Western Europe 33800 225538015 2008-07-14T05:31:52Z 74.73.39.250 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 225537630 by [[Special:Contributions/75.90.233.16|75.90.233.16]] ([[User talk:75.90.233.16|talk]]) {{Refimprove|date=September 2007}} {{weasel}} '''Western Europe''' at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of [[Europe]]'. The concept at different times has had different meanings, at times including political and cultural considerations as well as geographical. ==Classical antiquity and medieval origins== The earliest known distinctions between east and west in Europe originate in the history of the [[Roman Republic]]. As [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] domain expanded a cultural and linguistical division appeared between the mainly [[Koine Greek|Greek]]-speaking eastern provinces which had formed the highly urbanized [[Hellenistic civilization]]. On contrast the western territories largely adopted the [[Latin language]]. This cultural and linguistic division was eventually reinforced by the later political east-west division of the [[Roman Empire]] The division between these two spheres was enhanced during [[Late Antiquity]] and the [[Middle Ages]] by a number of events. The [[Western Roman Empire]] collapsed starting the [[Early Middle Ages]]. By contrast, the Eastern Roman Empire, mostly known as [[Byzantine Empire]], managed to survive and even to thrive for another 1000 years. The rise of the [[Carolingian Empire|Frankish Empire]] in the west, and in particular the [[East-West Schism|Great Schism]] that formally divided [[Eastern Orthodoxy]] and [[Roman Catholicism]], enhanced the cultural and religious distinctiveness between Eastern and Western Europe. The conquest of the Byzantine Empire, center of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], by the [[Muslim]] [[Ottoman Empire]] in the 15th century, and the gradual fragmentation of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] (which had replaced the [[Frankish Empire]]) led to a change of the importance of [[Roman Catholic]]/[[Protestant]] vs. [[Eastern Orthodox]] concept in Europe. Historical events like the [[Renaissance]], the [[Protestant Reformation]] by [[Martin Luther]] and the [[Counter-Reformation]] of the [[Catholic Church]], the [[Age of Enlightenment]], the [[French Revolution]], and the [[Industrial Revolution]] are considered to be common experiences which have shaped Western European culture and identity. During the [[Age of Discovery]], most of the Western European countries colonized [[Africa]], [[Asia]], [[South America|South]] and [[North America]]. All these historical events and cultural developments have influence over the ''Western European'' concept. [[Image:Iron Curtain Final.svg|thumb|right|250px|The borders of '''Western Europe''' were largely defined by the Cold War. The [[Iron Curtain]] separated the European members of [[NATO]] (in blue) from the members of the [[Warsaw Pact]] (in red). Neutral countries were classified by the nature of their political system.]] ==The Cold War== During the final stages of WWII the future of Europe was decided between the [[Allies]] in the 1945 [[Yalta Conference]], between the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, [[Winston Churchill]], the President of the [[United States]], [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]], and the Premier of the [[Soviet Union]], [[Joseph Stalin]]. '''Post-war Europe''' would be divided into two major spheres: the ''[[Western world#The Cold War|"West"]]'' and the ''[[Eastern Bloc]]'' dominated by the Soviet Union. With the onset of the Cold War, Europe was divided by the '''[[Iron Curtain]]'''. This term had been used during [[World War II]] by German [[Propagandaministerium|Propaganda Minister]] [[Joseph Goebbels]] and later Count [[Lutz Schwerin von Krosigk]] in the last days of the war; however, its use was hugely popularised by Winston Churchill, who used it in his famous "Sinews of Peace" address [[March 5]], [[1946]] at [[Westminster College, Missouri|Westminster College]] in [[Fulton, Missouri]]: {{cquote|From [[Szczecin|Stettin]] in the [[Baltic Sea|Baltic]] to [[Trieste]] in the [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] an ''iron curtain'' has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of [[Central and Eastern Europe]]. [[Warsaw]], [[Berlin]], [[Prague]], [[Vienna]], [[Budapest]], [[Belgrade]], [[Bucharest]] and [[Sofia]]; all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject, in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and in some cases increasing measure of control from [[Moscow]].