European - the continent with the most tortuous coastline
Europe Overview
Europe is located in the northwestern Eastern Hemisphere, the Arctic Ocean is to the north and the Atlantic is to the west. To the south, across the Mediterranean and the Strait of Gibraltar, is Africa. The full name is Europa Island, meaning "land of the sun." Europe has 45 countries and regions, with a population of 726 000 000, or about 1.5% of world's total population. It is the world's most densely populated continent, and most residents are of the white race. Covering an area of 1016 square kilometers, it accounts for 6.8% of the world's land area. Its languages belong to the Indo-European language family (90% of the European population speaks one of these languages), with Uralic and Caucasian languages also spoken. The European language English is the world's most widely used language. Residents are Protestant Christian and Catholic.

European history
Europe was the location of the Greek and Roman classical civilizations and the birthplace of German civilization. It was first in the world to develop capitalism, sparking the economic and cultural development of the area. The the 17th century bourgeois revolution in Britain marked the beginning of the world's modern history. In the 18th century, the landmark British Industrial Revolution occurred. Modern Europe is a war-torn region, as two world wars have erupted here. In 1949 and 1955 the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for the United States and the Warsaw Pact Organization for the Soviet Union were established, setting up the confrontation of two major military blocs between Eastern and Western Europe. After the founding of the European Community, Western Europe gradually moved from the joint development of economic cooperation to political cooperation as well. 1989 and 1990 witnessed major political changes in Eastern Europe, as some countries have had political power change hands. In 1991, the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia were divided. At present, with the accelerated process of European integration, new vitality has been injected into the European economy.

European terrain
Europe stretches into the Atlantic Ocean in a large peninsula. Terrain is dominated by plains, and glaciers are widely spread, though gathered in the southern mountains. The average elevation of 300 meters is the lowest average elevation of any continent. The East European Plain is the largest plain in Europe. The western coast is the eastern Atlantic. The eastern border of Europe is the Ural mountains, stretching thousands of miles; to the south of Europe the southern Alps stand steeply. The Central Highlands is located in the Alps and Eastern Europe between the Great Plains.

European Climate
The ocean has the greatest impact on European climate. Most of the region has a moderate and moist climate. In addition, the northern coast and islands of the Arctic Ocean are cold, the south consists of subtropical coastal areas. The rest of Europe all belongs to the temperate climates. Europe, from west to east, has a climate transition from maritime to continental. Western and Northern Europe are affected by the Atlantic current, Dongnuanxialiang. The amount and distribution of precipitation from the Atlantic Ocean is determined by the distance from the ocean and the prevailing wind direction.

Alps
The Alps are famous mountains in southern Europe. To the west is Nice and southeastern France. The Alps are on the border of Switzerland, Germany, and Italy. Moving east to Austria, the Vienna Basin stretches 1,200 km with a width of 130 to 200 km. The basin, with an average elevation of 300 meters, has the Danube, Rhine, Adige, Po, and other rivers. Mont Blanc is the highest peak, at 4807 meters above sea level. The Alps are Europe's youngest mountain range, its steep mountains, stone and bone-like spikes clearing the ridge line known as the "Alpine Peak ridge." Many peaks in the Alps have snow, and it is a world-famous ski and tourist destination.

More Yao River Delta - natural wetlands
Originating in the mountains of the German Black Forest, the length of the Danube is 2850 km, with a drainage area of 816 000 square kilometers. Flowing from west to east, it passes through ten countries in Europe and finally into the Black Sea. It is Europe's second-longest river. The Danube Delta, an area of about 6,000 square kilometers, is Europe's largest existing natural wetlands. Rivers, lakes, swamps, and native forests have a staggered distribution. In the Delta, growth of large tracts of natural reed provide an ecosystem-based water purification system for the Danube, a very important role.

Listings of All Countries in Europe