Category: European Maps | Map of Europe

EU Map | European Union Map 2023

Map of the EU

Click on the image above to get a large version of the map of the European Union. The European Union is currently a conglomeration of 27 European countries, which we will list below. The United Kingdom has now left the European Union but judging by the political termoil in late 2022 it may re-enter the EU at some time in the future. The only hard border affected by this is the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Currently the EU has a population of about 447,007,596 people and an area of 4,233,255.3 km2 but as mentioned above thie will all change soon. The EU started with the treaty of Paris in 1951 and was only made up of six countries. This being the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and West Germany and originated from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and in 1957 at the treaty of Rome the European Economic Community (EEC) was brought into being. The Maastricht Treaty of 1993 brought into being the European Union as we know it today.

Map of the EU 2023

With Boris Johnson winning the UK election in 2019 with a thumping majority the current EU map is going to change in a very big way. All us map making sites are in a bit of “tizzy” as to how to handle this. Here at mapofeurope.com we have decided that for now we will be including Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland. This is no way represents the current geopolitical situation on the ground in the emerald isle. However for clarity we have undertaken to keep all of Ireland the same color until we get a clearer understanding of how the soft border in the middle of the Irish Sea works.

Boris Johnson’s plan for Brexit has an article which basically states the following:

“It says that goods going into Northern Ireland from Great Britain will not be subject to tariffs “unless that good is at risk of subsequently being moved into the European Union and that household goods will be exempt.”.

However in reality the European Union has veto over exemptions and Northern Ireland loses most of its control over goods travelling from the United Kingdom, through Northern Ireland and into the European Union. This becomes the famous border or line in the middle of the Irish Sea which the DUP “Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party” is totally against but can do nothing about.

Brexit could be the catalyst to Scotland finally leaving the United Kingdom. Another referendum seems to be on the table and polls have the leave vote ahead of the stay vote. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has made it clear that they are not in favor of braking away from the European Union but they will have no choice under Boris Johnson’s regime. The year 2020 is going to be a very interesting year for Europe and the European Union.

We now have an overall Europe Map for 2023. We also have an update World Map for 2023

List of the Countries in the EU

Name	Capital	Accession
Austria	Vienna	1 January 1995
Belgium	Brussels	Founder
Bulgaria	Sofia	1 January 2007
Croatia	Zagreb	1 July 2013
Cyprus	Nicosia	1 May 2004
Czech Republic	Prague	1 May 2004
Denmark	Copenhagen	1 January 1973
Estonia	Tallinn	1 May 2004
Finland	Helsinki	1 January 1995
France	Paris	Founder
Germany	Berlin	Founder[o]
Greece	Athens	1 January 1981
Hungary	Budapest	1 May 2004
Ireland	Dublin	1 January 1973
Italy	Rome	Founder
Latvia	Riga	1 May 2004
Lithuania	Vilnius	1 May 2004
Luxembourg	Luxembourg City	Founder
Malta	Valletta	1 May 2004
Netherlands	Amsterdam	Founder
Poland	Warsaw	1 May 2004
Portugal	Lisbon	1 January 1986
Romania	Bucharest	1 January 2007
Slovakia	Bratislava	1 May 2004
Slovenia	Ljubljana	1 May 2004
Spain	Madrid	1 January 1986
Sweden	Stockholm	1 January 1995

For posterity we have included the old, pre-brexit map of of the European Union below! It is a shame that the United Kingdom has opted to leave but hopefully they will return in the future.

Here at Europe map, we now have a Europe Map for 2023. Here is a direct link to the Europe Map Image.

Europe Map – Geography, History, Travel Tips and Fun

Click on the Europe Map above to get a larger more detailed view

Map of Europe and information about the continent

We have added a map that is probably our best and largest Europe Map. On Map of Europe we have termed our political map and although strictly it does not contain everything a political map should have it is close enough and is much easier to read than your standard Political map.

Europe is the sixth largest continent by land mass (approximately 3,997,929 square miles or 10,354,636 square km). Only one continent is smaller and that is Australia. The population is about 739,300,000 individuals, which makes it the world’s third most populated and it boasts some of the oldest civilizations of any continent.

Travelling Europe is one of life’s pleasures and due to the above mentioned civilization age, it boasts one of the oldest tourism industries also. Being so long established Europe caters well for every type of traveller.

Europe is made up of 20 countries. The smallest is Vatican City, which is virtually only a suburb of Rome. The largest country is Russia, although if we are talking about Western Europe, then that would be France.

So if you are travelling a good map of Europe is necessary. We do live in a time of smart phones that have GPS functions but it is still a good idea to have a paper map of Europe as a backup. They fold up to be quite small, so every backpacker should have on one in her or his backpack. If you find yourself outside of signal range or if the battery in your GPS or phone empties, you still have a way of knowing where you are.

The diversity of cultures in Europe is one of the key reasons it is such a popular tourist destination. If you are looking for lazy summer beaches then Croatia, Greece, Spain and France are just some of the best hot spots for that type of travel. If Skiing is your thing then you might want to get out the maps of Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France and Slovenia. These countries have some of the best skiing in the world and some places you can ski all the year round. A good way to get to these ski fields is to travel by train as the train system in Europe is so good it is hardly affected by snow. buying a Eurail pass is the best way to go and here is a rail map of Europe to show you all the routes and destinations. We have also included a massive Eurail Map.

When looking at a topographic map of Europe you will notice that it is very mountainous and much of the wilder places are covered in arboreal forests. So if hiking is your thing then Europe is only quite willing to cater to your needs.

