Europe Everything about Europe

European Population

If you want the true essence of Europe, plan your vacation to experience the rural European flavor. Indeed, you will not be disappointed. Did you know that Europe is the traveler’s favorite holiday destination in the entire world? Did you know that Italy, a prominent country of Europe, is amongst the most visited countries globally? But how many of you actually didn’t land up in the metropolitan cities and decided to explore the rural tang?
Although more than half of European population is urbanized and is no more residing in the country side, yet the urban land is connected to the country with a socio cultural impact on it. Many people visit the cities because they want to stopover all the churches, have a nice glance of the city architecture, stay over at nice hotels, experience a global contemporary cuisine and enjoy great operas, concerts, ballets with no transport hurdle. In particular, they are looking for all the man-made famous attractions to entertain them.
To recount a small example, I shall talk about a little village which is located about 50 miles from the flamboyant city of Paris. This village is known as Giverny. Not many people around the world know that this place is home to an American Museum of Art known as the Musee d’Art American. This place is gaining popularity day by day, especially amongst the American tourists. It manifests the handpicked piece of works by the American artists in France. This place is the symbol of a great bond between both the Euro-American cultures. The place is convenient to reach, plus you can visit this place and come back to Paris on the same day. I am sure, after reading this; you would also love to explore the rural side of many other countries.
Why only France, Europe is full of these amazing villages.  Mayerling, which is a small village, is located in lower Austria on the bank of River Schewechat. Make a one day excursion to this place and enjoy the Vienna woods with your family. Barna center is the geographic center of the ancient city of Barcelona. This place is beautifully adored with many historic buildings of the medieval age and roman origin. Venice is also home to many small towns. Chioggia is a little version of Venice and it is popular for many Medieval Churches.  Bassano del Grappa is an interesting city outside Venice.

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Europe Political Map

Being the second smallest continent doesn’t imply that Europe is any less in power when it comes to making decisive impacts on the political history, geography and economy of the world. Infact, Europe is one of the most powerful continents in the worlds today, boasting of 11% of the world’s population. It is a center of economy, research, scientific progress and has always remained at the helm of political affairs of the world for years to come.
We all know how the countries of Europe shaped the world’s future during both the world wars and what impact those countries have had on everyone’s lives. Let us take a deeper look into what the Europe Political Map represents and what it stands for. Divided into two larger groups, Modern Europe is a conglomeration of Eastern Europe and Western Europe- the division being made on the basis of political and economic alliances between the countries. This is one of the foremost things we need to understand while analyzing Europe political map.
Countries like Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Monaco, Switzerland and Germany have been identified by the UN as ‘western Europe’. All of these countries lie on the western side of the continent, and share common economic, political and social goals. Similarly, countries towards the eastern part of the continent are referred to as ‘eastern Europe’. Countries like Belarus, Romania, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Czech republic, Ukraine and Slovakia fall under the formal UN definition of the term ‘eastern Europe’. These countries share common cultural and political goals. Trade among these countries is slightly restricted as compared to trade among the countries falling under the cadre of ‘western Europe’, but countries falling in the Eastern Europe cadre have a more prominent cultural, social and political bond. Prior to the break up of the Soviet Union, only states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, coupled with a few Balkan states (such as those of Bulgaria and Greece) fell into the group of Eastern European nations.
This bi-polar nature of the Europe political map has led to a distinct culture at these two poles. While Western Europe has a capitalist outlook towards their political decisions, eastern European nations have a more socialist approach towards their political decisions. It is only a matter of time that we would be more clear as to how things shape up on the Europe political map and how would these situations impact the global thought process.

