European states. What is the area of ​​European countries?

In Europe, about 10% of the world's population is concentrated. On its territory there are more than forty states. What is the area 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. Only Australia and Oceania are smaller than it. 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, UK, Germany, Austria, etc.
• East - Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland, Moldova, etc.

The areas of European countries are rather inconsistent units. From the moment the first states were formed, their territories underwent changes: they united into large unions or disintegrated into separate entities, they were conquered or even completely destroyed.

As colonizers, for example, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Portugal proved themselves. Disputes over some territories do not stop now. This is evidenced by modern unrecognized or partially recognized states: Kosovo, Transnistria and others.

Squares of European countries

Depending on the counting system, 42 to 50 states are distinguished in Europe. Some have dwarf status. They are officially recognized independent states, with their own politics, economy and government, but they have extremely small size and small population.

Among them is the Vatican, which is also the smallest state in the world. This enclave 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, the Holy See.

The area of European countries can be interpreted in different ways. For example, Russia covers a vast territory of Europe and is considered the largest country within it. 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 can be located far beyond Europe. If we take this moment into account, then the second largest country in Europe will be Denmark, and the third - France. Given the area without overseas possessions, Ukraine will be in second place. To describe all the countries of the European part of the world, it will take a lot of time, let's consider only some of them.

Order of Malta

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

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

Members of the Order, Knights and Ladies, number 13,500 people. They must lead a righteous lifestyle and engage in charity work. They are also divided into three classes, which differ in the severity of the vow and the precepts. The head of state is the Prince and Grand Master of the Order of St. John.

Bulgaria

It refers to medium-sized states. 7.2 million people live in it. The country is located in southeastern Europe surrounded by Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Turkey and Greece. The area of Bulgaria is almost 111 thousand square kilometers and is 103rd in the world.

It was founded in 681. Since then, her borders, capitals and forms of government have changed, but she has always been the successor to 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 they adopted the Cyrillic alphabet;
• by the number of archaeological sites and monuments of UNESCO, it is the third country in the world;
• Bulgaria is one of the oldest states in Europe;
• in the country there are more than four thousand caves.

France

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

The area of ​​France is 674.7 thousand square meters. km It covers not only mainland lands, 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 belongs to gallo-novels, and its name is taken from the ancient Germanic tribes of the Franks;
• French (also from the Romanesque group) until the 15th century was the official language in England;
• here is the largest mountain in Europe - Mont Blanc;
• Gothic and Baroque were born in France;
• the country ranks first in the world in the production of wines and liquors.

Latvia

The Republic of Latvia is one of the northern countries of Europe. Almost 2 million people live in it. 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. Marshes occupy ten percent of the territory. Latvia has 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 vast majority of believers in the Lutheran country;
• the largest city in the Baltic states is the capital of Latvia - Riga;
• national flag of the country - one of the oldest in the world;
• Lithuanian is the only related language for Latvian;
• Latvia has a lot of amber, therefore it is considered a national symbol.

We hope our article was interesting and useful for you.