Europe
Europe is a continent on the planet Earth, forming the western part of "Eur-asia."
- The borders between Europe and Asia have historically been cultural, as there is no real geographical separation between them.
The continent is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Caspian Sea. It covers about 10,180,000 km2 (3,930,000 sq mi), or 2% of the Earth's surface (6.8% of land area), making it the second smallest continent. The European climate is largely affected by warm Atlantic currents that temper winters and summers on much of the continent, even at latitudes along which the climate in Asia and North America is severe. Further from the sea, seasonal differences are more noticeable than close to the coast.
With a higher ratio of coast-to-landmass than any other continent or subcontinent, land in Europe has a great variation, all within relatively small areas. While the southern regions are more mountainous, northern regions are noted for their rolling hills and vast plains. Europe lies mainly in the temperate climate zones, milder in comparison to other areas of the same latitude around the globe, due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. Curiously, Europe is not just colder towards the north compared to the south, but also colder from west towards the east.
Europe's animals and plants have been greatly affected by the presence and activities of man. The main natural vegetation cover in Europe is mixed forest, with the conditions for growth are very favorable, due to the warm Atlantic Ocean currents. Animals commonly found in Europe include foxes, hedgehogs, snakes, deer, boar, and birds of prey such as owls, hawks and ravens.
Notable Events:
- The European Space Agency (or "ESA") was founded in the late 20th century.
- This acted as a multi-national Human space exploration organization.
- During the 2020s, Europe was affected by political problems.
- One person remarked to Jadzia Dax that Europe was "falling apart."
- In the early 22nd century, the "European Hegemony" was formed.
- This was a loose alliance that stood as the beginning of a world government.
- By the early 24th century, the "European Alliance" existed.
