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A subgroup of smaller countries in Western Europe. List of Western European countries. Southern European countries

Small European countries are a traditionally distinguished category, and if we talk about “privilege,” then it is more correct to designate this group of countries not by formal ones (size of territory, population), but by more significant characteristics - the nature of the economy and social indicators (see Table 9). Small countries include Austria in Central Europe; three Benelux countries; Scandinavian countries - Sweden, Denmark, Finland, as well as Ireland, whose economy looks weaker against the general background of the group, but is distinguished by the highest rates of economic growth in Western Europe.

In the past, some of them played a leading role in world politics (Austria during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Netherlands, Sweden), some became “privileged” in the robbery of colonies (Belgian Congo, Dutch colonies in different parts of the world).

But now their role is different. The monopolies of these countries, smaller than in the G7 countries (highly specialized) occupied important places not occupied by the largest monopolies - they themselves became TNCs - in their own rather narrow sphere.

The Dutch Univeliver ranks first in the hierarchy of TNCs in the food industry of the world, Royal Dutch Shell (an Anglo-Dutch concern) is second among all oil giants, the Swedish Volvo is a manufacturer of cars of the highest class and reliability, a Swedish concern Tetra Laval is one of the top five in the pulp and paper industry.

Table 9
Key indicators of small European countries (EU members)

	Square (thousand sq. km)	Population (million people)	GDP (billion dollars)	GDP per capita population (thousand dollars)	Share raw materials in export (V %)


Netherlands
Luxembourg


Finland
Ireland

Uniting small European countries high performance GDP per capita. It is clear that at very different scales, even in the “small countries” category, the absolute values of GDP are very different: from 14.0 billion dollars. In Luxembourg to 395.9 in the Netherlands. But in terms of GDP per capita, the gaps are small: from 20.5 thousand dollars. in Finland up to 41.2 - in Luxembourg. It is significant that all small countries are included in the leading “elite” according to this indicator. modern world, occupy places in the top twenty. This is a clear indicator of the large “weight” of small European countries.

Social well-being is measured, in particular, by such an indicator as wages. In terms of hourly wages in manufacturing, Belgium ranks fourth in the world, the Netherlands fifth, and Sweden sixth, ahead of the United States.

The financial strength of a country is determined by the stability of the currency, balance of payments, inflation rate and other indicators. If we reduce them to some kind of synthesizing value (creditworthiness, financial reliability), taking the absence of risk for investments as 100, then the Netherlands in this “rank list” takes fourth place with an indicator of 89, Austria - sixth - 86, etc. d.

We can say that the origins of the phenomenon of small countries are as follows. First, it is a clearly specialized economy with a high share of knowledge-intensive industries. In economics, the concept of “niche production” arose - not captured by TNCs of leading industrial countries. The search for such “niches” was driven by weakness resource base, as well as the presence of an exemplary education system that produces personnel who are able to master new things and work in the latest areas of production, with large funds allocated for R&D. It is no coincidence that many laboratories and research centers of TNCs large states are created in small countries. Secondly, this is an export orientation. A narrow domestic market would not provide opportunities for clear specialization in the production of rare, high-quality, science-intensive products. The impetus for export orientation was given by the creation of the Common Market; the reduction of customs barriers in the EEC opened the Western European market two orders of magnitude larger than the domestic one.

At the same time, the key geopolitical position of some small countries gave additional features; Thus, the Netherlands, lying at the “entrance to Europe”, created a powerful hub of oil refineries “Texas-Europe”, providing semi-products to the chemical industry of Germany and Northern Europe.

The geopolitical position of the Benelux countries is extremely advantageous even now, because they are located in the center of the European megalopolis. This is the main belt of dynamic growth within the EU. In the 1990s. The share of small European countries in world industrial production was approximately 10%, and in world exports about 20%. The share of exports in Belgium's GNP reaches 35-40%, the Netherlands - about 35%, etc.

Thirdly, reliable positions in the world market in their “niche” industries. Finland took first place in the world in launching icebreakers (up to 50% of all those produced in the 80-90s); in pulp and paper, Finland and Sweden each account for 10-15% of world exports, and sometimes these are unique products (in one of the Swedish factories, for example, special ultra-thin paper is produced for the European edition of the New York Times, which, with dozens of pages, can easily be put in a pocket). For insulin, Denmark, with its famous livestock farming, which provides raw materials for this, has captured up to 1/3 of the world market, and it now dominates the latest biotechnologies.

The positions of small countries in the latest high-tech industries are also becoming more significant - robotics, production of medical electronic equipment, equipment for wind power plants, etc.

