LIFE IN EUROPE
MUSIC
Europe is the
birthplace of
classical music,
opera, and the
modern orchestra.
These styles of
music were
performed in
concert halls or
opera houses, many
of them extremely
grand buildings, with
audiences paying to
attend. Europe’s famous
composers include Mozart,
Haydn, Bach, Beethoven, Verdi,
and Puccini.
DID YOU KNOW? FASCINATING FACTS
3
Europe is named after
Europa, a character in
Greek mythology. She was a
princess who was abducted
by the god Zeus, who had
disguised
himself
as a
white
bull.
2
Europe’s
population
is shrinking.
The average
number of births per woman
is just 1.52. Experts estimate
that by 2050 Europeans will
make up just 7 percent of
the world’s population
(currently 11 percent).
4
Swiss people eat
more chocolate
than any other nation.
Each of them munches
through an average of
251 ⁄ 2 lb (11.6 kg) of
chocolate in a year.
5
The three smallest
states in Europe are:
Monaco (30,000
residents), San Marino
(25,000 residents), and
Vatican City
(900 residents).
Vatican City is just
0.17 miles²
(0.44 km²).
1
The Danube River
flows through 10
European countries and
four European capital
cities (Vienna,
Bratislava, Budapest,
and Belgrade).
CROWDED CONTINENT
Europe is densely populated.
Overall, there are about 181 people
per square mile (70 per square
kilometer), compared to just
59 people per square mile
(23 per square kilometer) in North
America. About three-quarters of its
population live in towns and cities.
TOURISM
France is the most
visited country in the
world, with almost
82 million visitors in
- Tourists travel
to Europe to see the
many historic
buildings and cities,
and to relax on the
Mediterranean
beaches.
SPORTS
Soccer, tennis, cricket,
golf, and rugby are played
around the world, but were
all invented in Europe. Rugby,
for example, was a variant of
soccer invented at a school
in the UK in the early
19th century.
WEALTH
All the
European
countries have
high standards
of living, and
even poorer
Europeans are well off compared
to people in the developing
world. According to World Bank
statistics, the three richest
countries in the world are
Luxembourg, Norway, and
Switzerland—all in Europe.
FOOD
Pasta, pizza, croissants, moussaka,
goulash, and profiteroles are just some
of the foods that originated in Europe
and are now popular worldwide.
Cheese from France
Tapas from Spain
Pasta from Italy
Sausages
from Germany
u MOZART
(1756-1791)
CONTINENTS OF
THE WOLRD
London,
UK
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France