Regions of Europe
Europe is often divided into regions and subregions based on geographical, cultural or historical factors. Since there is no universal agreement on Europe's regional composition, the placement of individual countries may vary based on criteria being used. For instance, the Balkans is a distinct geographical region within Europe, but individual countries may alternatively be grouped into Central, Eastern, Southeastern, or Southern Europe.
Regional affiliation of countries may also evolve over time. Malta was considered an island of North Africa for centuries, but is now considered a part of Southern Europe. The exact placement of the Caucasus has also varied since classical antiquity and is now regarded by many as a distinct region within or partly in Europe. Greenland, and partially Iceland, is geographically a part of North America but has been politically and culturally influenced by Northern European countries for more than a millennium. As such, several regions are often included as belonging to a Greater Europe, including Anatolia, Cyprus, the South Caucasus, Siberia, Asian Kazakhstan, Greenland, as well as the overseas territories of EU member states.
Subregions
Groupings by compass directions are the hardest to define in Europe, since there are a few calculations of the midpoint of Europe, and the pure geographical criteria of "east" and "west" are often confused with the political meaning these words acquired during the Cold War era.Some typical geographical subregions of Europe include:Central and Eastern Europe
- * Central Europe
- * Eastern EuropeNorthern Europe
- * Fennoscandia
- * Baltic region
- * Northwestern EuropeSouthern Europe
- * Italy (geographical region)
- * Southeast Europe
- * Iberian PeninsulaWestern Europe
- * Northwestern Europe
- * Benelux
Common geopolitical subregions of Europe include:
Two EuropesOld Europe and New Europe
Three EuropesEastern EuropeEast-Central Europe
- '''Western Europe'''
Historical divisions
Europe can be divided along many differing historical lines, normally corresponding to those parts that were inside or outside a particular cultural phenomenon, empire or political division. The areas varied at different times, and so it is arguable as to which were part of some common historical entity.- Greek East and Latin West: those parts that fell into the eastern and Western Roman Empires.
- Catholic and Eastern Orthodoxy in Europe: those parts on either side of the Great Schism.
- After Reformation: countries of Western Christianity and Eastern Christianity
- * Protestant and Catholic Europe: those parts that, in the main, left the Catholic Church during the Reformation contrasted with those that did not.
- Communist Europe, Capitalist Europe : those parts on either side of the Iron Curtain and third world countries.
Contemporary
Economic and political
European Union (EU)EU Med GroupEurozoneEuropean Free Trade Association (EFTA)Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA)Schengen Area- European Union Customs UnionEurasian Economic Union (EAEU)Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area
- '''Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation'''
Other political
Council of Europe- Eastern European Group Eastern Partnership and the Euronest Parliamentary AssemblyEuropean Political CommunityOECD Europe countriesCentral European InitiativeCommunity for Democracy and Rights of NationsOrganization for Security and Co-operation in EuropeVisegrád GroupCentropeMiddleeuropean Initiative
- '''Three Seas Initiative'''
Geographical
Peninsulas
Apennine Peninsula Balkan PeninsulaFennoscandian PeninsulaIberian PeninsulaJutland Peninsula- '''Scandinavian Peninsula'''
Regional
Atlantic Europe- * United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France, western Scandinavia and Germany.Alpine countriesBalkans regionBaltic Rim regionBritish IslesCarpathian statesCaucasusChannel IslandsLow CountriesNordic countriesDanubian countriesDinaric AlpsMacaronesiaMediterranean countriesBlack Sea region
- '''Caspian Sea region'''