The following 6 regions in Europe have partial diplomatic recognition by 1 or more UN member countries (and therefore are Recognized as countries by the constitutive theory of statehood) or have no diplomatic recognition by any UN member country but are recognized as countries by the declarative theory of statehood and are recognized by 1 or more Non-UN member countries. None are members of the UN, EU or Council of Europe.
S.N.
European Countries
Status
Capital
Currency
Dialing Code
Population
GDP PPP in Millions
GDP Nominal in Millions
GDP per Capita
Area (km2)
Area (sq mi)
1
Abkhazia
Claimed as an autonomous republic of Georgia. Recognized or acclaimed by 4 UN countries.
Sukhumi
Abkhazian apsar, Russian ruble
+7 840, +7 940, +995 44
2,50,000
$500
8,660
3,344
2
Kosovo
Recognized or acclaimed by 108 UN member countries.
Pristina
Euro
+381
18,36,529
$17,630
$6,309
$9,570
10,887
4,203
3
Nagorno-Karabakh
Claimed as part ofAzerbaijan. De facto independent state, Recognized or acclaimed by 3 non-UN states.
Stepanakert
Armenian dram, Nagorno-Karabakh dram
+374 47 / 97
1,41,400
$411.7
$2,780
7,000
2,703
4
Northern Cyprus
Recognized by Turkey. Claimed as part of the Cyprus.
Nicosia
Turkish lira
+90
2,94,906
$4,273
$15,302
3,355
1,295
5
South Ossetia
Claimed as part of Georgia. Recognized or acclaimed by 4 UN countries.
Tskhinvali
Russian ruble
+995 34
70,000
$15
$250
3,900
1,506
6
Transnistria
Claimed as a administrative division of Moldova. De facto independent state, Recognized or acclaimed by three non-UN countries.
Tiraspol
Transnistrian ruble
+373
5,30,000
$799
$1,500
3,500
1,351
Dependent Territories in Europe
The following 6 European regions are dependent territories.
S.N.
Territories in Europe
Legal status
Capital
Currency
Dialing Code
Population
GDP PPP in Millions
GDP Nominal in Millions
GDP per Capita
Area (km2)
Area (sq mi)
1
Akrotiri and Dhekelia
British overseas territory
Episkopi Cantonment
Euro
+357
7,700 Cypriots, 8,000 British military personnel and their families
254
98
2
Faroe Islands / Faeroe Islands
Constituent country of Denmark
Tórshavn
Faroese króna, Danish krone
+298
49,947
$1,471
$2,320
$30,500
1,393
538
3
Gibraltar
British overseas territory
Gibraltar
Gibraltar pound
+350
29,185
$1,850
$1,850
$43,000
6.5
2.5
4
Guernsey
Crown Dependency of the Crown in Right of the UK.
Saint Peter Port
Pound sterling
+44
65,849
$3,451
$2,742
$52,300
78
30
5
Isle of Man
Crown Dependency of The Crown in Right of the UK.
Douglas
Pound sterling
+44
86,866
$6,298
$4,076
$53,800
572
221
6
Jersey
Crown Dependency of The Crown in Right of the UK.
Saint Helier
Pound sterling
+44
96,513
$5,771
$5,771
$57,000
118
46
Special areas of Internal Sovereignty
The following regions are recognized integral parts of their controlling country, but have a political arrangement or system which was determined through an international agreement.
S.N.
Special Area in Europe
Legal status
Capital
Currency
Dialing Code
Population
GDP PPP in Millions
GDP Nominal in Millions
GDP per Capita
Area (km2)
Area (sq mi)
1
Åland
Self-governing or autonomous area of Finland, significant autonomy as the result of crisis in Åland.
Part of the UK, devolved government decided by the Good Friday Agreement.
Belfast
Pound Sterling
+44
18,10,863
$45,288
$49,330
$24,760
14,130
5,456
3
Svalbard
Special territory of Norway, decided by the Svalbard Treaty.
Longyearbyen
Norwegian krone
+47
2,019
62,045
23,956
About Europe
Geography and Climate
Europe is the second smallest continent in the overall area, and it covers 3.93 million square miles. There are 44 countries now recognized, and the biggest in terms of size and population is Russia. Europe is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The physical geography of Europe includes mountain areas, such as the Alps, Carpathians, and Pyrenees, and extensive plains and river systems, including the Danube, Rhine, and Volga. The climate can be described as ranging from Arctic in Scandinavia to Mediterranean in Southern Europe. Western Europe has a temperate maritime climate, while Eastern Europe has a cold winter and warm summer, which is a continental climate.
