World map showing the location of Europe.

A satellite composite image of Europe

Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. Physically and geologically, Europe is the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, west of Asia. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, to the southeast by the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea and the waterways connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. To the east, Europe is generally divided from Asia by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, and by the Caspian Sea. Motto Ti Shqipëri më jep nder më jep emrin shqipëtar Anthem Rreth flamurit të përbashkuar (United Around the Flag) Albania() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital TiranÑ‘ Largest city Tiranë Official languages Albanian (Shqip) Demonym Albanian Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Bamir Topi  -  Prime Minister Sali Berisha Independence from... For other uses, see Andorra (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... Anthem Lijepa naÅ¡a domovino Our beautiful homeland Croatia() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Zagreb Official languages Croatian Italian in Istria 1 Demonym Croat(s) Croatian(s) Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Stjepan Mesić  -  Premier Ivo Sanader Establishment  -  Founded    -  Medieval duchy March 4, 852   -  Independence May 21, 879... Motto (Czech) Truth prevails Anthem Czech Republic() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() [] Capital (and largest city) Prague Official languages Czech Demonym Czech Government Republic  -  President Václav Klaus  -  Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek Independence (formed 9th century)   -  October 28, 1918   -  January 1, 1993  EU membership May 1... For other uses, see Corsica (disambiguation). ... For the place in the United States, see Sardinia, Ohio. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... For other uses, see Liechtenstein (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country in western Europe. ... For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... For other uses of Moldova and Moldavia, see Moldova (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Monaco (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country in Europe. ... For other uses, see Netherlands (disambiguation). ... Kaliningrad (Russian: ; Lithuanian: Karaliaučius; German  , Polish: Królewiec; briefly Russified as Kyonigsberg), is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. ... For other uses, see San Marino (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ... Anthem Nad Tatrou sa blýska Lightning over the Tatras Slovakia() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() [] Capital (and largest city) Bratislava Official languages Slovak Demonym Slovak Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Ivan GaÅ¡parovič  -  Prime Minister Robert Fico Independence due to dissolution of Czechoslovakia   -  Date January 1, 19931... Motto none Anthem A Toast Slovenia() – on the European continent() – in the European Union() [] Capital (and largest city) Ljubljana Official languages Slovenian, Italian1, Hungarian1 Demonym Slovenian, Slovene Government Parliamentary republic  -  President Janez DrnovÅ¡ek  -  Prime Minister Janez JanÅ¡a Independence from Yugoslavia   -  Declared June 25, 1991   -  Recognized 1992  EU membership... Swiss redirects here. ... “UK” redirects here. ... Anthem Inno e Marcia Pontificale(Italian) Hymn and Pontifical March Capital (and largest city) Vatican City1 Official languages Latin2, Italian, French and German. ... A satellite image of the Adriatic Sea. ... The Arctic Ocean, located in the southern hemisphere and mostly in the Antarctic south polar region, is the largest of the worlds five major landmassesic divisions and the deepest. ... The Baltic Sea is located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. ... Location of the Barents Sea. ... Map of the Bay of Biscay. ... For other uses, see Black Sea (disambiguation). ... Map of the Celtic Sea, an arm of the Atlantic. ... The Denmark Strait is a strait between Greenland and Iceland. ... The Greenland Sea exists next to the Norwegian Sea. ... The term Gulf of Cadiz refers to the coastal part of the Atlantic Ocean between, roughly, the Portugese city of Faro and the Spanish city of Cádiz. ... The Ligurian Sea. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... The Norwegian Sea (Norwegian: Norskehavet) is part of the North Atlantic Ocean northwest of Norway, located between the North Sea (i. ... The Strait of Gibraltar as seen from space (on the left: Spain) A view across the Strait of Gibraltar taken from the hills over Tarifa, Spain The Strait of Gibraltar (Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق, Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain... Animated, colour-coded map showing the various continents. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... True-color image of the Earths surface and atmosphere Physical geography (also know as geosystems or physiography) is a subfield of geography that focuses on the systematic study of patterns and processes within the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and lithosphere. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... A peninsula in Croatia A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered on three or more sides by water. ... For other uses, see Eurasia (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain system between the Black and Caspian seas in the Caucasus region, usually considered the southeastern limit of Europe. ... For other uses, see Black Sea (disambiguation). ... Main European water divides (red lines) separating catchments (gray regions). ... Map of the Ural Mountains The Ural Mountains (Russian: , Uralskiye gory) (also known as the Urals, the Riphean Mountains in Greco-Roman antiquity, and known as the Stone Belt) are a mountain range that runs roughly north and south through western Russia. ... The Ural River (Russian: Урал, Urál [formerly: Яик, Yaik River], Kazakh: Жайық, Zhayyq) flows through Russia and Kazakhstan. ... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ...

