Europe is one of Earth's seven continents, though it's actually connected to Asia and forms part of a larger landmass called Eurasia. Geographers traditionally mark Europe's eastern boundary at Russia's Ural Mountains. Europe includes about 50 countries, from tiny Vatican City to Russia, the world's largest country by area.

Europe has played an outsized role in world history despite being the second-smallest continent. Ancient Greek philosophers asked questions about truth and justice that people still debate today. The Roman Empire built roads, aqueducts, and systems of law that influenced civilizations for centuries. During the Renaissance, European artists and inventors like Leonardo da Vinci created masterpieces and designed flying machines. European explorers like Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan sailed across oceans, mapping the world.

Europe gave birth to the Industrial Revolution, when new machines and factories transformed how people worked and lived. European scientists made breakthrough discoveries in physics, medicine, and chemistry. European composers like Mozart and Beethoven wrote music performed everywhere today. European writers created stories that became classics worldwide.

The continent contains remarkable diversity: Norway's dramatic fjords, Switzerland's Alps, Greece's sunny islands, and the Netherlands' flat countryside crisscrossed by canals. People speak dozens of languages, from Spanish and German to Polish and Finnish. Many countries now cooperate through the European Union, which helps people and goods move freely across borders.