The northernmost countries in the world. South America Economy of leading Western countries

If you do not take into account dependent regions and not fully recognized states, then Europe for 2017 covers 44 powers. Each of them has a capital, in which not only its administration is located, but also the highest authority, that is, the government of the state.

In contact with

European states

The territory of Europe stretches from east to west for more than 3 thousand kilometers, and from south to north (from Crete to Spitsbergen) for 5 thousand kilometers. The majority of European powers are relatively small. With such small territories and good transport cross-country ability, these states either closely border each other, or are separated by very short distances.

The European continent is divided geographically into parts:

• western;
• eastern;
• northern;
• southern.

All powers located on the European continent belong to one of these territories.

• There are 11 countries in the western region.
• In the east - 10 (including Russia).
• In the north - 8.
• In the south - 15.

We list all European countries and their capitals. We will divide the list of countries and capitals of Europe into four parts according to the territorial and geographical position of the powers on the world map.

Western

List of states belonging to western Europe, with a list of major cities:

The states of western Europe are washed mainly by the currents of the Atlantic Ocean and only in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula border on the waters of the Arctic Ocean. In general, these are highly developed and prosperous powers. But they stand out for their unfavorable demographic situation. This is a low birth rate and a low rate of natural population growth. In Germany, there is even a decline in population. All this led to the fact that developed Western Europe began to play the role of a sub-region in the world population migration system, it turned into the main focus of labor immigration.

Eastern

List of states located in the eastern zone of the European continent and their capital:

The states of eastern Europe have a lower level of economic development than their western neighbors. But, they better retained their cultural and ethnic identity... Eastern Europe is more of a cultural and historical region than a geographical one. The Russian expanses can also be attributed to the eastern territory of Europe. A geographic center Eastern Europe is located approximately within Ukraine.

North

The list of states that make up northern Europe, including the capitals, looks like this:

The territories of the states of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jutland, the Baltic states, the islands of Svalbard and Iceland are included in the northern part of Europe. The population of these regions is only 4% of the entire European composition. The most big country the eight is Sweden, and the smallest is Iceland. The population density in these lands is lower in Europe - 22 people / m2, and in Iceland - only 3 people / m2. This is due to the harsh conditions of the climatic zone. But the economic indicators of development distinguish precisely northern Europe as the leader of the entire world economy.

South

And, finally, the most numerous list of territories located in the southern part, and the capitals of European states:

The Balkan and Iberian Peninsulas are occupied by these southern European powers. Industry is well developed here, especially ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy. The countries are rich in mineral resources. In agriculture, the main efforts aimed at growing food products such as:

• grape;
• olives;
• Garnet;
• dates.

It is known that Spain is the world's leading olive harvesting country. It is here that 45% of all olive oil in the world is produced. Spain is also famous for the most famous artists - Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró.

European Union

The idea of ​​creating a single community of European powers appeared in the middle of the twentieth century, more precisely after the Second World War. The official unification of the countries of the European Union (EU) took place only in 1992, when this union was sealed by the legal consent of the parties. Over time, the number of members of the European Union has expanded, and now it includes 28 allies. And states wishing to join these prosperous countries will have to prove their compliance with the European foundations and principles of the EU, such as:

• protection of the rights of citizens;
• democracy;
• freedom of trade in a developed economy.

EU members

The European Union for 2017 includes the following states:

There are also applicant countries today. to join this foreign community. These include:

1. Albania.
2. Serbia.
3. Macedonia.
4. Montenegro.
5. Turkey.

On the map of the European Union, you can clearly see its geography, European countries and their capitals.

Positions and prerogatives of the EU partners

The EU has a customs policy, according to which its members can trade with each other without duties and without restrictions. And in relation to the rest of the powers, the adopted customs tariff applies. Having common laws, the countries of the European Union created a single market and introduced a single monetary currency - the euro. Many EU member states are part of the so-called Schengen area, which makes it possible for their citizens to move freely across the territory of all allies.