}} Although some countries were officially [[Neutral country|neutral]], they were classified according to the nature of their political and economical systems. This division largely defined the popular perception and understanding of Western Europe and its borders with Eastern Europe till this day. ==A divided Europe== ===Eastern Europe=== Eastern Europe, in the view accepted after the [[second World War]], was mainly composed of all the European countries liberated and then occupied by the Soviet army. It included the [[German Democratic Republic]], widely known as '''East Germany''', formed by the [[Soviet occupation zone]] of Germany. All the countries in Eastern Europe had communist regimes imposed upon them. Most of these countries were officially independent from the Soviet Union, but the practical extent of this independence was quite limited. In some matters many of them were little more than [[Satellite state|client-state]]s of the Soviet Union. Currently, the borders of [[Eastern Europe]] are a topic of debate, especially because of the countries and people identifying themselves with [[Central Europe]] and denouncing the notion of "Easternity".{{Dubious|date=March 2008}} *Most of these countries were members of the military [[Warsaw pact]] and its economical twin [[COMECON]]. First and foremost was the Soviet Union (which by itself included [[Russia]], [[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]], [[Belarus]], [[Ukraine]], etc). Other countries dominated by the Soviet Union were the [[East Germany|German Democratic Republic]], [[Poland]], [[Czechoslovakia]], [[Hungary]], [[Bulgaria]], and [[Romania]]. *The [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]] (formed after WWII and before its later dismemberment) was '''not''' a member of the [[Warsaw Pact]]. It was a founding member of the [[Non-Aligned Movement]], an organization created in an attempt to avoid being assigned to any of the two blocs. It was demonstratively independent from the Soviet Union for most of the Cold War period, but because of its communist regime it was widely regarded part of the ''Eastern/communist bloc''. *[[Albania]] broke with the Soviet Union in the early 1960s as a result of the [[Sino-Soviet split]], aligning itself instead with China. Despite this, it had a communist regime and thus was considered part of the ''Eastern/communist bloc''. ===Western Europe=== At the end of the [[World War II]] almost all countries of ''Western Europe'' received economical assistance from the United States through the [[Marshall Plan]]. Most joined [[NATO]] and/or the [[European Community]] or its rival, the [[European Free Trade Association]]. Western Europe was and is composed by: *[[United Kingdom]] and [[France]], one of the several victors of the war. *The [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], and [[Luxembourg]] countries who had been occupied by [[Nazi Germany]] and subsequently liberated by the ''[[Western Allies]]''. *The [[West Germany|Federal Republic of Germany]], widely known as '''West Germany''', which had been formed by the [[Bizone|three occupation zones of Germany]] belonging to the ''Western Allies'' (USA, UK, and France). The whole of Germany is now regarded as Western Europe *[[Italy]], a former [[Axis Power]] who had surrendered and been occupied by the ''Western Allies''. *The [[Republic of Ireland]] gained its [[Anglo-Irish Treaty|independence]] in the 1922 from the United Kingdom. It [[The Emergency (Ireland)|stayed neutral]] during the war. It never joined NATO but it joined the European Union in 1973. *The [[Nordic countries]] were a peculiar case. [[Denmark]] and [[Norway]] had been conquered by Nazi Germany but were not liberated by the allies. During the war [[Iceland]], then still united with Denmark under a common king, had been [[Invasion of Iceland|invaded and occupied]] by the United