Europe is the world's second-smallest continent in terms of area, covering about 10,180,000 square kilometres (3,930,000 sq mi) or 2.0% of the Earth's surface. The only continent smaller than Europe is Australia. It is the third most populous continent (after Asia and Africa) with a population of 710,000,000 or about 11% of the world's population. However, the term continent can refer to a cultural and political distinction or a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europe's precise borders, area and population. Of Europe's 48 countries, Russia is its largest by area and population, while the Vatican is the smallest. Animated, colour-coded map showing the various continents. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Population density by country, 2006 Human geography is a branch of geography that focuses on the study of patterns and processes that shape human interaction with the environment, with particular reference to the causes and consequences of the spatial distribution of human activity on the Earths surface. ... True-color image of the Earths surface and atmosphere Physical geography (also know as geosystems or physiography) is a subfield of geography that focuses on the systematic study of patterns and processes within the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and lithosphere. ... For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ...

All European countries except Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Vatican City are members of the Council of Europe, an international organisation founded in 1949 and recognised by the United Nations, that sets uniform standards for human rights in member countries and operates the European Court of Human Rights. Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 5 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General Terry Davis  -  President of the Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Linden... For the political science journal, see: International Organization An international organization (also called intergovernmental organization) is an organization of international scope or character. ... UN and U.N. redirect here. ... European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by...

A separate organisation, the European Union (EU), emerged in 1957 from various agreements on customs and tariffs between countries in Western Europe, and attained its current form in 1993. The EU is an economic, social, and political union which makes laws that are implemented in every member state with the primary purpose of enforcing the free movement of goods and people between its twenty-seven member states. EU member states and candidates Current members There are currently 25 member states in the European Union. ...

Etymology

Look up Europe in
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In ancient Greek mythology, Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted by Zeus in bull form and taken to the island of Crete, where she gave birth to Minos, Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon. For Homer, Europe (Greek: Εὐρώπη Eurṓpē; see also List of traditional Greek place names) was this mythological queen of Crete, not a geographical designation. Later Europa stood for mainland Greece, and by 500 BC its meaning had been extended to lands to the north. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... Europa and Zeus, on the Greek €2 coin A commemorative Italian euro coin depicts Europa holding a pen over the text of the Constitution of Europe. ... Phoenicia (or Phenicia ,[1] from Biblical Phenice [1]) was an ancient civilization centered in the north of ancient Canaan, with its heartland along the coast of modern day Lebanon and Syria. ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Crete (disambiguation). ... Front face of the MINOS far detector. ... In Greek myths, Rhadamanthus (Ῥαδαμάνθυς; also transliterated as Rhadamanthys or Rhadamanthos) was a wise king, the son of Zeus and Europa. ... In Greek mythology, Sarpedon referred to several different people. ... For other uses, see Homer (disambiguation). ... This is a list of traditional Greek place names. ... The country of Greece is located in southeastern Europe, on the southern end of the Balkanic peninsula. ...

