The list below includes all entities falling even partially under any of the various common definitions of Europe, geographical or political. Fifty generally recognised sovereign states, Kosovo with limited, but substantial, international recognition, and four largely unrecognised de facto states with limited to no recognition have territory in Europe and/or membership in international European organisations. There are eight entities that are not integral parts of a European state or have special political arrangements.
Under the commonly used geographic definition, the boundary between the continents of Asia and Europe stretches along the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, and the Caspian Sea in the east, the Greater Caucasus range,[1] and the Black Sea with its outlets, the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, in the south.[2] [3] Based on such a commonly used division of the continents, the transcontinental countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey have territory in both Asia and Europe.
The island of Cyprus in Western Asia is close to Anatolia (or Asia Minor) but is often considered to be a part of Europe and is a member of the European Union. Like Cyprus, Armenia is also entirely in Western Asia but is a member of several European organisations.[4]
Although the Mediterranean Sea provides a clearer divide between Africa and Europe, some traditionally European islands such as Malta, Pantelleria, the Pelagie Islands, and Sicily are actually located on the African Plate.[5] The island of Iceland is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, straddling the Eurasian Plate and the North American Plate.[6]
Some territories which are geographically outside of Europe have strong connections with European states. Greenland, for example, has socio-political connections with Europe and is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but is located closer to the continent of North America and is usually grouped with that continent.[7]
Other territories are part of European countries but are geographically located on other continents, such as the French overseas regions,[8] the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the coast of Africa,[9] and the Dutch BES islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba in the Caribbean.[10]
The political boundaries of Europe vary with the definition of Europe that is used by different political organizations. For instance, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights include 46 countries in their definition of Europe. The European Higher Education Area includes 48 countries, and the European Cultural Convention and the European Olympic Committees include 50 countries in their definitions.
A sovereign state is a political association with effective sovereignty over a population for whom it makes decisions in the national interest.[11] According to the Montevideo Convention, a state must have a permanent population, a defined territory, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.[12]
There are 50 sovereign states with territory located within the common definition of Europe and/or membership in international European organisations that are almost universally recognized internationally. All are either member states of the United Nations or non-member observer states at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA),[13] and all except Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Vatican City are members of the Council of Europe.[14] 44 countries have their capital city located within Europe, and (as of 2022) 27 of those countries are member states of the European Union, which means that they are highly integrated with one another and share their sovereignty through EU institutions.
Each entry in the list below has a map of its location in Europe. Territory in Europe is shown in dark-green; territory not geographically in Europe is shown in a lighter shade of green. The lightest shade of green represents other states in the EU and is shown on the maps of all territories within the EU.
| = Member of the EU[15] |
