Changes

Politically, most countries in the region are part of the [[European Union]], with Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom being notable exceptions, and most are part of the [[NATO]] military alliance.  The EU is slowly becoming a power in its own right, especially in economic affairs.  NATO has been the world's dominant military force, in large part because it is basically controlled by the United States.

Politically, most countries in the region are part of the [[European Union]], with Switzerland, Norway and the United Kingdom being notable exceptions, and most are part of the [[NATO]] military alliance.  The EU is slowly becoming a power in its own right, especially in economic affairs.  NATO has been the world's dominant military force, in large part because it is basically controlled by the United States.

In recent years centre-right parties have dominated in Europe, as typified by President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] of France, chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] of Germany and [[Vladimir Putin]] of [[Russia]] (though Putin is only adjusting himself; he is secretly still loyal to communism). Europe’s center-right parties have embraced many ideas associated with the left in the United States: generous welfare benefits, nationalized health care, sharp restrictions on carbon emissions, the ceding of some sovereignty to the European Union. But they have won elections by promising more efficiently than the left-wing parties, while working to lower taxes, improve financial regulation, and grapple with ageing populations. They have supported the United States in Afghanistan, participating heavily in the International Security Assistance Force. In general, labour unions are tied to the left in Europe and have the image of inefficiency and selfishness.  "Green" parties, emphasizing environmentalism, have drained off much of the younger leftist.<ref>Steven Erlanger, "In Bad Times for Capitalism, Socialists in Europe Suffer," [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/world/europe/29socialism.html?ref=world ''New York Times'' Sept. 29, 2009]</ref> Europe is generally a highly secularized continent containing many of the most atheistic countries in the world.

In recent years centre-right parties have dominated in Europe, as typified by President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] of France, chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] of Germany and [[Vladimir Putin]] of [[Russia]] (though Putin is only adjusting himself; he is secretly still loyal to communism). Europe's center-right parties have embraced many ideas associated with the left in the United States: generous welfare benefits, nationalized health care, sharp restrictions on carbon emissions, the ceding of some sovereignty to the European Union. But they have won elections by promising more efficiently than the left-wing parties, while working to lower taxes, improve financial regulation, and grapple with ageing populations. They have supported the United States in Afghanistan, participating heavily in the International Security Assistance Force. In general, labour unions are tied to the left in Europe and have the image of inefficiency and selfishness.  "Green" parties, emphasizing environmentalism, have drained off much of the younger leftist.<ref>Steven Erlanger, "In Bad Times for Capitalism, Socialists in Europe Suffer," [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/world/europe/29socialism.html?ref=world ''New York Times'' Sept. 29, 2009]</ref> Europe is generally a highly secularized continent containing many of the most atheistic countries in the world.

   

   

==Land==

==Land==

[[File:Europe map CIA 2005.jpg|thumb|280px|Shaded relief map of Central and Western Europe]]

[[File:Europe map CIA 2005.jpg|thumb|280px|Shaded relief map of Central and Western Europe]]

There is no overall consensus over the eastern boundary of Europe, given that it is not a continent in the same sense as the others and is not a distinct tectonic plate. However, one of the most commonly suggested eastern borders is that of the Ural Mountains, a chain running north-south in present-day Russia.  The Caucasus, another mountain chain between the Black and Caspian Seas, forms the southern land boundary.  Its remaining boundaries are coastlines; the Arctic Ocean, the North and Norwegian Seas, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.  The northernmost point on the mainland is Cape Nordkinn, Norway; the southernmost is in Spain at Punta de Tarifa.

There is no overall consensus over the eastern boundary of Europe, given that it is not a continent in the same sense as the others and is not a distinct tectonic plate. However, one of the most commonly suggested eastern borders is that of the Ural Mountains, a chain running north–south in present-day Russia.  The Caucasus, another mountain chain between the Black and Caspian Seas, forms the southern land boundary.  Its remaining boundaries are coastlines; the Arctic Ocean, the North and Norwegian Seas, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.  The northernmost point on the mainland is Cape Nordkinn, Norway; the southernmost is in Spain at Punta de Tarifa.

