Europe

Europe

Largest Countries:
Russia, Ukraine
Number of Countries:
53
Land Area:
23M km² (15.46%)

Europe is the second-smallest and third-most populous continent on Earth, and is located on the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia. Europe comprises 15.46% of the world's land area, along with 9.3% of the world's current population. It also has the sixth-highest ranked growth rate today. Europe has been in a decline for some time, and its population is aging rapidly in most countries. The estimated population for Europe is approximately 744,094,971.

744,094,971
Total Population
32.32/km²
Density
9.3%
% of World Population

Europe Population by Country

< 1M
1M - 10M
10M - 50M
50M - 100M
100M - 300M
> 300M

50 countries

Country
Population
Density
Russia143,997,0008
Germany84,075,100235
United Kingdom69,551,300286
France66,650,800121
Italy59,146,300196
Spain47,890,00095
Ukraine38,980,40065
Poland38,140,900122
Romania18,908,60079
Netherlands18,346,800438
Belgium11,758,600385
Sweden10,656,60024
Czech Republic10,609,200135
Portugal10,411,800113
Greece9,938,84075
Hungary9,632,290104
Austria9,113,570109
Belarus8,997,60043
Switzerland8,967,410217
Bulgaria6,714,56061
Serbia6,689,04076
Denmark6,002,510139
Finland5,623,33017
Norway5,623,07017
Slovakia5,474,880112
Ireland5,308,04076
Croatia3,848,16068
Bosnia and Herzegovina3,140,10061
Moldova2,996,11089
Lithuania2,830,14043
Albania2,771,51096
Slovenia2,117,070104
Latvia1,853,56029
North Macedonia1,813,79071
Cyprus1,370,750148
Estonia1,344,23030
Luxembourg680,453263
Montenegro632,72946
Malta545,4051,726
Iceland398,2664
Jersey103,989896
Isle of Man84,118147
Andorra82,904177
Guernsey64,477827
Faroe Islands56,00240
Liechtenstein40,128251
Gibraltar40,1265,901
Monaco38,34118,981
San Marino33,572550
Vatican City5011,139

Europe Overview

Europe is a continent that comprises the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia. It’s usually divided from Asia by the watershed divides of the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, the Caucasus and Ural Mountains and waterways that connect the Black and Aegean Seas together. The continent’s estimated 2016 population is over 738 million.

Europe is the second-smallest continent by surface area and covers 10.18 million square kilometers (3.93 million square miles), or 2% of the Earth’s surface and 6.8% of the world’s land area. There are approximately 50 countries in Europe. The largest by size is Russia with 40% of the continent, and Vatican City is the smallest.

Europe is the third most populous continent behind Asia and Africa. Its population in 2016 is estimated at 738 million, which accounts for 11% of the world’s population. The continent is currently growing at a rate of 0.3%. Europe has been in a decline for some time and its population is aging rapidly in most countries.

Most Populous Countries in Europe

143,997,000

84,075,100

By far the most populous country in Europe is Russia, which is actually located in both Europe and Asia. Russia’s population of 143 million is almost equal to the combined populations of the 2nd and 3rd most populous countries on the continent.

Russia is a very interesting situation, as its population is very hard to determine with Russian and CIA estimates varying by 3 million. The country is also very representative of all of Europe with a rapidly declining population growth and an aging population.

Least Populous Countries in Europe

The least populous country in Europe is Vatican City with just over 800 residents. It’s also the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world, both in area and population. Vatican City is a landlocked city-state with a territory consisting of a walled enclave within Rome, Italy. Vatican City is ruled by the Pope and it’s the sovereign territory of the Holy See.

Europe's Population Growth

Europe Population

It’s projected that Europe will lose 30 million people of working age by 2050, while the number of people in their 80s and 90s will rise dramatically. This New York Times article is an interesting read for learning more about Europe’s declining population and fertility rates. Most European countries are dealing with the effects of an aging population, including fertility rates below replacement level as fewer women have children in favor of a career. The population of the European Union (EU) is now expected to peak in 2040 with the sharpest population declines in Romania and Germany (-19%), Bulgaria (-27%), Latvia (-26%) and Lithuania (-20%).

Europe’s largest country, Russia, is expected to drop from today’s 143 million to just 107 million by 2050.

Is Europe a Continent?

Yes, Europe is a continent. Europe is the second-smallest continent by surface area but the third most populous after Asia and Africa. The population density of Europe as a whole is 143 people per square mile (compared to Asia’s 203/square mile), which makes it the second most densely populated continent.

Europe is leading the world in countries with declining population growth and an aging population, but this problem is one that affects most developed countries at some point.

Regions of Europe

Eastern Europe

Some of the countries in this region include:

This area has a population size of 285.8M and covers about 18.8M square miles.

Northern Europe

Some of the countries in this region include:

This area has a population size of 109.5M and covers about 1.8M square miles.

Southern Europe

Some of the countries in this region include:

This area has a population size of 149.1M and covers about 1.3M square miles.

Western Europe

Some of the countries in this region include:

This area has a population size of 199.7M and covers about 1.1M square miles.

Sources

  1. World Population Prospects (2024 Revision) - United Nations population estimates and projections.

Explore Continents

1,549,862,036

4,977,954,915

617,280,500

438,104,941

46,609,602