Europe

Europe is geologically an geographically a hauf-island, takkin up the wastrenmaist pairt o Eurasie. It is for ordinar conseedert a continent, that, in this case, is mair a cultural nor a geographic differ. It is bund in the north bi the Airctic Ocean, in the wast bi the Atlantic Ocean, in the sooth bi the Mediterranean Sea an the Black Sea, an in the east bi the Ural Muntains an the Caspian Sea.
Gin conseedert a continent, Europe is the seicont-wee-est continent in the warld bi area, wi an area o 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), sicwice it is mair lairger nor only Australie. In population it is the thrid-lairgest continent efter Asie an Africae. The population o Europe is aboot 705,500,000: aboot 11% o the warld's population.
Europe encompasses an area of 10,400,000 km² (4,000,000 square miles), stretching from Asia to the Atlantic, and from Africa to the Arctic. Europe's longest river is the Volga, which meanders 3,530 km (2,193 miles) through Russia, and flows into the Caspian Sea. Europe's highest point is Russia?'s Mt. Elbrus, which rises to 5,642 m (18,510 feet) above sea level. Western Europe's highest point is Mont Blanc? in the French Italian Alps, which rises to 4,810 m (15,771 feet) above sea level.
Europe's climate ranges from subtropical near the Mediterranean Sea? in the south, to subarctic near the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean in the northern latitudes. There is much here for the traveller to enjoy, with a bewildering array of diversity and culture, cosmopolitan cities and spectacular scenery.
The earliest concrete signs of written European culture can be found in Hellenic Greece. The mythical Homer (800 B.C.?), Hesiod (753 B.C.) and Kallinos (728 B.C.) are three of the oldest poets in Europe. The Romans believed that their city was founded in 753 B.C. Modern archaeologists and historian believe that the area of modern day Rome has been inhabited since at least 1000 to 800 B.C.
From 300 A.D. Christianity in Europe started to spread. Around 500 A.D. the Roman Empire? collapsed, with France at that time coming under the rule of the Merovingians. In 714 the Carolian empire was founded and lasted until 911. The period after this date is often called the high-middle ages and lasted until around 1300, followed by the late middle ages which ended around 1500, giving birth to a period of European history normally refered to as The Renaissance or the re-birth. The people of this period actively rediscovered classical Greco-Roman? culture.
Between 1492 - 1973 many European nations (like Great Britain, Spain, Russia, France and The Netherlands) ruled or had ruled over most of the known world, with the exception of East Asia (Mainland China, Japan and Tibet) and parts of Antartica. This was called colonialism and was stopped after WWII in favour of a more humane, liberal and cost-effective method called globalism.
Europe, prior to the conclusion of the Second World War, was a region ravaged by large-scale "total war". National leaders realized after World War II that closer socio-economic and political integration was needed to ensure that such tragedies never happened again. Starting with humble beginnings, the EU's first inception was the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The founding group of nations were Belgium?, West Germany?, Luxembourg?, France, Italy? and The Netherlands?. Impressed with the results of the union, the six countries pressed on and in 1956 signed the treaty of Rome, with the ultimate goal of creating a common market — the European Economic Community? (EEC). In 1967 the union was formalized further with a the creation of a single European Commission, as well as a council of ministers and a EU parliament.
Post-1967 the EU continued to rapidly grow; Denmark?, Ireland? and the United Kingdom? joined in 1973. Greece joined in 1981, Spain? and Portugal? in 1986 and Austria?, Finland? and Sweden? in 1995. To date, Norway? and Switzerland have resisted membership for historical and economic reasons. The EU pressed on with economic integration and launched the Euro(€) across several nations on 1 January 2002. Currently 18 nations, plus Kosovo use the Euro as their official currency. In addition, San Marino?, the Vatican?, Monaco?, Andorra? and Montenegro which are also not EU members, have been granted official permission to use the Euro.
In 2004, a further 10 countries joined the EU. These were: Cyprus?, the Czech Republic?, Estonia?, Hungary?, Latvia?, Lithuania?, Malta?, Poland?, Slovakia? and Slovenia?.
In 2007 a further 2 countries joined the EU. These were: Bulgaria? and Romania?.
As of 2009, Macedonia?, Montenegro, Croatia, and Turkey? are official applicants..

---