisine Ukrainian cuisine British cuisine English cuisine Scottish cuisine Welsh cuisine Anglo-Indian cuisine Modern British cuisine Nordic cuisine Danish cuisine Finnish cuisine Icelandic cuisine Lappish...

Film

Main article: Cinema of Europe

See List of European films The cinema of Europe has, compared to the cinema of the United States, the reputation of being more liberal when it comes to the representation of nudity and sexuality but less liberal when it comes to the depiction of violence. ... Cinema of Europe A list of films produced in Europe by country of origin: // List of Albanian films Albanian Films at the Albanian Film Database El Mundo de Pau Casals (1973) No pronunciarás el nombre de Dios en vano (1999) La Perversa caricia de Satán (1975) List of...

Music

Main article: Music of Europe

The music of Europe includes the music of Western Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe. ...

Library resources

See The European Library The European Library is a library portal for searching the databases and open public access catalogues as well as for accessing the digital content of European national libraries. ...

Religion

Main article: Religion in Europe

Christianity being the dominant feature in shaping European culture for at least the last 1700 years. Modern philosophical thought has very much been influenced by Christian philosophers such as St Thomas Aquinas and Erasmus. Predominant religious heritages in Europe  Protestantism  Orthodox Christianity  Roman Catholicism  Sunni Islam  Shia Islam Religion in Europe has a rich and diverse religious history, and its various faiths have been a major influence on European art, culture, philosophy and law. ...

Predominant religions in Europe      Roman Catholicism      Orthodox Christianity      Protestantism      Sunni Islam      Shia Islam

The most popular religions of Europe are the following: Image File history File links Size of this preview: 737 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1475 × 1200 pixel, file size: 740 KB, MIME type: image/png)  Protestantism  Orthodox Christianity  Catholicism  Sunni Islam  Shia Islam Description: religions in Europe, map en Source: own map, based on the Generic Mapping Tools and ETOPO2... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 737 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1475 × 1200 pixel, file size: 740 KB, MIME type: image/png)  Protestantism  Orthodox Christianity  Catholicism  Sunni Islam  Shia Islam Description: religions in Europe, map en Source: own map, based on the Generic Mapping Tools and ETOPO2... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Coptic Orthodox Pope · Roman Catholic Pope Archbishop of Canterbury · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Faith... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian... Sunni Muslims are the largest denomination of Islam. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

• Christianity
  • Roman Catholicism: Countries or areas with significant Catholic populations are Portugal, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, south Netherlands, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, south Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Malta, Austria, Hungary,Slovenia, Croatia, the Croatian parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, west Ukraine, Romania, Latgale region in Latvia, and Lithuania. There are also large Catholic minorities in England and Wales.
  • Orthodox Christianity: The countries with significant Orthodox populations are Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland (Karelia), Georgia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine.
  • Protestantism: Countries with significant Protestant populations include Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, the UK, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. There are significant minorities in France, Czech Republic, Hungary, and indeed small minorities in most European Countries.
• Islam: Countries with significant Muslim population are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia (especially in Kosovo), several republics of Russia, Crimea in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Also, as of 2005, about 5% of the EU identify themselves as Muslims, with many Muslim immigrants in Germany, the UK, Benelux, Sweden and France.

Other minor religions exist in Europe, some brought by migrants, including: Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... This article is about the country. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... Latgale or Latgalia (Latvian: , Latgale dialect: Latgola) is one of the four cultural regions of Latvia recognised in the Constitution of the Latvian Republic. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Coptic Orthodox Pope · Roman Catholic Pope Archbishop of Canterbury · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Faith... Map showing the parts Karelia is traditionally divided into. ... For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... Anthem Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, Bright Dawn of May Montenegro() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Podgorica Official languages Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 Demonym Montenegrin Government Republic  -  President Filip Vujanović  -  Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence due to the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro   -  Declared June 3, 2006... Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian 1 Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Rusyn 2 Albanian 3 Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 812   -  Kingdom established 1217   -  Empire established 1346   -  Independence lost to... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... Anthem Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, Bright Dawn of May Montenegro() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Podgorica Official languages Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 Demonym Montenegrin Government Republic  -  President Filip Vujanović  -  Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence due to the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro   -  Declared June 3, 2006... Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian 1 Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Rusyn 2 Albanian 3 Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 812   -  Kingdom established 1217   -  Empire established 1346   -  Independence lost to... Kosovo (Albanian: Kosova or Kosovë, Serbian: , transliterated ; also , transliterated ) is a region in southern Serbia which has been under United Nations administration since 1999. ... Motto: Процветание в единстве - Prosperity in unity Anthem: Нивы и горы твои волшебны, Родина - Your fields and mounts are wonderful, Motherland Location of Crimea (red) on the map of Ukraine. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Location of Benelux in Europe Official languages Dutch and French Membership  Belgium  Netherlands  Luxembourg Website http://www. ...