Of course, not everything comes down to “niche” based production scientific research and highly skilled labor in small countries. Some sectors of their economy are also connected with the natural resource base, which has expanded in recent years. Thus, Sweden retained its position as a major exporter of high-quality iron ore(in terms of iron content - 60-64%, it is not inferior to new exporters from developing countries - Liberia, Venezuela), the Netherlands has taken first place in gas exports in Western Europe.

And yet, both the structure of the industry and the composition of exports of almost all small countries are dominated by the manufacturing industry, and within it, new knowledge-intensive industries.

Fourthly, the positions of several small countries are related not only to industry, but also to the service sector, in particular to banking. This is Luxembourg - a “tax oasis”, which has become even more attractive as one of the EU capitals. There are now more than 200 large banks in the dwarf state.

Luxembourg is a typical example of an international financial center of modern times. Although Luxembourg is many times smaller than London in terms of the volume of financial business, does not have a gold market, and the foreign exchange market and the market for short-term and medium-term loans are poorly developed, it is the world's largest market for long-term loans. This was facilitated by his favorable geographical position in close proximity to the headquarters of Western European concerns. It is considered the financial capital of the European Community. The European Investment Bank, the European Monetary Cooperation Fund, etc. are located here.

The rapid growth of Luxembourg's importance as a global financial center in the 60s. The cheapness of credit and financial transactions, the absence of taxes on dividends and interest received on securities and similar financial benefits also contributed.

The international stock market in Luxembourg is one of the largest in the world. Over 60% of all issued Eurobonds pass through its exchange.

Fifthly, transport, tourism and tourism business are of utmost importance for small countries.

Rotterdam with its “Europort” - the gateway to maritime trade for Western and Central Europe- retains its role as a world leader in cargo turnover (more than 250 million tons) and container turnover. Airlines of the Scandinavian countries (“SAS”) and Belgium-Netherlands (“Sabena”, “KLM”) serve a number of European and international airlines.

Transport projects carried out in Denmark are unique: these are the longest “tunnel-bridges” across the straits in the world. Denmark (especially after completion of construction) is a large “bridge” from Central Europe to the Scandinavian countries.

The scale of tourism in quiet, economically and environmentally prosperous, and in political life politically stable countries have been increasing in recent years: Austria is visited by 18 million tourists and vacationers a year, the Netherlands - 5 million people. In Austria and Finland, the tourism business exceeds many important industries in terms of the number of people employed. Income from tourism in Austria exceeds 10-11 billion dollars. in year.

The Benelux countries were at the origins of the Common Market. Three EU countries - Austria, Sweden, Finland - adhere to a policy of non-alignment. Sweden's neutrality dates back to the Congress of Vienna in 1815, in Austria it is associated with the State Treaty of 1955, which restored its sovereignty after the Second World War, and in Finland “active neutrality” was proclaimed after the Second World War and is associated with the political “Paasikivi line” Kekkonen” - the then presidents of the country.

All these features of small countries reflect their modern positions in the world, but in no way speak of any problem-freeness, or even more so - complete well-being in the economic and social sphere. Current situation small countries was achieved in fierce competition, when entire industries that previously provided work for hundreds of thousands of people perished. Thus, shipbuilding in the Scandinavian countries was practically “crushed” in the 70-80s. competition between Japan and South Korea. In 1994, Japan accounted for 45.6% of the tonnage of ships launched, South Korea - 21.8, and Germany was relegated to third place with a share of only 5.4%.

The difficulty of restructuring the energy sector, the crisis and the collapse of the coal and metallurgical industries of Europe affected the entire “rust belt” (northern France, Belgium and Luxembourg, Germany), turning the hotbeds of these industries into crisis areas. There was a painful “washing out” of old industries.

Small countries followed the Swiss path, which showed the profitability of combining their own and foreign labor resources, when “their” population was concentrated in the most complex industries, and “guest workers” occupied jobs with medium and low qualifications. This led to an increase in the non-indigenous population, racial clashes, and the emergence of interethnic problems.

If in general for small countries the unemployment rate can be considered low (3-3%), then in Belgium with its “coal and metallurgical heritage” of the past it is more than 12% (1997), and in Finland even 16-17%.

Ireland occupies a special place among the small EU countries - in the recent past one of the most backward countries in Western Europe. Ireland is now the European leader in terms of economic growth (GDP growth in 1995 was 10%, and is now about 7% per year), standard of living Irish people are no longer practically different from those in Great Britain.

The situation in the Irish economy in the 1990s. has improved significantly due to three main factors:

foreign direct investment;
skilled labor;
social harmony in the policy of establishing wages.

Foreign direct investment in the 1990s. were carried out mainly in the most progressive sectors of the national economy, in the high technology industry, the information sector and semiconductor production. In the first half of the 90s. the investment growth rate was 45%, and in total about 7 billion dollars were attracted, which is equal to 12% of the country's GDP. The main investor in the Irish economy was the United States, which largely contributed to the creation of a modern high-tech sector of the national economy. Based on American investments, the production of computers and processors for them, the production of semiconductors, office equipment, pharmaceutical products, electronics and electrical engineering was created in Ireland.

