Countries in Europe

Europe is a region that encompasses Eurasia’s westernmost peninsula. Watershed divides the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, the Caucasus and the Ural Mountains, and rivers connecting the Black and Aegean Seas separate it from Asia. In 2016, the continent’s population was predicted to be around 738 million people.

Europe is the world’s second-smallest continent in terms of surface size, covering 10.18 million square kilometers (3.93 million square miles), or 2% of the Earth’s surface and 6.8% of the land area. Europe is made up of around 50 nations. Russia, which occupies 40% of the continent, is the biggest, while Vatican City is the smallest.

After Asia and Africa, Europe is the third most populated continent. In 2016, it had a population of 738 million people, accounting for 11% of the world’s population. At the moment, the continent is increasing at a pace of 0.3 percent. Europe has been in decline for some years, and most of its nations’ populations are quickly aging.

Countries with the Most People

Russia, which is technically in both Europe and Asia, is Europe’s most populated nation by a wide margin. Russia’s population of 143 million people is almost equal to the populations of the continent’s second and third most populated nations combined.

Russia is a unique case since its population is difficult to estimate, with Russian and CIA estimate differing by 3 million people. With a fast-dropping population growth rate and an aging population, the nation is also extremely reflective of all of Europe.

The following are Europe’s top ten most populated countries:

  • Russia has a population of 143.45 million people.
  • Germany has an estimated population of 81.4 million people.
  • France is a country in Western Europe (66.4 million)
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain (65.08 million)
  • Italy has a population of 60.93 million people.
  • Spain has a population of 46.42 million people.
  • Ukraine has a population of 42.85 million people.
  • Poland (population: 38.49 million)*
  • Romania (population: 19.82 million)*
  • Kazakhstan is a country in Central Asia (17.54 million)
  • Countries with an asterisk have a falling population.

The least populous countries are those that have the fewest people.

The country with the fewest people in Vatican City, has just over 800 people. In terms of both territory and population, it is also the world’s smallest internationally recognized sovereign state. The Vatican City State is a landlocked city-state with a walled enclave inside Rome, Italy. The Pope rules over Vatican City, which is the Holy See’s sovereign territory.

The following are Europe’s ten least populated nations (not territories):

  • The Vatican is the seat of the Pope (800)
  • San Marino is a country on the Mediterranean Sea (33,000)
  • Monaco is a small country in the Mediterranean (37,000)
  • Liechtenstein is a country in the European Union (37,000)
  • Andorra is a country in the Pyrenees (78,000)
  • Iceland is a small country with a (331,000)
  • Malta is a small island off the coast (425,000)
  • Luxembourg is a country in the European Union (570,000)
  • Montenegro is a country in the Balkans (620,000)
  • Cyprus is a small island in the Mediterranean (876,000)
  • Comparative Analysis of Other Continents

Europe is the third most populated continent after Asia and Africa in terms of surface area. Europe has a population density of 143 persons per square mile (compared to Asia’s 203/square mile), making it the second most densely inhabited continent in the world.

Although Europe leads the globe in terms of nations with slowing population growth and an aging population, this is a challenge that most industrialized countries will face at some time.

Increasing Population in Europe

By 2050, Europe is expected to lose 30 million working-age adults, while the number of people in their 80s and 90s will skyrocket. This article in the New York Times is worth reading if you want to understand more about Europe’s dwindling population and fertility rates.

Most European nations are grappling with the consequences of an older population, such as lower fertility rates as fewer women choose to have children throughout a lifetime.

The population of the European Union (EU) is predicted to peak in 2040, with the steepest population decreases occurring in Romania and Germany (-19%), Bulgaria (-27%), Latvia (-26%), Lithuania (-26%). (-20 percent ).

Russia, Europe’s biggest nation, is anticipated to shrink from 143 million people now to only 107 million by 2050.

Countries in Europe

 
Country2022 Population Density (km²)
Russia145,805,9478.53
Germany83,883,596234.89
United Kingdom68,497,907282.00
France65,584,518118.88
Italy60,262,770199.99
Spain46,719,14292.33
Ukraine43,192,12271.57
Poland37,739,785120.70
Romania19,031,33579.83
Netherlands17,211,447411.27
Belgium11,668,278382.22
Czech Republic10,736,784136.14
Greece10,316,63778.16
Sweden10,218,97122.69
Portugal10,140,570110.12
Hungary9,606,259103.26
Belarus9,432,80045.44
Austria9,066,710108.10
Switzerland8,773,637212.52
Serbia8,653,01697.93
Bulgaria6,844,59761.73
Denmark5,834,950135.40
Finland5,554,96016.41
Norway5,511,37017.02
Slovakia5,460,193111.35
Ireland5,020,19971.44
Croatia4,059,28671.73
Moldova4,013,171118.57
Bosnia And Herzegovina3,249,31763.45
Albania2,866,37499.71
Lithuania2,661,70840.76
North Macedonia2,081,30480.94
Slovenia2,078,034102.50
Latvia1,848,83728.64
Estonia1,321,91029.23
Cyprus1,223,387132.24
Luxembourg642,371248.40
Montenegro627,95045.46
Malta444,0331405.17
Iceland345,3933.35
Isle of Man85,732149.88
Andorra77,463165.52
Faroe Islands49,23335.34
Monaco39,78319694.55
Liechtenstein38,387239.92
San Marino34,085558.77
Gibraltar33,7045617.33
Vatican City7991815.91

Territories/Dependencies in Europe

TerritoryLatest Population Density (km²)
Jersey98,069845.42
Isle of Man83,314145.65
Guernsey65,150835.26
Faroe Islands52,96738.02
Gibraltar33,5735595.50
Aland Islands30,12919.07
Akrotiri and Dhekelia18,19571.63
Svalbard and Jan Mayen2,9390.05

 

Europe Population History / Europe Population Projections

Year PopulationDensity (km²)Growth Rate
2022748,590,76132.52-0.01%
2020748,669,52232.520.12%
2015744,054,63532.320.18%
2010737,365,86732.030.20%
2005730,163,83031.710.10%
2000726,352,88331.55-0.04%
1995727,706,36331.610.17%
1990721,484,39431.340.37%
1985708,154,14330.760.40%
1980694,123,71030.150.49%
1975677,418,80329.420.60%
1970657,411,80028.550.69%
1965635,249,17527.590.95%
1960605,870,49026.320.98%
1955577,103,15925.070.98%
1950549,720,66423.880.00%
 
Year PopulationDensity (km²)Growth Rate
2095635,014,07327.58-0.14%
2090639,471,13927.78-0.16%
2085644,512,73827.99-0.19%
2080650,714,49128.26-0.24%
2075658,420,56128.60-0.28%
2070667,737,49929.00-0.32%
2065678,449,17729.47-0.34%
2060689,949,22029.97-0.33%
2055701,280,19230.46-0.29%
2050711,641,48330.91-0.26%
2045720,814,12331.31-0.22%
2040728,940,79431.66-0.20%
2035736,212,69731.98-0.17%
2030742,392,50932.25-0.12%
2025746,856,33932.440.00%
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