Europe, Countries and Dependent Territories

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Europe currently consists of 46 states, after Montenegro and Kosovo became independent in 2006 and 2008 respectively. Almost half of the surface area is given by the European part of Russia and there are many small nations. The average altitude of the continent is quite low being 340 meters, but there are numerous mountain ranges, among which the Alps stand out; there are also many differences in the coasts, which are generally quite rugged and with numerous islands.

The water basins are almost never impressive, but present in large quantities; regarding the climate it ranges from the sub-polar areas of Scandinavia to the typically Mediterranean areas of the South, passing through temperate and continental climatic zones.

Geographic map

Area: 10,180,000 km² (3,930,500 sq mi)
Population: 722,970,000 (2019 estimates)
Pop. density: 71 inhab/km² (184 inhab/sq mi)

Most populous city: Moscow (13,010,000 inhab., 17,878,000 urban aggl.)
Highest mountain: Mont Blanc 4,809 m (15,778 ft) *
Lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m (-92 ft)
Longest river: Volga 3,531 km (2,194 mi)
Largest lake: Ladoga 17,700 km² (6,834 sq mi)
Largest island: Great Britain 209,331 km² (80,823 sq mi)

* The border line between Europe and Asia after the Ural river is defined along the depression crossed by the Kuma and Manic rivers between the Azov and Caspian seas; some geographers move this line further south along the Caucasus range and therefore the highest mountain in this case becomes Elbrus (5,642 meters - 18,510 feet).

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