EU countries (European Union) have grown significantly in number in recent decades. Until the summer of 2011, this union was called Western European. The list of European countries is extensive, but not all countries from this list are included in the European Union.
Background and the creation of the European Union
Today this community is very similar to the deceased USSR, and it was formed in 1948 as a counterweight to the "eastern monster." The above-mentioned reason for creating a new entity is to prevent Germany from being reborn as an independent single state, and preventing the revival of fascism after the end of the war.
A separate discussion could take place on the position of Germany in the bosom of the European Union: it is a locomotive that draws on itself almost the entire economy of the community. The European Union, of course, has differences with the Soviet Union.
Similarities and differences
There is no single currency. But the federal structure has general legislation, you can use a common cash desk, a single central bank and customs space. Management is also akin to a planned economy, a command-administrative board.
For example, at the top, all the limits for sown areas for crops are approved. This applies to every country in the European Union. The list of results is truly depressing.
The Greeks in the sultry and fertile south buy Dutch vegetables and do not have the right to trade in the territory of the European Union an original Greek product - olive oil. The Czech Republic also stopped growing vegetables, but rape is growing, oil from which is added even to diesel fuel. There is almost no good oil in the Czech Republic now. But in this way the profitability among agricultural producers increases.
Foreign policy
This has been solved more successfully than economic tasks. The list of European countries that have developed a unified and integral foreign policy with an almost complete absence of disagreement can not be compiled, since Brussels unanimously decides whom to pardon and who to execute.
Recent years, however, have shown some slippage; the global economic crisis has made governments less bold and friendly. Still: the loss of eastern markets due to sanctions against Russia could well lead the least wealthy owners to complete economic degradation.
Legislation and executive bodies
There are the most similarities with the Soviet Union: only parliament has a multi-party basis, but everything else is present: the European Commission as the executive body is headed by the chairman, and the European Council consists of the heads of the EU member states. The European Parliament monitors the law (with its chairman), together with the Council of the European Union.
So much for the Politburo with the Central Committee of the CPSU, the congresses of the party with the Supreme Council, the Secretary General is present, and even the chairman of the presidium! But there is no constitution yet.
Borders between countries are arbitrary, customs points have been abolished, free movement of all citizens within the community. But labor markets are governed by strict regulations and require permission from the authorities for employment. This is practiced by all countries of the European Community. The list of conveniences and inconveniences of life in modern Europe goes on and on.
The list of European countries is constantly changing. Currently, Europe has 44 states. Not only the quantity but also the name is changing. Recent metamorphoses: the Soviet Union during the collapse gave Europe Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. In the same circumstances, Yugoslavia replenished the continent with Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. But the GDR and the Federal Republic of Germany became one Germany.
This process has not abated. Not only European countries and their capitals are boiling, the list of unpleasant consequences of the global crisis is extensive and eloquent. Strong separatism in Catalonia and in the area where the Basques live (this is in Spain), in Scotland and northern Ireland (this is the United Kingdom), Flanders worries in Belgium. They are trying in every possible way to recognize Kosovo as a separate state (this is Serbia). The borders of European countries, if we put the maps of recent years nearby, have become unrecognizable. Therefore, the list of European countries with capitals should be considered temporary.
Austria
Republic. 8.5 million people. Austria's capital city - Vienna. The official language is German.
Albania
Republic. The population of 2.830 million. The capital of Albania is Tirana. The official language is Albanian.
Andorra
Principality. Dwarf European state. 700 thousand people. The main city is Andorra la Vella. The official language is Catalan, but in fact it is replaced by Spanish and French.
Belarus
Republic of Belarus. 9.5 million people. The capital city of Belarus is Minsk. The official languages are Russian and Belarusian.
Belgium
Kingdom. 11.2 million people. The capital of Belgium is Brussels. The official languages are Dutch, German, French.
Bulgaria
Republic. 7.2 million people. The capital city of Bulgaria is Sofia. The administrative language is Bulgarian.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Confederation, Federation, Republic. The population is 3.7 million. The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is Sarajevo. The official languages are Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian.
