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
Albania
Andorra
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
France
Greece
Italy
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
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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.
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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."
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- Geography of Tirane
- Geography of Albania
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.
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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.
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- Geography of Sarajevo
- Geography of Bosnia and Herzegovina
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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- Geography of Luxembourg
- Geography of the City of Luxembourg
Malta
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.
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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.
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- Geography of Monaco
- Geography of Monte Carlo
Montenegro
Montenegro is a mountainous country located south of Bosnia and Herzegovina along the Adriatic Sea. Montenegro declared its independence in 2006.
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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.
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- Geography of Portugal
- Geography of Oporto
- Geography of Lisbon
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.
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- Geography of the Republic of Macedonia
- Geography of Skopje
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.
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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.
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- Geography of Serbia
- Geography of Belgrade
- Geography of Novi Sad
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.
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- Geography of Ljubljana
- Geography of Slovenia
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.
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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.
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- Geography of Vatican City

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