Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and peninsulae. Notably, in British English and Hiberno-English usage, the term means Europe excluding the British Isles. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to some dispute as to Europes actual borders. ... Peninsula A peninsula (from Latin paene insula, almost island) is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three sides. ... British English (BrE) is a term used (especially by Americans) to differentiate between the form of the English language used in the United Kingdom and those used elsewhere. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ...

The British concept

In the British mind Continental Europe is foremost represented by the Benelux, Germany, Spain, Italy and especially France. A famous (perhaps apocryphal) British newspaper headline once read "Fog in Channel; Continent Cut Off". Satellite image of the Benelux countries Benelux Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring monarchies, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. ...

The Nordic concept

In Nordic usage, the British Isles, Scandinavia, Iceland and Finland are excluded. Overview map of the region. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ... Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe named after the Scandinavian Peninsula. ...

See also

• Mainland