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.
Boundary of Europe[]
Geographical[]
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 Pelagian 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 Canary Islands and the 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]
Political[]
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.
Sovereign states[]
Political map of Europe and the surrounding region
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]
UN member states and UNGA non-member observer state[]
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. There are currently nine states recognized as candidate countries for membership in the European Union. Seven of these nine states are located in Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine), while two have territories in both Asia and Europe (Georgia and Turkey).[15]
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. For candidate members of the EU, see potential enlargement of the European Union.
| Flag | Map | English short, formal names, and ISO [16][17][18][19] |
Domestic short and formal name(s) [16][17][18] |
Capital [19][20][21] |
Population Template:UN Population Template:UN Population |
Area Template:Efn[22] |
Currency [19] |
EU Membership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Albania Republic of Albania ALB |
Template:Langx | Tirana Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Albanian lek | Candidate negotiating | |
 |
Andorra Principality of Andorra AND |
Template:Langx | Andorra la Vella Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | No | |
 |
ArmeniaTemplate:Efn Republic of Armenia ARM |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) | Yerevan Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Armenian dram | No | |
 |
Austria Republic of Austria AUT |
Template:Langx | Vienna Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
AzerbaijanTemplate:Efn Republic of Azerbaijan AZE |
Template:Langx | Baku Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Azerbaijani manat | No | |
 |
Belarus Republic of Belarus BLR |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Minsk Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Belarusian rouble | No | |
 |
Belgium Kingdom of Belgium BEL |
Template:Langx Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Brussels Template:Langx Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH |
Bosnian: Bosna i Hercegovina Croatian: Bosna i Hercegovina Serbian: Босна и Херцеговина |
Sarajevo Bosnian: Sarajevo Croatian: Sarajevo Serbian: Сарајево (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark | Candidate | |
 |
Bulgaria Republic of Bulgaria BGR |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) | Sofia Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Croatia Republic of Croatia HRV |
Template:Langx | Zagreb Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
CyprusTemplate:Efn Republic of Cyprus CYP |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx |
Nicosia Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
CzechiaTemplate:Efn Czech Republic CZE |
Template:Langx | Prague Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Czech koruna | Yes | |
 |
DenmarkTemplate:Efn Kingdom of Denmark DNK |
Template:Langx | Copenhagen Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Danish krone | Yes | |
 |
Estonia Republic of Estonia EST |
Template:Langx | Tallinn Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Finland Republic of Finland FIN |
Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Helsinki Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
France French Republic FRA |
Template:Langx | Paris Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
GeorgiaTemplate:Efn GEO |
Template:Lang-ka (Template:Transliteration) | Tbilisi / T'bilisi Template:Lang-ka (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Georgian lari | Candidate | |
 |
Germany Federal Republic of Germany DEU |
Template:Langx | Berlin Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Greece Hellenic Republic GRC |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) | Athens Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Hungary HUN |
Template:Langx | Budapest Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Hungarian forint | Yes | |
 |
Iceland ISL |
Template:Langx | Reykjavík Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Icelandic króna | No | |
 |
Ireland[23]Template:Efn IRL |
Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Dublin Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Italy Italian Republic ITA |
Template:Langx | Rome Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
KazakhstanTemplate:Efn Republic of Kazakhstan KAZ |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Astana Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Kazakhstani tenge | No | |
 |
Latvia Republic of Latvia LVA |
Template:Langx | Riga Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Liechtenstein Principality of Liechtenstein LIE |
Template:Langx | Vaduz Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Liechtenstein franc | No | |
 |
Lithuania Republic of Lithuania LTU |
Template:Langx | Vilnius Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Luxembourg Grand Duchy of Luxembourg LUX |
Template:Langx Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Luxembourg Template:Langx Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Malta Republic of Malta MLT |
Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Valletta Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Moldova Republic of Moldova MDA |
Template:Langx | Chișinău Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Moldovan leu | Candidate negotiating | |
 |
Monaco Principality of Monaco MCO |
Template:Langx | Monaco Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | No | |
 |
Montenegro MNE |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) | Podgorica Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Candidate negotiating | |
 |
NetherlandsTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn[10] Kingdom of the Netherlands NLD |
Template:Langx | Amsterdam (capital) Template:Langx The Hague (seat of government) Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
North Macedonia Republic of North Macedonia MKD |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) | Skopje Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Macedonian denar | Candidate negotiating | |
 |
Norway Kingdom of Norway NOR |
Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Oslo Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Norwegian krone | No | |
 |
Poland Republic of Poland POL |
Template:Langx | Warsaw Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Polish złoty | Yes | |