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European food

Food is an important element of European lifestyle manifesting the region’s flamboyance, exclusivity and prosperity. It epitomizes opulence and growth. European food is mixture of plenty of cultures, regions and ethnicities. But the common part in this discrepancy is definitely the love and affection involved in making and serving the European food. From Romanian cuisine to ethnic London food: Europe has it all for you. Europe food has deep roots of mosaic and corresponding histories associated. Ancient European food had some particular recipes and ingredients, which were a part of almost all European dishes.
Did you know, the very tasty mayonnaise, which is a part of various dishes enjoyed all over the world, was invented by a French chef? Did you know that mustard was first used in Romania? Do you have an idea of where béarnaise was first made?
Yes, these and many other popular recipes are typically European inventions, which are popular all over the world today. One of the very famous dishes of Europe are the roasted beef( from the ancient time of Julius Caesar), the Chicken Kiev( invented by a French chef), the Lasagna( first cooked in England), the very popular hot dog( invented in Germany about 200 years ago) and the Bouillabaisse( invented in Marseilles). And obviously, you must be familiar with very famous recipe known as the pizza which was invented in 1890. It is quite surprising to know that pizza, a European dish, has its maximum consumption in the U.S. This shows the popularity of the European food in all parts of the word. European food has an outstanding utilization of meat. It is used for several dishes like soups and main course meals. Meat is an essential item to be consumed in colder regions like Finland.
All sorts of European food are incomplete without sweets, deserts and wines. Our very favorite waffle was developed in France, probably in the 13th century. The Choux, a kind of pastry, or probably the synonym for pastry in Europe, was first made in Italy. Ice Cream is a European dish, found in Italy. What more evidences would a person require? All these mouth watering things belong to the authenticity of European cuisine. European cuisine has variety, taste and exclusiveness.  European wine and other forms of alcohol like beer give it an exceptional European touch. Today, when the world is globalized, people are not aware of the origin of the food they like. European food is available in every part of the world.

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Europe Music

There is music in every object of this world. There is music in every individual.  But Europe has a special mark in the world of art and music. Europe music has been in air for decades now. European concerts, performances and music festivals are par excellence. Music concerts are appreciated in all parts of Europe, from smaller countries to dominating countries like England and France. Music in making, special mark in counties like Ukraine and Turkey as well.
Live music has now become an element of everyday life in Europe. People love to spend their weekends or vacations to enjoy live music and concerts for leisure. As a consequence, European countries have been noticed of organizing many music festivals in the past few years. These festivals are prepared on a large scale. Europe music has a special tradition style. This conventional style is called the stunning opera celebration. These performances are performed in a grand opera house with flamboyant sets and recital. The connoisseur banquets are decorated startlingly to manifest a majestic ambience. This act is popular for its class and exclusivity, all over the world. This event is also accompanied by high class get together and buffets for the musicians and artists. Music goes hand in hand with other European traditional forms like drams, food and dance.
Did you know that Vienna is known as the musical city of Europe?  It is popular for grand scale music concerts and music lovers. The upcoming European festival will be launched in Munich in the year 2009. The United Kingdom is no less in music, celebrations and concerts. The rock n roll festival is celebrated with pomp and show. United Kingdom is glutted with tourists during this season of rock concerts. The best time to visit Europe for music concerts is from mid May to early July.
The ancient European folk music is special form of Europe music that is taught without the help of any written information. This knowledge can be gained from one person to another person. This is a special piece of art which is in the hands of European people. These people encourage their children to learn this form of music to salt away their cultural folk music from becoming extinct. This music is sung in the form of war songs, lullabies, etc. this kind of music was usually played when warriors were going for a war or sailors were departing in search of some new place. As there is no written information of this music, for that reason, a lot of it has been misplaced by Europe.

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European Destinations

It is for a reason that Europe fetches the maximum number of tourists in a year- its warm people and great natural beauty, coupled with aesthetic modernity. It is a well known fact that almost each and every country that comes under the European region has major tourist hubs, which attract customers from all over the world. Nor only people from other continents, but people from within Europe also travel to the various tourist places in Europe.
Tourism industry also plays a major role in the economic stability of the European nations, and this is the sole reason as to why the governments have spent a massive amount of time and money in keeping various tourist places in Europe clean

and updated. The climatic conditions and the exceptionally well connected airline services make traveling in Europe, a piece of cake. The ancient medieval history, coupled with some great historic monuments, palaces, churches and alleys have made tourist places in Europe a hot favorite among tourists of all age groups and backgrounds.
France attracts most of the tourist influx in Europe. From the Louvre’ and the Eiffel tower to the Notre dam Cathedral and the Champs ET Lysée, almost every tourist spot in France, especially in Paris, has become a symbolic of the most visited places of the world. The Arc of Triumph, the Garnier Opera and the Gallo-Roman amphitheatre are some of the other places that can be termed as some of the best tourist places in Europe.
Germany and Rome follow France closely when it comes to some of the most visited tourist places in Europe. Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf attract tourists from all over the world. Business travelers and educational tourists also frequent these places. The Colloseum and the Palazzo Barberini are two of the most famous tourist places in Europe, belonging to Rome.
Apart from historic tourist places in Europe, great natural places are also hot favorites among tourists. Regions around the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific top the list of such places. Be it the open landscapes of Hungary, the great mountains in Switzerland or the beautiful beaches of Spain- Europe has everything to sooth a lover of nature.
Apart from some great tourist places, the people, food, culture and the festival of Europe beckon one and all to this land, offering a perfect mix of traditions and rebellion.

