Talk:Europe

Peninsula?

Europa has quite a big landborder with Asia. Unlike most peninsulas, there is no clear boundary between it and the landmass it's connected to. Why is Europe called a peninsula in this article instead of a subcontinent, or just a region in Eurasia? Wikifan153 (talk) 16:52, 23 December 2022 (UTC)

This isn't the first time I've seen Europe described as a peninsula, and there is a source cited (https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/europe-human-geography), although I've been dubious about that classification for the same reasons you are. (It would be a more reasonable description IMO if the border of Europe ran from the Azov to the White Sea; I've seen historic maps that do that, using I think a combination of rivers to mark the boundary, but that's not the modern definition). The Peninsula article also contradicts that claim by saying that the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula. Is there a definitive definition or list of peninsulas that we can consult? Failing that, would it be better to say that Europe "has been described as" a peninsula, rather than that it is one? 14:36, 13 January 2023 (UTC)

If always find this tricky. When does something ceases to be an island (is the entire Eurasian continent an island), how narrow does an isthmus have to be to allow for a peninsula - and can we truly call the thousands of kilometers along the Ural narrow?? In fact it would almost make more sense to call South America a peninsula of North America connected through rather narrow Central America isthmus (but that never seems to be suggested for some reason). The given source national geographic just states, without any explanation or source, that Europe is a peninsula. As sources go I find such an unsourced, unexplained statement rather thin (even if from a respectable popular scientific journal). So in any case I think some additional sourcing would be needed. Arnoutf (talk) 21:09, 13 January 2023 (UTC)

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Add Cyprus on the map

Though Cyprus is included as a European state, it is absent (coloured grey rather than Green) on the map of Europe. Can a tech-savvy editor correct this? Politis (talk) 23:35, 30 January 2023 (UTC)

The map is based on traditional geography, not geopolitics, hence why only half of Russia is green etc. CMD (talk) 01:38, 31 January 2023 (UTC)

Can you expand with links to justify this one? ___ Politis (talk) 22:20, 31 January 2023 (UTC)

Different meanings of the work Europe are covered in the article. CMD (talk) 02:10, 1 February 2023 (UTC)

I think the article covers a number of possibilities and it justifies both your and my perception. It opens with,

"Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions".

According to the first part of the introduction, as a peninsula Cyprus, Malta etc are indeed excluded from Europe. But according to the second part, as a place of 'history and traditions', they are included in Europe. The more recent definition of Europe - and the article clearly tracks its shifting borders - includes Cyprus and Malta, as highlighted in the EU report for their membership (I do not have the report at hand just now). Politis (talk) 12:07, 3 February 2023 (UTC)

The Cyprus topic has nothing to do with being an island like Malta, it has to do with the geographic borders that existed most recently, before geographers moved on from the concept. There is no shifting border that included Cyprus, Cyprus became included due to the cultural conception of Europe, not the geographical one (culture obviously not lending itself to mapping in the same way). The way the maps in the article are set up is quite good at showing these, noting the geography as the base, but including places like Cyprus and Armenia in lists and labels. CMD (talk) 12:26, 3 February 2023 (UTC)

The maps are not that clear cut. In the map 'Köppen-Geiger climate classification map for Europe', Turkey in Europe is excluded from Europe. In the regional map Europe#/media/File:Grossgliederung Europas-en.svg, Cyprus is included as part of, Southeast Europe while Turkey in Europe is excluded. ASO. Malta is explained as, "Malta was considered an island of North-western Africa for centuries, but now it is considered to be part of Europe as well". But it is now mapped mostly as part of Europe. There is clear inconsistency. I have no objection to your definition but could you edit the article so as to have greater consistence? Just a thought. Politis (talk) 12:46, 3 February 2023 (UTC)

You're not wrong about the Köppen map, that's a weird one. The Grossgliederung Europas map though appears to be from a specific organisation, and so reflects that viewpoint. That seems reasonable in concept, although I don't know if that particular viewpoint is more due or not than other potential cultural divides. These are all vague human concepts, so even if we mostly describe the most common geographical boundaries, there will be some variation in the maps people produce. CMD (talk) 12:59, 3 February 2023 (UTC)

No religions in introduction?

The introductory paragraphs do a good job of synthetising the history of Europe, but they don't mention anything about religion, and especially of the shift from Paganism to Christianity and, in more recent times, the spread of more secular worldviews. Christianity in particular, while born in Asia, has had a pivotal importance in European history and still is extremely relevant on a cultural level. 79.30.92.106 (talk) 01:20, 9 February 2023 (UTC)

Total Area of Europe is less than total area of Russia

Why is the measure of total area of Europe indicated to be less than total area of Russia ? If there is a mention of the area of Europe excluding the area of Russia that is not easily apparent. Solo-man (talk) 22:27, 6 March 2023 (UTC)

Does it say that explicitly? In any event, the area of Europe (including European Russia) is about 10 million km² and the area of Russia is about 17 million km², so what are you disagreeing with? Largoplazo (talk) 22:32, 6 March 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 16 March 2023

Remove UK its no longer part of the EU due to Brexit 71.169.177.139 (talk) 23:18, 16 March 2023 (UTC)

 Not done for now: please establish a consensus for this alteration before using the {{Edit semi-protected}} template. - FlightTime (open channel) 23:21, 16 March 2023 (UTC)

Being in Europe is not defined by EU membership. Largoplazo (talk) 23:43, 16 March 2023 (UTC)