   #copyright

Europe

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

   World map showing Europe
   Enlarge
   World map showing Europe
   A satellite composite image of Europe
   Enlarge
   A satellite composite image of Europe

   Europe is one of the five inhabited 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, and to the southeast by the waterways adjoining the
   Mediterranean to and including the Black Sea and the Caucasus
   Mountains. On the east, Europe is divided from Asia by the water divide
   of the Ural Mountains and by the Caspian Sea.

   Europe is the world's second-smallest continent in terms of area,
   covering about 10,400,000  square kilometres (4,010,000 sq mi) or 2.0%
   of the Earth's surface. The only continent smaller than Europe is
   Australia. In terms of population, it is the third-largest continent
   (after Asia and Africa) with a population of some 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.

   The European Union – comprising 25 member states, with two countries
   acceding in 2007 (Bulgaria and Romania) and two candidates in accession
   negotiations (Turkey and Croatia) – is the largest political and
   economic entity covering the European continent, while Russia
   (excluding portions in Asia) is the second largest entity and Europe's
   largest state in area and population. The European Union also featured
   the world's largest economy with an estimated nominal GDP of 13.4
   trillion USD, with the nominal GDP per capita ranging from $66,463 in
   Luxembourg to about $10,452 in the Czech Republic.

   Alb.
   Andorra
   Austria
   Belarus
   Belgium
   Bosnia
   Bulgaria
   Croatia
   Cyprus
   Czech
   Rep.
   Denmark
   Estonia
   Finland
   France
   (Fr.)
   Germany
   Greece
   Hungary
   Iceland
   Ireland
   Italy
   (It.)
   (It.)
   Latvia
   Li.
   Lithuania
   Lux.
   Mac.
   Malta
   Moldova
   Monaco
   Mont.
   Neth.
   Norway
   Poland
   Portugal
   Romania
   Russia
   (Rus.)
   S. Mar.
   Serbia
   Slovakia
   Slo.
   Spain
   Sweden
   Switz.
   Turkey
   Ukraine
   United
   Kingdom
   Vatican
   Adriatic
   Sea
   Arctic Ocean
   Baltic
   Sea
   Barents Sea
   Bay of
   Biscay
   Black
   Sea
   Celtic
   Sea
   Denmark
   Strait
   Greenland Sea
   Gulf of
   Cadiz
   Ligurian
   Sea
   Mediterranean Sea
   North
   Atlantic
   Ocean
   North
   Sea
   Norwegian
   Sea
   Strait of
   Gibraltar
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Etymology

   In 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. For Homer, Europe ( Greek: Εὐρώπη Eurṓpē; see also List
   of traditional Greek place names) was a 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.

   The Greek term Europe is derived from Greek words meaning broad (eurys)
   and face (ops) – broad having been an epithet of Earth herself 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 "sunset" (see also
   Erebus). From the Middle Eastern vantagepoint, the sun does set over
   Europe, the lands to the west. Likewise, Asia is sometimes thought to
   have derived from a Semitic word such as the Akkadian asu, meaning
   "sunrise", and is the land to the east from a Middle Eastern
   perspective.

   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).

History

   The origins of Western democratic and individualistic culture are often
   attributed to Ancient Greece, though numerous other distinct
   influences, in particular Christianity, can also be credited with the
   spread of concepts such as egalitarianism and universality of law.

   After the decline of the Roman Empire, Europe entered a long period of
   changes arising from what is known as the Age of Migrations. That
   period has been known as the "Dark Ages" to Renaissance thinkers.
   Isolated monastic communities in Ireland and elsewhere carefully
   safeguarded and compiled written knowledge accumulated previously.

   During this time, 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 τῶν Ῥωμαίων 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.

   The Renaissance and the New Monarchs marked the start of a period of
   discovery, exploration, and increase in scientific knowledge. In the
   15th century, Portugal opened the age of discoveries, soon followed by
   Spain. They were later joined by France, the Netherlands and the United
   Kingdom in building large colonial empires with vast holdings in
   Africa, the Americas, and Asia.