Kingdom and the United States without any casualties by either side. In fact Iceland proclaimed its [[History of Iceland#World War II and the Establishment of the Republic|full independence]] during the war. *[[Sweden]] had managed to remain neutral throughout the war. *[[Finland]] had been a [[co-belligerent]] of Germany against the Soviet Union and it had been defeated, but was not conquered or occupied. (for further details see: [[Continuation War]]). The [[Paris Peace Treaties, 1947|peace treaty]] between Finland and the Soviet Union stipulated that the Soviet Union would [[Annexation|annex]] minor parts of Finland, and that Finland would have friendly relations with the Soviet Union (see also: [[Moscow Armistice]]). *[[Austria]] and [[Switzerland]] were also a peculiar case. Austria had been incorporated into Nazi Germany through the [[Anschluss]] before the war, while Switzerland had managed to remain neutral throughout the WWII. After the war both of them remained neutral, in the case of Austria through the [[Austrian State Treaty]]. Austria later joined the European Union but not NATO. Switzerland declined membership of NATO and the European Union and joined [[EFTA]] instead. Other countries also became increasingly part of ''Western Europe''. *Countries who were under the rule of dictators, [[Portugal]], [[Spain]], and [[Greece]] became parliamentarian democracies in the mid-1970s. The first two are situated in the geographic south-west of Europe, while the last one is located in the south-east of it. They joined NATO and also the European Union. *The [[European microstates]] of [[Vatican City]], [[San Marino]], [[Monaco]], [[Andorra]] and [[Liechtenstein]] are considered part of ''Western Europe'' but they are mainly overlooked. Many of these states have special agreements and treaties with the European Union. *The legal status of many of the [[Overseas territories]] in Europe ([[Gibraltar]], [[Channel Islands]], [[Faroe Islands]], etc) are peculiar and vary from case to case. Despite all that, they are also considered part of ''Western Europe''. *[[Malta]] is generally considered part of ''Western Europe''.<ref>United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: [http://www.ibe.unesco.org/links/weurope.htm Western Europe]</ref> ===Turkey=== *[[Turkey]], as a member of NATO was accepted as belonging to the Western bloc. However, it has yet to become a part of the European Union. Turkey is typically considered to be a [[transcontinental nation]] in both [[Southeastern Europe]] and [[Southwest Asia]]. ==Later political developments== The world changed dramatically with the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. The Federal Republic of Germany peacefully absorbed the Democratic Republic of Germany, leading to the [[German reunification]]. COMECON and the Warsaw Pact were dissolved, and in 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Several countries which had been part of the Soviet Union regained their full independence. Although the term ''Western Europe'' was largely defined of the Cold War, it still remains much in use. The term is commonly used in the media and in everyday use both in "western" and other regions of Europe. The term [[Central Europe]] reappeared. Germany for example is still often considered Western in some countries, but Germans (also politicians) consider Germany more and more Central European (see also [[German Wikipedia]]). ''Western Europe'' has increasingly less to do with the European Union. The 1995, 2004, and 2007 [[Enlargement of the European Union|enlargements]] saw many eastern countries joining the EU, and a view that Europe is divided strictly into the West and the East is sometimes considered patronising or pejorative by many in the nominally eastern countries. Though the majority in the West see a difference between their cultures and the former [[Eastern Bloc]] nations. ==Present time== ===Definition by the United Nations=== [[Image:Location-Europe-UNsubregions.png|right|thumb|250px|Contemporary statistical [[region]]s of Europe as delineated by the [[United Nations]] (UN definition of Western Europe marked light blue): {{legend|#4080FF|[[Northern Europe]]}} {{legend|#00FFFF|Western Europe}} {{legend|#FF8080|[[Eastern