大牛哥 -
Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of Earth. The westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, it is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, to the southeast by the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea and the waterways connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. To the east, Europe is generally divided from Asia by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, and by the Caspian Sea.[1]
Europe is the world"s second-smallest continent in terms of area, covering about 10,180,000 square kilometres (3,930,000 sq mi) or 2% of the Earth"s surface. It hosts a large number of sovereign states (ca. 50), whose precise amount depends on the underlying definition of Europe"s border, as well as on the in- or exclusion of semi-recognized states. Of all European countries, Russia is the largest by both area and population, while the Vatican is the smallest. Europe is the third most populous continent after Asia and Africa with a population of 710,000,000 or about 11% of the world"s population. However, Europe"s borders and population are in dispute, as the term continent can refer to a cultural and political distinction or a physiographic one.
Europe is the birthplace of Western culture. European nations played a predominant role in global affairs from the 16th century onwards, especially after the beginning of colonization. By the 17th and 18th centuries European nations controlled most of Africa, the Americas, and large portions of Asia. World War I and World War II led to a decline in European dominance in world affairs as the United States and Soviet Union took prominence. The Cold War between those two superpowers divided Europe along the Iron Curtain. European integration led to the formation of the Council of Europe and the European Union in Western Europe, both of which have been expanding eastward since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
可品 -
笨笨 6级 2009-04-28 Europe is, by convention, one of the world"s seven continents.
Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast. Europe is washed upon to the north by the Arctic Ocean and other bodies of water, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and to the southeast by the Black Sea and the waterways connecting it to the Mediterranean. Yet, the borders for Europe—a concept dating back to classical antiquity—are somewhat arbitrary, as the term continent can refer to a cultural and political distinction or a physiographic one. This article is primarily about the first two aspects, although it references Europe"s geography.
Europe is the world"s second-smallest continent by surface area, covering about 10,180,000 square kilometres (3,930,000 sq mi) or 2% of the Earth"s surface and about 6.8% of its land area. Of Europe"s approximately 50 states, Russia is the largest by both area and population, while the Vatican City is the smallest. Europe is the third most populous continent after Asia and Africa, with a population of 731 million or about 11% of the world"s population; however, according to the United Nations (medium estimate), Europe"s share may fall to about 7% in 2050.补充：Modern Western Europe is the birthplace of Western culture. European (particularly Western European) nations played a predominant role in global affairs from the 16th century onwards, especially after the beginning of colonialism. Between the 17th and 20th centuries, European nations controlled at various times the Americas, most of Africa, Australasia and large portions of Asia. Demographic changes and the two World Wars led to a decline in European dominance in world affairs by the mid-20th century as the United States and Soviet Union took prominence. During the Cold War Europe was divided along the Iron Curtain between NATO in the West and the Warsaw Pact in the East. European integration led to the formation of the Council of Europe and the European Union in Western Europe, both of which have been expanding eastward since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.补充：The use of the term "Europe" has developed gradually throughout history.In antiquity, the Greeks divided the world into three continents, Europe, Asia and Libya (Africa), with the River Nile and the complex system of waterways between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Azov providing the boundaries.Flavius Josephus and the Book of Jubilees described the continents as the lands given by Noah to his three sons; Europe was defined as between the Pillars of Hercules at Cadiz, separating it from Africa, and the River Don, separating it from Asia. This division – as much cultural as geographical – was used until the Late Middle Ages, when it was challenged by the Age of Discovery. The problem of redefining Europe was finally resolved in 1730 when, instead of waterways, the Swedish geographer and cartographer von Strahlenberg proposed the Ural Mountains as the most significant eastern boundary, a suggestion that found favour in Russia and throughout Europe.补充：太多了，翻译不了。我尽量吧 。
欧洲，全称欧罗巴洲（希腊文：Ευρu03ceπη），字源于希腊神话的“欧罗巴”，是世界第六大洲，面积10,180,000平方千米（3,931,000平方英里），人口7亿1千2百万（2008年），是世界人口第三多的洲，仅次于亚洲和非洲，人口密度平均每平方公里70人，共有48个已独立国家，欧洲东以乌拉山脉、乌拉河，东南以里海、高加索山脉和黑海与亚洲为界，西、西北隔大西洋、格陵兰海、丹麦海峡与北美洲相望，北接北极海，南隔地中海与非洲相望。欧洲最北端是挪威的北角，最南端是西班牙的马罗基角，欧洲是世界上第二小的洲、大陆，仅比大洋洲大一些，其与亚洲合称为欧亚大陆，而与亚洲、非洲合称为欧亚非大陆。
欧洲名字的来历可能是来自希腊神话中的一个叫做欧罗巴的女子，她受到变成公牛的宙斯的引诱. 一个更学术性的说法是：这个词可能来源于闪族语(ereb)，表示“日落之地”.
通常，根据政治、经济、文化或实际考虑，欧洲的边界线并不总是一样的。这就使得人们产生了几个不同“欧洲”的观念。
康康map -
Europe
is,
by
convention,
one
of
the
world"s
seven
continents.
Comprising
the
westernmost
peninsula
of
Eurasia,
Europe
is
generally
divided
from
Asia
to
its
east
by
the
water
divide
of
the
Ural
Mountains,
the
Ural
River,
the
Caspian
Sea,
and
by
the
Caucasus
Mountains
to
the
southeast.
Europe
is
washed
upon
to
the
north
by
the
Arctic
Ocean
and
other
bodies
of
water,
to
the
west
by
the
Atlantic
Ocean,
to
the
south
by
the
Mediterranean
Sea,
and
to
the
southeast
by
the
Black
Sea
and
the
waterways
connecting
it
to
the
Mediterranean.
Yet,
the
borders
for
Europe—a
concept
dating
back
to
classical
antiquity—are
somewhat
arbitrary,
as
the
term
continent
can
refer
to
a
cultural
and
political
distinction
or
a
physiographic
one.
This
article
is
primarily
about
the
first
two
aspects,
although
it
references
Europe"s
geography.
Europe
is
the
world"s
second-smallest
continent
by
surface
area,
covering
about
10,180,000
square
kilometres
(3,930,000
sq
mi)
or
2%
of
the
Earth"s
surface
and
about
6.8%
of
its
land
area.
Of
Europe"s
approximately
50
states,
Russia
is
the
largest
by
both
area
and
population,
while
the
Vatican
City
is
the
smallest.
Europe
is
the
third
most
populous
continent
after
Asia
and
Africa,
with
a
population
of
731
million
or
about
11%
of
the
world"s
population;
however,
according
to
the
United
Nations
(medium
estimate),
Europe"s
share
may
fall
to
about
7%
in
2050.