   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 due to 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 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. About 1990, with the fall of the
   Berlin Wall, the wider Iron Curtain, and the Soviet Union the Eastern
   Block disintegrated.

   European integration has been a theme in European relations since the
   end of the second World War and has spread to Eastern Europe since the
   end of the Cold War. The European Union, the successor to the European
   Community, has enlarged from 6 original founding members to 25 today,
   and on 27th September 2006, the countries of Bulgaria and Romania were
   formally approved the right of succession, to happen early in 2007. The
   issue of Turkey is still a contentious one, being a transcontinental
   country and predominantly Muslim, the negotiations can last for 15
   years. The European Union has developed from a peace-keeping and
   economic orientated organisation into an entity resembling a
   confederation. NATO has also enlarged since the end of the Cold War,
   with a number of Eastern European countries joining.

Geography and extent

   Europe at its furthest extent, reaching to the Urals.
   Enlarge
   Europe at its furthest extent, reaching to the Urals.
   Political map (neighbouring countries in Asia and Africa also shown)
   Enlarge
   Political map (neighbouring countries in Asia and Africa also shown)
   Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe.
   Enlarge
   Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe.
   Shoreline in Mediterranean Greece.
   Enlarge
   Shoreline in Mediterranean Greece.
   Päijänne lake and white nights in Finland.
   Enlarge
   Päijänne lake and white nights in Finland.

   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 (save the Suez Canal separating Asia
   and Africa) and all share a common continental shelf. Europe's eastern
   frontier is now commonly delineated by the Ural Mountains in Russia (
   Strabo, Geography 11.1, took the Tanais River to be the boundary, as
   did early Judaic sources). The south-east 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.
   However, 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. 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 here.

   Due to 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.

   In another usage, Europe is increasingly being used as a short-form for
   the European Union (EU) and its members, currently consisting of 25
   member states and the candidate countries negotiating for membership,
   and several other countries expected to begin negotiations in the
   future (see Enlargement of the European Union). This definition,
   however, excludes non-members such as Switzerland, Norway and Russia.

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, beginning in the
   western British Isles and continuing along the mountainous, fjord-cut
   spine of Norway.

   This description is simplified. Sub-regions such as Iberia and Italy
   contain their own complex features, as does mainland Europe itself,
   where the relief contains many plateaus, river valleys and basins that
   complicate the general trend. Iceland and the British Isles 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.

Biodiversity

   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 Scandinavia and
   northern Russia, few areas of untouched wilderness are currently found
   in Europe, except for various national parks.

   The main natural vegetation cover in Europe is 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.

   Eighty to ninety per cent of Europe was once covered by forest. It
   stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Arctic Ocean. Though over
   half of Europe's original forests disappeared through the centuries of
   deforestation, Europe still has over one quarter of its land area as
   forest, such as the taiga of Scandinavia and Russia, mixed rainforests
   of the Caucasus and the Cork oak forests in the western Mediterranean.
   During recent times, deforestation has been slowed and many trees have
   been planted. However, in many cases monoculture plantations of
   conifers have replaced the original mixed natural forest, because these
   grow quicker. The plantations now cover vast areas of land, but offer
   poorer habitats for many European forest dwelling species which require
   a mixture of tree species and diverse forest structure. The amount of
   natural forest in Western Europe is just 2–3% or less, in European
   Russia 5–10%. The country with the smallest percentage of forested area
   (excluding the micronations) is the Republic of Ireland (8%), while the
   most forested country is Finland (72%).
   Białowieża National Park, Poland
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   Białowieża National Park, Poland

   In temperate Europe, mixed forest with both broadleaf and coniferous
   trees dominate. The most important species in central and western
   Europe are beech and oak. In the north, the taiga is a mixed spruce-
   pine- birch forest; further north within Russia and extreme northern
   Scandinavia, the taiga gives way to tundra as the Arctic is approached.
   In the Mediterranean, many olive trees have been planted, which are
   very well adapted to its arid climate; Mediterranean Cypress is also
   widely planted in southern Europe. The semi-arid Mediterranean region
   hosts much scrub forest. A narrow east-west tongue of Eurasian
   grassland (the steppe) extends eastwards from Ukraine and southern
   Russia and ends in Hungary and traverses into taiga to the north.

