The states of Europe. What are the areas of European countries?

In Europe, about 10% of the world's population is concentrated. There are more than forty states on its territory. What are the areas of European countries? Which states are the smallest, and which are the largest?

A map of Europe

Europe is located in the northern hemisphere of the planet and is one of the smallest parts of the world. It is less than Australia and Oceania. Despite its small size (10 million sq. Km.), It boasts the largest number of countries per unit area.

The territory of Europe is conditionally divided into four regions:

• Northern - Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Iceland, the Baltic countries, etc.
• Southern - Italy, Spain, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, etc.
• Western - France, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, etc.
• Eastern - Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland, Moldova, etc.

The areas of European countries are rather unstable units. Since the formation of the first states, their territories underwent changes: they merged into large unions or disintegrated into separate entities, they were conquered or even completely destroyed.

As the colonialists, for example, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Portugal showed themselves. The disputes over certain territories do not stop even now. This is evidenced by modern unrecognized or partially recognized states: Kosovo, Transnistria and others.

Squares of European countries

Depending on the counting system, in Europe, from 42 to 50 states are allocated. Some have the status of pygmy. They are officially recognized as independent states, with their politics, economy and government, but they are extremely small and small.

Among them is the Vatican, which is also the smallest state in the world. It is an enclave - it is surrounded on all sides by Italy and is located right in the center of Rome. The Vatican is a theocratic monarchy, ruled by the head of the world Catholic community of the Holy See.

The areas of European countries can be interpreted in different ways. For example, Russia covers the vast territory of Europe and is considered the largest country within its borders. However, it is located not only in the European, but also in the Asian part of the continent.

Some countries own island territories (Italy, Spain, France, Great Britain, etc.), which may be located far beyond Europe. If we take this moment into account, Denmark will be the second largest country in Europe, and France the third. If we take into account the area without overseas possessions, then Ukraine will be in second place. To describe all the countries of the European part of the world, it will take a long time, let's consider only some of them.

Order of Malta

The Order of Malta is a quasi-state and is often indicated among the dwarf countries. This is a military monastic order , which originated from the Christian organization during the Crusades in 1048. His main task was to protect and help pilgrims in the Holy Land.

Now the order is located in Rome and declares itself as a sovereign state. In the world it supports more than a hundred countries. The Order of Malta has its own government, currency (Maltese scant), passports and postage stamps. The area of the state is 0.012 square kilometers, and its capital is within the palace.

Members of the Order, Knights and Ladies, number 13,500 people. They are obliged to lead a righteous lifestyle and participate in charitable activities. They are also divided into three classes, which differ in the severity of the vow and prescriptions. The head of state is the Prince and Grand Master of the Order of St. John.

Bulgaria

It belongs to medium-sized states. It is home to 7.2 million people. The country is located in the southeast of Europe, surrounded by Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Turkey and Greece. The area of Bulgaria is almost 111 thousand square kilometers and occupies 103 place in the world.

It was founded in 681. Since then, it has changed borders, capitals and forms of government, but it has always been the successor to the Bulgarian statehood. The main religion of the country is Orthodox Christianity.

Interesting Facts:

• The area of Bulgaria is only slightly larger than the area of Iceland ;
• Here, for the first time in Europe, the Cyrillic alphabet was adopted;
• By the number of archaeological excavations and monuments of UNESCO, it is the third country in the world;
• Bulgaria is one of the oldest states in Europe;
• On the territory of the country there are more than four thousand caves.

France

France is in the western part of the continent. It is washed by the Mediterranean and North Seas, the Atlantic Ocean and the waters of the English Channel. It is adjacent to eight countries, including Italy, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

The area of France is 674.7 thousand square meters. Km. It covers not only continental land, but also islands. The country includes 20 overseas and dependent territories, as well as the Mediterranean island of Corsica.

Interesting Facts:

• Most of the country's population refers to the gallo-romance, and its name is taken from the ancient Germanic tribes of the Franks;
• French (also from the Romance group) until the XV century was the official language in England;
• Here is the largest mountain in Europe - Mont Blanc;
• In France, Gothic and Baroque originated;
• The country ranks first in the world for the production of wines and liqueurs.

Latvia

The Republic of Latvia is one of the northern countries of Europe. It is home to almost 2 million people. The area of Latvia is 64 589 square meters. Km. It is surrounded by Russia, Lithuania, Estonia and Belarus.

The country is washed by the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga. It is densely covered with forests. Mires occupy ten percent of the territory. In Latvia there is a rich flora and fauna, which is closely monitored. According to the quality of environmental activities, the country ranks second in the world.

Interesting Facts:

• The overwhelming majority of believers in the country - Lutherans;
• The largest city in the Baltic region is the capital of Latvia - Riga;
• The national flag of the country is one of the oldest in the world;
• Lithuanian - the only related language for the Latvian;
• In Latvia, a lot of amber, so it is considered a national symbol.

We hope that our article was interesting and useful for you.