What Is Europe?

1 - Europe is a continent. In the east, Europe is connected to Asia. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and by the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The Ural Mountains form the border with Asia.

2 - Europe has 47 countries. Russia is partly in Europe, though most of the country lies in Asia. Only a small part of Turkey is also in Europe. By area, Russia, Ukraine, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, and Germany are the largest countries in Europe. Europe covers a total area of 10,523,000 km², making it the second-smallest continent on Earth.

3 - In 2022, Europe had a population of around 751 million. The countries with the largest populations are Russia (144 million), Germany (83.3 million), the United Kingdom (67.6 million), France (65.8 million), Italy (58.9 million) and Spain (47.4 million). Around 22 million people in Russia live in the Asian part of the country. The most widely spoken languages in Europe are Russian, German, English, French, Italian and Spanish.

4 - The largest cities in Europe are Moscow (Russia - 12.59 million inhabitants), Paris (France - 11.08 million), London (United Kingdom - 9.43 million), Madrid (Spain - 6.67 million), Barcelona (Spain - 5.62 million), Saint Petersburg (Russia - 5.5 million), Rome (Italy - 4.28 million) and Berlin (Germany - 3.57 million).

5 - The Alps, the Pyrenees, the Apennines, the Carpathians and the Urals are Europe's five major mountain ranges. Europe's highest mountain is in the Alps: Mont Blanc, at 4,810 m. The Volga in Russia is Europe's longest river, at 3,530 kilometres. The Danube is 2,850 kilometres long, and the Dnieper 2,200 kilometres. The Don, Pechora and Dniester also flow through the European part of Russia. The longest rivers in Western Europe are the Rhine (1,233 km) and the Elbe (1,094 km).

6 - Over the past few decades, 27 countries in Western Europe have joined together in the European Union (EU). The United Kingdom was a member for a time, but has since left the EU. Borders between EU countries were opened, allowing EU residents to travel freely with few restrictions. They can also choose freely which EU country they want to live and work in.

7 - Businesses are also free to set up wherever they choose. If they want to export goods to another EU country, they do not have to pay customs duties. The governments of the individual countries are responsible for their own countries, but they work together in the European Council and the Council of Ministers. The European Council is made up of the heads of government—in Germany’s case, the Federal Chancellor. Ministers responsible for a particular area meet regularly in the Council of Ministers. The European Commission, a large government agency in Brussels, often referred to as the capital of Europe, is responsible for implementing the decisions made by the European Council and the Council of Ministers.

8 - There is also a parliament for all of Europe, called the European Parliament. It has 705 members, 96 of whom come from Germany, the EU’s largest country. The European Court of Justice interprets the law that applies throughout Europe. It also ensures that the law is applied in the same way in all member states.

9 - In 20 of the EU's 27 member states, people use a common currency called the euro. You can pay with euros in these 20 countries without having to exchange money. Europe also has a flag. It shows 12 gold stars, each with 5 points, against a blue background. An extract from Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony has been chosen as Europe's anthem.