COUNTRIES OF EUROPE
By Angel
France
- Government - Semi-presidential republic
- Leader and Title - President François Hollande
- Limited or Unlimited - Limited
- European Union Member - Yes
- Current Government Event - The government will provide up to £10 million to help with the Tour de France.
- Historical Political Event - In 1789, the French Revolution ended the rule of monarchy going back to 9th century; followed by establishment of the First Republic.
- Historical Monument - Nimes Arena is one of the best preserved Roman Colosseums in France.
- Historical Person - Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned the first Emperor of France, he went on to rule most of Europe.
- Population - 65.7 million
- Arable land - 33.50%
- Agriculture - France is one of the dominant agriculture centers in Europe. Some examples are fishing or forestry. They have over 730,000 farms.
- Human Environment Interaction - Most of France uses powerplants in order to make their energy.
- GDP: 2.613 trillion USD
- GDP Per Capita: 39,771.84 USD
- Currency: Euro and CFP franc
- US Dollars: 1 Euro is 1.36 US Dollars. 1 CFP franc is 87 cents.
- Famous Brands - Louis Vuitton, AXA, Christian Dior.
- Language - French
- Religion - Major religions in France include Catholic religion, Protestantism, Islam and Judaism amongst others.
- Famous Landmarks - Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles, The Louvre.
- Cultural Foods - Bread is central to any meal, so it is common to see baguettes being carried home.
- Music and Literature - The literature that was written in medieval French is amongst the oldest literature in Western Europe. French language was one of the key sources of literary themes in the Middle Ages across the continent. Music has taken a lot of effect in France. It has impacted the culture so much that there are 4,300 institutions that specialize in music
- Location - France is located in Europe between the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
- Climate - Generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
- Topography - France topographically is one of the most varied countries of Europe, with elevations ranging from sea level to the highest peak of the continent, Much of the country is ringed with mountains.
Portugal
Leader - President: Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Limited or Unlimited - Limited
European Union Member - Yes
Current Government Event - November - Government approves more spending cuts, mainly affecting public-sector employees' wages, conditions and pensions, in order to avoid a second international bailout.
Historical Political Event - On January 1, 1986. Portugal becomes a member of the European Union.
Historical Monument - Ajuda National Palace
Person who changed history - Pedro Fernandes de Queirós (16th-century/17th-century explorer of south-west Pacific, some have claimed he discovered Australia)
Population - 10.53 million
Arable land - 12.30%
Agriculture - Portugal produces a wide variety of crops and livestock. Including green vegetables, rice, corn, and barley.
Human Environment Interaction - Portugal is one of Europe's leading paper producers, so trees are being deforested, just for paper.
GDP: 212.5 Billion USD
GDP per capita: 20,182.40 USD
Currency: euro
Exchange rate to USD: 1 Euro equals 1.36 US Dollar
Economic Activities: Portugal is home to a number of notable leading companies with worldwide reputations, such as Grupo Portucel Soporcel, a major world player in the international paper market.
Famous Brands: EDP, Portugal Telecom, Sagres.
Language - Portuguese
Religion - The most predominant religion in Portugal is Roman Catholicism.
Landmarks - Some places are Sintra, Algarve, Lisbon.
Cultural Foods - Some examples: The most famous fish dish is salted cod, bacalhau. Roast suckling pig (leitão assado) is a specialty of Central Portugal.
Music and Literature - In traditional/folk music, fado has had a significant impact. The literature of Portugal is distinguished by a wealth and variety of lyric poetry.
Location - Portugal's relative location is on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe.
Climate - Portugal is mainly characterized by a warm temperate, mediterranean climate with a distinct wet season in winter.
Topography - Portugal exhibits sharp topographic contrasts. Although the north is largely lowland or land of medium altitude, the distribution of highlands is unequal north.
Sweden
Leader - King: Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Limited or unlimited - Limited
European Union Member - Yes
Current Government Event - Sweden is striving to become a greener country. They have over 16 objectives they want to put in effect.
Historical Political Event - Voters decide not to adopt the Euro as the country's official currency.
Historical Monument - Borgholm Castle.
Person who changed history - Alfred Nobel (1833–1896), industrialist, instituted the Nobel Prizes
Population - 9.5 million
Arable land - 26.3%
Agriculture - Wheat, other oil plants, and sugar beet are common in southern Sweden, while barley and oat are more important further north.
Human Environment Interaction - Sweden plans to help the environment in the coming years. They have 16 objectives. Among other successes, Sweden’s proactive environmental policies have led to a reduction in acidification in bodies of water.
GDP: 525.7 Billion USD
GDP per capita: 55,244.65 USD
Currency - Swedish Krona
Exchange rate - 0.15 US Dollar
Major economic activities - The economy of Sweden is a developed export-oriented diverse economy aided by timber, hydropower, and iron ore.
Brands - IKEA, H&M, Sony Ericsson.
Language - Swedish
Religion - As of 2012, about 67.5% of Swedish citizens are members of the Church of Sweden.
Famous Landmarks - Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmo.
Cultural Foods - Swedish food has traditionally been practical and sustaining. A typical old-fashioned meal consists of boiled potatoes, some kind of meat or fish, a sauce, and some vegetables.
Music and Literature - Singing is popular in Sweden, and of its 9 million inhabitants, 600,000 belong to various choirs. Sweden jointly ranks fifth in the list of countries with most Nobel Prize laureates in literature.
Location - Located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in far northern Europe.
Climate - Sweden has a much milder climate than most other regions of the world that lie as far north.
Topography - The topography of Sweden is basically made of plain and low lands.