Western Europe

Western Europe

Western Europe is the western part of Europe. Its exact size can change depending on what we are talking about. The idea of “the West” started in Europe when people compared it to “the East.” At first, it referred to the western part of the ancient Mediterranean world, the Latin West of the Roman Empire, and "Western Christendom".

During the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery in the 15th century, the idea of Europe as “the West” began to take shape, slowly replacing the term “Christendom.” By the time of the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, people more often used the terms "Eastern Europe" and “Western Europe.”

The differences between Western and Eastern Europe became very clear during the Cold War. From 1945 to 1991, Europe was divided by the Iron Curtain into two groups. The Western Bloc was led by the US and the NATO alliance, while the Eastern Bloc was led by the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. These two groups were controlled by two large powerful countries, each with its own ways of governing and managing the economy.

Historical divisions

The idea of "the West" began in Europe to describe the western part of the old Mediterranean world. Long ago, when the Roman Empire was strong, there was a difference between the eastern parts that spoke mostly Greek and the western parts that spoke Latin.

Later, during a time called the Cold War, Europe was divided into two groups. One group, called the Western Bloc, was influenced by the United States. The other, the Eastern Bloc, was influenced by the Soviet Union. This division was called the Iron Curtain. In 1989, the Iron Curtain came down, and many countries became free to make their own choices.

Modern divisions

Main article: United Nations geoscheme

The United Nations has a way to split the world into regions for counting and studying. In this way, the countries that are part of Western Europe are Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, and Switzerland.

Other groups have a little different list of countries in Western Europe. For example, the Central Intelligence Agency lists Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom in Western Europe. They put Andorra, Portugal, and Spain in Southwestern Europe.

Population

The population of Western Europe can be calculated in different ways, depending on which areas are included. Using data from 2018, we can estimate the number of people living there. Including areas known as "South-Western Europe" would change the total number.

The main city for some countries might not be where the government operates from. For example, in one country, the government works from The Hague, even if that is not the usual capital city.

Climate

The climate in Western Europe changes depending on where you are. Along the coasts of Italy, Portugal, and Spain, the weather is dry and warm. This is called a Mediterranean climate. In places like the Pyrenees and the Alps, the climate is cooler and colder. This is called an alpine climate. The western and northwestern parts have milder, wetter weather. This is because of the North Atlantic Current. Heatwaves are becoming more common in Western Europe.

Languages

See also: Languages of Europe, Indo-European languages, and List of Indo-European languages

Western European languages come from two big groups. The Romance languages come from the Latin language used in the Roman Empire. These are mostly spoken in the south and center of Western Europe. The Germanic languages began in southern Scandinavia. They are spoken in the north, such as in the British Isles and the Low Countries, and parts of Northern and Central Europe.

Other languages in Western Europe include the Celtic languages like Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Manx, Welsh, Cornish, and Breton. There is also Basque, which is special because it is not related to any other language. Today, many countries in Western Europe work to protect their regional and minority languages. The Council of Europe has agreements to help these languages.

Economy

Western Europe is very rich. Germany has the biggest money-making in Europe. Luxembourg makes the most money for each person. Germany also has the most wealth of any European country.

Switzerland and Luxembourg pay people very well. Norway does well on the Social Progress Index, showing good social and economic work.

Global impact

The idea of "the West" began in Europe to describe itself compared to "the East." It started with the western part of the ancient Mediterranean world and the Latin-speaking half of the Roman Empire. Later, it grew to mean "Western Christendom." Over time, this idea of the West has influenced the world through exploration, colonialism, and industrial changes.

Ideas and developments from Western Europe helped change global history, affecting trade, culture, and technology worldwide.