Central European part. Which countries are part of the European Union? How many parts in Europe

Europe is a part of the world, which is located in the northern hemisphere of our planet, it is washed by numerous seas and, together with Asia, forms Eurasia. In ancient Greek mythology, Europe is a Phoenician princess who was treacherously kidnapped by Zeus and taken to the island of Crete.

There is a hypothesis that this name comes from the Greek word, which the Greeks used to designate all territories located to the west of the Aegean Sea. There are other theories regarding the origin of this name.

General information

Today, more than 740 million people or 10% of the total population of the Earth live here. The total territory is more than 10 million square kilometers.

The shores of Europe are washed by two oceans: the Atlantic and the Arctic, as well as numerous seas. The coast is strongly indented, a large area is occupied by numerous peninsulas. Most Europe is occupied by vast plains.

It flows here a large number of rivers and many large lakes. The climate is temperate, in the western part - oceanic, in the eastern part - continental. Europe is rich in minerals and other natural resources. It is here that the countries with the most developed economies are located.

This part of the world has played an important role in human history. It should be noted the great richness and diversity of European cultures.

Borders

The borders of Europe have changed in different periods of human history, the debate around them does not subside to this day. The ancient Greeks considered the northern part of their country to be Europe. Gradually, people got to know their world better, and the borders gradually moved further east.

However, people mastered more and more new territories, went further to the east. The famous Russian historian Tatishchev proposed to divide the mainland at the foot of the Ural Mountains. This point of view was first adopted in Russia, and then by foreign geographers.

However, even at the moment there are controversial points regarding the exact boundaries of this part of the world. They are not global. Now there are several options for drawing borders. This issue plays an important political role, because where the border of Europe passes depends on which countries are included in it.

The border in the north runs along the coast of the Arctic Ocean, the western border - along the Atlantic Ocean, the eastern border - along the foot of the Ural Mountains, along the Emba River to the Caspian Sea and along the Manych and Kuma rivers to the mouth of the Don. Then the border goes along the northern coast of the Black Sea and the Black Sea straits.

According to another opinion, the border runs along the Caucasus Range. There are other options for drawing the border, which transfer it to the south of the Caucasus Mountains.

Countries that are part of Europe

Europe is often divided into Eastern and Western, Southern and Northern, although such a division is somewhat arbitrary. It has more to do with political and cultural characteristics. On the European political map, you can find both large states (Russia, Ukraine, France) and very tiny ones. Several countries are only partially located in Europe.

In total, this part of the world includes (in whole or in part) 49 countries. Of these, several states are not always included in Europe. There are also several territories with undetermined status. They declared independence, but it was not recognized by the world community.

The borders of European states have changed over the centuries as a result of numerous wars and revolutions.

So, which countries are considered European today? We have prepared a list for you, dividing it into four parts: the states of Western Europe, the countries that are in its north, the countries of Southern and Eastern Europe. As well as those countries that are only partially located in this part of the world.

Western part:

1. France
2. Great Britain
3. Austria
4. Belgium
5. Germany
6. Ireland
7. Luxembourg
8. Liechtenstein
9. Monaco
10. Switzerland
11. Ireland

East End:

1. Bulgaria
2. Romania
3. Ukraine
4. Poland
5. Slovakia
6. Hungary
7. Czech
8. Moldova
9. Belarus

From a geographical point of view, the European part of Russia belongs to European continent- this is the most populated and economically well-developed part of the country, where Russian statehood was born. Today, about 78% of the population lives in these territories.

History of the development of the European part of Russia

The oldest human settlements in this area belong to the Paleolithic and are found on the territory Voronezh region in the village of Kostenki, on the territory of the Vladimir and Moscow regions.

During the V-lll millennia, people living in the European part of Russia, there is a slow transition to settled agriculture. The most striking examples of the cultures of that time are the Dnieper-Donetsk and the Comb Pottery Culture, as well as the later Maikop and Koban cultures that flourished in the North Caucasus in the lV-lll millennia.

Proto-Indo-European past

At the same time, the so-called Samara culture was formed on the territory of the southern Russian steppes, which is recognized by many researchers as Proto-Indo-European.

Summarizing, it is worth saying that the European part of Russia for many millennia was the scene of a clash of constantly moving human masses. Tribes of the Arkaim culture moved from the east to Europe, from the west Finno-Ugric tribes came to the territory of the East European Plain, who managed to achieve hegemony in a significant part of the European north.