Population and Demographics
Europe has 747 million people, and the countries with the most population are Russia, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. Urbanization is very high and major metropolitan areas like London, Paris, Berlin, and Madrid are critical in commerce, culture, and governance. Slavic, German, and Romance languages are the most dominant ethnics. Demographic changes are an increasing number of people from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia have started settling in European nations. The European Union (EU) has a role in labor mobility, and its citizens of member states can live and work freely across borders.
Economic Structure and Industrial Sectors
Europe is one of the biggest economic blocks in the world generating about 15% of the global Gross Domestic Product. Germany, the United Kingdom and France are the biggest economies in the region. The EU which is made up of 27 countries is one of the biggest economic regions with policies that foster free trade and financial stability. The economy of Europe is very broad and covers manufacturing, agriculture, finance and technology. Germany is the world’s leading auto producer and has Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes Benz as some of the global brands. France is famous for producing luxury articles, aerospace and wine production and the United Kingdom is famous for its banking and financial services industries. The social welfare systems, green energy and digital innovation are some of the strengths of the Scandinavian countries. Poland and Hungary have recorded an enhanced economic development in the last few years as a result of foreign investment and expansion of the industrial base.
Cultural and Historical Influence
For centuries, Europe has been a key player in the development of culture and intelligence. The history of the world has been written to some extent by Europe, from the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome, the Renaissance, and the Industrial Revolution. Shakespeare, Beethoven, and Picasso have influenced the world in the fields of art, literature and music. Some of the most visited cultural and historical landmarks are in Europe, including the Eiffel Tower in France, the Colosseum in Italy, and the Acropolis in Greece. More than 200 languages are spoken in Europe, and the most frequent are English, German, French, Spanish, and Russian. Christianity has been the most dominant religion, but secularism is increasing, and Islam is now the second most common religion because of migration.
Political Systems and Governance
The European political landscape is a mix of democracies, constitutional monarchies and republics. The European Union is the primary vehicle for economic and political cooperation among its members, supporting free trade, regulation standards and human rights policies. The EU has grappled with Brexit, economic disparities between member states and sovereignty debates. Another key organization, NATO, offers military and security cooperation to European and North American countries. Some countries, like Switzerland and Norway, are not members of the EU, but have integrative economic relationships with the bloc. Political changes in the past decades in eastern Europe after the end of the Cold War: Former Soviet state transitioned to market economies and democratic governance. But tensions continue in Ukraine and the Balkans over territorial disputes and geopolitical meddling.
Environmental Challenges and Sustainability Efforts
Europe has been the forefront in environmental sustainability, with countries focusing on renewable energy, emission reduction and conservation. The EU has also had very strong targets in combating climate change, and one of its goals is to be carbon neutral by 2050. The production of green energy is leading by Scandinavian nations, based on wind, hydro and solar energy sources. Nevertheless, there are still many environmental issues including deforestation, pollution, negative impact of industrialization on ecosystems. Temperature increase and weather extremes are making everyone worried about future climate impacts, which has resulted in more investment in sustainable development of cities and power sources.
Future Prospects and Global Influence
Europe remains to this day an important participant in the international relations and relations of foreign trade and technology. The continent has challenges of economic growth after the pandemic, immigration and some security issues from the geopolitical tensions. The innovation in the field of technology including AI, renewable energy and biotechnology is likely to make Europe an important player in the digital economy. The stability of the continent will depend on the EU’s expansion policies and its diplomatic relations with the neighboring regions. As for the future, Europe can be strong in economic cooperation, environmental sustainability, and cultural exchange and therefore remains an important part of the world in the 21st century.
History of Europe
Ancient Europe and Early Civilizations
History of Europe can be traced back thousands of years, and the earliest human settlements in the region. The Minoan civilization which developed on the island of Crete about 3000 BCE was one of the earliest civilized societies in Europe and had very sophisticated palaces and a naval orientation. The Mycenaean civilization on the mainland of Greece was also in existence between 1600 BCE, and they laid a good foundation for the classical Greek civilization. Greece of the classical period, from the 8th to the 4th century BCE, made great contributions to the development of philosophy, politics and art. The thinking of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle shaped the future of the Western thought while the Athens and Sparta formed early democracies and early militaries. The Roman Republic of the 6th century BCE and the Roman Empire of 27 BCE ahead of it marked one of the most important periods in European history. The empire was one of the most powerful in ancient history as it encompassed most of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and it also saw progress in engineering, law and governance. Latin was thrown into the mix and this language would go on to influence most of the present day European languages. The fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE marked the political fragmentation and the beginning of the medieval period.