| Flag | Map | English short, formal names, and ISO [16] [17] [18] [19] | Domestic short and formal name(s) | Capital [20] [21] | Population | Area [22] | Currency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania Republic of Albania ALB | Albanian: Shqipëri / Shqipëria – Republika e Shqipërisë | Tirana Albanian: Tiranë | Albanian lek | |||||
| Andorra Principality of Andorra AND | Catalan; Valencian: Andorra – Principat d'Andorra | Andorra la Vella Catalan; Valencian: Andorra la Vella | Euro | |||||
| Armenia Republic of Armenia ARM | Armenian: Հայաստան – Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն () | Yerevan Armenian: Երևան () | Armenian dram | |||||
Austria
| German: Österreich – Republik Österreich | Vienna German: Wien | Euro | |||||
| Azerbaijan Republic of Azerbaijan AZE | Azerbaijani: Azǝrbaycan – Azǝrbaycan Respublikası | Baku Azerbaijani: Bakı | Azerbaijani manat | |||||
| Belarus Republic of Belarus BLR | Belarusian: Беларусь – Рэспубліка Беларусь () Russian: Беларусь – Республика Беларусь () | Minsk Belarusian: Мінск () Russian: Минск () | Belarusian rouble | |||||
Belgium
| Dutch; Flemish: België – Koninkrijk België French: Belgique – Royaume de Belgique German: Belgien – Königreich Belgien | Brussels Dutch; Flemish: Brussel French: Bruxelles German: Brüssel | Euro | |||||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH | Bosnian Bosna i Hercegovina | Sarajevo Bosnian | Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark | |||||
Bulgaria
| Bulgarian: България – Република България () | Sofia Bulgarian: София () | Bulgarian lev | |||||
Croatia
| Croatian: Hrvatska – Republika Hrvatska | Zagreb Croatian: Zagreb | Euro | |||||
Cyprus
| Greek, Modern (1453-);: Κύπρος – Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία () Turkish: Kıbrıs – Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti | Nicosia Greek, Modern (1453-);: Λευκωσία () Turkish: Lefkoşa | Euro | |||||
Czechia
| Czech: Česko – Česká republika | Prague Czech: Praha | Czech koruna | |||||
Denmark
| Danish: Danmark – Kongeriget Danmark | Copenhagen Danish: København | Danish krone | |||||
Estonia
| Estonian: Eesti – Eesti Vabariik | Tallinn Estonian: Tallinn | Euro | |||||
Finland
| Finnish: Suomi – Suomen tasavalta Swedish: Finland – Republiken Finland | Helsinki Finnish: Helsinki Swedish: Helsingfors | Euro | |||||
France
| French: France – République française | Paris French: Paris | Euro | |||||
| Georgia GEO | Georgian: საქართველო () | Tbilisi / T'bilisi Georgian: თბილისი () | Georgian lari | |||||
Germany
| German: Deutschland – Bundesrepublik Deutschland | Berlin German: Berlin | Euro | |||||
Greece
| Greek, Modern (1453-);: Ελλάδα – Ελληνική Δημοκρατία () | Athens Greek, Modern (1453-);: Αθήνα () | Euro | |||||
Hungary
| Hungarian: Magyarország | Budapest Hungarian: Budapest | Hungarian forint | |||||
| Iceland ISL | Icelandic: Ísland – Lýðveldið Ísland | Reykjavík Icelandic: Reykjavík | Icelandic króna | |||||
Ireland
| English: Ireland Irish: Éire | Dublin Irish: Baile Átha Cliath | Euro | |||||
Italy
| Italian: Italia – Repubblica Italiana | Rome Italian: Roma | Euro | |||||
| Kazakhstan Republic of Kazakhstan KAZ | Kazakh: Қазақстан – Қазақстан Республикасы () Russian: Казахстан – Республика Казахстан () | Astana Kazakh: Астана () Russian: Астана () | Kazakhstani tenge | |||||
Latvia
| Latvian: Latvija – Latvijas Republika | Riga Latvian: Rīga | Euro | |||||
| Liechtenstein Principality of Liechtenstein LIE | German: Liechtenstein – Fürstentum Liechtenstein | Vaduz German: Vaduz | Liechtenstein franc | |||||
Lithuania
| Lithuanian: Lietuva – Lietuvos Respublika | Vilnius Lithuanian: Vilnius | Euro | |||||
Luxembourg
| German: Luxemburg – Großherzogtum Luxemburg French: Luxembourg – Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Luxembourgish; Letzeburgesch: Lëtzebuerg - Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg | Luxembourg German: Luxemburg French: Luxembourg Luxembourgish; Letzeburgesch: Lëtzebuerg | Euro | |||||
Malta
| English: Malta – Republic of Malta Maltese: Malta – Repubblika ta' Malta | Valletta Maltese: Valletta | Euro | |||||