===Climate===

===Climate===

Daniel Liechti, vice-president of the French National Evangelical Council, found that since 1970, a new evangelical church has opened in France every 10 days. The number of churches increased from 769 to 2,068 last year.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/World/2012/0712/In-a-France-suspicious-of-religion-evangelicalism-s-message-strikes-a-chord In a France suspicious of religion, evangelicalism's message strikes a chord]</ref>}}

Daniel Liechti, vice-president of the French National Evangelical Council, found that since 1970, a new evangelical church has opened in France every 10 days. The number of churches increased from 769 to 2,068 last year.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/World/2012/0712/In-a-France-suspicious-of-religion-evangelicalism-s-message-strikes-a-chord In a France suspicious of religion, evangelicalism's message strikes a chord]</ref>}}

[[File:Flag of France.png|thumbnail|250px|right|French scholars say, [[evangelicalism]] is likely the fastest-growing religion in [[France]] – defying all stereotypes about one of Europe’s most secular nations. In 2011, The number of evangelical churches increased from 769 to 2,068 in 2011.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/World/2012/0712/In-a-France-suspicious-of-religion-evangelicalism-s-message-strikes-a-chord In a France suspicious of religion, evangelicalism's message strikes a chord]</ref> ]]On March 17, 2014, the news website ''Deutsche Well'' reported that evangelical Christianity has doubled in [[Germany]] in the last 10 years.<ref>[http://www.dw.de/ghanaian-pastor-seeks-to-re-christianize-germany/a-17501259 Ghanaian pastor seeks to 're-Christianize' Germany]</ref>

[[File:Flag of France.png|thumbnail|250px|right|French scholars say, [[evangelicalism]] is likely the fastest-growing religion in [[France]] – defying all stereotypes about one of Europe's most secular nations. In 2011, The number of evangelical churches increased from 769 to 2,068 in 2011.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/World/2012/0712/In-a-France-suspicious-of-religion-evangelicalism-s-message-strikes-a-chord In a France suspicious of religion, evangelicalism's message strikes a chord]</ref> ]]On March 17, 2014, the news website ''Deutsche Well'' reported that evangelical Christianity has doubled in [[Germany]] in the last 10 years.<ref>[http://www.dw.de/ghanaian-pastor-seeks-to-re-christianize-germany/a-17501259 Ghanaian pastor seeks to 're-Christianize' Germany]</ref>

Church attendance in Greater [[London]] grew by 16% between 2005 and 2012.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> In addition, the latest immigrants to the UK as a whole mean British Christianity is becoming more charismatic and fundamentalist.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100019857/im-not-surprised-evangelical-christianity-is-on-the-rise/ I'm not surprised Evangelical Christianity is on the rise] by Ed West, ''The Telegraph'', December 14th, 2009</ref>

Church attendance in Greater [[London]] grew by 16% between 2005 and 2012.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> In addition, the latest immigrants to the UK as a whole mean British Christianity is becoming more charismatic and fundamentalist.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100019857/im-not-surprised-evangelical-christianity-is-on-the-rise/ I'm not surprised Evangelical Christianity is on the rise] by Ed West, ''The Telegraph'', December 14th, 2009</ref>

As time progresses, Europe is becoming increasingly less relevant economically (See: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXlsQdaEwXA Why Europe is Becoming Economically Irrelevant]).

As time progresses, Europe is becoming increasingly less relevant economically (See: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXlsQdaEwXA Why Europe is Becoming Economically Irrelevant]).

Professor [[John Joseph Mearsheimer]] is a prominent American political scientist and international relations scholar who belongs to the [[Realist school of international relations|realist school of international relations]] and teaches at the [[University of Chicago]]. Due to Europe's aging population, which is projected to shrink, and its various current and projected problems, Mearsheimer stated: “Europe doesn't matter anymore. You know, Europe is basically a giant museum.”<ref>[https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10989704-europe-doesn-t-matter-anymore-you-know-europe-is-basically-a John J. Mearsheimer > Quotes]</ref>

Professor [[John Joseph Mearsheimer]] is a prominent American political scientist and international relations scholar who belongs to the [[realist school of international relations]] and teaches at the [[University of Chicago]]. Due to Europe's aging population, which is projected to shrink, and its various current and projected problems, Mearsheimer stated: “Europe doesn't matter anymore. You know, Europe is basically a giant museum.”<ref>[https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10989704-europe-doesn-t-matter-anymore-you-know-europe-is-basically-a John J. Mearsheimer > Quotes]</ref>

For more information, please see: [[Decline of Europe]]

For more information, please see: [[Decline of Europe]]