The influx of foreign investment into the country, which is not rich in its own capital, was facilitated by the competent economic policy of the Irish government, which encourages foreign investment. In particular, Ireland has preferential taxation for investors, special industrial zones have been created, the income tax of which is only 10%. In particular, in the area of Shannon International Airport, where one of these zones operates, about 300 industrial enterprises have been created that produce export products, and in international center Financial services There are about 400 foreign banks registered in Dublin, engaged in offshore operations.

The presence of a skilled workforce also contributes to Ireland's rapid development. Relatively small in population, Ireland ranks second in Europe in terms of the skill level of its human capital. Of particular value is the fact that the country’s school and university education almost completely meets the needs of business. In particular, high qualifications and good adaptation to rapidly changing modern conditions have engineers trained by Irish higher education.

Social harmony in wage policy also played an important role. Unlike the socially secure French or Dutch, the Irish are willing to live with a small increase in wages, which guarantees low level inflation, there are practically no protests by trade unions demanding higher wages. All this gives good results: the country’s public finances are balanced, and in the period from 1993 to 1996. real income growth was 12%. Growing incomes of the population create strong demand in the domestic market for real estate, durable goods and tourism services, which serves as an additional factor in the country's economic growth.

Based on the three factors considered, Ireland has achieved good success in restructuring its economy. High technology industries have come to the fore, accounting for 62% of all Irish exports, including 29% of exports from information Technology. Labor productivity growth in high-tech industries is 10% per year. Due to the advancement of high-tech industries to the fore, old traditional sectors of the country's national economy, such as agriculture and mining, are losing their former importance, which transfers agrarian-industrial Ireland to the category of advanced post-industrial states.

Favorable investment climate countries provide political stability, qualified workforce, favorable geographical location, English-speaking (there are no language barriers in relations with the main investors - the USA and the UK) and preferential tax conditions. The liberal market model of the country’s economy, which has many common features with the UK and the USA, All this creates unique conditions for further economic development Ireland, which also has great internal growth potential in the form of filling insufficiently sophisticated domestic market countries as real incomes of the population grow.

Among the EU countries, the Nordic countries include Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The “Scandinavian model” means a set of common features of economic, social and political development Nordic countries, as well as concepts and trends social development. This model assumes a fairly significant role of the state in the economy, especially from the point of view of social protection of the population.

The features of the Scandinavian model include such non-economic factors as:

active participation of Social Democrats and other left-wing parties in the government and legislative bodies;
high degree of “unionization” (the share of trade union members among workers in various industries in Scandinavian countries is 70-90%);
high political and economic activity of women;
the special ecological mentality of all Scandinavians;
specific Scandinavian work culture and business ethics.

Main economic functions states in the Scandinavian economy are the development of a long-term strategy for economic development (development of priorities for the development of the national economy, investment policy, stimulation of R&D, foreign economic strategy) and legislative regulation entrepreneurship.

The social orientation of the Scandinavian model is:

the redistributive role of the state in the economy: the impact on the economy through the taxation mechanism, the operation of the principle of “income equalization” by transferring part of the income of entrepreneurs in favor of hired workers, social protection of the population;
activity of society in socio-economic processes: the principle is embodied in practice social partnership workers, trade unions and entrepreneurs;
the economic policy of the authorities, aimed at primarily solving social problems, in particular reducing the number of unemployed;
high work ethics and entrepreneurial culture, the highest moral and ethical standards of behavior for residents Scandinavian countries.

The financial basis of Scandinavian social democracy is the state budget, which assumes a fairly high level of government spending, for the financing of which a high level of tax burden is established. In Sweden and Denmark taxes are 52-63%, in Finland - 33-36% of GDP.

The sectoral structure of the national economy of the Scandinavian countries is fully consistent modern structure economies in other highly developed countries (the share of agriculture and mining industry in GDP ranges from 2 to 4%; manufacturing and construction - 25-30%; service sector - 65-75%). Thus, in the structure of GDP of all Scandinavian countries over the past decades there have been shifts similar to structural changes in the world economy, namely: an increase in the share of the service sector, a fall in the share of agriculture, and the growing importance of the latest knowledge-intensive industries.

IN national economies Scandinavian countries are dominated by two large complexes of industries: forest industry, including woodworking and pulp and paper production, and the metallurgical complex, which combines metallurgy, metalworking and all branches of mechanical engineering, among which stand out automotive, shipbuilding, production of equipment for the entire complex of branches of the forestry and food industries, production of communications, electrical and electronic equipment. The food industry has reached a particularly high level of development in Denmark.

