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The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean 'all countries in the south of Europe'. However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition on top of the typical geographical, phytogeographic or climatic approach. Most Southern European countries border the Mediterranean Sea.
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Geographical definition
Geographically, Southern Europe would be the south half of the landmass of Europe. This definition is relative, with no clear limits. The Alps and Massif Central mountains constitute a physical barrier between Italy and France and the rest of Europe. Countries geographically considered part of Southern Europe include:
Iberian Peninsula
Southern France
Italian peninsula
Italy (not including the Alpine parts but including Sardinia and Sicily)
Malta (although not conjoined to the peninsula, it is geographically attached via the sea ridge)
San Marino
Vatican City
Balkan Peninsula
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Greece (including: Aegean Islands, Crete, and Ionian Islands)
Kosovo
Montenegro
Republic of Macedonia
Serbia
Turkey (3% of the country lies in Europe, the rest in Asia)
Other
Political definition
For its official works and publications, the United Nations Organization groups countries under a classification of regions. Southern Europe, as defined by the United Nations (the sub-regions according to the UN), comprises the following countries and territories:
- Albania
Andorra- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Croatia
Gibraltar- Greece
- Italy (including: Sardinia and Sicily)
- Republic of Macedonia
- Malta
- Montenegro
Portugal (including: Madeira and Azores)- San Marino
- Serbia
Slovenia
Spain (including: Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla)- Vatican City
Climatical definition
Southern Europe's climate is that of the Mediterranean climate, which has become a typically known characteristic of the area.
The Mediterranean area presents similar landscapes throughout, including:
- dry hills
- small plains
- pine forests
- olive trees
The area which is considered climatically Southern Europe is:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (coasts)
- Croatia (coasts)
Cyprus
France (southeast coast, and the island of Corsica)- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Italy (except the Po River plain and Alps region)
- Malta
Monaco- Montenegro
- Portugal (northeast and southern two-thirds)
- Serbia (south)1
- Spain (southern half and eastern coast)
Phytogeographical/Botanical definition
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Southern Europe's flora is that of the Mediterranean and Submediterranean, which is typically for this area. The Mediterranean and Submediterranean climate in Europe comprises the following countries and territories:2
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Greece
- France (the southern and southeastern part, and the island of Corsica)
Hungary (the southwestern part till the Balaton lake)- Italy
- Kosovo
- Macedonia
- Malta
- Montenegro
- Portugal (the southern half)
Romania (only the southern part along the Danube river)- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Spain (except for the northwestern part)
Switzerland (only Ticino)
Ukraine (only the southern part of Crimea)
Linguistic definition
Countries lingustically included in Latin Europe are often associated with Southern Europe, especially Southwest Europe (see Latin Arch).
Countries included in the linguistic definition of Southern Europe includecitation needed:
- Andorra
Belgium (In Wallonia where French is spoken)- Italy
- France
- Gibraltar
- Malta (The Maltese language is a Semitic language with a large percentage of vocabulary borrowed from Italian and English)
Moldova (Moldovan3)- Monaco
- Portugal (Including: Madeira and Azores)
- Romania
- San Marino
- Spain (Including: Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla)
- Switzerland (Regions where French, Italian and Romansh is spoken)
- Vatican City
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There is a similar approach when it comes to the South Slavs and their states:
Finally, there is an additional approach when it comes to Greek-speaking states and other Hellenistic regions:
- Greece
- Cyprus
- Italy (In Magna Graecia where the Griko language is spoken)
- Turkey (In Pontus and Cappadocia where Pontic Greek and Cappadocian is spoken)
Georgia (Regions where Pontic Greek is spoken)- Ukraine (In Mariupol where Pontic Greek is spoken)
Notes
- ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rb.html
- ^ Wolfgang Frey and Rainer Lösch; Lehrbuch der Geobotanik. Pflanze und Vegetation in Raum und Zeit. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, München 2004
- ^ (Moldovan) Article 13, line 1 - of Constitution of Republic of Moldova
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Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 22 November 2008, at 12:22.
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