   Glaciation during the most recent ice age and the presence of man
   affected the distribution of European fauna. As for the animals, in
   many parts of Europe most large animals and top predator species have
   been hunted to extinction. The woolly mammoth and aurochs were extinct
   before the end of the Neolithic period. Today wolves (carnivores) and
   bears ( omnivores) are endangered. Once they were found in most parts
   of Europe. However, deforestation caused these animals to withdraw
   further and further. By the Middle Ages the bears' habitats were
   limited to more or less inaccessible mountains with sufficient forest
   cover.
   Tamariz beach - Portugal
   Enlarge
   Tamariz beach - Portugal

   Today, the brown bear lives primarily in the Balkan peninsula,
   Scandinavia, and Russia; a small number also persist in other countries
   across Europe (Austria, Pyrenees etc.), but in these areas brown bear
   populations are fragmented and marginalised because of the destruction
   of their habitat. In addition, polar bears may be found on Svalbard, an
   autonomous Norwegian island region far north of Scandinavia. The wolf,
   the second largest predator in Europe after the brown bear, can be
   found primarily in Eastern Europe and in the Balkans, with a handful of
   packs in Spain and Scandinavia.

   Other important European carnivores are Eurasian lynx, European wild
   cat, foxes (especially the red fox), jackal and different species of
   martens, hedgehogs, different species of snakes ( vipers, grass
   snake...), different birds (owls, hawks and other birds of prey).

   Important European herbivores are snails, amphibian larvae, fish,
   different birds, and mammals, like rodents, deer and roe deer, boars,
   and living in the mountains, marmots, steinbocks, chamois among others.

   Sea creatures are also an important part of European flora and fauna.
   The sea flora is mainly phytoplankton. Important animals that live in
   European seas are zooplankton, molluscs, echinoderms, different
   crustaceans, squids and octopuses, fish, dolphins, and whales.

Demographics

   Almost all of Europe was possibly settled before or during the last ice
   age about 10,000 years ago. It has been suggested that Neanderthal man
   and modern man coexisted during at least some of this time. Roman road
   building helped with the interbreeding of the native Europeans'
   genetics. In contemporary times Europe has one of the lowest fertility
   rates in the world, though it once had one of the highest.

Political geography

Extent

   Territories of Europe (also see transcontinental nation): ██ Europe
   ██ Extension into Asia of the continuous territory of a European state
   ██ Physiographically in Asia, considered European for cultural and
   historical reasons[citation needed]
   Enlarge
   Territories of Europe (also see transcontinental nation): ██ Europe
   ██ Extension into Asia of the continuous territory of a European state
   ██ Physiographically in Asia, considered European for cultural and
   historical reasons^[ citation needed]

Territories and regions

   Regions of Europe as delineated by the United Nations (other
   categorisations may vary): ██ Northern Europe ██ Western Europe
   ██ Eastern Europe ██ Southern Europe
   Enlarge
   Regions of Europe as delineated by the United Nations (other
   categorisations may vary): ██  Northern Europe ██  Western Europe ██
   Eastern Europe ██  Southern Europe

   The countries in this table are categorised according to the scheme for
   geographic subregions used by the United Nations, and data included are
   per sources in cross-referenced articles. Where they differ, provisos
   are clearly indicated.