The European Union has common governing bodies for the member states, which include:

• European Court of Justice.
• European Parliament.
• European Commission.
• Audit community overseeing the EU budget.

Despite the unity, European states who joined the community have full independence and state sovereignty. Each country has its own national language and has its own controls. But for all participants there are certain criteria, and they must comply with them. For example, the coordination of all important political decisions with the European Parliament.

It should be noted that since its foundation, only one power has left the European community. It was the Danish autonomy - Greenland. In 1985, she resented the lowered quotas imposed by the European Union for fishing. And you can also recall the sensational events in 2016 a referendum in Great Britain, when the population voted to leave the country from the European Union. This suggests that even in such an influential and seemingly stable community, serious problems are brewing.

Western Europe- a region that includes mainly the states of the Germans and Celts. One of the most developed economic regions of the planet. The beginning of the formation of Western Europe is considered the collapse of the Roman Empire, its division into Eastern and Western.

List of Western European countries: Austria, Belgium, Andorra, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland and France. The last notable changes to the map of Western Europe took place around the 11th century, it is not for nothing that this part is considered the "old world". The states of Western Europe are divided into four groups (large, medium, small and dwarf states).

The territory of Western Europe is home to about 296 million people. And of these, about 20 million foreign workers, Western Europe is a kind of immigration hotbed of the world. The population of Western Europe belongs to the Indo-European language family, the Romance and Germanic group.

The largest country in Western Europe is France, its area is 549.2 thousand km2, while it is also the richest and oldest country in this part of Europe.

Western Europe is a region that ranks first in terms of small-scale economic and industrial production, export of goods, reserves of gold and currency, and development international tourism... A distinctive feature of Western Europe is considered high level development of integration processes. The development of Western Europe as a region is determined by the contribution of all countries in the region, but mainly the most developed ones - France, Germany, and Great Britain.

Cultural heritage of Western Europe, it is a world storehouse of unusually beautiful and famous works of art. In the history of Western Culture, you can trace many cultural events that have remained in the memory of the whole world, as well as thousands of names of famous artists, musicians, sculptors associated with the countries of Western Europe.

To the most the most beautiful cities Western Europe includes: Paris, Amsterdam, London. They attract millions of curious tourists every year. Tourist revenues of Western countries fill a large niche in the country's budget.

Western countries are the most developed region of our planet. We associate this world with the rich and beautiful states, thriving capitalism.

History of Western Europe

There are different opinions regarding the theory of the origin of European civilization. According to one theory, it was founded by the ancient Greeks. However, within the framework of another concept, its emergence is attributed to the XV-XVI centuries, the times of the so-called "large geographical discoveries", the birth of capitalism and the reformation.

Western European civilization has gone through many stages of development, has undergone a change in moral principles and aspirations. Today it is one of the most developed regions of our planet.

"Classics of the genre"

The "classic" list of Western countries includes 4 groups of states: large, medium, small and dwarf. This territory is home to almost 300 million people. 20 million of them are immigrants who came to work.

Most of these states are now members of the European Union. It ranks first in small-scale economic and industrial production. The high level of economic development makes Western countries financially secure.

In addition, Western Europe is famous for its richest culture. Many talented writers, artists and musicians, whose names are known all over the world, were born here.

What makes the Western countries of the world different?

Western Europe is distinguished by the following factors:

1. Language. Almost all Western Europeans use Romance and Germanic language groups. The most common among them is English. It is home to 400 million people. At the same time, the group of non-Germanic languages ​​(Czech, Slovak, Hungarian) underwent a strong Germanization at one time.

2. Latin alphabet. All the indigenous people of the Western countries of the world and their former colonies use the Latin alphabet, which arose in the 7th century BC. e.

3. The most widespread are Catholicism and Protestantism. A large percentage of atheists. Catholicism in the 10th century was finally formed as a separate branch of Orthodoxy. In the 16th century, when Catholics began to abuse their own religion, Protestantism was formed as a protest.

