|
Europe is one of the smallest of the world's seven continents in area but one of the largest in population. All of the continents except Australia have more land than Europe. But only Asia and Africa have more people. About one-eighth of the world's people live in Europe. Europe is more densely populated than all the other continents except Asia.
Europe extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Mediterranean Sea in the south and from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east. The continent of Europe occupies the western fifth of the world's largest land mass. Asia occupies the rest of this land.
The 47 countries of Europe include the world's largest country, Russia, as well as the world's smallest, Vatican City. Russia lies partly in Europe and partly in Asia. By world standards, most European countries are average or small in size. The five smallest countries—Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City—are smaller than many of Europe's cities.
The people of Europe represent a variety of cultural backgrounds. For centuries, they have spoken different languages and followed different cultural traditions.
Europe was a world leader in economic development and continues to be one of the world's leading industrial and agricultural centers. The continent has many rich deposits of coal and iron ore. It has some of the richest farmland in the world.
The many cultural landmarks and natural beauties of Europe attract visitors from all parts of the world. Exhibits in such museums as the Louvre in Paris thrill art lovers. Masterpieces of architecture include the temples of ancient Greece and Rome and the Gothic cathedrals of France, Germany, and Italy. London is rich in history and royal pageantry, with famous palaces and government buildings. Europe's historic Rhine River winds past steep cliffs dotted with the ruins of castles built hundreds of years ago. Among the continent's many other attractions are the snow-covered Alps of Switzerland, the colorful tulip fields of the Netherlands, the canals of Venice, and the sunny beaches of the Riviera.
Europe has had a great impact on the history of the world. It is the birthplace of Western civilization. From the time of the ancient Greeks, Europe's political ideas, scientific discoveries, arts and philosophies, and religious beliefs have spread to other parts of the world. The civilizations of Australia, Canada, Latin America, New Zealand, and the United States largely developed from European civilization.
|
