| Europe is the world's
second-smallest continent in terms of area, covering about 10,400,000 square
kilometers (4,010,000 sq mi) or 2.0% of the Earth's surface. The only
continent smaller than Europe is Australia. In terms of population, it is
the third-largest continent (after Asia and Africa) with a population of
some 710,000,000 or about 11% of the world's population. However, the term
continent can refer to a cultural and political distinction or a
physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europe's precise
borders, area, and population. The European Union (EU) comprising 27 member
states, is the largest political and economic entity by area and population
covering the European continent, while Russia (excluding portions in Asia),
a country, is the second largest entity. The European Union also has the
world's largest economy with an estimated nominal GDP of 13.4 trillion USD. |
