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European Union

European Union Geography Stats

Definitions

  • Agricultural land > % of land area: Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.
  • Arable land > % of land area: Arable land (% of land area). Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.
  • Area > Comparative: The area of various small countries expressed in comparison to various areas within the United States of America.
  • Area > Comparative to US places: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
  • Area > Total: Total area in square kilometers
  • Area > Total > Per capita: Total area in square kilometers Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Area > Total per 1000: Total area in square kilometers. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Climate: A brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
  • Coastline: The total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
  • Coastline per 1000: The total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Elevation extremes > Highest point: Highest point above sea level
  • Forest area > % of land area: Forest area is land under natural or planted stands of trees of at least 5 meters in situ, whether productive or not, and excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems (for example, in fruit plantations and agroforestry systems) and trees in urban parks and gardens."
  • Forest area > Sq. km: Forest area is land under natural or planted stands of trees of at least 5 meters in situ, whether productive or not, and excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems (for example, in fruit plantations and agroforestry systems) and trees in urban parks and gardens."
  • Irrigated land: The number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
  • Irrigated land per million: The number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Land area > Sq. km: Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes."
  • Land area > Sq. km > Per capita: Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes." Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Land boundaries > Border countries: Length of land boundaries by border country
  • Land boundaries > Total: The total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries
  • Land boundaries > Total per million: The total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Location: The country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
  • Low-lying areas > Elevation under 5 metres > % of land area: Land area where elevation is below 5 meters (% of total land area). Land area below 5m is the percentage of total land where the elevation is 5 meters or less.
  • Map references: The name of the CIA World Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.
  • Maritime claims: Includes the contiguous zone, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone, exclusive fishing zone, and territorial sea. Full and definitive definitions can be found in the Law of the Sea (LOS) Convention
  • Natural hazards: Potential natural disasters.
  • Natural resources: A country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.
  • Population living in areas where elevation is below 5 meters > % of total population: Population living in areas where elevation is below 5 meters (% of total population). Population below 5m is the percentage of the total population living in areas where the elevation is 5 meters or less.
  • Road density > Km of road per 100 sq. km of land area: Road density (km of road per 100 sq. km of land area). Road density is the ratio of the length of the country's total road network to the country's land area. The road network includes all roads in the country: motorways, highways, main or national roads, secondary or regional roads, and other urban and rural roads.
  • Terrain: A brief description of the topography
  • Terrestrial and marine protected areas > % of total territorial area: Terrestrial and marine protected areas (% of total territorial area). Terrestrial protected areas are totally or partially protected areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities as scientific reserves with limited public access, national parks, natural monuments, nature reserves or wildlife sanctuaries, protected landscapes, and areas managed mainly for sustainable use. Marine protected areas are areas of intertidal or subtidal terrain--and overlying water and associated flora and fauna and historical and cultural features--that have been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment. Sites protected under local or provincial law are excluded.
  • Terrestrial protected areas > % of total land area: Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area). Terrestrial protected areas are totally or partially protected areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities as scientific reserves with limited public access, national parks, natural monuments, nature reserves or wildlife sanctuaries, protected landscapes, and areas managed mainly for sustainable use. Marine areas, unclassified areas, littoral (intertidal) areas, and sites protected under local or provincial law are excluded.
  • Total area > Sq. km: Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways."
STAT AMOUNT DATE RANK HISTORY
Agricultural land > % of land area 45.49% 2007 79th out of 197
Arable land > % of land area 25.57% 2011 37th out of 204
Area > Comparative less than one-half the size of the US 2003
Area > Comparative to US places less than one-half the size of the US 2008
Area > Total 4.32 million sq km 2008 13th out of 247
Area > Total > Per capita 8.81 sq km per 1,000 people 2008 140th out of 228
Area > Total per 1000 8.59 sq km 2008 127th out of 199
Climate cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south 2011
Coastline 65,992.9 km 2011 5th out of 225
Coastline per 1000 0.13 km 2011 89th out of 161
Elevation extremes > Highest point Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border between France and Italy 2008
Forest area > % of land area 37.54% 2007 67th out of 195
Forest area > Sq. km 1.57 million 2007 7th out of 195
Irrigated land 131,250 sq km 2003 5th out of 169
Irrigated land per million 266.44 sq km 2003 72nd out of 162
Land area > Sq. km 4.18 million sq km 2008 7th out of 199
Land area > Sq. km > Per capita 8.52 per 1,000 people 2008 128th out of 198
Land boundaries > Border countries Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km, Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km 2011
Land boundaries > Total 12,440.8 km 2008 5th out of 164
Land boundaries > Total per million 24.7 km 2008 144th out of 153
Location Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east 2008
Low-lying areas > Elevation under 5 metres > % of land area 3.31% 2000 89th out of 206
Map references Central America and the Caribbean 2011
Maritime claims NA 2003
Natural hazards flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic 2011
Natural resources iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish 2008
Population living in areas where elevation is below 5 meters > % of total population 7.36% 2000 84th out of 206
Road density > Km of road per 100 sq. km of land area 130.08 sq. km 2010 22nd out of 92
Terrain fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the central and southern areas 2008
Terrestrial and marine protected areas > % of total territorial area 25.08% 2012 35th out of 202
Terrestrial protected areas > % of total land area 25.72% 2012 40th out of 200
Total area > Sq. km 4.33 million 2008 7th out of 199

SOURCES: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.; Food and Agriculture Organization; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Food and Agriculture Organisation, electronic files and web site.; Center for International Earth Science Information Network; International Road Federation, World Road Statistics and electronic files, except where noted.; United Nations Environmental Program and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Citation

Did you know

  • Canada has a longer coastline than the USA, the European Union, Australia and Antarctica combined.

European Union Geography Profiles (Subcategories)

Area 5 Land boundaries 4

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