Some of the oceans and Seas that border the continent are as follows. The Barents Sea, Arctic Ocean and Norwegian Sea are to the north. The North Sea and Baltic Sea’s are more or less in the middle of the map. The Atlantic Ocean and the Greenland and Celtic Sea’s are off to the west of the continent. The Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean Sea’s lie to the south. The Black and Caspian Sea’s lie more or less to the east. Other naturally occurring borders are Ural Mountains and the Ural River and the Caucus Region (a group of countries, the best known of which are Armenia and Georgia).

Some Political information about Europe

There are about 50 countries that make up the continent of Europe. The largest being Russia and the smallest being Vatican City. Most countries in Europe belong to the European Union and use the Euro as currency. Click on the links below to learn more about each country.

Other physical features of the continent of Europe

The main rivers are the Danube, Rhine, Volga, Seine, Ural and Loire. The longest being the Danube. The main mountain ranges are The Alps, Pyrenees, Ural, Caucus and the Carpathian mountains. The highest mountain in Europe is situated in Russia and is called Mt Elbrus, it is 5642 meters high although the highest in Western Europe is Mt Blanc which is situated in France.

Rail Map Europe

Rail Europe tickets are a great alternative to flying. Imagine taking in the breath taking views of the European Alps, the Med, the Adriatic, the Greek Isles and much more. Travelling by train in today’s day age will allow you to have a proper holiday. It will allow you relax and reflect while you speed towards your destination in complete comfort and style. No worries about luggage size. Take all the gear for the whole family on that ski trip and not worry about excess baggage fees. No bookings are essential; you can purchase your ticket at any time. Turn up at the train station and start your holiday. No more worrying about flight schedules. If you miss one train! Catch the next!

The best way to buy a rail Europe ticket is get a Eurail Global Pass some people refer to them incorrectly as Eurorail Passes but it basically means the same thing. These can be bought as 10 day to 3 month passes. 3 month passes being the best value but of course are the most expensive as well. Have a look at the rail Europe map in the centre of the page and see if it the countries and cities you are interested in visiting for your vacation are included. They should be as most Western European countries are covered by these railway passes.

The rail systems that are covered by most train passes include.

Eurostar – is a high-speed passenger rail service connecting London with Paris and Brussels. All its trains traverse the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France, owned and operated separately by Euro-tunnel.
German rail (Deutsche bahn) – is the German national railway company. 3 different railway companies were merged to form this company. 1) Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany, 2) VdeR . it had railway assets in West Berlin, 3) Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany.
British Rail (British Railways) . Is an amalgamation of the .big four. 1) Great Western Railway, 2) London, Midland and Scottish Railway, 3) London and North Eastern Railway, 4) Southern Railway.
Swiss Federal Railways . Is the official railway of Switzerland.

How does it compare to a driving holiday? Well Driving can be fun but it can also be stressful. So depending on what kind of holiday you are looking for, will depend on what mode of transport you choose. Most train stations are at the heart of a European metropolis centre. So shopping, cafes, the art galleries and museums are usually not far away and usually within walking distance. The rising cost of fuel is starting to make an impact in both the airline industry and the driving holiday set. With a train the economies of scale mean that fuel has a smaller impact on price. A Europe rail pass is also so versatile. Extending holidays is no drama and adding locations to your holiday is as easy as turning up on a new train platform.

Travelling Europe by train is a great cheap alternative to flying. You will have more chances to meet like minded travellers and to take in the natural and urban beauty of Europe. Buying rail tickets in Europe is easy. You can get them over the internet or go to almost any railway station. So if you are thinking about travelling Europe by train make sure you do your research, you will be happy you did. Oh and one more thing make sure you search online for a Rail Europe coupon code. It will make travelling the railways of Europe that much cheaper.

We have now added an updated rail Europe 2019 map.

Map of Central Europe

There is no common standard of what actually constitutes Central Europe, in fact many of the countries that are defined under this title also form part of Eastern & Western Europe. For the purposes of this article I am going to define the following countries as forming Central Europe, which is the current definition held by the United Nations:

There are plenty of sights to see within Central Europe and I am going to take you through a number of them right now. Although of course whilst wandering around you will discover many other wonderful sightseeing opportunities.

Almost everything located within Berlin, Germany is a sight in itself. A particular favourite amongst tourists is climbing the Reichstag Dome.
Of course, no trip to Germany is complete without experiencing wonderful German Beer. The best way to do this is to go to the Beer Hall located in Munich. The Olympic Park is also located incredibly close by and is worth a visit.
Also in Germany you can take the chance to visit ‘The Eagles Nest’ which was a location where Hitler helped to direct the German War.
For the more adventurous amongst people there are plenty of natural sights to see when you hike through the mountains of Switzerland or drive through the rolling countryside gazing at many of the beautiful lakes around the area.
Poland was almost destroyed during World War 2, particularly Warsaw. Take a look around the modern architectural wonders in the city which almost has been completely rebuilt but still in a more medieval style.
There are plenty of concentration camps located within Poland. One of the most popular of course is Auschwitz. The reality of war really hits home when you visit one of these concentration camps.
A particular favourite of those travelling to Central Europe to sightsee is travelling up ‘Castle Hill’ for fantastic views over Budapest, capital of Hungary.
The ‘Rhine River’ travels through most of the countries in Central Europe and a cruise along this will take you to some of the best vineyards in the world. Perfect for wine lovers.

There really is so much to do for sightseeing in Central Europe. Whether you are looking to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Europe by hiking through mountains or driving through the countryside, or whether you want to experience the rich history which is evident in almost every major town located within Central Europe.

In my opinion if you are going to go sightseeing in Central Europe you should do it properly, for that reason take a chance to visit all nearby countries such as France, Spain and Belgium. Only then will you be able to get the full European experience. Plenty of cheap flights will take you to any of these destinations, after that it is simply a matter of hiring a car and hitting the open road.