Europe is one of the seven continents that make up the Earth’s surface. There are a few unique facts regarding this landmass that you should be aware of.
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Origins Of The Term “Europe”
There are various hypotheses on where the term “Europe” came from. One of the most prevalent theories is that the European continent was named after a Phoenician princess named Europa who was abducted by Zeus.
According to ancient Greek linguists, the princess’ name may be derived from the words Eurys and Ops, which roughly translate to “wide, broad” and “eye and face,” respectively.
When these words are combined, they mean “wide-eyed” or “broad-minded.” Some historians believe that the term “Europe” was coined to express the Greeks’ vision of the continent’s extensive beaches, rather than the goddess Europa.
Europe’s First Hominid Inhabitants
Human ancestors are thought to have first settled on the European continent circa 38,000 BCE, during the Upper Paleolithic period.
Scholars and historians think the earliest Europeans to settle in the region were from western and central Asia. During this time, Europe was mostly occupied by Neanderthals, who are distant cousins of modern humans rather than direct relatives.
Neanderthals were a hominid species that lived between 120,000 and 35,000 years ago, during the Ice Age. Neanderthal communities, which are now extinct, predate the arrival of early humans in Europe, which is considered to have occurred some 40,000 years ago.
The Worst Pandemic in European History (So Far)
The planet was decimated between 1346 and 1353 by the first outbreak of the Black Death ( Bubonic plague). During this time, Europe, in particular, sustained tremendous casualties.
This horrific pandemic, often known as the Plague or Pestilence, raced across the world, killing up to 60% of the whole population of Europe. Between 25,000,000 and 75,000,000 people are said to have died as a result of this vicious disease.
Population, Land Mass, and Borders
According to Worldometer, the population of Europe is expected to reach 747,696,000 people in 2020. This figure represents around ten percent of all human people on the earth right now.
Europe is typically recognized as a cosmopolitan continent, with a current population density of around 188 persons per square mile.
Despite having a total land area of just 3,931,000 square miles (10.18 million km2), Europe is the world’s third-most populous continent, after Asia (4,646,446,00) and Africa (4,646,446,00). (1,345,058,000).
The actual number of European states is difficult to estimate due to a variety of variables such as geography and political issues, with most figures ranging from 44 to 51.
Some nations, such as Russia, Georgia, and Turkey, span both continental Asia and Europe and are regarded to be part of the Eurasian supercontinent, which adds to the confusion.
It’s worth noting that, despite the fact that the European Union was founded in 1993 by a vast coalition of European states, not all European countries opted to join this economic and political union. The European Union now consists of 27 members nations.5.
Prominent Cities
The European Union now consists of 27 members nations.5.
The following are Europe’s five most populated cities:
- Istanbul, Turkey is number one (15,519,267)
- Moscow, Russia is number two (12,506,468)
- London, United Kingdom is number three. (9,126,366)
- Russia’s St. Petersburg (5,351,935)
- Berlin, Germany is number five (3,748,148)
In the top 10 most populous cities, Madrid, Spain has 3,223,334, Kyiv, Ukraine has 2,950,800, Rome has 2,860,009, Paris has 2,148,271, and Bucharest has 1,148,271. (1,883,425).