Europe shares the landmass of Eurasia with Asia, but is considered to be separated from Asia by the watershed of the Ural Mountains. It is bounded by the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Greater Caucasus, the Black Sea, and the Bosporus Strait
european union
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east.
The Inner Six (also known as the Six or the Six founders) were the six member states of the European Communities, the predecessors of the European Union, namely Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
They went on to sign the Treaties of Rome in 1957, establishing the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.
The institutions of these communities merged in 1967, leading to them collectively being known as the European Communities.
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe.
A supranational union with a total area of 4,233,255 km2 (1,634,469 sq mi) and an estimated population of over 450 million as of 2025.
Its member states generated a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of around €18.802 trillion in 2025, accounting for approximately one sixth of global economic output.
The EU is often described as a sui generis political entity combining the characteristics of a federation and a confederation.
The eurozone is a group composed of the 21 EU member states that have fully implemented the EU's economic and monetary union and use the euro currency. Through the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the union has developed a role in external relations and defence.
It maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G7 and the G20. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 2020, the United Kingdom became the only member state to leave the EU. Ten countries are aspiring or negotiating to join it.
There are currently six states recognised as candidates for membership of the European Union: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
Kosovo (the independence of which is not recognised by five EU member states) formally submitted its application for membership in 2022 and is considered a potential candidate by the European Union.
Due to multiple factors, talks with Turkey are at an effective standstill since December 2016.