The labor resources of the Nordic countries are traditionally different high quality, i.e. high level of education and professional training. Accordingly, labor costs in Scandinavia are quite high.

One of the main factors contributing to the dynamic economic growth of the Scandinavian countries was the investment factor. The rate of accumulation in them is quite high - 25-30% in Finland, which shared with Japan the second and third places in this indicator among all developed countries of the world during the entire post-war period.

The Nordic countries have excellent transport infrastructure. All of them are sea powers. Railway communications are also well developed, including high-speed lines. There are many airports, and the capacity of Scandinavian air harbors is constantly increasing.

In the service sector, many social services (health care, education) are provided almost entirely by the state. The production of goods and services in Northern Europe involves a large number of non-profit, non-profit organizations that create socially beneficial products. The areas of finance and tourism are traditionally developed. Sweden has the strongest monetary system.

Further prospects for the economic development of the Nordic countries are connected with the process of pan-European integration. The countries of the region that are not yet members of the EU (Norway and Iceland), along with certain advantages of their neutrality (the ability to dispose at their own discretion of significant income from the export of oil, gas, metals and fish), also suffer some losses. In particular, the EU is erecting anti-dumping barriers to the supply of relatively cheap Norwegian and Icelandic fish to EU countries. Denmark and Sweden are still taking a wait-and-see approach to the introduction of the euro. Traditional Scandinavian neutrality is still the main psychological obstacle to more active integration of the region into the EU, although according to most socio-economic indicators, the Nordic countries are ready to play leading roles in the process of building a common European home.

Europe- part of the Eurasian continent, washed by two oceans at once - the Arctic and the Atlantic.

The area of the EU is approximately 10 million square meters. The population accounts for approximately 10% of the total population of the planet, which is approximately 740 million people.

General information

How many parts are there in Europe:

Northern Europe;
Southern Europe;
Eastern Europe;
Central Europe.

Depending on existing opinions, European countries can be classified as one part of it or another.

The highest point in Europe is Mount Elbrus, whose height reaches 5642 m. The lowest point is the Caspian Sea, whose height is currently approximately 27 m.

The main territory is dominated by flat terrain, and only 17% of all Europe is mountainous. The climate of most of Europe is temperate. But in the north of the territory there are glaciers, and in Caspian lowland- desert.

Europe is the region with the greatest cultural diversity, despite its small territory.

Eastern Europe

The European part of Eurasia, located within the borders of central and eastern Europe, is usually referred to as Eastern Europe.

Lives in this area larger number people than in other European regions, and occupies about 2/3 of Europe.

The bulk of the population are people of Slavic appearance. Due to political actions, the territory is constantly subject to change.

So, in Soviet time, the countries of the USSR were included in Eastern Europe, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, some countries separated and began to be considered foreign.

The climate here is drier and less warm. However, the soils of this part of Europe are much more fertile than those of Western Europe. IN Eastern Europe the most a large number of black soils all over the world.

Eastern Europe is the closest part of the Old World to Russia in spirit and territory. The plane flight will not take more than two hours. You can even go on vacation to nearby countries while driving your own car.

Habitual climate and native language will be a pleasant bonus for those who decide to spend their holidays in Eastern European countries.

Western Europe is the territory in which all Western European countries are located. Typically, this includes countries that are connected to each other along cultural and geographical principles, and that were able to escape Soviet influence during the Cold War.

The climate in Western European countries is generally temperate, with mild winters and warm summers.

Western Europe is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Urbanization here is at 80%.

The largest agglomerations here are London and Paris.

Western Europe is considered the most popular for tourism. About 65% of tourists flock here.

In this area you can see everything: from sandy beaches, to mountain landscapes. The mosaic nature of the landscapes is striking in its beauty.

The large flow of tourists has led to the formation of special tourist zones that specialize in providing tourism services to guests.

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Everyone will be able to indicate on the map exactly where Europe is located. However, setting clear boundaries turns out to be not so easy.

The geographical boundaries of Europe on the northern, western and southern sides are the coastline of the North Seas Arctic Ocean, and Atlantic Ocean. These are the Baltic, Northern, Irish, Mediterranean, Black, Marmara and Azov seas.

The eastern border is usually drawn along the slope Ural mountains to the Caspian Sea. Some sources also include the territories of the Caucasus as Europe.

List of countries in Europe

The number of European countries is quite extensive.

If listed in alphabetical order, the list would be as follows:

Austria;
Albania;
Andorra.

Belarus;
Belgium;
Bulgaria;
Bosnia.

Vatican;
Great Britain;
Hungary.

Germany;
Holland;
Greece.

Denmark.

Ireland;
Spain;
Italy;
Iceland.

