Europe is the smallest of the continents with the exception of Australia, but it is second to Asia in population. One fifth of the world's population lives in Europe, the birthplace of western civilization. Its art, political ideas, and scientific discoveries have spread all over the world. Among the 34 countries that make up Europe are part of the world's largest (Russia), and the smallest (Vatican City).
The continent of Europe forms the western peninsula of the great Europe/ Asia land mass. Its-eastern limits are the Ural Mountains, and its south-eastern boundary is the frontier between Russia and Turkey and Iran. A small part of Turkey, north-west of the Sea of Marmara, is in Europe. Everywhere else Europe is surrounded by sea. The continent has an area of 4,063,000 square miles. Its greatest length is 4,000 miles, and its greatest width 3,000 miles. It has a population of 621,000,000.
There are four main land regions. The Alpine Mountain System runs across southern Europe and includes the Caucasus, the Balkans, the Carpathians, the Apennines, the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada. The highest peak is Mt Elbrus (18,481 ft) in southern Russia. The Central Uplands are densely forested, but they also contain some of Europe's most productive coalfields. The uplands run from Czechoslovakia, through southern Germany, central France, central Spain and Portugal. The Central Plains rarely rise more than 500 feet above sea level. They extend from the foothills of the Ural Mountains in Russia, through Poland, northern Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, northern France and south-eastern England. Farming is the chief occupation of this broad, fertile area. The North-West Highlands are craggy and steep. The soil is too poor for large-scale farming. The highlands extend from northern Finland, through Sweden, Norway, northern and western Britain, Ireland and western France.
Europe is well served with rivers. Most of the main ones are used as major transport routes. The longest river in Europe is the Volga which flows through Russia for 2,290 miles before emptying into the Caspian Sea.