The Middle Ages and Feudal Society
The Middle Ages can be said to have been the period from the fifth to the fifteenth century, a period in which centralized Roman rule declined and feudalism emerged. Kingdoms and territories small across Europe were controlled by monarchs, nobles and the Catholic Church. The Byzantine Empire, which was the Eastern Roman Empire, kept Roman traditions going in the east with Constantinople as the major cultural and economic centre. The spread of Christianity also occurred during this time and the Catholic Church was to become a dominant presence in governance and everyday life of Europeans. The Vikings expanded their settlements across Northern Europe from the 8th to the 11th century and Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 800 CE. The Crusades, a series of religious wars between Christian and Muslim forces to control the Holy Land lasted from 1096 to 1291. The Black Death, which hit Europe between 1347 and 1351 killed approximately 25 million people, leading to economic and social upheaval.
The Renaissance and Age of Exploration
The Renaissance, which was initiated in Italy in the 14th century and echoed across Europe can be seen as a revival of interest in art, science and humanism. They were some of the great thinkers of the era; Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Galileo made considerable marks in their respective fields. Johannes Gutenberg's 15th century invention of the printing press was a breakthrough in the dissemination of information. The Gilded Age: This period also includes the beginning of European exploration as Spain and Portugal lead expeditions to new lands. Global trade routes were opened up when Christopher Columbus sailed in 1492 and Vasco da Gama sailed to India in 1498. Religious authority of the Catholic Church was challenged and religious conflict across Europe began to shape the development of modern Christianity when Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation in 1517.
The Age of Revolutions and Industrialization
The 17th and 18th centuries were marked by political and social revolutions. The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement of the 18th century that spread ideas about reason, democracy, and individual rights to the point of influencing the American and French Revolutions. The French Revolution of 1789 overthrew the monarchy and created Napoleon Bonaparte who, for more than a decade, expanded French influence across Europe before he was defeated in 1815. The Industrial Revolution, which started at the end of the 18th century in Britain, was the transformation of European economies through mechanization, urbanization and transportation. New societies were created by railroads, factories and many technologies, but also new forms of economic growth and social inequality based on the exploitation of the working class. Unification of Germany and Italy in the 19th century changed the political map of Europe.
World Wars and Modern Europe
The 20th century was a period of history that was characterized by two world wars that led to change Europe and the whole world. World War One was from 1914 to 1918 and this led to the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian Empires resulting in political map of the world being redrawn. The Treaty of Versailles signed in 1919 provided for the collection of heavy reparations from Germany thus making the country and other countries that formed the Germany Empire poor and hence unstable, a situation that led to the rise of Adolf Hitler. World War Two started in 1939 and ended in 1945 and was characterised by a high level of destruction because Germany had taken almost the whole of Europe before it was defeated by the allied powers. Holocause killed six million Jewish people. The world after the war was divided into two groups of nations, the western nations which were allied with United States of America and the eastern nations which were under the rule of Soviet Union, this was the beginning of the cold war.
The European Union and Contemporary Developments
After the end of the Second World War, the European countries endeavored to reconstruct and to prevent future wars. The European Economic Community was founded in 1957, and the European Union was established in 1993. The EU spurs economic integration, free trade, and political cooperation between member states. The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to the decoupling of the Eastern European countries and their step by step incorporation into European institutions. The post 20th century has entailed economic crises, political instability, and arguments concerning immigration, as well as the continuation of cultural, innovative, and economic development as Europe remains a global centre.
Geography of Europe
The westernmost part of the Eurasian landmass contains Europe which stands as one of the seven continents worldwide. The continent of Europe spans 10.18 million square kilometers of land while being the second smallest by area and holding the third position for population density with more than 750 million people in 2025. The vast geographical diversity of Europe includes icy tundras and rugged mountains as well as rolling plains and extensive coastlines. Europe extends to the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean Sea in the south. The Ural Mountains and Ural River in Russia together with the Caspian Sea and Caucasus Mountains serve as traditional geographical markers that separate Europe from Asia in the eastern region.
Physical Geography and Landforms
The diverse range of landforms across Europe creates diverse environmental and cultural landscapes throughout the continent. The continent consists of four main physical regions which include the Western Uplands and the North European Plain and the Central Uplands and the Alpine region. The Western Uplands consist of the Scandinavian Peninsula together with Scotland and Irish territories which feature ancient weathered mountains and highlands. The North European Plain extends from western France through Belgium and Germany and Poland and Russia to create a vast agricultural and settlement-friendly flat region.