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Europe Climate

Although Europe has different types of climatic conditions, depending upon the geographic conditions of the place, yet, on a general level, most of the Europe climate remains temperate and mild, with cool summers and cold winters. Generally, if we compare different places on the same latitude with places on the same latitude in Europe, we would notice that places in Europe have a more favorable climate than places elsewhere in America, Asia or Africa. If we compare the average January temperatures of Berlin, Calgary and Irkutusk- lying in the Asian region of Russia, we would notice that the temperature in Berlin is about 8 and 22 degrees Celsius higher than temperatures in Calgary and Irkutusk respectively.
So what is the main reason behind such a favorable and mild Europe climate? The answer is- winds from the Atlantic Ocean. Warm winds sweep the whole continent and keep the continent mildly warm. Ocean currents carrying warm waters from the Gulf of México have a major role in this natural phenomenon. Since there is not mountain barrier in Europe, which is large enough to stop these winds from sweeping across the continent, and since most of the continent is within the range of 300 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, these currents affect the climatic conditions of the whole continent. Therefore, Europe climate is quite the same throughout the continent.
Norway is witness to the most dramatic effects of the North Westerly winds and the ocean currents. Since most of the parts in Norway lie in the Arctic region, they should ethically have been covered in snow, but the warm currents and the winds have had such an effect that most of Norway’s coastline remains snow-free throughout.
Northern Europe climate, naturally, has longer and cooler winters and compared to the southern part of the continent. Winters are colder and longer in the East as compared to the west. Summers are shorter, but hotter in the East as we move towards the west.
As far as rainfall is concerned, most parts of Europe receive and annual rainfall of 20-60 inches, with the maximum of it happening towards the West of the mountains (around 80 inches in general). The areas receiving lighter rainfall include the Southern part of Spain, Kazakhstan and northern part of Scandinavia.

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Facts About Europe

1.    Europe stands as the second smallest continent in the world, by area. Yet, it has a cultural diversity which can hardly be found in any part of the world. Besides, it also controls a large amount of the world’s political and financial decisions. It is also the 3rd most populous continent in the world
2.    Europe is also home to the world’s smallest country- the Vatican and also the world’s largest- Russia- one of the most astounding facts about Europe
3.    Another point in this list of facts about Europe is that in the 17th and the 18th century, Europe had controlled most of the world. The saying that ‘Sun never sets in the British rule’ was a correct epitome.
4.    The borders of Europe are not very clear, even till today. They just refer to socio cultural boundaries.
5.    The Greek civilization, which is said to be the forerunner of the modern western culture, had its home in Europe only. Famous scientists and thinkers such as Archimedes, Pythagoras and Euclid were a part of this very civilization.
6.    One of the most unknown facts about Europe remains that there was a period in the history of Europe, known as the ‘age of migrations’, which led to the diversity in the present European culture that we see today. This period was seen after the fall of the Roman Empire and there was a large scale movement of the German, Roman, Saxon and Celtic tribes to various parts of Europe. This has led to a conglomeration of the cultures of Europe, as we see it today.
7.     Renaissance was another period in the history of Europe which has led to the uprising of the new humanism and knowledge- definitely one of the most renowned facts about Europe.
8.    The First World War is supposed to have started in Europe, with the assassination of the archduke of Austria and involved almost the whole of Europe in it. This war had left more than 40 million people dead.
9.    Although most of Europe’s forests have been lost during the ages of deforestation, yet almost one quarter is still forest area in Europe, with the Taiga forests dominating the vegetation. Some rainforests in parts of the Caucasus and Oak forests in the Mediterranean regions still remain untouched- an unbelievable fact, considering the rapid deforestation that Europe has seen over the years.
10.    The formation of the EU has been the only one of its kind in the world. This body of integrated economics among member countries has led to rapid development of free economy in Europe and is projected to be one of the most decisive organizations in the coming years.

