Europe
From Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium
Europe is the sixth largest continent on Earth with an area of approximately 10,000,000 square kilometers (3,900,000 square miles). It is the third largest continent in population with over 720,000,000 people. By definition, it is technically not a continent, as it is part of the larger Eurasian landmass. The eastern border between Europe and Asia is formed by the Ural Mountains, the Caucasus Mountains, and the Black Sea. Europe also extends to the Arctic Ocean in the north, the Mediterranean Sea in the south, and the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
In the last 50 years, Europe has begun a unifying process, which in its current form is known as the European Union and consists of 27 countries. These states are also members of the European Economic Arena (EEA). The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a third, smaller group; some states are also members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) comprising several former nations of the Soviet Union.
See the catalog for information on European countries.