   According to different definitions, such as consideration of the
   concept of Central Europe, the following territories and regions may be
   subject to various other categorisations.
   Name of region and
   territory, with flag Area
   (km²) Population
   ( 1 July 2002 est.) Population density
   (per km²) Capital
   Eastern Europe:
   Belarus Belarus 207,600 10,335,382 49.8 Minsk
   Bulgaria Bulgaria 110,910 7,621,337 68.7 Sofia
   Czech Republic Czech Republic 78,866 10,256,760 130.1 Prague
   Hungary Hungary 93,030 10,075,034 108.3 Budapest
   Moldova Moldova 33,843 4,434,547 131.0 Chişinău
   Poland Poland 312,685 38,625,478 123.5 Warsaw
   Romania Romania 238,391 21,698,181 91.0 Bucharest
   Russia Russia 3,960,000 106,037,143 26.8 Moscow
   Slovakia Slovakia 48,845 5,422,366 111.0 Bratislava
   Ukraine Ukraine 603,700 48,396,470 80.2 Kiev
   Northern Europe:
   Åland Åland (Finland) 1,552 26,008 16.8 Mariehamn
   Denmark Denmark 43,094 5,368,854 124.6 Copenhagen
   Estonia Estonia 45,226 1,415,681 31.3 Tallinn
   Faroe Islands Faroe Islands (Denmark) 1,399 46,011 32.9 Tórshavn
   Finland Finland 336,593 5,157,537 15.3 Helsinki
   Guernsey Guernsey 78 64,587 828.0 St Peter Port
   Iceland Iceland 103,000 304,334 2.7 Reykjavík
   Republic of Ireland Ireland 70,280 3,883,159 55.3 Dublin
   Isle of Man Isle of Man 572 73,873 129.1 Douglas
   Jersey Jersey 116 89,775 773.9 Saint Helier
   Latvia Latvia 64,589 2,366,515 36.6 Riga
   Lithuania Lithuania 65,200 3,601,138 55.2 Vilnius
   Norway Norway 324,220 4,525,116 14.0 Oslo
   Norway Svalbard and Jan
   Mayen Islands (Norway) 62,049 2,868 0.046 Longyearbyen
   Sweden Sweden 449,964 9,090,113 19.7 Stockholm
   United Kingdom United Kingdom 244,820 60,201,000 244.2 London
   Southern Europe:
   Albania Albania 28,748 3,544,841 123.3 Tirana
   Andorra Andorra 468 68,403 146.2 Andorra la Vella
   Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina 51,129 3,964,388 77.5
   Sarajevo
   Croatia Croatia 56,542 4,390,751 77.7 Zagreb
   Gibraltar Gibraltar (UK) 5.9 27,714 4,697.3 Gibraltar
   Greece Greece 131,940 10,645,343 80.7 Athens
   Italy Italy 301,230 58,751,711 191.6 Rome
   Republic of Macedonia Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 25,333
   2,054,800 81.1 Skopje
   Malta Malta 316 397,499 1,257.9 Valletta
   Montenegro Montenegro 13,812 616,258 44.6 Podgorica
   Portugal Portugal 91,568 10,084,245 110.1 Lisbon
   San Marino San Marino 61 27,730 454.6 San Marino
   Serbia Serbia 88,361 9,663,742 109.4 Belgrade
   Slovenia Slovenia 20,273 1,932,917 95.3 Ljubljana
   Spain Spain 498,506 40,077,100 80.4 Madrid
   Vatican City Vatican City 0.44 900 2,045.5 Vatican City
   Western Europe:
   Austria Austria 83,858 8,169,929 97.4 Vienna
   Belgium Belgium 30,510 10,274,595 336.8 Brussels
   France France 547,030 59,765,983 109.3 Paris
   Germany Germany 357,021 83,251,851 233.2 Berlin
   Liechtenstein Liechtenstein 160 32,842 205.3 Vaduz
   Luxembourg Luxembourg 2,586 448,569 173.5 Luxembourg
   Monaco Monaco 1.95 31,987 16,403.6 Monaco
   Netherlands Netherlands 41,526 16,318,199 393.0 Amsterdam
   Switzerland Switzerland 41,290 7,301,994 176.8 Bern
   Central Asia:
   Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 370,373 1,245,701 3.4 Astana
   Western Asia:
   Azerbaijan Azerbaijan 39,730 4,198,491 105.7 Baku
   Georgia (country) Georgia 49,240 2,447,176 49.7 Tbilisi
   Turkey Turkey 24,378 11,044,932 453.1 Ankara
   Total 10,396,619 708,903,245 68.1

