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Europe: Facts at a Glance

Europe is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. To the east and southeast, Europe is generally considered as separated from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways of the Turkish Straits. The term Europe comes from Greek mythology.
Created On: Jan 27, 2016 17:30 IST

Europe is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. To the east and southeast, Europe is generally considered as separated from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways of the Turkish Straits. The term "Europe" comes from Greek mythology. The continent was actually named after Europa, a Phoenician princess that Zeus abducted after he assumed the form of an impressive white bull.

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Instant Fact

Largest Agglomeration            

Moscow, Russia

Major Island                          

Gr. Britain (UK) [Greenland] belongs to Denmark situated in North America] Country with the Most Islands Greece, 1400 of which 227 are inhabited.

Major Rivers           

Volga, Danube ,Rhine, Thames,  Ural and Don

Major Lakes

Caspian Sea, and Ladozhskoye Ozero, Ladoga lake, north-western Russia, near Saint Petersburg, the largest lake in Europe. It is 201 km long (Western Europe: Lac Leman or Lac de Geneva)

Country with Most Number of Lakes

Finland, 55,000 that are 200 or more metres wide

Largest Desert

Pustynia Bledowska in Upper Silesia (Poland)

Major Mountain Ranges

Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians. Balkans, Apennines, Sierra, Nevada, Urals, Caucasus.

Most Volcanic Country

Iceland

Smallest state

Vatican City

Largest Urban Areas

Moscow (Russia), Istanbul (Turkey), London (United Kingdom), Paris (France), Milan (Italy), Madrid (Spain), St Petersburg (Russia), Frankfurt (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Berlin (Germany), Naples (Italy), Hamburg (Germany), Rome (Italy), Athens (Greece)

Largest Cities

Istanbul, Moscow, Russia, London, United Kingdom, St Petersburg (Russia),Atens, Berlin (Germany), Madrid (Spain),Kiev(Ukraine),Rome(Italy),Paris(France), Hamburg(Germany)

Greatest Ports

London, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Le
Havre, Hamburg, Genoa, and Marseille

Largest Ironwork and Glass Structure

The Grand Palais in Paris. Steel framework: 8.500tonnes, compared with 8.000 tonnes for the Eiffel Tower. Glass
area: galvanized iron roofing
('zinc')

First Railway in Continental Europe

Belgium Railway line (Brussels Mechelen) in 1835.

First Electric Railway

Werner von Siemens 600 yard
long Berlin electric track opened for the Berlin Trades Exhibition on 31 May, 1879.

First Metro

The London Underground. Service began on 10 January 1863.

Oldest metro-funicular

Construction of the Tunnel, a short funicular between Pera and Galata in Istanbul, began on"30 July 1871. The funicular opened to service on 5 December 1874.

Largest Subway System

The Moscow subway serves 3.2 bn. riders a year.

Longest Metro Line

Serpukhovsko- Timiryazevskaya
Line (line 9), Moscow, Russia)

Longest Railway Line

Trans-Siberian Express, from
Moscow through the Ural Mountains and across all of Asia to Vladivostok on the Sea of Japan. It covers a distance of 9288 km. The journey from Moscow to Vladivostok takes about 8 days 4 hand 25 minutes: There are 97 stops on the rail route. It crosses seven time zones.

Biggest Diamond Exporter

Antwerp (Belgium)

Major Wine and Champagne Producer

France

Origin of Scotch Whisky

Ireland

Highest Point

Russian Caucasus - Mt Elbrus
Western Europe: Mont Blanc in France

Lowest Point

Caspian Sea 28 m (Western Europe: Lemmefjord, Denmark and Alexander Polder,
Netherlands)

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