 |
Portugal Portuguese Republic PRT |
Template:Langx | Lisbon Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Romania ROU |
Template:Langx | Bucharest Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Romanian leu | Yes | |
 |
Russia Russian Federation RUS |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) | Moscow Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Russian rouble | No | |
 |
San Marino Republic of San Marino SMR |
Template:Langx | San Marino Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | No | |
 |
Serbia Republic of Serbia SRB |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) | Belgrade Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Serbian dinar | Candidate negotiating | |
 |
Slovakia Slovak Republic SVK |
Template:Langx | Bratislava Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Slovenia Republic of Slovenia SVN |
Template:Langx | Ljubljana Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Spain Kingdom of Spain ESP |
Template:Langx | Madrid Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | Yes | |
 |
Sweden Kingdom of Sweden SWE |
Template:Langx | Stockholm Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Swedish krona | Yes | |
 |
Switzerland Swiss Confederation CHE |
Template:Langx Template:Langx Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Bern / Berne Template:Langx Template:Langx Italian and Romansh: Berna |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Swiss franc | No | |
 |
TurkeyTemplate:Efn Republic of Türkiye TUR |
Template:Langx | Ankara Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Turkish lira | Candidate with frozen negotiations | |
 |
Ukraine UKR |
Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Kyiv Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Ukrainian hryvnia | Candidate negotiating | |
 |
United KingdomTemplate:Efn United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland GBR |
Template:Langx | London | Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Sterling | No | |
| Vatican City Vatican City State VAT |
Template:Langx Template:Langx[24] |
Vatican City Template:Langx |
Template:UN Population | Template:Sort | Euro | No |
.svg){kind=link}
De facto states[]
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 | PopulationTemplate:Efn | AreaTemplate:Efn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
AbkhaziaTemplate:Efn Republic of Abkhazia |
Claimed as an autonomous republic of Georgia. Recognised by five UN member states.[25] | Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Sukhumi Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
250,000[26] | Template:Convert[27] | |
 |
Kosovo Republic of Kosovo[16] |
Claimed by Serbia. Has been recognized as sovereign by 109 UN member states.[28] | Template:Langx Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Pristina[20] Template:Langx Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
1,836,529[29] | Template:Convert[22] | |
 |
Northern CyprusTemplate:Efn Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus |
Claimed as part of the Republic of Cyprus. Recognised by Turkey.[30] | Template:Langx | North Nicosia Template:Langx |
294,906[31] | Template:Convert[22] | |
 |
South OssetiaTemplate:Efn Republic of South Ossetia |
Claimed as part of Georgia. Recognised by five UN member states.[25] | Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Tskhinvali Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
56,000[32] | Template:Convert[33] | |
| Transnistria / Trans-Dniester Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic |
Claimed as a territorial unit of Moldova. De facto independent state,[34] recognised by two non-UN states. | Template:Langx Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Tiraspol Template:Langx Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
347,251[35] | Template:Convert[36] |
.svg){kind=link}
.svg){kind=link}
Non-sovereign territories[]
Dependent territories[]
The following six European entities are dependent territories.[37]
| Flag | Map | English common and formal names[16][19] | Legal status | Domestic common and formal names | Capital[20] | Population[29] | Area[22] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Akrotiri and DhekeliaTemplate:Efn Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia |
British Overseas Territory | Template:Langx Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
Episkopi Cantonment Template:Langx (Template:Transliteration) |
15,700 | Template:Convert | |
 |
Faroe Islands / Faeroe Islands | Autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark | Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Tórshavn Template:Langx Template:Langx |
54,000 | Template:Convert | |
 |
Gibraltar[38] | British Overseas Territory | Template:Langx | Gibraltar | 29,185 | Template:Convert | |
 |
GuernseyTemplate:Efn Bailiwick of Guernsey |
Crown Dependency in right of Guernsey[39][40][41] | Template:Langx Template:Langx Guernésiais: Guernési – Bailliage de Guernési |
Saint Peter Port Template:Langx Guernésiais: Saint Pierre Port |
65,849 | Template:Convert | |
| Isle of ManTemplate:Efn | Crown Dependency in right of Man[41][42][43] | Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Douglas Template:Langx |
86,866 | Template:Convert | ||
 |
JerseyTemplate:Efn Bailiwick of Jersey |
Crown Dependency in right of Jersey[39][40][41] | Template:Langx Template:Langx Jèrriais: Jèrri – Bailliage de Jèrri |
Saint Helier Template:Langx Jèrriais: Saint Hélyi |
96,513 | Template:Convert |
Areas of special sovereignty[]
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*[44] Åland Islands[19] |
Self-governing area of Finland, significant autonomy as the result of the Åland crisis[45] | Template:Langx | Mariehamn[19] Template:Langx |
27,500[46] | Template:Convert[46] | |
|
Northern Ireland | Part of the United Kingdom, devolved government determined by the Good Friday Agreement[47] | Template:Langx Template:Langx Template:Langx |
Belfast[48] | 1,810,863[49] | Template:Convert[48] | |
|
Svalbard[16] | Special territory of Norway, determined by the Svalbard Treaty[50] | Template:Langx | Longyearbyen[19][20] Template:Langx |
2,019[29] | Template:Convert[22] |
See also[]
- International organisations in Europe
- Lists of European countries:
- by area
- by GDP
- by GDP per capita
- by GDP PPP
- by population
- List of former sovereign states in Europe
- Predecessors of sovereign states in Europe
- Regions of Europe
Notes[]
Template:Notelist
References[]
Template:Reflist
Template:Sovereign states of Europe Template:Lists of sovereign states and dependent territories by continent Template:Region topics
- ↑ Template:Cite book
- ↑ Charles T. Evans (1 July 2009). Black Sea.