Languages and cultures

   Map showing the approximate current distribution of languages in
   Europe.
   Enlarge
   Map showing the approximate current distribution of languages in
   Europe.
   Europe countries in local languages.
   Enlarge
   Europe countries in local languages.

   There are several linguistic groups widely recognised in Europe. These
   sometimes (but not always) coincide with cultural and historical
   connections between the various nations, though in other cases religion
   is considered a more significant distinguishing factor.

Romance languages

   Romance languages are spoken more or less in south-western Europe, as
   well as Romania and Moldova which are situated in Eastern Europe. This
   area consists of: Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Romania, Moldova,
   French-speaking Belgium ( Wallonia, Brussels), French-speaking
   Switzerland ( Romandy), Romansh-speaking Switzerland, and
   Italian-speaking Switzerland. All Romance languages are derived from
   the Roman language, Latin.

Germanic languages

   Germanic languages are spoken more or less in north-western Europe and
   some parts of central Europe. This region consists of: Norway, Sweden,
   Germany, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, Denmark, the
   Netherlands, Austria, Liechtenstein, most of Switzerland, Iceland,
   Flanders and the German-speaking areas of Belgium, the Faroe Islands,
   Luxembourg, the Swedish-speaking municipalities of Finland, and South
   Tyrol in Italy.

Slavic languages

   Slavic languages are spoken in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern
   Europe. This area consists of: Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
   Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Saxony and Brandenburg in
   Germany, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland,
   Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
     * Cyrillic Alphabet

   The Cyrillic alphabet is named after St Cyril, a missionary from
   Byzantium. It was invented in the First Bulgarian Empire sometime
   during the 10th century AD, possibly by St Kliment of Ohrid, to write
   the Old Church Slavonic language. The Cyrillic alphabet achieved its
   current form in 1708 during the reign of Peter the Great. Four letters
   were eliminated from the alphabet in a 1917/18 reform.

   The Cyrillic alphabet has been adapted to write over 50 different
   languages, mainly in Russia, Central Asia and part of Eastern Europe.
   In many cases additional letters are used, some of which are
   adaptations of standard Cyrillic letters, while others are taken from
   the Greek or Latin alphabets.

Uralic languages

   The Uralic Languages are divided into three main groups of which the
   Finno-Permic languages are spoken in Finland, Estonia, Sweden and
   Norway and European Russia while the Ugric languages are spoken in
   Hungary, parts of Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Ukraine, and Siberian
   Russia. These two main branches form the group of the Finno-Ugric
   languages.

Altaic languages

   Turkic Languages are spoken in Turkey, Azerbaijan, the Turkish Republic
   of Northern Cyprus (recognised only by Turkey), parts of Bulgaria,
   parts of Greece, parts of Romania, parts of the Former Yugoslav
   Republic of Macedonia, parts of Moldova, parts of Russia, parts of
   Ukraine and parts of the Caucasus.

Baltic languages

   Baltic languages are spoken in Lithuania and Latvia. (Estonia's
   national language is part of the Finno-Ugric family even though it is a
   Baltic state geographically.)

Celtic languages

   Celtic Languages were originally used only to describe the Gaelic
   language in Ireland, however the term now extends to the other Gaelic
   and Brythonic languages. Celtic Europe are those countries and regions
   where Celtic languages are spoken. The Celtic nations are: Ireland,
   Scotland (UK), Wales (UK), Cornwall (UK), the Isle of Man (a British
   Crown dependency) and Brittany (within France). These are all nations
   where a Celtic language is spoken and share in Celtic organisations
   (see Pan Celticism).