• Judaism, mainly in France, UK and Russia.
• Hinduism, mainly among Indian immigrants in the UK.
• Buddhism, thinly spread throughout Europe, yet it is in Kalmykia, Russia
• Indigenous European pagan traditions and beliefs, many countries.
• Rastafari, communities in the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and elsewhere.
• Sikhism and Jainism, both mainly among Indian immigrants in the UK.
• Voodoo, mainly among black Caribbean and West African immigrants in the UK and France.
• Traditional African Religions (including Muti), mainly in the UK and France.

Millions of Europeans profess no religion or are atheist or agnostic. The largest non-confessional populations (as a percentage) are found in Sweden, the Czech Republic and France although most former communist countries have significant non-confessional populations. Attendance at church is a minority activity in most Western European countries - as an example, the Church of England attracts around 1 million worshippers on a Sunday [1], which corresponds to about 2% of the population of England. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... A silhouette of a Buddha statue at Ayutthaya, Thailand. ... The Republic of Kalmykia (Russian: ; Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч) is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a republic). ... Romuva Spring JorÄ— festival in Kulionys, Lithuania in 2006. ... Haile Selassie I Rasta, or the Rastafari movement, is a religion that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as God incarnate, whom they call Jah. ... Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ) is a religion that began in fifteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive human gurus. ... Jain and Jaina redirect here. ... Voodoo (Vodou, Vodoun, Vudu, or Vudun in Benin, Togo, southeastern Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Senegal; also Vodou in Haiti) is a name attributed to a traditionally uten West African spiritual system of faith and ritual practices. ... Look up black in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... “West Indian” redirects here. ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ... It has been suggested that African Traditional Religion be merged into this article or section. ... Muti is a generic term for medicine in Southern Africa. ... For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ... The term agnosticism and the related agnostic were coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

Official religions

A number of countries in Europe have official religions, including Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Vatican City (Catholic); and Greece (Eastern Orthodox), Denmark, Iceland and Norway (Lutheran). In Switzerland, some cantons are officially Catholic, others Reformed Protestant. Some Swiss villages even have their religion as well as the village name written on the signs at their entrances. In Bulgaria, an article in the constitution defines Eastern Orthodox Christianity as the country's "traditional religion". Nations with state religions:  Buddhism  Islam  Shia Islam  Sunni Islam  Orthodox Christianity  Protestantism  Roman Catholic Church A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. ... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ...

Georgia has no established church, but the Georgian Orthodox Church enjoys "de facto" privileged status. In Finland, both Finnish Orthodox Church and Lutheran church are official. Russia recognises Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism as all "traditional" ^{[citation needed]} (with three states, Kalmykia, Buryatia and Tuva, officially Buddhist ^{[citation needed]}). England, a part of the UK, has Anglicanism as its official religion. Scotland, another part of the UK, has Presbyterianism as the 'National' church, but is no longer "official", and in Sweden, the 'National' church is Lutheran, but no longer "official". Armenia recognises the Armenian Apostolic Church as National. France, Turkey and Azerbaijan are officially "secular". The Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church is one of the worlds most ancient Christian Churches, founded in the 1st century by the Apostle Andrew. ... The Finnish Orthodox Church is the national jurisdiction of the Eastern Orthodox Church in Finland. ... The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is the Lutheran national church of Finland (The Finnish Orthodox Church is also recognized as a state church). ... The Republic of Kalmykia (Russian: ; Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч) is a federal subject of the Russian Federation (a republic). ... The Buryat Republic (Russian: ; Buryat: Буряад Республика) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). ... Tyva Republic IPA: (Russian: IPA: ; Tuvan: ), or Tuva (), is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Anglicanism commonly refers to the beliefs and practices of the Anglican Communion, the churches that are in full communion with the see of Canterbury. ... This article is about the country. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Official standard of Karekin II Catholicos of Armenia The Armenian Apostolic Church (Armenian: Հայ Առաքելական Եկեղեցի, Hay Arakelagan Yegeghetzi), sometimes called the Armenian Orthodox Church or the Gregorian Church, is the worlds oldest national church[1] [2] and one of the most ancient Christian communities [3]. // Baptism of Tiridates III. The earliest...