Vatican
Absolute monarchy, theocracy. The dwarf enclave state associated with Italy. City in the city, 832 people. Latin, italian.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom, including Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Parliamentary monarchy. 63.4 million people. The main city of Great Britain is London. English.
Hungary
Parliamentary republic. The population is 9.85 million. The capital of Hungary is Budapest. The official language is Hungarian.
Germany
Federal Republic. The population is 80 million. The main city of Germany is Berlin. The administrative language is German.
Greece
Republic. The population is 11.3 million. The capital city of Greece is Athens. The official language is Greek.
Denmark
Kingdom. 5.7 million people. The capital city of Denmark is Copenhagen. The official language is Danish.
Ireland
Republic. The population is 4.6 million. The capital of Ireland is Dublin. The official languages are Irish and English.
Iceland
Parliamentary republic. 322 thousand people. The main city of Iceland is Reykjavik. The official language is Icelandic.
Spain
Kingdom. The population is 47.3 million. The capital of Spain is Madrid. The official language is Spanish.
Italy
Republic. 60.8 million people. All Italian roads lead to Rome. The official language is Italian.
Latvia
Republic. The population is 1.9 million. The capital of Latvia is Riga. The state language is Latvian.
Lithuania
Republic. 2.9 million people. The main city of Lithuania is Vilnius. The official language is Lithuanian.
Liechtenstein
Principality. A dwarf state associated with Switzerland. The population is 37 thousand. The capital of Liechtenstein is Vaduz. The official language is German.
Luxembourg
Grand Duchy. 550 thousand people. The capital of Luxembourg is Luxembourg. The official language is Luxembourgish, French, German.
Macedonia
Republic. The population is 2 million. The capital of Macedonia is Skopje. The official language is Macedonian.
Malta
Republic. The population is 452 thousand. Malta's main city is Valletta. The official languages are Maltese and English.
Moldova
Republic. The capital is Chisinau. 3.5 million people. The administrative language is Moldavian.
Monaco
Principality. A dwarf state associated with France. 37.8 thousand people. The official language is French.
Netherlands
Kingdom. The population is 16.8 million. The capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam. The official languages are West Frisian and Dutch.
Norway
Kingdom. The population of 5.1 million people. The main city of Norway is Oslo. The official languages are Norwegian and Sami.
Poland
Republic. The population is 38.3 million. The capital city of Poland is Warsaw. The state language is Polish.
Portugal
Republic. 10.7 million people. The capital of Portugal is Lisbon. The official languages are Portuguese and Miranda.
Russia
Federation. The population is 146.3 million. The capital city of Russia is Moscow. National language - Russian.
Romania
Parliamentary republic. unitary state. 19 million people. The capital of Romania is Bucharest. The administrative language is Romanian.
San marino
The Serene Republic. The population is 32 thousand. The capital of San Marino is San Marino. The official language is Italian.
Serbia
Republic. 7.2 million people. The main city of Serbia is Belgrade. The official language is Serbian.
Slovakia
Republic. 5.4 million people. The capital city of Slovakia is Bratislava. The official language is Slovak.
Slovenia
Republic. The population is 2 million. The capital city of Slovenia is Ljubljana. The official language is Slovenian.
Ukraine
Unitary state plus parliamentary-presidential republic. The population is 42 million. The main city of Ukraine is Kiev. The state language is Ukrainian.
Finland
Republic. 5.5 million people. The capital of Finland is Helsinki. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish.
France
Republic. The population is 66.2 million. The main city of France is Paris. The official language is French.
Croatia
Republic. The population is 4.2 million. The capital is Zagreb. The official language is Croatian.
Montenegro
Republic. 622 thousand people. The capital city of Montenegro is Podgorica. The official language is Montenegrin.
Czech
Republic. The population is 10.5 million. The capital city of the Czech Republic is Prague. The official language is Czech.
Switzerland
Confederation. 8 million people. The capital of Switzerland is Bern. The official languages are German, French, Italian, Swiss.
Sweden
Kingdom. The population is 9.7 million. The capital of Sweden is Stockholm. The official language is Swedish.
