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Europe
Europe is made up of 51 widely differing countries, nearly all of which are linked to the others by a treaty or other form of agreement. There are at least as many languages as countries, and there are large differences of size and prosperity, but nearly all have adopted some form of representative government, and nearly all are committed to the preservation of a common code of human rights. 27 European countries are members of the European Union, which is an association of sovereign states that controls defined aspects of their political, social and economic policies. 17 of its members are also members of the eurozone, membership of which involves the adoption of the euro as their common currency, the delegation of monetary policy to a European Central Bank and the acceptance of agreed limits on the conduct of their fiscal policies.
Etymology
According to Homer the name Europe (Ancient Greek: Εὐρώπη, Eurṓpē) was originally given to central Greece. Later it stood for mainland Greece and by 500 BC its meaning was extented to all the lands of the north. The origin for the word Europe is usually given as from the Greek words for “broad” (eurys) and “face” (ops). In mythology, Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted by a bull-shaped Zeus. Another theory derives the name from the Assyrian-Phoenician word ereb (sunset).
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