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German cars

Mercedes Benz, owned by the Daimler AG (previously known as Daimler-Benz), is one of the most common names for luxury car manufacturing in the world. Mercedes is a name that has become synonymous with safety and technologically advanced vehicles, while keeping the luxury standards at the peak. Mercedes Benz came into existence soon after Karl Benz had made the first automobile in the year 1886. The first Daimler vehicle was engineered by Wilhelm Maybach in 1901. Soon after their initial success stories were written, Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler came together to form the company that we better know as Mercedes-Benz today. This company has been the frontrunner and has proved to be the prime example of German engineering for ages now. Mercedes and BMW are two of the most revered European car brands in the world, and are known for performance and luxury.
Today, Mercedes-Benz has a whole range of accolades to its name, especially in the quality section. It is known as the third most ‘quality conscious’ car brand of the world. Mercedes Benz has also been known as a brand that has a complete range of passenger cars, carriages and buses. Mercedes has also been constantly working on the concept of small city cars and has effectively been rolling out highly fuel efficient city car models since the year 1994. These fuel efficient cars have been a boon to the European market, Mercedes’ home ground, as the fuel costs here are almost double the fuel costs in the USA.
Although, there have been many famous Mercedes models in the past, the Mclaren SLR stands apart when it comes to the brand image of Mercedes Benz. The SLR is one of the most famous super cars in the world today. Built on the 5.5l V8 engine and a carbon fiber/fiber monocoque frame, the car can reach top speeds of 330 km/hr and comes with a hefty price tag of $500,000 approximately.
Apart from the passenger car range, Mercedes Benz is also a renowned name in the bus/van and the truck manufacturing section. Known for precise German engineering and the capability the weather all storms, buses and trucks from Mercedes are a revered lot all around the world. The Vario segment of Mercedes Vans is one of the most famous and used in the world. Because of their load-picking capacity and immense comfort, Vario vans have become a favorite with many transport corporation owners.
Sticking to their commitment to evolve and produce new technologies, Mercedes Benz has been working hard to produce great hybrid cars, with the F700 being the latest addition to its fleet of great hybrid cars.
Mercedes has meant a lot for the European car market, and therefore, should be regarded as one of the frontline European car brands that have existed for decades, now.

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Europe Drinking Age

Legal drinking age in Europe varies greatly with the country. The most varied ages spectrum is seen in the UK, where drinking is legal, even for a kid of 5 years, provided some rules are abided. Any one who is above 18 years of age can purchase alcohol in the UK, and people above 16 years of age can purchase alcohol chocolates. Kids whose ages are 16-18 with special licenses, can consume wines and spirits at a pub with their main course meals, provided the yare accompanied by an adult and the liquor is ordered by the adult. Children from 14-16 years of age can consume beer under adult supervision. Children below 14 years of age are not allowed into pubs, until of course, they are accompanied by their parents. For a kid above 5 years of age, drinking is legal in one’s home, provided it is supervised by parents.
For France as well, anyone under the age of 16 can consume alcohol within the boundaries of their homes under adult supervision. For purchase of beer and wine, you need to be at least 16 years old, and for purchasing harder liquor with more alcohol content, one should be more than 18 years of age. In Italy also, as well as in other parts of the continent, rules are almost similar. Anyone between 14-18 years of age can consume liquor in their homes and can purchase alcohol after having reached the age of 18.
Again, much like the legal drinking age, legal age for smoking and consuming cigarettes and tobacco products varies from country to country. In Europe, the legal age of purchase of cigarettes is 18 years in almost all the countries, with an exception to Netherlands, where this criterion is relaxed to 16 years of age. Similarly the legal age for smoking is also 18 years except in the UK and Ireland, where smoking is allowed after the age of 16. Netherlands and Isles of Man impose no such restrictions pertaining to smoking ages. Similarly, the legal ages for consent to sex are disparate, depending upon the country. In the Vatican, it is the lowest, set at 12 years of age, where as in places like Malta and turkey, it is as high as 18 years of age, which happens to be the highest in Europe. On an average, this age mostly revolves around 14-16 years of age.

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