The origin of Russian statehood

By 862, historians discover the first traces of Slavic statehood in the northwest modern Russia, numerous peoples have already passed through the territory of Eastern Europe, such as the Huns, Hittites and Alans, who left their mark on local cultures, which some peoples carry to this day.

However, it is worth noting that the Varangians did not come to an empty place, but to the already existing settlements in the south of Lake Ladoga and in the Upper Volga. It is reliably known that the so-called state of Rurik included the cities of Staraya Ladoga, Novgorod, Beloozero and Rostov.

The main part of the population consisted of various Slavic tribes, which were still in a state of decomposition of the communal-clan system, and the Finno-Ugric tribes. The Varangians occupied the vacant place of the military aristocracy, but rather quickly assimilated by the local population, which is quite clearly seen in the evolution of the names of local rulers, who in the first centuries were exclusively Northern European, and later - Slavic.

Neighbors of medieval Russia

Of great importance for the formation of the statehood of a relatively young union of tribes, which was Russia, was the interaction with the Khazar Khaganate and the Byzantine Empire, which were important economic partners and political rivals of Ancient Russia.

An important historical event for the young Russian state was the invasion of the Mongols in 1237 and the ensuing yoke, which lasted until 1480 in some regions of North-Eastern Russia. Since that time, despite numerous changes in the borders and the name of the state, the hegemony of the Russian people over the East European Plain has remained unchanged, although its statehood has experienced numerous crises and been tested by foreign interventions.

Geography of European Russia

Which part of Russia is European has been determined for a long time, despite the fact that in some geographical areas this presents some difficulties. It is generally accepted that the border with Asia runs along the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, the Russian-Kazakhstan border, the coast of the Caspian Sea, along the channels of the Kuma and Manych rivers, the mouth of the Don River, and is further limited by the territories of other Eastern European states. It is worth considering that the islands of the seas washing the northern shores of the European part of Russia also belong to Europe.

From an administrative point of view, the considered part of the country is divided into the North-Western, Central, Volga and Southern federal districts. Partially on European territory there is also the Ural Federal District.

Among specialists, it is customary to consider this area as one of the large macro-regions, among which the European part, the Caucasus, the Urals and Siberia with the Far East stand out. A significant part of the European territory is occupied by the East European or Russian Plain.

Administrative division

In the European part of Russia, regions, republics and territories are located both completely and partially. For example, the Republic of Bashkiria, the Krasnodar Territory, the Chelyabinsk and Orenburg regions are located simultaneously in Asia and Europe, while another forty-five subjects are located entirely in Europe.

The Central Federal District includes Moscow and the region, Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kostroma, Kursk, Lipetsk, Ryazan, Orel, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tula and Yaroslavl regions. That is, only eighteen regions.

The Northwestern District includes eleven regions, including such a city in the European part of Russia as St. Petersburg, as well as the Nenets Autonomous District, which is part of the Arkhangelsk Region. The largest cities in this federal district are St. Petersburg, whose population has recently reached five million, and Murmansk, which, with a population of 295,000, is the largest settlement beyond the Arctic Circle and an important commercial port.

The Southern Federal District includes the Astrakhan, Volgograd and Rostov Regions, as well as the Republic of Kalmykia. Since 2014, two more regions have been included in the district: the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol.

Largest cities

The largest concentration of cities with a population exceeding a million inhabitants is observed in the Volga federal district. Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Perm and Ufa belong to that region of the European part of Russia where the paths of Western and Eastern civilizations traditionally crossed, therefore the Volga region is distinguished by diversity both nationally and culturally.

In the Central District are Voronezh and Moscow, which is also one of the most populated cities in Europe, second only to Istanbul in this indicator and ahead of London. It is worth saying that in terms of the number of millionaire cities, Russia is ahead of other European countries.

What part of Russia is European is most difficult to determine on its southern borders, where there are no pronounced geographical landmarks. Therefore, some scholars include or exclude the Caucasian steppes from Russian Europe. However, there is no doubt that Rostov-on-Don and Volgograd are the largest cultural, industrial and economic centers of the south of Russia.

Instead of a resume

Despite the fact that the European part of the territory of Russia is only 20% of the area of ​​the entire country, it is nevertheless larger than any of the foreign European states.

For example, it is six times larger than Ukraine, and it is the largest state in foreign Europe, and more than seven times the territory of the French Republic.