Europe]]}} {{legend|#00FF00|[[Southern Europe]]}}]] The [[United Nations]] definition considers Western Europe to consist of the following nine countries,<ref>[http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm#europe United Nations Statistics Division - Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings]</ref> except in the case of [[United Nations Regional Groups]], in which the term also includes northern and southern Europe: *{{flagcountry|Austria}} *{{flagcountry|Belgium}} *{{flagcountry|France}} *{{flagcountry|Germany}} *{{flagcountry|Liechtenstein}} *{{flagcountry|Luxembourg}} *{{flagcountry|Monaco}} *{{flagcountry|Netherlands}} *{{flagcountry|Switzerland}} ===Definition by the Western European Union=== The present definition, as geopolitically defined by the [[Western European Union]]. [[Image:WEU Map.svg|right|thumb|280px|[[Western European Union]] membership definition.{{legend|#E20E0E|Members}}]] * {{flagcountry|United Kingdom}} * {{flagcountry|France}} * {{flagcountry|Germany}} * {{flagcountry|Italy}} * {{flagcountry|Belgium}} * {{flagcountry|Netherlands}} * {{flagcountry|Luxembourg}} * {{flagcountry|Portugal}} * {{flagcountry|Spain}} * {{flagcountry|Greece}} ===Definition used in the CIA World Factbook=== [[Image:CIA Western-Europe-map2.png|right|thumb|250px|[[CIA World Factbook]] classification:{{legend|#FF9900|Western Europe}} {{legend|#FFBD59|Southwestern Europe}}]] The present definition, as geographically defined by the [[CIA World Factbook]]<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ CIA World Factbook]</ref> includes: Western Europe: *{{flagcountry|United Kingdom}} *{{flagcountry|Republic of Ireland}} *{{flagcountry|Isle of Man}} *{{flagcountry|Belgium}} *{{flagcountry|France}} *{{flagcountry|Netherlands}} *{{flagcountry|Luxembourg}} *{{flagcountry|Monaco}} Southwestern Europe: *{{flagcountry|Andorra}} *{{flagcountry|Gibraltar}} *{{flagcountry|Portugal}} *{{flagcountry|Spain}} ==See also== *[[Western European Union]] *[[Western world]] *[[First World]] *[[New Europe]] *[[Old Europe]] *[[Marshall Plan]] *[[Central Europe]] *[[Romano-Germanic culture]] ==References and notes== *''The Making of Europe'', ISBN 0-14-015409-4, by Robert Bartlett *''Crescent and Cross'', ISBN 1-84212-753-5, by [[Hugh Bicheno]] *''The Normans'', ISBN 0-7524-2881-0, by Trevor Rowley *''1066 The Year of the Three Battles'', ISBN 0-7126-6672-9, by Frank McLynn {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://unstats.un.org/unsd/methods/m49/m49regin.htm#europe The European sub-regions according to the UN] *[http://www.ibe.unesco.org/links/weurope.htm# Western Europe according to UNESCO] *[http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9217/europe.htm Teaching about Western Europe] *[http://www.westerneurope.info Western Europe.info] {{Regions of the world}} [[Category:Western Europe]] [[Category:Regions of Europe]] [[ar:أوروبا الغربية]] [[frp:Eropa du Ponant]] [[be:Заходняя Еўропа]] [[be-x-old:Заходняя Эўропа]] [[bs:Zapadna Evropa]] [[bg:Западна Европа]] [[ca:Europa Occidental]] [[cv:Хĕвеланăç енчи Европа]] [[cs:Západní Evropa]] [[cy:Gorllewin Ewrop]] [[da:Vesteuropa]] [[de:Westeuropa]] [[et:Lääne-Euroopa]] [[es:Europa Occidental]] [[eo:Okcidenta Eŭropo]] [[eu:Mendebaldeko Europa]] [[fa:اروپای غربی]] [[fr:Europe de l'Ouest]] [[fy:West-Jeropa]] [[gl:Europa Occidental]] [[ko:서유럽]] [[hr:Zapadna Europa]] [[id:Eropa Barat]] [[is:Vestur-Evrópa]] [[it:Europa occidentale]] [[he:מערב אירופה]] [[jv:Eropah Kulon]] [[kn:ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಯುರೋಪ್]] [[ka:დასავლეთი ევროპა]] [[sw:Ulaya ya Magharibi]] [[ku:Ewrûpaya Rojava]] [[lv:Rietumeiropa]] [[lt:Vakarų Europa]] [[hu:Nyugat-Európa]] [[mk:Западна Европа]] [[ms:Eropah Barat]] [[nl:West-Europa]] [[nds-nl:West-Europa]] [[ja:西ヨーロッパ]] [[no:Vest-Europa]] [[nn:Vest-Europa]] [[oc:Euròpa Occidentala]] [[pl:Europa Zachodnia]] [[pt:Europa Ocidental]] [[ro:Europa de Vest]] [[ru:Западная Европа]] [[simple:Western Europe]] [[sk:Západná Európa]] [[sl:Zahodna Evropa]] [[sr:Западна Европа]] [[sh:Zapadna Evropa]] [[fi:Länsi-Eurooppa]] [[sv:Västeuropa]] [[th:ยุโรปตะวันตก]] [[vi:Tây Âu]] [[tr:Batı Avrupa]] [[uk:Західна Європа]] [[vec:Eoropa oçidentałe]] [[wo:Sowwu Tugal]] [[yi:מערב אייראפע]] [[zh-yue:西歐]] [[zea:West-Europa]] [[zh:西欧]]