There are 44 countries in Europe according to the United Nations, though you will often see 50 quoted with different counting rules. The gap is all about borderline cases.
Key takeaways
- The UN lists 44; many sources say 50.
- Russia, Turkey and Kazakhstan span Europe and Asia.
- The EU has 27 members, not the same as the continent.
- Vatican City is the smallest, under 1 sq km.
- Russia is the largest by far.
How Many Countries Are in Europe?
44 by the UN geoscheme. The figure of 50 adds transcontinental states and disputed territories like Kosovo. Whichever number you quote, state the counting rule behind it.
Why Do Sources Give Different Numbers?
It comes down to borderline cases. Cyprus is geographically Asian but politically European. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia sit in the Caucasus between continents. Kosovo is recognised by over 100 countries but not by Serbia or the UN as a whole.
The Full List: All 44 European Countries
Grouped by UN subregion, here is the complete 44:
Northern Europe (10): Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom.
Western Europe (9): Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Switzerland.
Southern Europe (15): Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Vatican City.
Eastern Europe (10): Belarus, Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine.
Which Countries Are Transcontinental?
Russia, Turkey and Kazakhstan have land in both Europe and Asia. Most of Russia’s population lives in its European part, while most of its land is Asian. Istanbul famously straddles the Bosphorus between the two continents.
Cyprus is the odd one out: geographically in Asia, but a full EU member and culturally European. The Caucasus trio of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are counted as Asian by the UN but often described as European in politics and sport.
How Many Countries Are in the EU?
27 member states as of 2026. Big European countries outside the EU include the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine and Turkey. The EU is a political and economic union, not the continent itself.
What Is the Smallest Country in Europe?
Vatican City at about 0.49 sq km with roughly 800 residents. Then come Monaco, San Marino and Liechtenstein, all microstates with full UN membership except the Vatican, which is an observer state.
Excluding Russia, Ukraine is the largest wholly European country at around 600,000 square kilometres, followed by France and Spain. Size does not correlate with influence: tiny Luxembourg hosts major EU institutions, while Malta, one of the smallest states, plays an outsized role in Mediterranean affairs.
What Is the Biggest Country in Europe?
Russia, even counting only its European territory of about 4 million sq km. Excluding Russia, Ukraine is the largest wholly European country at around 600,000 sq km.
Europe’s Regions Explained
The UN divides Europe into four subregions, but everyday language uses fuzzier terms. Scandinavia strictly means Norway, Sweden and Denmark; add Finland and Iceland and it becomes the Nordics. The Balkans covers the south-eastern peninsula including Greece, Albania and the former Yugoslav states.
Central Europe (Germany, Poland, Czechia, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein) is a cultural rather than official grouping. The Baltic states are Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Knowing these terms helps you read travel guides and news coverage accurately.
How Europe’s Borders Changed
Europe’s map is young: Czechoslovakia split in 1993, Yugoslavia broke into seven states through the 1990s and 2000s, and the USSR’s collapse created or restored over a dozen European countries including the Baltics, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus. German reunification in 1990 merged East and West Germany.
This is why counts shift: every new state adds one, and disputed territories like Kosovo, Transnistria and Northern Cyprus sit in limbo, counted by some sources and not others.
FAQ
Is the UK still in Europe?
Yes; Brexit left the EU, not the continent.
Is Turkey in Europe or Asia?
Both; it is a transcontinental country.
Does the 44 include Russia?
Yes, the UN count includes Russia.
What is the newest country in Europe?
Kosovo, independent since 2008, status disputed.
Does Europe include the British Isles?
Yes, the UK and Ireland are European countries.
How many capitals are in Europe?
44 by the UN count, from Reykjavik to Moscow.