It is also worth mentioning that the geographical and climatic conditions in this part of the country are different, and include both polar tundra and alpine meadows, as well as dry steppes and semi-deserts. The central part of the region is famous for its fertile soils. On the same day in different regions of the European part of Russia, the temperature can vary by 20 degrees.

Many residents of this or that settlement in Russia do not even know the surrounding sights, not to mention those that the neighboring city or other region is famous for. Foreigners often have only a vague idea of ​​the country. Fortunately, the level of service is constantly growing, which gradually stimulates the development of tourism.

Geographic location

The territory of the European part of Russia is bounded in the east by the Ural Mountains, the southern border runs through the North Caucasus. Its size is about 4,000,000 square kilometers, that is, it is almost half of all of Europe, but only 23% of the entire great country. This is the most developed and densely populated part of the state. It is here that noisy metropolises, ultra-modern buildings are located, and very close by are original and beautiful nature. The population of the European part of Russia is about 80 million people - this is half of all the inhabitants of the country.

One and indivisible

The European and Asian part of Russia is one big whole, although the second geographically belongs to Asia. Its area is about 13,000,000 square kilometers, although relatively few people live on it. This is due to the small number of large cities and adverse climatic conditions. The entire vast territory is inhabited by about 70 million people.

The Asian part is divided into 4 regions: the Urals, Siberia East and West and the Far East. These are expanses from the Pacific Ocean to the Ural Mountains, the birthplace of endless forests and beautiful rivers. Despite the abundance of natural wealth concentrated in the eastern part of Russia, construction here is much more expensive, due to the harsh climate, permafrost, mountainous terrain, forests and swamps. That is why vast territories remain practically untouched.

Paradise for nature lovers and hikers

The largest cities in the Asian part of Russia are Tyumen. The incredible beauty of the surroundings attracts tourists from all over the world. The famous sanatorium "Belokurikha", the magnificent Belukha mountain range and the protected area of ​​the Altai Mountains make it possible to implement dozens of tourist routes of varying complexity.

Kamchatka gives an opportunity to get acquainted with active volcanoes and geysers. Thermal springs and therapeutic mud offer great opportunities for improving health. Unique vegetable and animal world. Luxurious fishing will give an unforgettable experience.

The already mentioned Altai Mountains and Lake Baikal attract many tourists every year.

Administrative division

The following economic regions of the European part of Russia are distinguished:

• Central.
• Northwestern.
• Southern.
• North Caucasian.
• Privolzhsky.

The European part of Russia consists of well-maintained cities, already little different from the megacities of Europe - the brilliance of night lights, luxurious hotels and restaurants, great shopping ... Each region is ready to offer its own program for tourists, so we will consider their sights separately. The population of the European part of Russia consists of representatives of 39 nationalities. Among them Russians, Tatars, Ukrainians are in the lead.

We have already spoken about the Asian territory, so it will not be considered here. The European part of Russia stretches from the western borders of the country to the Urals. The cities are located compactly, close to Europe, there is access to the Atlantic Sea.

Most natural and are concentrated in the eastern part of the country, here only iron mining is in the lead. The main emphasis in the western part is on manufacturing and agriculture. The banking sector is much more developed.

Central region of western Russia

Beauty-Moscow, the ancient Kremlin, architectural monuments and museums. Every tourist strives to visit the Golden-domed, but besides it, there are other parts of Russia that are no less interesting. Any travel agency will offer you a tour of the Golden Ring, visiting Suzdal, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo and other cities. Ancient temples and unique works of ancient architects will give a lot of impressions.

The second direction for travel can be the places of life of great people. The most famous of them, of course, is Yasnaya Polyana, although the estates of the Pushkins, Sheremetyevs, Shcherbatovs, Bolshoye Boldino are undeservedly forgotten.

The Smolensk Lakeland, the forest Trans-Volga - a dozen years will not be enough to visit every amazing corner. The developed infrastructure and the absence of problems with transport and hotels make it possible to successfully receive even foreign tourists.

This region includes such regions of the European part of Russia as Moscow, Belgorod, Yaroslavl, Bryansk, Tula, Vladimir, Tver, Voronezh, Tambov, Ivanovo, Smolensk, Kaluga, Ryazan, Kostroma, Oryol, Kursk and Lipetsk. A budget vacation on the banks of majestic forests and beautiful rivers will benefit you, charge you with health and good mood.

