Europe
Europe is the continental landmass consisting of the major peninsulas of Eurasia, and covering some 15% of the world's land area. It is bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean; the north by the Arctic Ocean and Barents Sea; the east by the Ural Mountains; and on the south by the Caspian, Black, and Mediterranean Seas (a second mountain range, the Caucasus, serves as a land boundary between the Caspian and Black seas).
Land
Topography
Climate
Drainage
The major rivers in western Europe originate in the mountain ranges of central Europe. The Rhine, Rhone, Elbe, Seine and Vistula flow from the Alps and the Balkans northward, emptying into the English Channel, North and Baltic seas; the Po and Rubicon rivers flow into the Mediterranean Sea, while the Danube flows into the Black Sea. Long a navigable river, the Danube is further connected via locks and canals to the Rhine, ensuring a centuries-long free flow of commerce from both sides of Europe into the interior. In eastern Europe the major rivers flow towards the south, emtying in the Black and Caspian seas; among them are the Dnepr, Donets, and Volga. With the exception of the Mediterranean rivers, all European rivers have an even rate of flow as a result of an even spread of yearly precipitation; the faster-flowing rivers, particularly in the mountain highlands and Scandinavia, also aid in the production of hydroelectric power for home and industry.
Flora
Fauna
The lakes and rivers support an abundance of fish, including trout and salmon, while the coastal areas and inland seas support tuna, sardines, sturgeon, cod, haddock, halibut, and many others. Birds are widespread as well, including eagles, storks, ravens, and seabirds.
Although there are many mammal species on the continent (deer, lemmings, beaver, etc), they have been hard hit as a result of man's long occupation in Europe. The once common brown bear (Ursus arctos) is now restricted to isolated pockets of the Pyrennees and the far north of Scandinavia. The wisent (Bison bonasus), the largest mammal on the continent, has been over-hunted so extensively that only a few managed herds survive in central Poland, while a relative, the larger aurochs (Bos primigenius) was killed off by 1627.