In etymology one theory suggests the name Europe is derived from the Greek words meaning broad (eurys) and face (opsis)—broad having been an epithet of Earth itself in the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European religion; see Prithvi (Plataia). A minority, however, suggest this Greek popular etymology is really based on a Semitic word such as the Akkadian erebu meaning "to go down, set",^[1] cognate to Phoenician 'ereb "evening; west" and Arabic Maghreb, Hebrew ma'ariv. (see also Erebus). An epithet (Greek - επιθετον and Latin - epitheton; literally meaning imposed) is a descriptive word or phrase. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... Ancient anthropomorphic Ukrainian stone stela (Kernosovka stela), possibly depicting a late Proto-Indo-European god, most likely Dyeus The existence of similarities among the deities and religious practices of the Indo-European peoples allows glimpses of a common Proto-Indo-European religion and mythology. ... Prithvi (pá¹›thivÄ«) is the Hindu earth-god. ... A fake etymology is an invented explanation (etymology) for the origin of a word. ... In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical Shem, Hebrew: שם, translated as name, Arabic: سام) was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages. ... Akkadian (lišānum akkadÄ«tum) was a Semitic language (part of the greater Afro-Asiatic language family) spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Assyrians and Babylonians. ... Look up cognate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... In Greek mythology Erebus (Έρεβος Erebos, Deep blackness/darkness or shadow from Ancient Greek Έρεβος) was the son of a primordial God, Chaos, the personification of darkness and shadow, which filled in all the corners and crannies of the world. ...

The majority of major world languages use words derived from "Europa" to refer to the continent—e.g. Chinese uses the word Ōuzhōu (歐洲), which is an abbreviation of the transliterated name Ōuluóbā zhōu (歐羅巴洲). However, for centuries, the Turks used the term Frengistan (land of the Franks) in referring to Europe.^[2] This article is about the Frankish people and society. ...

History

Main article: History of Europe

See also: Medieval demography

The origins of Western democratic and individualistic culture are often attributed to Ancient Greece: these Greek political ideals were rediscovered in the late 18th century by European philosophers and idealists. Another major influence on Europe came from the Roman Empire which left its mark on law, language and government. It also saw the legitimization of Christianity after three centuries of imperial persecution. “European History” redirects here. ... Medieval demography is the study of human demography in Europe during the Middle Ages. ... For other uses, see Democracy (disambiguation). ... Individualism is a term used to describe a moral, political, or social outlook that stresses human independence and the importance of individual self-reliance and liberty. ... For other uses, see Culture (disambiguation). ... The term ancient Greece refers to the periods of Greek history in Classical Antiquity, lasting ca. ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... Using the term Roman law in a broader sense, one may say that Roman law is not only the legal system of ancient Rome but the law that was applied throughout most of Europe until the end of the 18th century. ... The relationship between Constantine I and Christianity entails both the nature of the conversion of the emperor to Christianity, and his relations with the Christian Church. ... Spanish Leftists during the Red Terror Shoot at a statue of Christ The persecution of Christians is religious persecution that Christians sometimes undergo as a consequence of professing their faith, both historically and in the current era. ...

After the decline of the Roman Empire, Europe entered a long period of changes arising from what is known in America as the Age of Migrations. That period has been known as the "Dark Ages" to Renaissance thinkers. Isolated monastic communities in Ireland, Scotland and elsewhere carefully safeguarded and compiled written knowledge accumulated previously, but much literature, philosophy, mathematics, and other thinking from the classical period was lost from European popular currency until reintroduced from Arab sources during the renaissance. This article is about the historiography of the decline of the Roman Empire. ... The German term Völkerwanderung (lit. ... Petrarch, who conceived the idea of a European Dark Age. From Cycle of Famous Men and Women, Andrea di Bartolo di Bargillac, c. ... This article is about the European Renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries. ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the European Renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries. ...

During the Dark Ages, the western part of the Roman Empire was 'reborn' as the Holy Roman Empire, later called Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. The eastern part of the Roman Empire became known in the west as the Byzantine Empire. The 'Byzantines' themselves still called themselves Βασιλεία των Ρωμαίων Basileia tōn Romaiōn—the Empire of the Romans. In 1453, when the Ottoman Empire conquered the Byzantine capital Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire ceased to exist, with a small hold out state of Trebizond which lasted until 1461. This article is about the medieval empire. ... The Holy Roman Empire should not be mistaken for the Roman Empire (31 B.C.–A.D. 476). ... Byzantine redirects here. ... Ottoman redirects here. ... This article is about the city before the Fall of Constantinople (1453). ... The Empire of Trebizond and other states carved from the Byzantine Empire, as they were in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911) The Empire of Trebizond (Greek: Βασίλειον τῆς Τραπεζούντας) was a Byzantine Greek successor state of the Byzantine Empire founded in 1204 as a result of the capture of Constantinople by...