| Moldova Republic of Moldova MDA | Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Moldova – Republica Moldova | Chișinău Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Chișinău | Moldovan leu | |||||
| Monaco Principality of Monaco MCO | French: Monaco – Principauté de Monaco | Monaco French: Monaco | Euro | |||||
| Montenegro MNE | Црна Гора () | Podgorica Подгорица () | Euro | |||||
| Netherlands | Dutch; Flemish: Nederland – Koninkrijk der Nederlanden | Amsterdam (capital) Dutch; Flemish: Amsterdam The Hague (seat of government) Dutch; Flemish: 's-Gravenhage / Den Haag | Euro | |||||
| North Macedonia Republic of North Macedonia MKD | Macedonian: Северна Македонија – Република Северна Македонија () | Skopje Macedonian: Скопје () | Macedonian denar | |||||
| Norway Kingdom of Norway NOR | Bokmål, Norwegian; Norwegian Bokmål: Norge – Kongeriket Norge Norwegian Nynorsk; Nynorsk, Norwegian: Noreg – Kongeriket Noreg | Oslo Norwegian: Oslo | Norwegian krone | |||||
Poland
| Polish: Polska – Rzeczpospolita Polska | Warsaw Polish: Warszawa | Polish złoty | |||||
Portugal
| Portuguese: Portugal – República Portuguesa | Lisbon Portuguese: Lisboa | Euro | |||||
Romania
| Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: România | Bucharest Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: București | Romanian leu | |||||
| Russia Russian Federation RUS | Russian: Россия – Российская Федерация () | Moscow Russian: Москва () | Russian rouble | |||||
| San Marino Republic of San Marino SMR | Italian: San Marino – Repubblica di San Marino | San Marino Italian: San Marino | Euro | |||||
| Serbia Republic of Serbia SRB | Serbian: Србија – Република Србија () | Belgrade Serbian: Београд () | Serbian dinar | |||||
Slovakia
| Slovak: Slovensko – Slovenská republika | Bratislava Slovak: Bratislava | Euro | |||||
Slovenia
| Slovenian: Slovenija – Republika Slovenija | Ljubljana Slovenian: Ljubljana | Euro | |||||
Spain
| Spanish; Castilian: España – Reino de España | Madrid Spanish; Castilian: Madrid | Euro | |||||
Sweden
| Swedish: Sverige – Konungariket Sverige | Stockholm Swedish: Stockholm | Swedish krona | |||||
| Switzerland Swiss Confederation CHE | German: Schweiz – Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft French: Suisse – Confédération suisse Italian: Svizzera – Confederazione Svizzera Romansh: Svizra – Confederaziun svizra | Bern / Berne German: Bern French: Berne Italian and Romansh: Berna | Swiss franc | |||||
| Turkey Republic of Turkey TUR | Turkish: Türkiye – Türkiye Cumhuriyeti | Ankara Turkish: Ankara | Turkish lira | |||||
| Ukraine UKR | Ukrainian: Украïна () | Kyiv Ukrainian: Київ () | Ukrainian hryvnia | |||||
| United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland GBR | English: United Kingdom – United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | London | Sterling | |||||
| Vatican City Vatican City State VAT | Italian: Città del Vaticano – Stato della Città del Vaticano Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae[24] | Vatican City Italian: Città del Vaticano | Euro |
The following five entities in Europe have partial diplomatic recognition by one or more UN member states (and therefore are defined as states by the constitutive theory of statehood) or have no diplomatic recognition by any UN member state but are defined as states by the declarative theory of statehood. None are members of the UN, Council of Europe or EU.
| Flag | Map | English common and formal names | Status | Domestic common and formal names | Capital | Population | Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abkhazia Republic of Abkhazia | Claimed as an autonomous republic of Georgia. Recognised by five UN member states.[25] | Abkhazian: Аҧсны - Аԥсны Аҳәынҭқарра () Russian: Абхазия - Республика Абхазия () | Sukhumi Abkhazian: Аҟəа () Russian: Суху́м(и) () | 250,000[26] | 86600NaN0[27] | |||
| Kosovo Republic of Kosovo | Claimed by Serbia. Has been recognized as sovereign by 102 UN member states.[28] | Albanian: Kosova / Kosovë – Republika e Kosovës Serbian: Косово – Република Косово () | Pristina Albanian: Prishtina, Prishtinë Serbian: Приштина () | 1,836,529[29] | 108870NaN0 | |||