Latvia;
Lithuania;
Liechtenstein;
Luxembourg.

Malta;
Moldova;
Monaco.

Norway.

Poland;
Portugal.

Russia;
Romania.

San Morino;
Serbia;
Slovakia;
Slovenia.

Ukraine.

Finland;

Croatia.

Montenegro;

Switzerland;
Sweden.

Estonia.

This is a complete list of states that are European.

Number of European countries

The number of states included in Europe today is 50 .

But based on the political and economic situations occurring in the world, it cannot be said that this list will not change.

We can take as an example Soviet Union, which at one time broke up into 15 independent states. While the GDR and the Federal Republic of Germany, for example, on the contrary, united into a single whole, and today are called Germany.

These days, a difficult political situation is taking place in Spain. The Catalan part is trying to separate itself into a state independent from Spain and be called Catalonia.

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National symbols

As national symbols countries display their flags and coats of arms. As a rule, the basis of coats of arms includes animalistic symbols. The image of a horse symbolizes speed and movement.

All European countries are familiar with the myths about the sun god, who traveled on his horse-drawn carriage.

But, for example, the elephant expresses reliability and strength. It is his image that can be found on the coat of arms of the city of Coventry in Great Britain.

The state symbols of England are the oldest of all European countries. The coat of arms, which is now official in Great Britain, originated in the 19th century.

looks like a shield:

In the upper left and lower right corners There are three golden leopards on a red background.
In the top right– a fiery lion located on a gold-colored background – Scottish coat of arms.
In the lower left– a harp made of gold on a blue field – Irish symbols.

This shield is held by a golden lion with a crown in its mane and a snow-white unicorn.

The symbolism of the Scandinavian countries reveals the history of the countries of the European North. The coat of arms of Denmark has been formed over several centuries. It is a shield with a crown on top, and inside the shield there are four blue leopards in a row from top to bottom.

It is divided by a red and white cross, in the center of which is its coat of arms.

Until the 13th century, the state coat of arms of Sweden depicted three leopards in crowns standing on a field one behind the other, which was very reminiscent of the coat of arms of Denmark.

Only at the beginning of the 14th century did it appear coat of arms depicting three golden crowns, which later became a state symbol.

Primordial coat of arms of Iceland was presented in the form of a white falcon. But in 1944, a new symbolism was chosen: a shield held by a bull, a dragon, an eagle and an old man.

Main The symbol of Albania is a black eagle with two heads, which is the Albanian coat of arms.

The symbol of Bulgaria is the golden lion, located on a red shield, which is a symbol of masculinity.

Polish coat of arms appears in the shape of a white eagle, whose head is adorned with a gilded crown.

Symbol of Serbia was created during the period of unification of the lands of Serbia. It depicts an eagle with two heads and a crown.

Macedonia became independent only in the second half of the 20th century. Therefore, before this period, symbolism was represented only by territorial symbols.

Nowadays the coat of arms of Macedonia features a golden crowned lion..

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Population and area of countries

The main giant by all criteria among European countries is Russia.

Its area is approximately 17 million square meters, which is almost equal to the area of South America, and its population is about 146 million.

However, Russia’s entry into Europe is considered controversial, because most of it is located in Asia, and only about 22% is in Europe.

Next on the list of the largest European countries by territory is worth mentioning Ukraine. It occupies an area of almost 604 thousand square meters.

The population of Ukraine is about 42 million people.

France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Norway, Poland and Italy present a list of the 10 largest European countries. However, in terms of the number of inhabitants of these countries, after Russia comes Germany, whose number of inhabitants is about 81 million people .

The population of France is in third place in terms of size. Within its boundaries there are about 66 million people .

The largest cities in Europe are London, with its population of 7 million people, Berlin - 3.5 million people, followed by Madrid, Rome, Kyiv and Paris with a population of 3 million.

Which countries are part of the European Union?

The Union of Europe was organized during the collapse of the USSR. The EU represents states united together for economic reasons and political views. Most of these countries use one type of currency - the euro.

Union is international education, which includes characteristics of the country and characteristics international community, but in fact they are neither one nor the other.

In some cases, decisions are made by supranational institutions, and in others through negotiations between countries that are members of the European Union.

At the very beginning of its emergence, the European Union consisted of only six countries– Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France.

Today, thanks to joining the agreement, the number of countries within the European Union has increased to twenty-eight.

States renounce their sovereignty and in return receive protection in various institutions of the union, which act for the common interests of all participants.

The Lisbon Treaty included rules for secession from the European Union. For the entire period of validity from European Union Only Greenland came out - in the late 1900s.

Currently, five countries are vying for the opportunity to leave the Union. These are Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Montenegro.