Sport

Main article: Sport in Europe

Europe's influence on sport is enormous. Indeed, it is difficult to think of a modern sport, apart from basketball and related sports, that does not have its origins in Europe. European sports include: Sport in Europe tends to be highly organised with many sports having professional leagues. ... This article is about the sport. ...

• Association football (Football), which has contested origins between England and Italy. What is uncontestable is that the oldest association is The Football Association of England (1863) and the first international match was between Scotland and England (1872). It is now the world's most popular sport and is played throughout Europe.
• Rugby League and Rugby Union which both have similar origins to football. Rugby Union is the older of the two codes and has rules that date from 1845 (see articles: History of rugby league and History of rugby union). They acrimoniously split in the late 19th century over the treatment of injured players. Rugby league gradually changed its laws over the next century with the end result that today both sports have little in common, apart from the basics. They have both been carried abroad by colonisation, particularly to many former British colonies. American football and Canadian Football are derivatives of rugby.
• The discus throw, javelin throw and shot put have their origins in ancient Greece. The Olympics, both ancient and modern, have their origins too in Europe, and have a massive influence globally.
• Field Hockey as a modern game began in 18th Century England with Ireland having the oldest federation. It is popular in Western Europe, the Indian subcontinent, Australia and East Asia. Ice Hockey, popular in Europe and North America may derive from this sport.
• Golf, one of the most popular sports in Europe, Asia and North America, has its origins in Scotland, with the oldest course being at Musselburgh.
• Tennis and related games such as Table Tennis derive from the game Real Tennis which is from France. It is popular throughout the world.
• Handball, which is popular in Europe and elsewhere, has its origins in antiquity. The modern game is from northern Europe with Germany having been involved in both the first women's and men's internationals.
• Cycling, which is immensely popular as a means of transport has most of its sporting adherents in Europe, particularly Western Europe. The Tour de France is the world's most watched live annual sporting event. The bicycle itself is probably from France (see History of the bicycle).
• Cricket has its origins in south east England. It is not so popular in Europe, being played only in northwest Europe, mainly England. It is however very popular worldwide, especially in Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Indian subcontinent.

In addition, Europe has numerous national or regional sports which do not command a huge international following outside of emigrant groups. These include: “Soccer” redirects here. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body of football in England and the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. ... This article is about the country. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Wally Lewis passing the ball in Rugby League State of Origin. ... For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... The history of rugby league began with the schism of 1895 in the sport of Rugby football. ... Football games of various types were played long before the 19th century but it was not until the middle of that century that rules were formulated and codified. ... The history of rugby league began with the schism of 1895 in the sport of Rugby football. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Diagram of a Canadian football field. ... Statue of discus thrower in Botanic Garden, Copenhagen, Denmark The Discus throw is an athletic throwing event in track and field competition. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Shot put The shot put is an athletics (track and field) event involving putting (throwing in a pushing motion) a heavy metal ball (called the shot) as far as possible. ... Ancient Greece is a period in Greek history that lasted for around nine hundred years. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men and women in many countries around the world. ... The borders of Western Europe were largely defined by the Cold War. ... Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ... East Asia Geographic East Asia. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... This article is about the sport. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Showing the Brunton Hall, from the west of the town Musselburgh is a town in East Lothian, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth, six miles east of Edinburgh city centre. ... For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ... Wang Liqin, 2007 World Champion Table tennis is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball back and forth to each other with bats (also sometimes called racquets or paddles). ... Jeu de paume in the 17th century. ... Handball player leaps towards the goal prior to throwing the ball, while the goalkeeper extends himself trying to stop it. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... “Ancient” redirects here. ... Northern Europe Northern Europe is the northern part of the European continent. ... Police officer on a bicycle Cycling is a means of transport, a form of recreation, and a sport. ... The borders of Western Europe were largely defined by the Cold War. ... The Tour de France is the worlds best-known cycling race, a 22 day long, 20 stage road race that is usually run over a distance of more than 3000km. ... For other uses, see Bicycle (disambiguation). ... Vehicles for human transport that have two-wheels and require balancing by the rider have a long history. ... Bowler Shaun Pollock bowls to batsman Michael Hussey. ... North-West Europe is not a well defined term. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ...

