Europe

Towerbridge London

Strictly speaking, Europe is not its own continent, it's only the smaller, western part of Eurasia. Europe is separated from Eurasia by the Ural Mountains and the Black Sea. However, from a cultural and historical perspective, Europe is very much its own continent.

Europe is quite densely populated and has a lot of national states which are small in international comparison. Do to this unique demography, there is relatively high levels of industry and great cultural diversity. Europe is also credited as the birthplace of many of today's modern economic, scientific, technological and philosophical trends.

Europe extends all the way from the Scandinavian region in the polar north, to the warm countries in the Mediterranean Sea. It sprawls laterally from the Irish Atlantic coast, to the wide Russian area in the east. Europe is highly diverse in geographical makeup, with many small and big peninsulas, like Italy, Scandinavia and the Balkans, and Islands, like Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Sicily and Sardinia. There are also a lot of lakes and rivers. The largest ones are situated in Finland and the north west of Russia. The longest river in Europe is the Volga. The most famous and culturally significant rivers are the Donube and Rhine rivers.

On the one hand, Europe has wide lowlands - especially in the east - and on the other hand, there are high elevations, like the Alps, with mountains around 5,000 meters. There are also some active volcanoes in Iceland and Italy. Due to the continent's peculiar shape, there are several enclosed Seas: the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the North and East Seas.

Europe has a dozens of world famous sights. Travelers with a fondness for a specific climate or natural biome will also find themselves well accounted for, with a great diversity being represented on the continent. You can travel to the cool fjords in Norway, to the sultry Mediterranean islands of Greece, the cliff riddled Atlantic Coast or the mountainous Central and Eastern Europe. Due to the continent's long history of civilizations, there is a vast number of historical sights. You can get a taste of this rich history with travels to the Stonehenge, which is millenniums old, and a visit to the Roman cathedrals and palaces of the Middle Ages. Fast-forwarding to more recent history, you can visit the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. Additionally, all travelers can expect to experience a kaleidescope of modern cultures and architectural sights.