| Northern Cyprus Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | Claimed as part of the Republic of Cyprus. Recognised by Turkey.[30] | Turkish: Kuzey Kıbrıs – Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti | North Nicosia Turkish: Lefkoşa | 294,906[31] | 33550NaN0 | |||
| South Ossetia Republic of South Ossetia | Claimed as part of Georgia. Recognised by five UN member states. | Ossetian; Ossetic: Хуссар Ирыстон – Республикӕ Хуссар Ирыстон () Russian: Южная Осетия – Республика Южная Осетия () | Tskhinvali Ossetian; Ossetic: Цхинвал or Чъреба () Russian: Цхинва́л(и) () | 56,000[32] | 39000NaN0[33] | |||
| Transnistria / Trans-Dniester Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic | Claimed as a territorial unit of Moldova. De facto independent state,[34] recognised by 3 non-UN states. | Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Transnistria – Republica Moldovenească Nistreană Russian: Приднестровье – Приднестровская Молдавская Республика () Ukrainian: Придністров'я – Придністровська Молдавська Республіка () | Tiraspol Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Tiraspol Russian: Тираcполь () Ukrainian: Тирасполь () | 347,251[35] | 35000NaN0[36] |
The following six European entities are dependent territories.[37]
| = Part of the EU, although there may be special arrangements |
| Flag | Map | English common and formal names | Legal status | Domestic common and formal names | Capital | Population | Area | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia | British Overseas Territory | English: Akrotiri and Dhekelia – Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Greek, Modern (1453-);: Ακρωτήρι και Δεκέλεια – Περιοχές Κυρίαρχων Βάσεων Ακρωτηρίου και Δεκέλειας () | Episkopi Cantonment Greek, Modern (1453-);: Φρουρά Επισκοπής () | 15,700 | 2540NaN0 | ||||
| Faroe Islands / Faeroe Islands | Constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark | Faroese: Føroyar Danish: Færøerne | Tórshavn Faroese: Tórshavn Danish: Thorshavn | 54,000 | 13930NaN0 | ||||
| Gibraltar[38] | British Overseas Territory | English: Gibraltar | Gibraltar | 29,185 | 6.51NaN1 | ||||
| --Not EU http://www.gov.gg/ccm/general/press-releases/2002/may/guernseys-position-on-eu-tax-package-to-be-reported-by-hm-government-to-econfin-meeting-of-4-june-2002.en;jsessionid=EE07D4CE023D2AF478E5E8E561234CF6--> | Guernsey Bailiwick of Guernsey | Crown Dependency in right of Guernsey[39] [40] [41] | English: Guernsey – Bailiwick of Guernsey French: Guernesey – Bailliage de Guernesey Guernésiais Guernési – Bailliage de Guernési | Saint Peter Port French: Saint Pierre Port Guernésiais Saint Pierre Port | 65,849 | 780NaN0 | |||
| --Not EU http://www.gov.im/cso/externalrelations/eu.xml--> | Isle of Man | Crown Dependency in right of Man[42] [43] | English: Isle of Man Manx: Mannin – Ellan Vannin | Douglas Manx: Doolish | 86,866 | 5720NaN0 | |||
| --Not EU http://www.cab.org.je/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=212&Itemid=53--> | Jersey Bailiwick of Jersey | Crown Dependency in right of Jersey | English: Jersey – Bailiwick of Jersey French: Jersey – Bailliage de Jersey Jèrriais Jèrri – Bailliage de Jèrri | Saint Helier French: Saint-Hélier Jèrriais Saint Hélyi | 96,513 | 1180NaN0 |
The following places are considered integral parts of their sovereign state, but have a political arrangement that was decided through an international agreement.
| = A part of the EU, although there may be some special arrangements. |
| Flag | Map | English common and formal names | Legal status | Domestic common and formal names | Capital | Population | Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Åland
| Self-governing area of Finland, significant autonomy as the result of the Åland crisis[45] | Swedish: Åland – Landskapet Åland | Mariehamn Swedish: Mariehamn | 27,500[46] | 67870NaN0 | |||
| Northern Ireland | Part of the United Kingdom, devolved government determined by the Good Friday Agreement[47] | English: Northern Ireland Tuaisceart Éireann Scots: Norlin Airlann | Belfast[48] | 1,810,863[49] | 141300NaN0 | |||
| Svalbard | Special territory of Norway, determined by the Svalbard Treaty[50] | Norwegian: Svalbard | Longyearbyen Norwegian: Longyearbyen | 2,019 | 620450NaN0 |