The Central Uplands feature rolling hills together with forested plateaus and low mountain ranges that include the Massif Central in France and the Harz Mountains in Germany. The Alpine region contains the Alps which stand as Europe's tallest mountain range that spans across eight nations including France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. The highest peak in the Alps stands at 4,809 meters above sea level and is located in the French-Italian border area where Mont Blanc resides.
The Carpathians in Eastern Europe and the Apennines in Italy and the Pyrenees between Spain and France and the Balkan Mountains are other notable mountain systems. The Russian and Ukrainian steppes are vast low-lying plains that extend into the Eurasian heartland, which is a stark contrast to the terrain.
Rivers, Lakes, and Water Bodies
The continent of Europe contains many rivers which have been vital for its historical development and commercial activities and cultural growth. The Volga River stands as Europe's longest watercourse because it runs exclusively through Russia for 3,530 kilometers before emptying into the Caspian Sea. The Danube River runs through ten nations while stretching 2,850 kilometers from Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea and the Rhine River serves as a crucial transportation route for western European trade and manufacturing.
The Seine River in France and the Thames River in the United Kingdom and the Elbe and Oder rivers in Central Europe and the Po River in Italy are among the other significant rivers in the region. The continent contains two major Russian lakes Ladoga and Onega which rank as Europe's largest lakes together with Swiss-French Lake Geneva and Hungarian Lake Balaton.
The world's most deeply indented coastline exists in Europe because its numerous bays and gulfs and fjords define its maritime nature. The continent borders major seas which include the Baltic Sea and North Sea and Adriatic Sea and Aegean Sea and Black Sea while supporting active economic and ecological systems.
Climate and Environmental Zones
The diverse combination of geographical features and oceanic influence creates multiple climate zones throughout Europe. The northern regions of Scandinavia together with parts of Russia experience subarctic and tundra climate conditions which bring freezing winters and brief summers and permanent frost in specific areas. The temperate maritime climate of Central and Western Europe experiences moderate rainfall and mild temperatures throughout the year because of Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream influences.
The Mediterranean climate of Southern Europe includes Spain, Italy and Greece which experiences hot dry summers and mild wet winters. The continental climate of Eastern Europe and interior regions of the continent brings cold winters and hot summers.
The European continent contains different biomes which extend from arctic tundras and boreal forests in northern regions to temperate deciduous forests and grasslands and Mediterranean scrublands in southern areas. Europe maintains a dense population and industrial development yet numerous national parks and nature reserves and conservation programs work to protect biodiversity throughout the continent.
Natural Resources and Land Use
Europe holds abundant natural resources across its territories but these resources exist in different quantities throughout various regions. The continent contains significant reserves of coal together with iron ore deposits and natural gas reserves and copper and zinc deposits and potash deposits. The North Sea continues to supply substantial amounts of oil and gas which primarily benefits the United Kingdom and Norway. The eastern European nations of Russia and Ukraine hold extensive mineral and fossil fuel reserves.
The extensive agricultural heritage of Europe determines its current land use patterns. The fertile lowlands and river valleys support extensive cultivation of wheat, barley, oats, potatoes and vineyards across numerous large areas. The countries with large woodland areas including Finland, Sweden and Austria maintain forestry as a significant practice. The modern European continent features an efficient transportation system together with crowded cities and modern infrastructure which developed from centuries of economic expansion and technological advancement.
Tectonics and Natural Hazards
The Eurasian Plate covers most of Europe geologically although the continent shows less tectonic movement than the Pacific Rim region. The Eurasian and African plates meet in Southern Europe where the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea regions experience frequent seismic and volcanic events. The active volcanoes Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius in Italy and Santorini in Greece remain under close observation despite their ongoing threat to nearby residents.
Earthquakes pose a threat to parts of southern and southeastern Europe including Greece, Turkey and the Balkans. The northern and western parts of Europe remain geologically stable because they experience very little seismic activity.
Political Geography and Regional Divisions
The European continent consists of more than 40 independent nations which maintain separate territorial limits and cultural traditions and linguistic identities. The political division of Europe consists of Western Europe and Eastern Europe and Northern Europe and Southern Europe and Central Europe. The geographic divisions serve to identify cultural and historical and economic variations although they do not strictly follow geographic boundaries.
The European continent includes several small independent states which include Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco and Vatican City, most of which are situated in mountainous or coastal areas. The geopolitical importance of Russia and Turkey stems from their position as transcontinental countries that span across both European and Asian territories.