V geographic concept the countries of Western Europe include:

• France;
• Germany;
• Luxembourg;
• Great Britain;
• Belgium;
• Netherlands;
• Liechtenstein;
• Monaco;
• Ireland;
• Switzerland;
• Austria.

That is, the states located in the Central and Northern Europe... This list can also include Norway, Denmark, Greece, Finland, Portugal, Iceland, Cyprus, Malta. These countries are members of the European Union.

In addition, the Western states are often called the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Korea and AYUR, as indicated above. Why is such an abundance of countries called Western Europe?

Western civilization is ...

Western civilization is a collection of cultural, political and economic factors. It is characterized by constant development, the movement of a person forward. It is distinguished by democracy, market-oriented production, private property relations.

The West is characterized by wealthy states, cultural wealth, and constantly developing infrastructure. Here they know firsthand what freedom, decent wages, and a high standard of living are.

Economy of leading Western countries

The most developed civilization in the world in the field of economics. Western Europe, which includes 25 countries, occupies a special place in the world economy. It all started with the signing of the Rome Treaty establishing the European Economic Community in 1957. This treaty marked the active economic development of these countries.

All modern countries of Western Europe have the same type of economic system. Their total share in total GDP (this indicator indicates the average market value of the country's final goods and services) is 24%. And in the world population - 7%.

The main economic power comes from the four Western countries, a list of which we will consider below. They account for 70% of the gross product. These are states, large in area, with a large number of residents.

Germany is the leader in the top four. The share of GDP per capita is $ 47,774. The German economy is the largest in Europe. It is the largest exporter of machinery, transport and household equipment, chemicals.

Great Britain is mainly engaged in the service sector (3/4 of the population) - banking and business services, insurance, etc. The share of industry is constantly decreasing. At the moment it is represented by two industries - mining and manufacturing. Agriculture accounts for only 1% of GDP.

France (the name of the Western country means "land of the Franks") is next in the four leaders. It is also dominated by the service sector, the oil and gas industry, and transport.

Italy is also in the four, but today the country is increasingly plunging into a crisis, and it is not known whether it will be able to maintain its position. Experts call it the weakest link in the Eurozone, due to its demographic and economic weight. If Italy defaults, it could bring down the entire global economic system.

Who else?

The rest of the countries belong to the group of small industrial ones. Their share of GDP is:

1.20% - Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands.

2. 8% - Austria, Greece, Finland, Denmark, Norway.

3.2% - Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Cyprus, Republic of Malta.

Economy Western states develops unevenly, irregularly. Europe has gone through 3 crises. Today, the countries of Western Europe are characterized by a crisis of old industries - ferrous metallurgy, coal and textile industries.

There is a great scientific and technical potential. States are investing huge amounts of money in the development of science (up to 2% of GDP). Less than the United States (about 16%), but more than Japan.

Today Europe is the leader in the construction of nuclear power plants, the manufacture of medicines, in some types of mechanical engineering and communications technology.

Share Agriculture reaches 8%. At the same time, the number of people involved in it, in last years decreased sharply, but the number of manufactured products increased. Leading European countries that produce agricultural products are Germany, France and Great Britain.

South America is the fourth largest continent on Earth. Its length from north to south is more than 7000 km, from west to east - about 5000, and the total area reaches 17.8 km². Most of the mainland is located in the Southern Hemisphere. The total number of inhabitants is more than 385 million people: according to this indicator, South America ranks fourth among continents. But if we discard the dry facts, we can say one thing: this is a whole world, unknown, bright, alluring and frightening at the same time. Every country on this continent deserves the closest study, the most curious tourists and the most enthusiastic reviews.

Previous photo 1/ 1 Next photo

How to get there

Airfare to South America varies significantly on regular days and during sales. If a regular ticket can cost an average of 1,700-2,000 USD, then sale and promotional tickets can be bought with a discount of up to 50%. The most profitable thing for Russians is to buy a ticket to Venezuela (the cheapest one can be bought for 500-810 USD on the days of maximum discounts). Or fly to the relatively massive countries of the Caribbean, such as Cuba and the Dominican Republic, from where by domestic flights to the mainland.