Northwestern region

This is a large and underdeveloped part of the country. This includes the Arkhangelsk, Pskov, Vologda, Novgorod, Murmansk, Leningrad regions, Komi, Karelia and the creation of Peter, sung by A.S. Pushkin, - St. Petersburg. What is interesting here for tourists? The north of the European part of Russia is a fabulous virgin taiga. In summer, a fresh breeze rustles in the treetops, birds sing. If the vacation fell on a sultry July, better places not to be found: the lakes are already warming up for comfortable swimming, and on the shore the sun does not burn the skin. In autumn, the taiga pleases with colors, crimson and gold are everywhere. Leaves are falling, nature is quiet in anticipation of winter...

Karelia provides great scope for water adventures. Local lakes are interconnected by rapid rapids, so rafting enthusiasts will like it here. famous among beginners in skiing, but classes are best done before the onset of severe winter frosts.

There are many architectural monuments in the North, ancient monasteries (Solovki, Valaam), Kizhi Church in Lake Onega and much more.

South Region

River, forest and sun... A dream can come true here. The specified district includes the Krasnodar Territory, Adygea, Astrakhan, Volgograd Region. The presence of large and very beautiful rivers, such as the Volga and the Don, opens up endless opportunities for spending holidays. At the same time, you don’t even have to plan a trip to the Black Sea, Sochi or Anapa.

If we talk about visiting tourists, they most often prefer comfortable hotels on the Black Sea coast with a visit to the local arboretum and other interesting places to wild holidays in tents. But for the local population with an average income, a vacation in a tent camp on the Volga, a ferry trip to the museum city of Myshkin, and any other budget option may be suitable.

North Caucasian District

This district includes the Stavropol Territory, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Dagestan. Today these places are world famous as the only subtropical climatic zone in the country, which gives us the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. Thousands of tourists rest and improve their health here every year. It is impossible not to mention the local mineral waters. Kislovodsk is a former all-Union health resort, which is still very popular today.

Climbers have long chosen these places, since Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, is located here. Routes of varying severity allow you to master the basics of a difficult sport.

The life and customs of the Caucasian peoples attract tourists to these beautiful lands. Cultural and ethnographic sights and museums are frequently visited objects. Local cuisine is a separate conversation, none of the tourists will go home without trying fragrant lamb skewers.

Privolzhsky District

These are territories located near the Urals. Republic of Chuvash, Udmurt, Tatarstan, Mordovia, Mari El. In addition to them, the Kirov, Nizhny Novgorod, Penza, Samara and Saratov regions are also part of the district. Many people live here, in terms of tourism the area is very promising. Stunning mountainous areas, inexhaustible water resources, excellent fishing and just relaxing in the bosom of nature - such prospects attract tourists and provide opportunities for numerous tourism organizations to work.

The proximity of the Ural Mountains allows you to go mountain climbing, as well as lead groups of sports and adventure tourism. The area allows everyone to find something to do, including climbers of the highest category (they will be especially interested in the Subpolar Urals).

The unique Komi forests have the status of a world natural heritage. So far, tourist routes here are undeveloped, although they have great prospects.

Bashkortostan is a place of amazing beauty. It is even hard to imagine that forty percent of the area of ​​the entire republic is occupied by forests, and besides them, more than 10,000 rivers flow here, there are about 2,500 lakes, ponds and reservoirs. Three nature reserves, two natural parks, more than a hundred and many nature reserves for protection medicinal plants- all this makes it impossible to get acquainted with even one republic during the vacation. The European part of Russia is truly immense.

Summing up

We have only briefly touched on the description of the riches that these vast territories hide. The European part of Russia includes five regions, each of which includes from six to eighteen regions. A region may include several dozen cities, large and small.

Tourists can find everything they want here. Big cities and ancient archeological monuments, untouched forests of Siberia and the highest mountains... Russia has always been famous for its water resources, mother nature's reserves are truly inexhaustible! Rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, small and fragile, powerful and majestic, fast mountain streams for lovers of extreme sports or the Volga slowly carrying its waves - nowhere in the world can you find such diversity. Not only the cities themselves, but also the surroundings are radically different from each other.

Europe- part of the Eurasian continent, washed by two oceans at once - the Arctic, as well as the Atlantic.

The area of ​​the EU is approximately 10 million square meters. The population accounts for approximately 10% of the total population of the planet, which is approximately 740 million people.

