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Subregions of Europe based on The World Factbook : Central Europe. Eastern Europe. Northern Europe. South-eastern Europe. Southern Europe. South-western Europe. Western Europe. Groupings by compass directions are the hardest to define in Europe, since there are a few calculations of the midpoint of Europe (among other issues), and the pure ...
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east. Europe shares the landmass of Eurasia with Asia, and of Afro-Eurasia with both Asia and Africa.
The coast of Europe is heavily indented with bays and gulfs, as here in Greece. Europe's most significant geological feature is the dichotomy between the highlands and mountains of Southern Europe and a vast, partially underwater, northern plain ranging from Great Britain in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east.
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD 500), the Middle Ages (AD 500–1500), and the modern era (since AD 1500). The first early European modern humans appear in the fossil record about 48,000 years ago, during the Paleolithic era.
The Balkans ( / ˈbɔːlkənz / BAWL-kənz, / ˈbɒlkənz / BOL-kənz [1] ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. [2] [3] [4] The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the whole of Bulgaria. [5]
The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to various nations and states in the regions of Australasia, [a] Western Europe, [b] and Northern America; with some debate as to whether those in Eastern Europe and Latin America [c] also constitute the West. [5] [6] [7] The Western world likewise is called the Occident (from Latin ...
The concept of "Central Europe" appeared in the 19th century. It was understood as a contact zone between the Southern and Northern areas, and later the Eastern and Western areas, of Europe. Thinkers portrayed "Central Europe" either as a separate region, or a buffer zone between these regions. In the early nineteenth century, the terms "Middle ...
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean world, the Roman Empire (both Western and Eastern ), and medieval "Christendom". Beginning with the Renaissance and the ...