If you have the time and money, you can arrange for yourself an unforgettable ocean trip: the journey by boat to Buenos Aires will cost 1500-2000 EUR. Such a voyage will take much more time than a flight, because most often it is not just a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, but a full-fledged cruise with a call to the ports of Europe and Central America.

Transportation in South America

Air travel inside the continent is quite expensive, but widespread cruise travel by sea (the cost depends on the class of the liner). Railways used mainly for cargo transportation - very few passenger trains, but bus service is very common. Traveling by bus, of course, is less comfortable, but very economical (prices vary depending on the country and destinations - tourist or domestic). Also, there are very cheap car rentals here.

Weather

The climate is different in different parts of South America. In the north - the equatorial zone with the highest temperatures in January, in the south - the frosty polar zone. This is where you can meet New Year in a bikini under the scorching sun, and then go to a more familiar climatic zone for ski resort in the highlands of the Andes. In the south of the mainland, well-fed king penguins are walking with might and main - Antarctica is close!

Hotels

If you are visiting South America for the first time and are used to the international class of service, choose large hotel chains (preferably international). Rooms in them cost from 50-90 USD per day. Students and exotic lovers often settle in small hotels or private apartments - the cost can start from 15-20 USD per day. Appearance and the convenience of accommodation will depend on the country, proximity to popular resorts, and personal luck. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Iguazu Falls

Countries of South America

Venezuela- a state in the north of South America, washed by the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean... The capital is the city of Caracas. Here there are conditions for a beach holiday - luxurious beaches Caribbean coast, luxury secluded vacation on the island of Margarita, and for the active: national park Avila near Caracas, Amazon jungle, the highest waterfall on the planet - Angel, the longest in the world cable car 12.6 km long and the highest mountain peak in the country - Pico Bolivar (4981 m).

Guyana- a state on the northeastern coast of South America. The capital is Georgetown. Almost 90% of the country is wet jungle. It is because of the unfavorable conditions for tourism in the traditional sense that Guyana is visited primarily by ecotourists. They were chosen by the waterfalls of the Guiana Highlands, the Pakaraima mountains, National parks Kaieteur and Ivokrama, where visitors learn the wisdom of rafting, as well as make trekking and horseback riding trips along the savannas of Rupununi.

Guiana(or French Guiana) is the largest overseas region of France, located in the northeast of South America. A French visa is required to enter Guiana. Administrative center- the city of Cayenne. 96% of the country's territory is occupied by tropical forests - this region is one of the most wooded and ecologically clean in the world. Tourist centers and villages local residents concentrated in the coastal strip, central areas practically deserted.

Colombia- a state in the northwest of South America, named after the great traveler. The capital is Bogota. For Russians, visa-free entry to Colombia is allowed for up to 90 days. This country is famous for its historical heritage, many museums and an amazing fusion of European culture, brought by the Spanish conquistadors in the 15th century, and Native American, which is still carefully preserved in some parts of the country. Colombia has stunning natural surroundings: national parks, the peaks of the Sierra Nevada, the Amazon basin, palm valleys and coffee plantations.

Paraguay called the heart of America, because this country is landlocked. Its population has retained its originality: the Guarani Indian dialect is here the state language along with Spanish. The capital is Asuncion. "Guiana" is translated from Guaranian as "great river" - meaning Rio Paraguay (the third largest river in the continent for the full flow and length), dividing the country into the arid plain of Gran Chaco and wet areas between Rio Paraguay and Rio Alta Parana. The country was chosen by ecotourists and connoisseurs of perfectly preserved architectural monuments period of the Jesuit state.