General information

How many parts in Europe:

1. Northern Europe;
2. Southern Europe;
3. Eastern Europe;
4. Central Europe.

Depending on the opinions available, European countries can be assigned to one part of it or to another.

The highest point in Europe is Mount Elbrus, which reaches a height of 5642 m. The lowest point is the Caspian Sea, which at the moment is approximately 27 m high.

The main territory is dominated by flat terrain, and only 17% of all of Europe is mountains. The climate of most of Europe is temperate. But in the north of the territory there are glaciers, and in the Caspian lowland - desert.

Europe is the region with the greatest cultural diversity despite its small territory.

Eastern Europe

The European part of Eurasia, located within the borders of Central and Eastern Europe, is commonly referred to as Eastern Europe.

This territory is home to a larger number of people than in other European regions, and occupies about 2/3 of Europe.

The bulk of the population is represented by people of Slavic appearance. In connection with political action The area is constantly changing.

So, in Soviet times, the countries of the USSR were included in Eastern Europe, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, some countries separated and began to be considered foreign.

The climate here is drier and less warm. However, the soils of this part of Europe are much more fertile than the soils of Western Europe. Eastern Europe has the largest number chernozem soils worldwide.

Eastern Europe is the closest in spirit and territory to Russia part of the Old World. The flight by plane will not take more than two hours. You can even go on vacation to the nearest countries while driving your own car.

familiar climate and native language will be a nice bonus for those who decide to spend their holidays in Eastern Europe.

Western Europe is the territory where all Western countries Europe. Usually, this includes countries that are connected by cultural and geographical principles, and which were able to avoid Soviet influence during the Cold War.

The climate in Western Europe is mostly temperate, with mild winters and warm summers.

Western Europe is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Urbanization here is at the level of 80%.

The largest agglomerations here are London and Paris.

Western Europe is considered the most popular for tourism. About 65% of tourists flock here.

In this area you can see everything from sandy beaches to mountain landscapes. The mosaic of landscapes is striking in its beauty.

A large flow of tourists has led to the formation of special tourist zones that specialize in providing tourist services to guests.

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Everyone will be able to accurately indicate on the map where Europe is located. However, it is not so easy to set clear boundaries.

The geographical boundaries of Europe on the northern, western and southern sides are the coastline of the seas of the Arctic Ocean, as well as the Atlantic Ocean. These are the Baltic, Northern, Irish, Mediterranean, Black, Marmara and Azov seas.

The eastern border is usually drawn along the slope of the Ural Mountains to the Caspian Sea. Some sources also include the territory of the Caucasus in Europe.

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List of countries in Europe

The number of European countries is quite extensive.

Listed in alphabetical order, the list would look like this:

• Austria;
• Albania;
• Andorra.

• Belarus;
• Belgium;
• Bulgaria;
• Bosnia.

• Vatican;
• Great Britain;
• Hungary.

• Germany;
• Holland;
• Greece.

• Denmark.

• Ireland;
• Spain;
• Italy;
• Iceland.

• Latvia;
• Lithuania;
• Liechtenstein;
• Luxembourg.

• Malta;
• Moldova;
• Monaco.

• Norway.

• Poland;
• Portugal.

• Russia;
• Romania.

• San Morino;
• Serbia;
• Slovakia;
• Slovenia.

• Ukraine.

• Finland;

• Croatia.

• Montenegro;

• Switzerland;
• Sweden.

• Estonia.

This is a complete list of states that are European.

Number of European countries

The number of states that make up Europe today is 50 .

But based on the political and economic situations that are taking place in the world, it cannot be argued that this list will not change.

Can be taken as an example Soviet Union, which at one time broke up into 15 independent states. Whereas the GDR and the FRG, for example, on the contrary, united into a single whole, and today they are called Germany.

Currently, a difficult political situation is taking place in Spain. The Catalan part of it is trying to stand out as a state independent of Spain, and be called Catalonia.

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National symbols

The national symbols of the countries are their flags and coats of arms. As a rule, animalistic symbols are included in the basis of coats of arms. The image of a horse symbolizes speed, movement.

All European countries are familiar with the myths about the god of the sun, who moved in his carriage, which was drawn by horses.

And here, for example, the elephant represents reliability and strength. It is his image that can be found on the coat of arms of the city of Coventry in the UK.

