Howstuffworks "Geography of Southern Europe"

what's inside: southern europe

Southern Europe is comprised of 20 countries including France and Austria, as well as many other smaller countries located primarily on Iberian, Italian and Balkan peninsulas.

Austria

Austria is a land-locked nation bordering Germany, Italy and several of the Baltic countries. The Austrian Alps dominate the landscape with the highest peak nearly 12,000 feet high. See more »

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Albania

The Republic of Albania is situated on the Balkan Peninsula and the Albanian name for the country is ShqipÃ©ri, meaning "Land of Eagles." See more »

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Andorra

Andorra is a small country in the mountains between France and Spain, and its isolation has kept it outside the history of mainstream Europe. See more »

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Geography of Andorra

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia-Herzegovina is bordered by Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. Before becoming independent in 1992, Bosnia-Herzegovina was a republic of Yugoslavia. See more »

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Croatia

Croatia is small coastal country with a tumultuous political history. The country sits on the Adriatic sea, with low-lying regions giving way to mountainous interiors. See more »

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France

France is the largest country in Western Europe, with a rich history in the arts and culture. Explore France's geography, economy and people in this section. See more »

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Greece

Greece, also called the Hellenic Republic, is known as the birthplace of western civilization. Explore the geography of Greece, its major cities and features. See more »

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Italy

Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula that extends into the central Mediterranean Sea. Italy has scenic mountains and coastal areas, and includes the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. See more »

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Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein is a small country encased within the Alps and the Rhine Valley. Learn more about the geography of Liechtenstein and its major geographical features in this section. See more »

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Geography of Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe, with an area of only 999 square miles, and much of the country is heavily wooded. Learn more about Luxembourg in this section. See more »

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Malta is most commonly thought of as one small island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily, but is actually an archipelago, with only the three largest islands being inhabited. See more »

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Geography of Malta

Monaco

Monaco is a small country in the south of France, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea. With a less than a square mile, it is smaller than any independent state except Vatican City. See more »

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Montenegro

Montenegro is a mountainous country located south of Bosnia and Herzegovina along the Adriatic Sea. Montenegro declared its independence in 2006. See more »

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Geography of Montenegro

Portugal

Portugal borders Spain to the East and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. It is quite rugged in the North and has rolling plains in the South. Portugal is about the size of Indiana. See more »

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Republic of Macedonia

The Republic of Macedonia is a former Yugoslav Republic and a country on the Balkan Peninsula. It borders Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, and Serbia and Montenegro. See more »

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San Marino

San Marino is country that is completely surrounded by Italy. It is the third smallest country in Europe and is surrounded by the Apennines. See more »

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Geography of San Marino

Serbia and Montenegro

The blue Danube River runs through the middle of Serbia as well as the country's capital city of Belgrade. The terrain is extremely varied from rich farmland to limestone mountain ranges. See more »

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Slovenia

Slovenia is a small, mountainous European country just south of Austria with the westernmost edge bordering the Adriatic Sea for only about 35 miles. See more »

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Spain

Spain is one of the largest European countries and is separated from France by the Pyrenees mountain range. Spain also has several islands in the Mediterranean Sea. See more »

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Vatican City

The Vatican City, also known as Holy See, is a walled sovereign city-state within Rome, the capital of Italy. The Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world. See more »

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Geography of Vatican City

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Geography of Croatia

Croatia, or Republic of Croatia, a country in eastern Europe. Croatia lies in the northwest part of the Balkan Peninsula and includes all of the historic regions of Dalmatia and Slavonia, and most of the historic region of Istria.