As explained by Encyclopedia Britannica (the United Kingdom’s knowledge platform), Europe occupies about 2% of the planet’s total area, making it the second smallest continent in the world (only after Oceania). Nevertheless, it is home to a total of about 50 countries.
It is a vast region that is part of the huge landmass called Eurasia that is shared with Asia. In the north, Europe borders with the Arctic Ocean; in the west, with the Atlantic Ocean; in the south, with the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Kuma-Manych Depression, and the Caspian Sea; in the east, the European border follows the Ural Mountains, descending southwest along the Emba River and ending on the northern coast of the Caspian Sea.
How many countries are there in Europe and what are they?
Grouping islands with adjacent continents, Europe comprises 49 countries, according to The World Factbook, a United States government publication that provides a wealth of international data on countries.
According to website information updated in 2024, these countries are (in alphabetical order): Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia and Liechtenstein.
The list goes on: Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the Holy See (Vatican City).
In addition, The World Factbook states, there are five countries (Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey) that have territories in both Europe and Asia: “But in all cases, most of them are in Asia”, the website details.
The publication also warns that “Armenia and Cyprus, which lie entirely in Western Asia, are geopolitically European countries”, the American news source concludes.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographicbrasil.com/viagem/2024/06/quantos-paises-existem-em-toda-a-europa / pixabay image
