Western Europe
Western Europe is a geographic region of Europe. This term does not have an exact definition. Some definitions include countries like Spain and the United Kingdom, while some don't. Its use has changed over time. During the Middle Ages, the European parts of the Western World included those countries following Catholicism or Protestantism. During the Cold War, Western Europe was a geographic and socio-political concept. It meant the democratic European countries of the First World, which are also vaguely defined. It was and still is distinguished from Eastern Europe by differences of economics, politics, and religion.
At its widest medieval definition, it includes the following 23 countries:
Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Monaco
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
San Marino
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Vatican City
Many, such as Norway, are also in Northern Europe or in Central Europe or Southern Europe.
Today, the term "Western Europe" has to do with geography and with economics. The concept is commonly associated with liberal democracy, socialism and also with the European Union, though that also has some countries of Eastern Europe.
Most of the countries in the region share Western culture, and many have economic, and political ties with countries in North and South America and Oceania.
In addition, Scandinavia (in Northern Europe) is commonly associated with social democracy and remains fairly neutral throughout international disputes. The Iberian Peninsula, the most western part of Europe is similarly closely linked to the Americas.
It is a monotonous area with long and irregular coastlines.
Western Europe Media
Video taken by the crew of Expedition 29 on board the ISS on a pass over Western Europe in 2011
Political spheres of influence in Europe during the Cold War; neutral countries (shaded gray or light blue) considered informally Western-oriented but not formally aligned to the West
Former Western European Union – its members and associates
Regions of Europe based on CIA World Factbook:* Northern Europe* Western Europe* Central Europe* Southwest Europe* Southern Europe* Southeast Europe* Eastern Europe
European sub-regions according to EuroVoc:* Northern Europe* Western Europe* Southern Europe* Central and Eastern Europe
WEOG member and observer states
European climate. The Köppen-Geiger climates map is presented by the Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia and the Global Precipitation Climatology Center of the Deutscher Wetterdienst.