Peru- the state on west coast South America. The capital is Lima. Lovers of antiquities know Peru as a place of Inca settlement - the Inca state of Tahuantinsuyu was the largest empire of pre-Columbian America and still remains a mystery to ethnographers and archaeologists. Here is the famous Machu Picchu, which has become one of the new wonders of the world, and landscapes with mysterious Nazca lines, the origin of which scientists still cannot explain. In total, Peru has more than 180 museums and many archaeological parks lost in the Andes valleys.

For Russian tourists open visa-free travel to Peru for up to 90 days.

Suriname- a state in the northeast of South America. The capital is Paramaribo. People come here in search of ecotourism in unusual places: rainforests, waterfalls Atabru, Kau, Uonotobo, Ghalibi nature reserve, Sipalivini region, which occupies most of the territory, reservations of the Trio, Akurio and Huayana Indians.

Uruguay- a state in the southeast of South America. The capital is Montevideo. If you want to relax on the beach, come to Uruguay between January and April. Connoisseurs of colonial architecture will surely enjoy the sights of Cologna and Montevideo. Every year, a month and a half before Easter, two days before Lent, Catholics in Uruguay hold a colorful carnival.

Visa-free travel to Uruguay is open for Russian tourists for up to 90 days.

Chile- a state in the southwest of South America, occupying a long strip from the coast of the Pacific Ocean to the highlands of the Andes. The capital is Santiago. Balneological tourism is widespread in Chile (33 sanatorium bases with water and mud therapy), beach vacation(areas of Arica, Iquique, Valparaiso), as well as trips to the national parks of La Campana, Torres del Paine, to Lake San Rafael, to the towns of Altiplano and San Pedro and, of course, to the famous Easter Island. For lovers alpine skiing- 15 resorts with slopes ranging from the most extreme to the easiest.

Ecuador is located in the northwest of the mainland and gets its name from the Spanish "equator". The capital is Quito. Particularly noteworthy are the Galapagos Islands, famous not only for their fauna, but also for fantastic beaches, the Oriente National Park and a trip along the Amazon, the El Qayas region with 200 lakes and lagoons, the Ingapirca monument of ancient culture and museums of the colonial and pre-colonial eras in Quito.

For Russian tourists introduced visa-free regime visiting Ecuador for up to 90 days.

In addition, South America includes the disputed island territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, as well as the Fokland (Malvinas) Islands, which the United Kingdom and Argentina are still arguing about. Tourists arrive on the islands as part of cruise tours. The most common activities are mountaineering, hiking and kayaking and kayaking. The Fokland (Malvinas) Islands are almost forgotten by tourists. In terms of climate, their territory is close to Iceland: cold, strong winds, and not only seagulls scurry along the coast, but also well-fed king penguins.

South America nature

After the disintegration of the mainland of Gondwana at the end of the Cretaceous period into Africa, Australia, Antarctica and South America, the latter remained a separate continent. The Isthmus of Panama, which connects the present North and South America, appeared about three million years ago, significantly influencing the flora and fauna of the continent.

Variety of landscapes and climatic zones boggles the imagination of a tourist. The Andes, the world's longest mountain range, is also called the "ridge" of South America, stretching almost its entire length for 9 thousand km. The most high peaks- Aconcagua (6960 m) in Argentina and Ojos del Salado (6908 m) covered with snow all year round... The ongoing movement of the earth's crust in this region causes earthquakes and eruptions of active volcanoes.

The famous Amazon River flows here, the second largest river on the planet, always full-flowing thanks to its numerous tributaries. On its shores, the endless Amazonian jungle rises, so dense that some of its sites remain unexplored to this day.

The Amazonian jungle is called the "lungs of the planet."

In contrast to the rainforests of the Amazon on the mainland, there is one of the driest places on the planet - the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. In Argentina and Uruguay, the hot and dusty steppes of the Pampa stretch out.

There are also vast lakes in South America, and high waterfalls, and rocky islands. From the north, the mainland is washed warm waters Caribbean, while its southernmost point - the island of Tierra del Fuego - is subject to frequent storms from the cold Atlantic Ocean.