Europe

Europe is the second smallest continent but has had a huge impact on the world. It has about 50 countries packed together. Europe is known for its castles, museums, music, and many different languages spoken close together.

Land and People

About 750 million people live in Europe. The continent stretches from Iceland in the west to Russia in the east. Europe has the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea, fjords in Scandinavia, and wide plains in the east.

Map showing where Europe meets Asia.
Map showing where Europe meets Asia. (modifica effettuata da Giorgio Eusebio Petetti / Wikimedia Commons)

Culture and Fun Facts

Europe is home to famous artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Beethoven. The Olympic Games, democracy, and modern science all started here. European food varies wildly from French pastries to Italian pasta to Spanish tapas. Many European countries use the same money, called the euro.

Fun Facts

  • Europe has about 50 countries, making it the continent with the most countries per area.
  • Over 200 languages are spoken in Europe.
  • The European Union allows people to travel freely between many European countries.

Did You Know?

You can travel through many European countries without ever showing your passport. The Schengen Area lets people cross borders freely between 27 countries. In a single day, you could drive from France to Germany to Austria without stopping at a border.