Katana VentraIP

Western Europe

Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context.

Not to be confused with Western European Union.

The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean world, the Roman Empire (both Western and Eastern), and medieval "Christendom". Beginning with the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery, roughly from the 15th century, the concept of Europe as "the West" slowly became distinguished from and eventually replaced the dominant use of "Christendom" as the preferred endonym within the region.[1] By the Age of Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, the concepts of "Eastern Europe" and "Western Europe" were more regularly used.[2] The distinctiveness of Western Europe became most apparent during the Cold War, when Europe was divided for 40 years by the Iron Curtain into the Western Bloc and Eastern Bloc, each characterised by distinct political and economical systems.[3]

Austria

Belgium

France

Germany

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Monaco

Netherlands

Switzerland

Economy[edit]

Western Europe is one of the richest regions of the world. Germany has the highest gross domestic product in Europe and the largest financial surplus of any country, Luxembourg has the world's highest GDP per capita, and Germany has the highest net national wealth of any European state.[22]


Switzerland and Luxembourg have the highest average wage in the world, in nominal and PPP, respectively. Norway ranks highest in the world on the Social Progress Index.[23]

Central Europe

Eastern Europe

Northern Europe

Southern Europe

Far West

Marshall Plan

EuroVoc § Western Europe

Western world

The European sub-regions according to the UN

Archived 1 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine

Teaching about Western Europe