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TRADE
Europeans have always been great
traders. Between the 15th and
18th centuries, the countries
of Europe were the most
powerful in the world. They
took their trade to all corners
of the globe, and their settlers
ruled parts of the Americas,
Africa, India, Southeast Asia,
and Australia. Almost all
of these regions are now
independent, but many still
retain traces of European culture.SCANDINAVIA
A great hook-shaped peninsula encloses most of the Baltic
Sea in northern Europe and extends into the Arctic Ocean.
Sweden and Norway occupy this peninsula. Together with
Denmark to the south, they make up Scandinavia.
Finland, to the east of the Baltic, and the
large island of Iceland in the
North Atlantic are often also
included in the group.Tallinn (left), Estonia’s
capital city, is a
major Baltic port.MEDITERRANEAN
Ten European countries border the Mediterranean
Sea: Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Greece. A small
part of Turkey is also in Europe. The Mediterranean people
have traditionally lived by farming (above), but many of
these countries now have thriving industries. Though the
climate around the Mediterranean is much warmer than
that of northern Europe, winters can still be chilly.
ART AND CULTURE
Europe has its own
traditions of art and
culture that are quite
distinct from those of
other parts of the world.
Oil painting, classical
music, and ballet had their
origins in Europe. The
traditions of European theater,
music, literature, painting, and
sculpture all began in ancient times.BALTIC STATES
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, low-lying
agricultural countries on the eastern
coast of the Baltic Sea, are together
called the Baltic States. They were
formed in 1918 and remained
independent until 1940, when they
were occupied by the Soviet Union. In
1991, Lithuania became one of the first
of the former Soviet republics to achieve
independence, followed a few months
later by Estonia and Latvia.The people paint the
houses white to reflect
the heat of the sun.In the warm climate of the Mediterranean
region olives, oranges, lemons,
sunflowers, melons, tomatoes,
and eggplants grow well.Goats and sheep are more
common than cattle, which
require richer pasture.European trade and money formed the
basis of the world’s banking system.
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France
Germany
Italy
Russian federation
Scandinavia
Spain
United kingdomEUROPE