- ↑ Template:Cite encyclopedia
- ↑ Council of Europe in Brief.
- ↑ Geological Development of the Sicilian-Tunisian Platform held in Italy (University of Urbino) on November 4, 5, 6, 1992 (6 November 1992).
- ↑ Understanding plate motions [This Dynamic Earth, USGS] (9 June 1994).
- ↑ CIA – The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
- ↑ Richard Connor (11 January 2010). French overseas territories vote to remain close to Paris.
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Netherlands. Central Intelligence Agency.
- ↑ Untying the Sovereign State: A Double Reading of the Anarchy Problematique (1 June 1988).
- ↑ Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States. Council on Foreign Relations.
- ↑ Member States of the United Nations. United Nations.
- ↑ 47 countries, 1 Europe. Council of Europe.
- ↑ EU enlargement.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Field Listing :: Names. Central Intelligence Agency.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 UNGEGN List of Country Names. United Nations Statistics Division (2007).
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 UNGEGN List of Country Names. United Nations Statistics Division (2019).
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 List of countries, territories and currencies. Europa (9 August 2011).
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Field Listing :: Capital. Central Intelligence Agency.
- ↑ UNGEGN World Geographical Names. United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (13 September 2010).
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 Field Listing :: Area. Central Intelligence Agency.
- ↑ Republic of Ireland Act, 1948. No. 22/1948 (1948).
- ↑ Holy See (Vatican City). Central Intelligence Agency.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Tuvalu Retracts Recognition of Abkhazia, South Ossetia. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (31 March 2014).
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ Abkhazia (autonomous republic, Georgia). Britannica.com.
- ↑ Najčešća pitanja – Kancelarija za Kosovo i Metohiju, Vlada Republike Srbije.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Country Comparison :: Population. Central Intelligence Agency (July 2014).
- ↑ Cyprus. Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ↑ Turkish Cyprus announces population as 294,906. World Bulletin (9 December 2011).
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ South Ossetia.
- ↑ Template:Cite book.
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified (ru) (9 March 2017).
- ↑ Transdniestria (separatist enclave, Moldova). Britannica.com.
- ↑ CIA – The World Factbook – Field Listing :: Dependency status. Central Intelligence Agency (9 February 1920).
- ↑ Gibraltar; Politics. The Guardian (4 August 2004).
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 Supreme Court decision.
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Queen and Crown dependencies page of the official website of the British Monarchy Template:Webarchive
- ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 Ministry of Justice's fact sheet on the UK's relationship with the Crown Dependencies
- ↑ Supreme Court decision "The Channel Islands, like the Isle of Man (although it has a rather different history), are not part of the United Kingdom. Nor have they ever been British colonies, or British Overseas Territories as the few remaining colonies are now termed. They are Crown Dependencies, enjoying a unique relationship with the United Kingdom and the rest of the British Commonwealth through the Crown, in the person of the Sovereign.".
- ↑ Queen and Crown dependencies page of the official website of the British Monarchy
- ↑ Template:Cite book
- ↑ Independence.
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 Åland Official Tourist Gateway – Facts.
- ↑ Good Friday Agreement.
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 The Countries of the UK. Office for National Statistics (United Kingdom).
- ↑ Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency (December 2012). Census 2011 Key Statistics for Northern Ireland.
- ↑ The Svalbard Treaty. Governor of Svalbard (9 April 2008).