The state symbols of England is the oldest of all European countries. The coat of arms, which is now official in Great Britain, originated in the 19th century.

looks like a shield

• Top left and bottom right corners there are three golden leopards on a red background.
• Top right- a fiery lion, located on a background of the color of gold - the Scottish coat of arms.
• In the bottom left- a harp of gold on a blue field - Irish symbols.

This shield is held by a golden lion with a crown in its mane and a snow-white unicorn.

The symbolism of the Scandinavian countries reveals the history of the countries of the European North. The coat of arms of Denmark has been formed over several centuries. It is a shield, on top of which there is a crown, and inside the shield, four blue leopards are arranged in a row from top to bottom.

Divided by a red and white cross, in the center of which is just her coat of arms.

Until the 13th century, the state emblem of Sweden depicted three leopards in crowns standing one behind the other on the field, which very much resembled the coat of arms of Denmark.

Only at the beginning of the 14th century did coat of arms depicting three golden crowns, which later became the state symbol.

primordial coat of arms of Iceland was presented in the form of a white falcon. But in 1944, a new symbolism was chosen: a shield held by a bull, a dragon, an eagle and an old man.

chief The symbol of Albania is a black eagle with two heads., which is the Albanian coat of arms.

The symbol of Bulgaria is the golden lion., located on a red shield, which is a symbol of masculinity.

Polish coat of arms It looks like a white eagle, whose head is decorated with a gilded crown.

Symbol of Serbia was created during the unification of the lands of Serbia. It depicts an eagle with two heads and a crown.

Macedonia became independent only in the second half of the 20th century. Therefore, until this period, symbolism was represented only by territorial symbols.

Now the coat of arms of Macedonia flaunts a golden crowned lion.

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Population and area of ​​countries

The main giant by all criteria among European countries is Russia.

Its area is approximately equal to 17 million square meters, which is almost equal to the area of ​​South America, and the population is about 146 million.

However, the entry of Russia into Europe is considered controversial, because most of it is located in Asia, and only about 22% - in Europe.

The next in the list of the largest countries in Europe is Ukraine. It occupies an area of ​​almost 604 thousand square meters.

The population of Ukraine is about 42 million people.

France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Norway, Poland and Italy present a list of the 10 largest European countries. However, in terms of the number of inhabitants of these countries, Germany is after Russia, the number of inhabitants of which is about 81 million people .

The population of France is in third place in terms of number. Within it, there are about 66 million people .

The largest cities in Europe are London, with its population of 7 million people, Berlin - 3.5 million people, followed by Madrid, Rome, Kyiv and Paris with a population of 3 million.

Which countries are in the European Union?

The Union of Europe was organized during the collapse of the USSR. The EU is united together for economic reasons and political views states. Most of these countries use one type of currency - the euro.

The Union is an international entity that includes the signs of a country and the signs of the international community, but in fact they are neither one nor the other.

In some cases, decisions are made by supranational institutions, and in others through negotiations between countries that are members of the European Union.

At the very beginning of its inception, only six countries were part of the European Union.– Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France.

To date, thanks to the connection to the agreement, the number of countries within the European Union has increased to twenty-eight.

States give up their sovereignty, in return receive protection in various institutions of the union, which act for the common interests of all participants.

The Lisbon Treaty included rules for leaving the European Union. For the entire period of action, only Greenland left the European Union - in the late 1900s.

At the moment, five countries claim the opportunity to leave the Union. These are Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Montenegro.

List of EU countries:

1. Austria;
2. Belgium;
3. Bulgaria;
4. Hungary;
5. Great Britain;
6. Greece;
7. Germany;
8. Denmark;
9. Italy;
10. Ireland;
11. Spain;
12. Republic of Cyprus;
13. Luxembourg;
14. Latvia;
15. Lithuania;
16. Malta;
17. Netherlands;
18. Portugal;
19. Poland;
20. Romania;
21. Slovenia;
22. Slovakia;
23. Finland;
24. Croatia;
25. Sweden;
26. Estonia.

Liechtenstein, the Norwegian and Swiss states did not agree to become members of the European Union, but partly take part in the implementation of joint economic activities.

The population of the European Union as of 2009 exceeded five hundred million people.

Throughout the land of the European Union, people equally use twenty-four languages. But, as a rule, the most popular languages ​​in the European Union are English, German, and also French.

As for religious views, according to polls, about 18% of the population are atheists, 27% are not sure of their views, and 52% confidently believe in the existence of God.