• Gaelic football in Ireland, which influenced Australian rules football.
• Basque Pelota in parts of Spain and France, and which has been brought to the Americas by emigrants.
• Pétanque, Boules, Petanca, Calitx, Irish Road Bowling, Skittles, Bocce, and Bowls and others are variations of bowling games which are popular throughout western Europe and have been spread around the world.
• Hurling in Ireland.
• Shinty in Scotland, which influenced Ice Hockey in Canada (see also Shinny).
• Gaelic Handball (Ireland) which was taken to the USA in the form of American Handball.
• Trotting in southern Europe.
• Alpine Wrestling in Switzerland.
• Korfbal in The Netherlands and Belgium
• [Rounders]] from Ireland now popular in northwest Europe from which Baseball derives.

Some sporting organisations hold European Championships. Gaelic football (Irish: Peil or Caid ), commonly referred to as football, Gaelic or GAA (gah), is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. ... High marking is a key skill and spectacular attribute of Australian rules football Precise field and goal kicking using the oval shaped ball is the key skill in Australian rules football Australian rules football, also known as Australian football, Aussie rules, or simply football or footy is a code of... A game of pelote as played in Ustaritz Pilota in Basque and Catalan, pelota in Spanish, or pelote in French (from Latin pila) is a name for a variety of court sports played with a ball using ones hand, a racket, a wooden bat (pala), or a basket propulsor... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America[1] and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... Next to the beach at Nice, France In Hakaniemi, Helsinki Pétanque (pronounced in French) is a form of boules where the goal is to throw metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet (jack). ... Boules /bul/ is a collective name for games played with metal balls. ... Irish road bowling is an ancient sport. ... Skittles is an old European target sport, from which Ten-pin bowling and Candlepin bowling in the United States, and Five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Swifts Creek Bowls Club Bowls (also known as Lawn Bowls or Lawn Bowling) is a precision sport in which the goal is to roll slightly radially asymmetrical balls (called bowls) closer to a smaller white ball (the jack or kitty) than ones opponent is able to do. ... For the Cornish sport, see Cornish Hurling. ... // A shinty game in progress Shinty (Scottish Gaelic camanachd or iomain) is a team sport played with sticks and a ball. ... This article is about the country. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... Shinny is an informal type of hockey, either on ice or as street hockey. ... Gaelic handball (Irish: Liathróid Láimhe) (also known as handball, Irish handball, court handball or wall handball) is a sport similar to racquetball and squash it is one of the four Gaelic Games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association. ... American (or court) handball, usually referred to simply as handball, is an American form of fives played against one or more walls. ... Horse gaits are the different methods by which a horse, either naturally or through human training, moves itself. ... Southern Europe is a region of the European continent. ... Korfball (in Dutch korfbal, which literally means basketball) is a team ball game. ... Motto: Je Maintiendrai (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I Shall Uphold) Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Capital Amsterdam1 Largest city Amsterdam Official language(s) Dutch2 Government Parliamentary democracy Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Beatrix  - Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende Independence Eighty Years War   - Declared July 26, 1581   - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain... This article is about the sport. ...

• UEFA
• Rugby League European Federation - European Nations Cup
• FIRA - Association of European Rugby
• European Rugby Cup (Club/Regional competition)
• European SC Championships
• Sport in the European Union
• Mitropa Cup
• IIHF

The Union Européenne de Football Association or Union of European Football Associations in English, almost always referred to by the acronym UEFA (pronounced (you-AY-fuh) or (oo-Ay-fuh) or ), is the administrative and controlling body for European football. ... Logo of the RLEF The Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league across Europe, and the Mediterranean area. ... The European Nations Cup (formerly known as the European Championship) is a rugby league tournament for European nations. ... The FIRA - Association Européenne de Rugby (FIRA–AER) was formed in 1999 to promote, develop, organise and administer the game of rugby in Europe under the authority of the International Rugby Board (the governing body of rugby union). ... The Heineken Cup sponsored by Heineken (known as the H Cup in France due to alcohol advertising laws) is an annual rugby union competition involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from England, France, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Italy. ... European SC Championships are held every year in winter - usually in December. ... In the European Union, a large diversity of sports are practiced, and many leading athletes and teams belong to the Unions countries. ... The Mitropa Cup was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides. ... Categories: Ice hockey stubs | Ice hockey ...