   Sometimes considered Celtic nations are Galicia and Asturias (both
   autonomous communities of Spain). Some regions of England (in addition
   to Cornwall) have retained a degree of Celtic influence in their
   regional dialects (see Cumbric), although England's Celtic languages
   died out as recently as the 18th century in Devon.

Other languages

   Outside of these six main linguistic groups one can find:
     * The Greek language, spoken in Greece, Cyprus and parts of Turkey,
       Albania and Italy, and in Greek diaspora communities in several
       other European countries (most notably Germany).
     * The Albanian language is its own independent branch of the
       Indo-European language family with no close living relatives. Most
       scholars maintain that it derives from the Illyrian language. Major
       Albanian-speaking communities outside Albania live in Kosovo, the
       Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Greece, and
       Turkey.
     * Ibero-Caucasian, a group that includes ethnic groups throughout the
       Caucasus region (both North and South). Ibero-Caucasian languages
       are not linked to the Indo-European languages. This group includes
       Georgians, Abkhaz, Chechens, Ingush, Bats, and a number of other
       smaller ethnic groups that reside in the Caucasus.
     * The Maltese language, a member of the Afro-Asiatic group, which
       includes Arabic and Hebrew, is spoken in Malta. Unlike other
       Semitic languages, Maltese is written in the Roman alphabet.
     * The Basque language is spoken in parts of southern France and
       northern Spain, i.e. the Basque Country

Religions

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

   The most popular religions of Europe are the following:
     * Christianity
          + Roman Catholicism: Countries or areas with significant
            Catholic populations are Andorra, Austria, west Belarus,
            Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic,
            France, south and west Germany, Hungary, Northern Ireland, the
            Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latgale region in Latvia,
            Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, south
            Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia,
            Slovenia, Spain, central and south Switzerland, and Vatican
            City. There are also large Catholic minorities in England,
            Scotland, Wales and most European countries.
          + Eastern-Rite Catholicism: including west Ukraine.
          + Orthodox Christianity: The countries with significant Orthodox
            populations are Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and
            Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland ( Karelia), Georgia,
            Greece, Kazakhstan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
            Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine.
          + Protestantism: Countries with significant Protestant
            populations include Denmark, Estonia, Finland, north and east
            Germany, Iceland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden,
            east, north and west Switzerland and the United Kingdom. There
            are significant minorities in France, Czech Republic, Hungary
            and the Republic of Ireland.
     * Islam: Countries with significant Muslim population are Albania,
       Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
       the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, several
       republics of Russia, Serbia (especially in Kosovo), Turkey, Crimea
       in Ukraine. Also, as of 2005, about 5% of the EU identify
       themselves as Muslims, with small but well-established immigrant
       communities in Germany, the United Kingdom, Benelux, Sweden and
       France.

   Other religions are practised by smaller groups in Europe, including:
     * Judaism, mainly in Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia and
       Turkey.
     * Hinduism, mainly among Indian immigrants in the United Kingdom.
     * Buddhism, thinly spread throughout western Europe, and in Kalmykia,
       Russia
     * Indigenous European pagan traditions and beliefs, many countries.
     * Rastafari, communities in the United Kingdom, France, Spain,
       Portugal, Italy and elsewhere.
     * Sikhism and Jainism, both mainly among Indian immigrants in the
       United Kingdom.
     * Voodoo, mainly among black Caribbean and West African immigrants in
       the United Kingdom and France.
     * Traditional African Religions (including Muti), mainly in the
       United Kingdom 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 , which corresponds to about 2% of the population of
   England.

Official religions

   A number of countries in Europe have official religions, including
   Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, Vatican City (Catholic), 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.

   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. 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". Azerbaijan, France, Portugal, Romania, and Turkey
   are officially "secular".

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe"
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