Travel

Oban Lighthouse

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Europe may be the world's second smallest continent, but it's a place of extreme importance, both in today's world and throughout history. The grand empires of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome were the early signposts, but the centuries since that time have seen the rise and fall of more great powers. Perhaps the era of Europe's greatest dominance began several centuries ago, as European nations set out to explore, colonise, and "Westernise" the rest of the world. Even now, decades after the official end of colonisation, Europe enjoys the power birthed and fostered during previous centuries.

Europe may not be large, but it is unique and diverse with more than 50 countries and even more languages and cultures. Compare the wealth and power of Western Europe with the comparatively underdeveloped Eastern Europe, although even those countries are catching up in the 21st century. Enjoy the warmth of Southern Europe or take in breathtaking winter scenery in Northern Europe. Witness some of the world's most modern buildings in some of the world's oldest cities.

Europe is situated on the Eurasian continent, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Arctic Ocean to the north. The eastern boundary with Asia and the Middle East is more tenuous. While there are several competing definitions, a common one uses the Ural Mountains, Caspian River and Caucasus as the eastern border. Russia is widely considered to be part European, part Asian.

Countries like Turkey and Greenland do not technically belong in Europe when defined as a continent. although often the small part west of the Bosporus in Turkey is geographically called Europe. For travelling purposes however, these countries are generally considered part of this region.

mountains in the dawn

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Despite being one of the smallest continents, Europe's landscape boasts an incredibly varied terrain. From the Baltic Mountains and Dinaric Alps on the Balkan, the land rises as you go north, with the Carpathian Mountains stretching from Romania to Slovakia and the Alps jutting up in central Europe. The Apennines extend south from the Alps into the Italian peninsula, while the Pyrenees separate France and Spain. Further north, the landscape is less dramatic, from the lowlands in the northwest of Europe to the vast East European Plain. In Scandinavia. the terrain once again becomes mountainous, as the Scandinavian Mountains stretch from north to south and Norway 's coast marked by impressive fjords. However the highest peaks of Europe can be found in the Caucasus, the mountains separating Russia and Georgia. Mount Elbrus. at 5,642 metres, is the highest mountain in Europe.

There are several major rivers in Europe, including the Volga in Russia and the Danube in central and eastern Europe. The Rhine, Elbe. Loire, Rhone and Seine are other famous rivers in Europe, all of which are found in western and central Europe. In northern Italy, the Po is the most important waterway, and on the Iberian Peninsula the Tagus and the Guadalquivir.