Map of Europe made by Gerardus Mercator

The Renaissance and the New Monarchs marked the start of an Age of Discovery, a period of exploration, invention, and scientific development which had its roots in Italy. In the 15th century, Portugal opened the age of discoveries, soon followed by Spain. They were later joined by France, the Netherlands and England in building large colonial empires with vast holdings in Africa, the Americas, and Asia. map of europe from 16th century This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... map of europe from 16th century This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Gerardus Mercator (March 5, 1512 – December 2, 1594) was a Flemish cartographer. ... This article is about the European Renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries. ... New Monarchs were the rulers of European nations during the 15th century who unified their nations, creating a stable and centralized government. ... See also: Age of Sail and Afro-Asiatic age of discovery For the computer wargame, Age of Discovery, see Global Diplomacy. ... 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. ... 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. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ...

After the age of discovery, the ideas of democracy took hold in Europe. Struggles for independence arose, most notably in France during the period known as the French Revolution. This led to vast upheaval in Europe as these revolutionary ideas propagated across the continent. The rise of democracy led to increased tension within Europe on top of the tension already existing because of competition within the New World. The most famous of these conflicts happened when Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power and set out on a conquest, forming a new French Empire, which soon collapsed. After these conquests Europe stabilised, but the old foundations were already beginning to crumble. The French Revolution (1789–1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... Napoléon I, Emperor of the French (born Napoleone di Buonaparte, changed his name to Napoléon Bonaparte)[1] (15 August 1769; Ajaccio, Corsica – 5 May 1821; Saint Helena) was a general during the French Revolution, the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from... Map of the First French Empire in 1811, with the Empire in dark blue and satellite states in light blue Capital Paris Language(s) French Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1804 - 1814/1815 Napoleon I  - 1814/1815 Napoleon II Legislature Parliament  - Upper house Senate  - Lower house Corps législatif Historical era Napoleonic...

The Industrial Revolution started in Great Britain in the late 18th century, leading to a move away from agriculture, much greater general prosperity and a corresponding increase in population. Many of the states in Europe took their present form in the aftermath of World War I. From the end of World War II through the end of the Cold War, Europe was divided into two major political and economic blocks: Communist nations in Eastern Europe and Capitalist countries in Southern Europe, Northern Europe and Western Europe. Disintegration of the Iron Curtain and Eastern Block accelerated in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall, culminating in the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... Woodrow Wilson and the American peace commissioners during the negotiations on the Treaty of Versailles. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. ... Pre-1989 division between the West (grey) and Eastern Bloc (orange) superimposed on current national boundaries: Russia (dark orange), other countries of the former USSR (medium orange),members of the Warsaw pact (light orange), and other former Communist regimes not aligned with Moscow (lightest orange). ... In economics, a capitalist is someone who owns capital, presumably within the economic system of capitalism. ... Southern Europe is a region of the European continent. ... Northern Europe Northern Europe is the northern part of the European continent. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ... Warsaw Pact countries to the east of the Iron Curtain are shaded red; NATO members to the west of it — blue. ... During the Cold War, the Eastern Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) comprised the following Central and Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Albania (until the early 1960s, see below), the Soviet Union, and Czechoslovakia. ... East German construction workers building the Berlin Wall, November 20, 1961. ...

The Council of Europe created in 1955 a flag for itself and all of Europe. Today it is most commonly associated with the European Union. It has multiple roles, and varying legitimacy for the role as an official flag for the continent as a whole.