List of EU countries:

Austria;
Belgium;
Bulgaria;
Hungary;
Great Britain;
Greece;
Germany;
Denmark;
Italy;
Ireland;
Spain;
Republic of Cyprus;
Luxembourg;
Latvia;
Lithuania;
Malta;
Netherlands;
Portugal;
Poland;
Romania;
Slovenia;
Slovakia;
Finland;
Croatia;
Sweden;
Estonia.

Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have not agreed to join the European Union and become member states, but they are still participating in joint economic activities.

The population of the European Union as of 2009 exceeded five hundred million people.

Throughout the European Union, people use twenty-four languages equally. But, as a rule, the most popular languages in the European Union are English, German, and French.

As for religious views, according to surveys, about 18% of the population are atheists, 27% are unsure of their views and 52% confidently believe in the existence of God.

Western Europe is a geographical and political-economic region of the world. What countries are included in Western Europe? The division of European states into separate regions is quite arbitrary. You can add a territory to the list of a specific association according to one of two groups of principles:

In contact with

geographical;
political and economic.

Classification of Western European countries

Geographically, Western European powers occupy the narrowest part of the Eurasian continent. Based on this, the countries included in Western Europe include:

Belgium.
France.
Netherlands.
Luxembourg.
Monaco.

Some sources include countries located in the central part of the Old World as part of the Western European region:

Germany.
Liechtenstein.
Austria.
Switzerland.

Also, Western European states often include two powers that, according to the UN classification, belong to the northern region. These countries are:

Great Britain.
Ireland.

Thus, most classifications classify 11 countries located on the northwestern tip of the Eurasian continent as the Western European region.

Based on geopolitics and economics, experts classify a number of countries geographically located in other regions of the Old World as Western European states. These include members of the European Union.

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The list of the Western European region can be supplemented with other states:

Area and dimensions

The total area of the Western European region is about 3.9 million square meters. km. By size they are usually divided into large, medium, small and dwarf states.

Major Western European countries:

Middle Western European countries:

Iceland.
Ireland.
Austria.
Portugal.
Greece.

Small Western European states:

Denmark.
Netherlands.
Belgium.
Switzerland.

Dwarf Western European states:

Liechtenstein.
Luxembourg.
Andora.
San Marino.
Monaco.
Vatican.

It should be noted that the states of the Old World are not equal in their economic and technical development. There are significant differences in social development and living standards between the advanced and less advanced developed countries region. Moreover, the economic well-being of a country does not depend on its size. Often the smaller countries of Western Europe are more prosperous and economically stable countries.

Population of the region

Western Europe is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is generally accepted that modern Western European powers are experiencing a “demographic winter.” The age composition of these countries is dominated by the elderly population. In some regions, for example, in Germany, the phenomenon of natural population decline is observed - mortality exceeds birth rate. This is associated with an increase in the rate of labor immigration to Western European territories. The main flow of immigrants, including illegal ones, comes from countries in Africa and the Middle East.

The national composition of the indigenous population of Western European countries is quite homogeneous, since most ethnic groups belong to the Indo-European language group. Ethnic distribution population sometimes does not coincide with state borders. In Europe there are both mononational countries and multinational states. Mononational countries include Iceland, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Austria, Italy and Germany. They consider themselves a mononational state, but note the existence of national minorities in Great Britain, France and Spain. Two or more nations live on the territory of Belgium and Switzerland.

The existence of national minorities is associated with the strengthening of separatist tendencies in countries such as Great Britain and Spain. Population of Scotland Northern Ireland and Catalonia insist on declaring their independence from the governments of these countries and the right to independence.

The indigenous Western Europeans mainly profess Christianity. Historically, Protestantism predominates in the northern regions of the Old World, while Catholicism is firmly entrenched in the south of this region.

Urbanization level

The level of urbanization in the Western European region is approaching 90%. This is where the largest cities in the world are located: London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Rome. These cities play a leading role in the economy, politics, and culture of not only this part of the world, but the whole world.

At the same time, it was in the countries of the Old World that the phenomenon of suburbanization began - the outflow of the population to the countryside and suburbs. This process is associated with increasing levels of industrial, sound and light pollution in large European cities. Moreover, even in rural areas, the urban type of life predominates.

Tourism in Europe

Foreigners travel to the Western European region most often for two purposes: to find work and to see the beauty and historical monuments that this region is rich in.

Tourists are attracted to this region primarily for historical and cultural reasons:

a large number of historical and architectural monuments;
high level of spiritual and material development;
excellent level of education of the indigenous population.

France

The country itself and its capital Paris evoke primarily romantic associations. But an inquisitive tourist should not dwell on the capital’s attractions. There are many in this country interesting places and charming places.

Paris

What to see in this old romantic city? Of course, you need to see the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees, visit Montmartre and the Louvre. A tourist of any age, and especially tourists with children, will find it very interesting to spend a day at Disneyland and plunge into the atmosphere of a fairy tale.