Caucasus- the territory of Russia between the Black and Azov Seas in the west and the Caspian Sea in the east with a total area of ​​440,000 sq. km, including the Main Caucasian Range, as well as the plain and foothill regions of the Ciscaucasia. The highest point of the Caucasus is Elbrus (5642 m above sea level). The Caucasus received the title of "All-Russian health resort": world-famous and very attractive for citizens who wish to improve their health are located here. Those who consider themselves quite healthy, and even ready to risk their health for the sake of thrills, will find worthy goals for themselves, regardless of their qualifications and initial training: they have numerous Caucasian and. - all these amazing places are united by the hospitable Caucasus, and every year tourists from all over the world come here for the next conquest of a mountain peak or a dizzying descent from the ski slope. The mountain valleys of the Caucasus are replete with a mass of interesting ones that can decorate the track record of any water tourist experienced in the elements: and other stormy rivers “with character” annually from May to October attract lovers of water extreme sports. And of course, the Caucasus is a series of famous for those who like to soak up the sandy beach in blissful idleness. In the days of the USSR and the Iron Curtain, getting here was the dream of every person, and rest, for example, in Sochi was a matter of pride and an indicator of the success of a vacationer. But even today, when other world resorts are available to Russians, the resorts of the Caucasus still attract lovers of the warm Black Sea and the amazing Caucasian seascapes. The Caucasus combines everything that travel lovers usually like: interesting tourist routes for both amateurs and professionals; monuments of antiquity and the newest buildings of the Olympic Village, and, of course, nature, beautiful in its diversity - from sea shores with sandy beaches, green river valleys, relict groves and alpine meadows to snowy mountain peaks and glaciers.

Republic of Karelia It is located in the North-Western part of Russia, borders on Finland and is washed by the White Sea from the south-east. Karelia is one of the most popular tourist regions in Russia. A region with a rich history, amazing northern nature, many rivers, lakes, and forests - it seems to be specially created for people to come here from all over Russia. Extremely popular are Karelian water routes along calm rivers with powerful local rapids (Vodla, Kem, Onda, Unga,) and picturesque lakes - both athletes and their families will be interested here. Excursion trips to places such as are no less popular - these monuments wooden architecture and the bins of Russian history are familiar to everyone and are always popular with tourists coming to Karelia, both Russian and foreign. There is something to do in Karelia in winter too: many travel companies offer snowmobile tours on frozen lakes and snow-covered forests with overnight stays in cozy Karelian villages. Karelia is also known for its white nights: white nights here begin at the end of May and last until mid-August. In the days summer solstice at the end of June, the night is almost indistinguishable from the day, and the brightest night falls on June 20-21. In Karelia, White Nights are celebrated in a special way: youth events are held in different cities, for example, the festival of young classical music performers "White Nights".

Kola Peninsula is located in the north-west of Russia, in the Murmansk region, and makes up about 70% of its territory. Almost all of it is located beyond the Arctic Circle, therefore, the Kola Peninsula is characterized by such phenomena as a polar day (from late July to mid-August) and a polar night (from late November to mid-January). Northern lights. For those who want to see this amazing natural phenomenon with their own eyes, we recommend visiting these lands at the end of December: the polar night and the northern lights - a non-trivial way to celebrate the New Year - will make your holiday unforgettable. In the west of the peninsula there is a mountain range (up to 1200 m), which is popular with lovers skiing. The most popular ski resorts of Khibiny are,. On catamarans or kayaks, you can lay interesting water routes along the rivers, , as well as on sea kayaks or a sailing catamaran on the seas and lakes. In recent years, so-called “ecological tourism” has been gaining popularity on the Kola Peninsula: Russians and foreigners come here who want to “live in places where no man has gone before.” (1100 m) - a mystical and beautiful place on the Kola Peninsula east of the Khibiny, attractive to lovers of secrets, accustomed to the difficulties of hiking and mountain hiking. Numerous tour operators on the Kola Peninsula offer a variety of snowmobile and quad bike tours, jeep safaris, fishing trips, as well as horseback riding and hiking in the most remarkable places.

Volga region- this is the entire territory adjacent to the Volga, stretching for more than 1500 km along the river. The Volga region is divided into three large regions, according to belonging to one of the parts of the Volga: Upper, Middle and Lower Volga. In the Volga region, you can outline countless tourist routes: (rafting and rafting along the Volga and its tributaries),