European integration has been a theme in European politics since the end of the first World War, and has accelerated since the end of the Cold War. Following the devastation of Europe in the second World War, the idea of European integration led to the creation of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg in 1949, which produced in 1950 the European Convention on Human Rights with its European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, former communist countries in central and eastern Europe were able to accede to the Council of Europe, which now comprises all 47 states in Europe with the exception of Belarus because of its non-democratic government. In 1951, a few European states agreed to confer powers over their steel and coal production to the European Coal and Steel Community in Luxembourg. This transfer of national powers to a "Community" to be exercised by its Commission was paralled under the 1957 Treaties of Rome establishing the European Atomic Energy Community and the European Economic Community in Brussels. The present European Union, the successor to the European Communities, has enlarged from 6 original founding members to 27 today. The European Union has developed from a trade-oriented organisation into one resembling a confederation in a number of respects. The European Union, or EU, describes itself as a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity. The organisation oversees co-operation among its members in diverse areas, including trade, the environment, transport, security, science, education and employment. Human rights and democracy remain the domain of the Council of Europe, thus extending these standards to the whole of Europe. Image File history File linksMetadata European_flag_in_the_wind. ... Image File history File linksMetadata European_flag_in_the_wind. ... Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 5 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General Terry Davis  -  President of the Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Linden... The Flag of Europe consists of a circle of twelve golden (yellow) stars on a blue background. ... European integration is the process of political and economic (and in some cases social and cultural) integration of European states into a tighter bloc. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 5 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General Terry Davis  -  President of the Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Linden... “ECHR” redirects here. ... European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), often referred to informally as the Strasbourg Court, was created to systematise the hearing of human rights complaints against States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by... East German construction workers building the Berlin Wall, November 20, 1961. ... Members of the European Coal and Steel Community Flag of the European Coal and Steel Community The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was founded in 1951 (Treaty of Paris), by France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands to pool the steel and coal resources of its member... The European Atomic Energy Community, or EURATOM, is an international organization composed of the members of the European Union. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ...

European membership of NATO has also increased since the end of the Cold War, with the admission of a number of eastern European countries. This article is about the military alliance. ...

Geography and extent

Main article: Geography of Europe

Political map (neighbouring countries in Asia and Africa also shown)

Physiographically, Europe is the northwestern constituent of the larger landmass known as Eurasia, or Africa-Eurasia: Asia occupies the eastern bulk of this continuous landmass and all share a common continental shelf. Europe's eastern frontier is now commonly delineated by the Ural Mountains in Russia. The first century AD geographer Strabo, ^[3] took the Tanais River to be the boundary, as did early Judaic sources. The southeast boundary with Asia is not universally defined. Most commonly the Ural or, alternatively, the Emba River serve as possible boundaries. The boundary continues to the Caspian Sea, the crest of the Caucasus Mountains or, alternatively, the Kura River in the Caucasus, and on to the Black Sea; the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles conclude the Asian boundary. The Mediterranean Sea to the south separates Europe from Africa. The western boundary is the Atlantic Ocean; Iceland, though nearer to Greenland (North America) than mainland Europe, is generally included in Europe. There is ongoing debate on where the geographical centre of Europe is. For detailed description of the boundary between Asia and Europe see transcontinental nation. Europe is traditionally reckoned as one of seven continents. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1475x1200, 657 KB) Bold text Description: countries in Europe, map en Source: own map, based on the Generic Mapping Tools and ETOPO2 Author: San Jose, 2 April 2006 Other versions: map in German, map in French, map without text Beschreibung: L... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1475x1200, 657 KB) Bold text Description: countries in Europe, map en Source: own map, based on the Generic Mapping Tools and ETOPO2 Author: San Jose, 2 April 2006 Other versions: map in German, map in French, map without text Beschreibung: L... True-color image of the Earths surface and atmosphere Physical geography (also know as geosystems or physiography) is a subfield of geography that focuses on the systematic study of patterns and processes within the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and lithosphere. ... For other uses, see Eurasia (disambiguation). ... Africa-Eurasia plus associated islands. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ...  Sediment  Rock  Mantle  The global continental shelf, highlighted in cyan The continental shelf is the extended perimeter of each continent, which is covered during interglacial periods such as the current epoch by relatively shallow seas (known as shelf seas) and gulfs. ... Map of the Ural Mountains The Ural Mountains (Russian: , Uralskiye gory) (also known as the Urals, the Riphean Mountains in Greco-Roman antiquity, and known as the Stone Belt) are a mountain range that runs roughly north and south through western Russia. ... The Greek geographer Strabo in a 16th century engraving. ... The Don (Дон) is one of the major rivers of Russia. ... Map of the southern Levant, c. ... The Ural (Russian: , Kazakh: Жайық, Jayıq or Zhayyq), known as Yaik before 1775, is a river flowing through Russia and Kazakhstan. ... The Emba River in west Kazakhstan rises in the Mugodzhar Mountains and flows some 400 miles (640 km) southwest into the Caspian Sea. ... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ... The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain system between the Black and Caspian seas in the Caucasus region, usually considered the southeastern limit of Europe. ... Mtkvari (Kura) River near Old Town, Tbilisi Kura (Georgian მტკვარი - Mtkvari, Azerbaijani Kür) is a river in the Caucasus Mountains. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Caucasus Mountains. ... For other uses, see Black Sea (disambiguation). ... I LOVE BORAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Two bridges cross the Bosporus. ... Map of the Sea of Marmara Satellite view of the Sea of Marmara The Sea of Marmara (Turkish: Marmara Denizi, Modern Greek: Θάλασσα του Μαρμαρά or Προποντίδα) (also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea) is an inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating the... Map of the Dardanelles The Dardanelles (Turkish: Çanakkale BoÄŸazı, Greek: Δαρδανέλλια, Dardanellia), formerly known as the Hellespont (Greek: Eλλήσποντος, Hellespontos), is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... This map shows some of the locations of claimants to the title of Centre of Europe An ongoing debate concerns where the geographical centre of Europe is to be found. ... A transcontinental nation is a country belonging to more than one continent. ...

