Europe is the second smallest continent on the planet in terms of its surface area (10,2 million square kilometers), but has the third largest population of all the continents (720 million people).

Europe consists of over 50 countries. During different times in the continent's history, its borders have been defined differently, depending on where the geopolitical power of the continent has been centered. Nowadays, the term "Europe" is mostly used to mean the member states of the European Union.

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