Philosophy

European philosophy is the most dominant strand of philosophy globally, and is central to philosophical enquiry in the Americas and much of the rest of the world. The origins are Judeo-Hellenic: Christian thought is a huge influence on many fields of European philosophy (as European philosophy has been on Christian thought too), sometimes as a reaction; the Greek schools of philosophy in antiquity provide the basis of philosophical discourse that extends to today. The philosopher Socrates about to take poison hemlock as ordered by the court. ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America[1] and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, which begins roughly with the earliest-recorded Greek poetry of Homer (7th century BC), and continues through the rise of Christianity and the fall of the Western Roman Empire (5th century AD...

Perhaps the most important single philosophical periods since the classical era were the Age of Reason and the Age of Enlightenment. There are many disputes as to its value and even its timescale. What is indisputable is that the tenets of reason and rational discourse owe much to René Descartes, John Locke and others working a the time. The Age of Reason is either Thomas Paines book The Age of Reason. ... The Age of Enlightenment (French: ; German: ) was an eighteenth century movement in European and American philosophy, or the longer period including the Age of Reason. ... For other uses, see Reason (disambiguation). ... René Descartes (French IPA: ) (March 31, 1596 – February 11, 1650), also known as Renatus Cartesius (latinized form), was a highly influential French philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and writer. ... For other persons named John Locke, see John Locke (disambiguation). ...

Other important European philosophical strands include:

Platonic idealism is the theory that the substantive reality around us is only a reflection of a higher truth. ... Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus (c. ... A restored Stoa in Athens. ... Skepticism (Commonwealth spelling: Scepticism) can mean: Philosophical skepticism - a philosophical position in which people choose to critically examine whether the knowledge and perceptions that they have are actually true, and whether or not one can ever be said to have absolutely true knowledge; or Scientific skepticism - a scientific, or practical... Thomism is the philosophical school that followed in the legacy of Thomas Aquinas. ... See also the specific life stance known as Humanism For the Renaissance liberal arts movement, see Renaissance humanism Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human qualities... Wanderer above the sea of fog by Caspar David Friedrich Romanticism is an artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in 18th century Western Europe, during the Industrial Revolution. ... In epistemology and in its broadest sense, rationalism is any view appealing to reason as a source of knowledge or justification (Lacey 286). ... In philosophy generally, empiricism is a theory of knowledge emphasizing the role of experience in the formation of ideas, while discounting the notion of innate ideas. ... In philosophy, materialism is that form of physicalism which holds that the only thing that can truly be said to exist is matter; that fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions; that matter is the only substance. ... This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedias quality standards. ... Ths article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ... Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political value. ... Utilitarianism (1861), see Utilitarianism (book). ... // Positivism is a philosophy that states that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such knowledge can only come from positive affirmation of theories through strict scientific method. ... Analytic philosophy (sometimes, analytical philosophy) is a generic term for a style of philosophy that came to dominate English-speaking countries in the 20th century. ... Logical positivism grew from the discussions of Moritz Schlicks Vienna Circle and Hans Reichenbachs Berlin Circle in the 1920s and 1930s. ... Structuralism as a term refers to various theories across the humanities, social sciences and economics many of which share the assumption that structural relationships between concepts vary between different cultures/languages and that these relationships can be usefully exposed and explored. ... The term deconstruction is often used in a loose way as a synonym of critical analysis, especially the kind of uncooperative critical analysis that subjects a work or a text to close scrutiny in order to expose contradictions, poor logic or unwelcome affinities with other works or cultural objects. ... The term Postmodernism (sometimes abbreviated Pomo[1]) was a reaction to modernism (not post in the purely temporal sense of after). Largely influenced by the disillusionment induced by the Second World War, postmodernism tends to refer to a cultural, intellectual, or artistic state lacking a clear central hierarchy or organizing... Existentialism is a philosophical movement which claims that individual human beings create the meanings of their own lives. ... Marxism is both the theory and the political practice (that is, the praxis) derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ... Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. ...

Symbols

• European symbols

It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled Europe Day and In varietate concordia, accessible from a disambiguation page. ...

See also

• Category:European culture
• European Capital of Culture
• Europeanisation
• Westernization
• Battles of macrohistorical importance involving invasions of Europe

For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The population growth/decline of European countries The Demographics of Europe refers to the changing number and composition of the population of Europe. ... The economy of Europe comprises more than 710 million people in 48 different states. ... Europe is traditionally reckoned as one of seven continents. ... “European History” redirects here. ... This article deals with the politics of the European continent. ...

External links

• Eurolinguistix.com
• 12Star Culture - online European culture magazine