Because of sociopolitical and cultural differences, there are various descriptions of Europe's boundary; in some sources, some territories are not included in Europe, while other sources include them. For instance, geographers from Russia and other post-Soviet states generally include the Urals in Europe while including Caucasia in Asia. Similarly, numerous geographers consider Azerbaijan's and Armenia's southern border with Iran and Turkey's southern and eastern border with Syria, Iraq and Iran as the boundary between Asia and Europe because of political and cultural reasons. In the same way, despite being close to Asia and Africa, the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Malta are considered part of Europe. Post-Soviet states in alphabetical order: 1. ...

Physical geography

Land relief in Europe shows great variation within relatively small areas. The southern regions, however, are more mountainous, while moving north the terrain descends from the high Alps, Pyrenees and Carpathians, through hilly uplands, into broad, low northern plains, which are vast in the east. This extended lowland is known as the Great European Plain, and at its heart lies the North German Plain. An arc of uplands also exists along the north-western seaboard, which begins in the western parts of Britain and Ireland, and then continues along the mountainous, fjord-cut, spine of Norway. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Pic de Bugatetin the Néouvielle Natural Reserve Central Pyrenees For the mountains in Victoria, Australia, see Pyrenees (Victoria). ... Satellite image of the Carpathians. ... Toporaphy of Europe Toporaphy of Europe The European Plain or Great European Plain is a plain in Europe. ... The North German Plain is a lowland region extending from the North Sea and Baltic Sea southward to the uplands of central Germany. ... Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Geirangerfjord, Norway A fjord (or fiord) is a long, narrow estuary with steep sides, made when a glacial valley is filled by rising sea water levels. ...

This description is simplified. Sub-regions such as the Iberian Peninsula and the Italian Peninsula contain their own complex features, as does mainland Central Europe itself, where the relief contains many plateaus, river valleys and basins that complicate the general trend. Sub-regions like Iceland, Britain and Ireland are special cases. The former is a land unto itself in the northern ocean which is counted as part of Europe, while the latter are upland areas that were once joined to the mainland until rising sea levels cut them off. The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. ... Satellite view of the Peninsula in spring The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula (Italian: Penisola italiana or Penisola appenninica) is one of the greatest peninsulas of Europe, spanning 1,000 km from the Alps in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. ...

Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe. Image File history File links 19th-century postcard of Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus Mountains. ... Mount Elbrus (Russian: Эльбрус) is a peak located in the western Caucasus mountains, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, near the border of Georgia. ...	Tara River Canyon, the deepest canyon in Europe is located in Montenegro. Image File history File links Tara_River_Canyon. ... Tara River Canyon The Tara River Canyon (Montenegrin: Kanjon Tare), also known as the Tara River Gorge, is the deepest canyon in Montenegro and Europe and the second-deepest in the world, behing the Grand Canyon. ... This article is about the country in Europe. ...	Shoreline in Mediterranean Greece. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 1506 KB) A beach in Vourvourou (Greece) Author:Snowdog (6/28/2005) File links The following pages link to this file: Europe Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or... Mediterranean redirects here. ...	View from the top of the Rysy mountain on Poland-Slovakia border. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (819x614, 156 KB)GFDL ,Tatra view from Rysy, Zakopane, Poland, Marek Silarski File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Rysy (Hungarian: , German: ) is a mountain in the crest of the High Tatras, at the Polish-Slovak border. ...
Päijänne lake and white nights in Finland. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2399x1599, 1295 KB) Source: Joonas Lyytinen File links The following pages link to this file: Finland Lake Päijänne Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Lake Päijänne is the third biggest lake in Finland (1038 km2 water area). ... The White Nights are a short late Spring and early Summer period in high latitude areas in the few weeks around the Summer solstice in June. ...	Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe, is located in northeastern Iceland. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1506x2078, 1555 KB) Summary The Dettifoss in Iceland on 31 Jul 1972. ... Dettifoss The face of the waterfall from the left bank This is not the highest waterfall in europe - powerscourt, ireland is - see http://www. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...	Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in Continental Europe, is located in Switzerland ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 2405 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Aletsch Glacier User:DBeyer/Pictures ... Aletsch Glacier Aletsch Glacier Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps, covers more than 120 square kilometres (more than 45 square miles) in southern Switzerland. ...	Cape Roca, a cape that forms the westernmost point of mainland Europe, is located in Portugal Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (3264 × 2448 pixel, file size: 823 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... The lighthouse on Cabo da Roca Cabo da Roca (Cape Roca) is a cape that forms the westernmost point of mainland Portugal. ... The bay at San Sebastián, Spain A headland is an area of land adjacent to water on three sides. ... // This is a list of the extreme points of Europe, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location in Europe. ...

Biodiversity

Biogeographic regions of Europe (including Asian part of Turkey)

Having lived side-by-side with agricultural peoples for millennia, Europe's animals and plants have been profoundly affected by the presence and activities of man. With the exception of Fennoscandia and northern Russia, few areas of untouched wilderness are currently found in Europe, except for various national parks. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ...

The main natural vegetation cover in Europe is mixed forest. The conditions for growth are very favourable. In the north, the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift warm the continent. Southern Europe could be described as having a warm, but mild climate. There are frequent summer droughts in this region. Mountain ridges also affect the conditions. Some of these (Alps, Pyrenees) are oriented east-west and allow the wind to carry large masses of water from the ocean in the interior. Others are oriented south-north (Scandinavian Mountains, Dinarides, Carpathians, Apennines) and because the rain falls primarily on the side of mountains that is oriented towards sea, forests grow well on this side, while on the other side, the conditions are much less favourable. Few corners of mainland Europe have not been grazed by livestock at some point in time, and the cutting down of the pre-agricultural forest habitat caused disruption to the original plant and animal ecosystems. This article is about a community of trees. ... For the album by Ocean Colour Scene, see North Atlantic Drift (album) The Gulf Stream is orange and yellow in this representation of water temperatures of the Atlantic. ... Schematic of the worlds ocean currents. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Pic de Bugatetin the Néouvielle Natural Reserve Central Pyrenees For the mountains in Victoria, Australia, see Pyrenees (Victoria). ... The Scandinavian Mountains, in Swedish Skanderna, Fjällen (the Fells) or Kölen, and in Norwegian Kjølen, with the two latter meaning the Keel, are a mountain range that runs