Europe

:This article is about the continent. For other meanings, see Europe (disambiguation).

Geography and extent

For further information see the article Geography of Europe.

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Geographically Europe is a part of the larger landmass known as Eurasia. The continent begins at the Ural Mountains in Russia, which define Europe's eastern boundary with Asia. The southeast boundary with Asia isn't universally defined. Either the Ural or Emba rivers can serve as possible boundaries. The boundary continues with the Caspian Sea, and either the Kuma and Manych rivers or the Caucasus mountains as possibilities, and on to the Black Sea; the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles conclude the Asian boundary. The Mediterranean Sea to the south separates Europe from Africa. The western boundary is the Atlantic Ocean, but Iceland, much farther away than the nearest points of Africa and Asia, is also included in Europe. There is ongoing debate on where the geographical centre of Europe is.

Related Topics:
Eurasia - Ural Mountains - Russia - Asia - Ural - Emba - Caspian Sea - Kuma and Manych rivers - Caucasus - Black Sea - Bosporus - Sea of Marmara - Dardanelles - Mediterranean Sea - Africa - Atlantic Ocean - Iceland - Geographical centre of Europe

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In practice, the borders of Europe are often drawn with greater regard to political, economic, and other cultural considerations. This has led to there being several different Europes that are not always identical in size, including or excluding countries according to the definition of Europe used.

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Almost all European countries are members of the Council of Europe, the exceptions being Belarus, and the Holy See (Vatican City).

Related Topics:
Council of Europe - Belarus - Holy See - Vatican City

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The idea of the European continent is not held across all cultures. Some non-European geographical texts refer to the continent of Eurasia, or to the European peninsula, given that Europe is not surrounded by sea and is, in any case, much more a cultural than a geographically definable area. In the past concepts such as Christendom were deemed more important.

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In another usage, Europe is increasingly being used as a short-form for the European Union (EU) and its members, currently consisting of 25 member states. A number of other European countries are negotiating for membership, and several more are expected to begin negotiations in the future (see Enlargement of the European Union).

Related Topics:
European Union - Enlargement of the European Union

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