Comprised of 44 countries, Europe is the world’s second-smallest continent. Spanning over an area of around 10,180,000 square kilometres, it is surrounded by bodies of water on three sides: the Arctic Ocean in the north, the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and the Mediterranean Sea in the south.
The population of Europe is more than 700 million, and the most spoken languages include Russian, English, German, Turkish and Italian. Europe is noted for its cultural diversity, largely as a result of its rich history and the migration patterns of countless groups over many years. It is recognised as the birthplace of Western civilisation, largely originating from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
The region has the highest GPR per capita in the world, as many countries within Europe have robust economies, including Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy. As the wealthiest continent in the world, Europe is hugely influential in key global affairs. It has a remarkably high GDP of around $17.1 trillion, representing around 1/6 of the global economy.