Europe

history:

Greek culture, the Roman Empire and Christianity in particular have left their mark on Europe to this day. In ancient times, the Roman Empire for the first time united all of southern Europe together with the other coastal countries of the Mediterranean region in one great empire. Christianity spread rapidly in the Roman Empire. The Middle Ages were characterized, among other things, by the competition between the new Roman Emperor in the West and the Byzantine Emperor in Constantinople. Industrialization began in parts of Europe in the 18th century and quickly changed everyday life for large sections of the population.

The communist movement emerged in the 19th century, and this century continued to be heavily influenced by the spread of democratic ideas and systems. The 1st and 2nd world wars (in which around 60 million people lost their lives) caused enormous destruction in Europe.

Since the last decades of the 20th century, cultures in Europe have increasingly grown together.

Natural space:

Europe covers an area of ??approx. 10,180,000 km² and is therefore the second smallest continent after Australia. The northernmost point of mainland Europe is in Norway, the southernmost in Spain and the westernmost in Portugal. The north-south extension is about 3800 km, in east-west direction the European mainland measures about 6000 km from the Ural mountains in Russia to the Atlantic coast of Portugal.

Climate:

Europe is mainly located in moderate latitudes, the climate is characterized by the relatively warm Gulf Stream influence compared to areas of the same geographical latitude in other parts of the world. Temperature fluctuations within a year are relatively small in most parts of Europe, with cool winters contrasting with mild summers. Only in areas far from the sea, the temperature differences in different seasons are stronger. In most of Central Europe, the climate is predominantly continental due to the fault of the sea in the immediate vicinity. Cold winters and hot summers prevail in these regions. Winds mainly come from the west, in the coastal areas of western Europe there is rain almost all year round. In contrast, the amount of precipitation in Eastern and Central Europe is comparatively low. The northwestern Alps are among the wettest areas in Europe, central Alpine valleys are comparatively dry.

In the vicinity of the Mediterranean Sea, the climate is predominantly Mediterranean. The north of Europe has an arctic climate, while the south-east has a continental climate with hot summers and little precipitation.

Vegetation and wildlife:

Big predators (such as bears, wolves or lynxes) are only found in larger populations in the north or east. Reindeer can still be found in the extreme north, and moose are relatively common in the north and east. Red cherry, roe deer and wild boar can be found in most regions of Europe, a typical European large animal species is also the chamois. Various species of ibex are found in the Alps, Pyrenees and Caucasus, while the saiga antelope is restricted to areas on the lower Volga. The population of birds of prey has also been severely depleted in recent centuries. In southern Europe, because of the mild climate, there are still several species of lizards, snakes and turtles. Harbor seals and other seal species live on the coast, while killer whales and porpoises can be found in the northern seas. Furthermore, in the Mediterranean Sea, various species of dolphins, the most well-known saltwater fish are herring and various species of tuna.

Population:

At the end of 2007, Europe had around 680 million inhabitants, making it one of the more densely populated continents. The population density is relatively high, mainly in western, central and southern Europe, but further north and east it decreases sharply.

Economy:

With the Industrial Revolution that began in England in the 19th century, Europe was the leading economic power without competition. After that, various international institutions and organizations brought a growth spurt to what is now the EU. This lasted in many parts of Europe until the 1970s and partly into the 1980s. By reducing trade restrictions, the supply of the population of Europe could also be further expanded.

Today Europe is a prosperous continent with large industrial metropolises, a growing service sector and productive agriculture. Nevertheless, unemployment has been a widespread problem in many European countries since the 1970s. Export goods are mainly machines, steel, computer supplies and cars. Imports include cocoa, tea, rubber, crude oil, natural gas and ores.