Europe
hideEurope (pronounced /ˈjɜrəp/, /ˈjʊərəp/) is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast. Europe is washed upon to the north by the Arctic Ocean and other bodies of water, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and to the southeast by the Black Sea and the waterways connecting it to the Mediterranean. Yet the borders for Europe—a concept dating back to classical antiquity—are somewhat arbitrary, as the term continent can refer to a cultural and political distinction or a physiographic one.
Europe is the world's second-smallest continent by surface area, covering about 10,180,000 square kilometres (3,930,000 sq mi) or 2% of the Earth's surface and about 6.8% of its land area. Of Europe's approximately 50 states, Russia is the largest by both area and population, while the Vatican City is the smallest. Europe is the third most populous continent after Asia and Africa, with a population of 731 million or about 11% of the world's population; however, according to the United Nations (medium estimate), Europe's share may fall to about 7% in 2050.
Europe, in particular Ancient Greece, is often considered to be the birthplace of Western culture. It played a predominant role in global affairs from the 16th century onwards, especially after the beginning of colonialism. Between the 17th and 20th centuries, European nations controlled at various times the Americas, most of Africa, Oceania, and large portions of Asia. Both World Wars were ignited in Central Europe, greatly contributing to a decline in European dominance in world affairs by the mid-20th century as the United States and Soviet Union took prominence. During the Cold War Europe was divided along the Iron Curtain between NATO in the West and the Warsaw Pact in the East. European integration led to the formation of the Council of Europe and the European Union in Western Europe, both of which have been expanding eastward since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
For more information about Europe, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with europe
Road trains may be coming soon to Europe (w/ Video)
Nov 13, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Road trains linking vehicles together in a traveling convoy are planned for Europe. With only the lead vehicle being actively driven, the road trains would allow commuters to sleep, read a ...
EU objects to Oracle's takeover of Sun
Nov 09, 2009 |
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(AP) -- European antitrust regulators have formally objected to Sun Microsystems Inc.'s planned $7.4 billion sale to Oracle Corp., escalating a battle over a deal that has already been cleared in the U.S.
Researchers link health-care debate to risk of dying in US and Europe
Nov 06, 2009 |
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The current health care debate in the United States is complicated. Trade-offs between heath care expenditures, lifestyle choices and life expectancy have been suggested but seldom clearly demonstrated. The U.S. spends on ...
Scientists prepare for large-scale glacial floods (w/ Video)
Space & Earth / Earth Sciences
Nov 04, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Surging floods as powerful as the Amazon could hit parts of Europe within decades, according to new research.
Small mammals have a 'Celtic fringe' too
Sep 30, 2009 |
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The origin of the 'Celtic fringe' of genetically and culturally distinctive people in the northern and western British Isles is the source of fierce academic controversy.
Planned emission cuts still mean far hotter Earth
Sep 24, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Earth's temperature is likely to jump nearly 6 degrees between now and the end of the century even if every country cuts greenhouse gas emissions as proposed, according to a United Nations update.
Belief, how European e-Infrastructure makes a difference (w/ Video)
Technology / Computer Sciences
Sep 07, 2009 |
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Europe has turned its early belief and investment in the potential of e-Infrastructures and virtual research into a position of great strength, especially in e-Science and grid technology, such as the GÉANT network ...
Smoke no longer found in European hospitals
Sep 04, 2009 |
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Tobacco use is prohibited in hospitals in many European countries, although levels of compliance with this regulation differ. A study carried out by researchers from the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) has shown for the ...
The war against wildlife comes to an end in Southern Europe
Sep 04, 2009 |
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This is the conclusion of a study which has analyzed the persecution of birds as a result of hunting in Spain over 14 years. The decrease in this activity and the fall in the number of animals admitted to ...
Europe's first farmers replaced their Stone Age hunter-gatherer forerunners
Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils
Sep 03, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- DNA study suggests that further waves of prehistoric immigration are waiting to be discovered. Central and northern Europe's first farmers were immigrants with barely any ancestral ties to the modern population, ...
EU reveals probe into Oracle's bid
Sep 03, 2009 |
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Business software giant Oracle's 7.4-billion-dollar bid for Sun Microsystems is under investigation under EU merger regulations, the European Commission announced on Thursday.
Do women who smoke like men die like men?
Aug 31, 2009 |
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Smoking still kills more men than women, because men started smoking substantial numbers of cigarettes long before women did.
EU invests millions in 'ultra high-speed' mobile internet
Aug 18, 2009 |
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The European Union announced Tuesday an 18 million euro (25 million dollar) investment in an "ultra high-speed" internet system to underpin the next generation of mobile services.
Facial expressions show language barriers too
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Aug 13, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- People from East Asia tend to have a tougher time than those from European countries telling the difference between a face that looks fearful versus surprised, disgusted versus angry, and ...
Researchers unite to distribute quantum keys
Jul 02, 2009 |
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Researchers from across Europe have united to build the largest quantum key distribution network ever built. The efforts of 41 research and industrial organisations were realised as secure, quantum encrypted information ...