Versailles

No tourist can visit France without seeing an example of luxury and wealth. Versailles - an example of grace and sophistication in architecture, attracts visitors all year round. One day is not enough to enjoy walks through its magnificent gardens, see amazing fountains, and stroll through the halls of the palace. This place makes people fall in love with it, forcing them to come back here again and again.

Grasse

Any modern person knows that France is the capital of perfumery. And the center of this exquisite production is Grasse. Walk through lavender fields, visit a perfume factory and simply wander around the homeland of the heroes of Suskind's famous novel - what could be more interesting?

Strasbourg

“The Capital of Christmas” is what residents and tourists call this city. On holidays, it turns into a animated illustration for fairy tales and invites you to plunge into the atmosphere of fun and anticipation of the Christmas miracle.

Germany

Tourist routes in this country are numerous and varied. Germany is rich in attractions, interesting events and in places, beautiful landscapes and resorts.

Munich

One of the most beautiful German cities, home of the famous Oktoberfest beer festival. The capital of Bavaria is rich in museums, concert halls, monuments of religious and secular architecture. And just a two-hour drive from Munich is a fabulous palace - Neuschwanstein Castle.

Berlin

This city harmoniously combines history and modernity, ancient buildings and modern skyscrapers, cozy taverns and trendy nightclubs. What is a must see in Berlin? The Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, the Berlin State Opera, the Topography of Terror museum, many churches and palaces, parks and squares - this is far from full list places worth visiting in this city.

Baden Baden

An attractive picturesque town, famous for its healing springs, has been attracting Europeans and residents of other world regions for many years. Here you can not only improve your health and relax, but also enjoy an opera at the Festspielhaus or play in one of the oldest European casinos.

Great Britain

What to see in Foggy Albion? The answer to this question may take more than one day. Great Britain is the leader among Western European countries by the number of tourists. Of course, you should start your trip from London and see the Tower, Big Ben, famous bridges and palaces, parks. The British Museum is able to attract the attention of tourists for more than one day and keep them in the capital for a long time. Where to go next? Tourists can choose between Liverpool and Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Stonehenge and Offa's Wall. In order to see all the interesting and Beautiful places Great Britain will need more than one vacation.

Western European countries are a rather conventional name for countries located in the western part of the Eurasian continent. They are united by political and economic interests, as well as common historical and cultural processes. A developed economy, transport network and a high level of socio-cultural development make this region attractive both for business relations and for the development of tourism.

Western Europe- a region that includes mainly the states of the Germans and Celts. One of the most developed economic regions planets. The beginning of the formation of Western Europe is considered to be the collapse of the Roman Empire, its division into Eastern and Western.

List of Western European countries: Austria, Belgium, Andorra, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and France. The last noticeable changes to the map of Western Europe occurred around the 11th century; it is not for nothing that this part is considered the “old world”. The states of Western Europe are divided into four groups (large, medium, small and dwarf states).

About 296 million people live in Western Europe. And of these, approximately 20 million foreign workers, Western Europe is a kind of immigration hotspot of the world. The population of Western Europe belongs to the Indo-European language family, Romanesque and Germanic group.

The most big country in Western Europe - France, its area is 549.2 thousand km2, while it is also the richest and oldest country in this part of Europe.

Western Europe is a region that ranks first in terms of the size of small-scale economic and industrial production, in the export of goods, in gold and currency reserves, and in the development of international tourism. A distinctive feature of Western Europe is the high level of development of integration processes. The development of Western Europe as a region is determined by the contribution of all countries in the region, but mainly the most developed - France, Germany, and Great Britain.

A cultural treasure of Western Europe, it is a world treasure trove of extraordinarily beautiful and famous works of art. In the history of Western Culture one can trace a lot cultural events, remained in the memory of the whole world, as well as thousands of names of famous artists, musicians, sculptors are associated with the countries of Western Europe.

The most beautiful cities in Western Europe include: Paris, Amsterdam, London. Every year they attract millions of curious tourists. Tourist income Western countries, fill a large niche in the country's budget.

Western European countries are considered the most developed region in the world. Residents of other countries have always associated these states with beauty, wealth, serenity and prosperous capitalism. Which countries are included in the Western group, what are their characteristics and prospects, we will consider further.

The phenomenon of the emergence of European civilization has been causing conflicting opinions for many centuries. There are several theories. According to one of them, the ancient Greeks became the founders of Western European civilization. According to another opinion, its origins occurred in the 15th–16th centuries during the period of major geographical discoveries and the emergence of capitalist reforms.

The countries of Europe have gone through a series of turning points. For many centuries this territory passed through numerous stages of development. She changed many moral principles and goals. For modern people, this is the most developed region on the planet.

The main list of Western countries includes powers that are conditionally divided into four groups:

large;
small;
smaller;
dwarf.

A total of about 300 million people live in all countries. Many of them are immigrants who came to the West in search of good jobs. Migrant workers account for about 20 million people.

Most of the powers of Western Europe are members of the European Union. This is the largest association of states, which is a leader in the volume of industrial and small-scale production. The countries are economically developed, so the region is considered financially secure.

Important! Western countries have a very rich culture. In this territory the world was born famous musicians, artists, writers, athletes.

Differences from other regions of the planet

The countries of Western Europe have a number of features that distinguish them from other countries of the world:

Language. Almost every nation in Western Europe uses languages that belong to the Germanic and Romance languages for communication and writing. The most common is English. This language is considered native to almost 400 million inhabitants. Even non-Germanic languages once underwent strong Germanization. These include Hungarian, Slovak and Czech languages.
Alphabet. The indigenous people of the western region, as well as the colonies that were once under their control, use the Latin alphabet, which appeared in the 7th century BC.
Religion. Most The nationalities of Europe embrace Protestantism and Catholicism. Among the population there is a huge percentage of atheists who do not welcome any religion. Catholicism in the 10th century became an independent part of Orthodoxy. After 400 years, Catholics began to abuse their religious views, so Protestantism arose as a counterweight.

List of Western European countries

According to geographical location The list of Western countries includes the following states:

Austria;
Belgium;
Great Britain;
Germany;
Ireland;
Liechtenstein;
Luxembourg;
Monaco;
Netherlands;
France;
Switzerland.

Western powers are also located in Northern and Central Europe. Therefore, the list can be supplemented:

Greece;
Denmark;
Iceland;
Cyprus;
Malta;
Norway;
Portugal;
Finland.

The listed countries are part of the European Union.

Many people also include the United States in the Western Euroregion, New Zealand, South Korea, Australia, Canada and Japan. However, not all states meet the criteria by which they can be considered representatives of Western territories.

Western civilization

Western civilization is usually called a complex of cultural, economic and political aspects. It is characterized by constant development and the unbridled desire of a person for new achievements. It is distinguished by expanded democracy, market relations, and developing production.

The West is characterized by such features as prosperity, cultural wealth, developed infrastructure. Residents of the region live in conditions of freedom, high salaries and a decent standard of living.

The West is the most advanced in the economic sphere. 25 European countries are located in leading positions in the world economy. The history of economic development began with the approval in 1957 of the Rome Agreement establishing the European Economic Community. After this historical moment, these countries experienced rapid economic growth.

Today's Western Europe adheres to one economic mechanism. The share of these states in world GDP is 24%. There are four most economically developed powers in the region. They own 70% of GDP. These are large countries inhabited big amount of people.

Germany is the first of the four. Each resident accounts for more than 47 thousand dollars of GDP. The German economy is the largest in Europe. It exports the largest number of machinery, equipment and chemicals.

The UK is a leader in the services sector. Almost 75% of the population works in the field of insurance, banking and other services. The share of industry is decreasing every year. Today, manufacturing and mining remain the developed industries in the UK. Agriculture provides only 1% of GDP.

France is in third place. It is also represented by the service sector, as well as transport and oil and gas production.

Italy closes the top four. But the country is gradually plunging into a state of crisis, and it remains to be seen whether it will be able to regain its position. According to many experts, Italy is the weak link of the European Union, since both economic and demographic indicators are declining. In the event of a default, the state will become main reason collapse of the world economy.

Other countries

The remaining powers on the list are small-industrial. Share of GDP these countries are much lower than the top four:

The Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium – 20%;
residents of Norway, Austria, Finland, Denmark and Greece get 8%;
for Malta, Portugal, Iceland, Luxembourg, Cyprus and Ireland the GDP is only 2%.

The vector of economic development of Western European countries is not uniform. It is characterized by leaps, rapid growth and equally rapid decline.

Today, the region has plunged into a state of crisis, which arose due to a decrease in production and trade volumes in the sphere of ferrous metal, coal mining and the textile industry.

Western countries have good scientific and technological potential, which opens up great prospects for them. Europe is accustomed to investing heavily in science financial resources, the size of which often reaches 2% of GDP. By the way, the USA invests up to 16%, while Japan invests less than the West.

Important! Today, the Eurozone is actively increasing the number of nuclear power plants, producing large volumes of medicines, and leading in certain branches of mechanical engineering and the production of communications equipment.

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Let's sum it up

The agricultural sector accounts for 8%. But the number of people involved in cultivating land and raising livestock has been rapidly declining over the years, although production volumes are growing. Germany, the United Kingdom and France remain the leaders in agricultural production.