Europe is a continent forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. It is often referred to by scholars as a peninsula of the Eurasian land mass but is not considered a part of Asia.

Where does the name "Europe" come from?

The origin of the name of Europe is unknown. It is thought to have come from the myth of Europa, a Phoenician princess abducted by Zeus who became the first queen of the Minoans, but this claim has been challenged for centuries.

How many countries are there in Europe?

There are 50 countries in Europe, although, according to some definitions, only 44.

When does "Europe" first appear in writing in reference to the continent?

"Europe" first appears in writing in the 6th century BCE in Greece referencing the continent of Europe, but the origin of the name is unclear.

Europe Timeline

Definition

Europe is a continent forming the westernmost part of the land mass of Eurasia and comprised of 49 sovereign states. Its name may come from the Greek myth of Europa, but human habitation of the region predates that tale, going back over 150,000 years. It is the birthplace of Western Civilization and the modern concept of the state.

More about: Europe

Timeline

c. 45000 BCE
Potential earliest arrival of Homo sapiens in Europe.
30000 BCE - 12000 BCE
Cave art culture in Europe.
c. 20000 BCE
Cave painting flourishes in Spain and France, the most famous being the Cave of Lascaux in France.
5000 BCE
Hierarchical societies emerge in southeast Europe.
c. 5000 BCE
Cultivation of peas in Europe.
4300 BCE
First megalithic tombs in Europe.
3500 BCE
Farming has spread across Europe.
c. 3300 BCE - c. 1200 BCE
The Bronze Age, lasting from c. 3300 BCE- c. 1200 BCE in the Near East and South Asia and c. 600 BCE in Europe.
2800 BCE - 1900 BCE
Bell beaker culture in western Europe.
2300 BCE
Bronze is used in the Aegean.
2000 BCE - 1500 BCE
Wessex culture introduces bronze working to Britain.
c. 2000 BCE
Bronze Age begins in Northern Europe.
1500 BCE
Pastoral farming spreads across Eurasian steppes.
c. 1400 BCE
The beginning of Celtic culture in the upper Danube region of central Europe.
c. 1200 BCE - c. 450 BCE
Widest date range accepted by scholars for the Hallstatt culture in central Europe.
1100 BCE
Dorian peoples occupy Greece.
1100 BCE
Hillforts in western Europe.
1000 BCE
Iron working in southern Europe.
c. 900 BCE
Celtic Migration begins in Europe with many Celts landing in Scotland.
c. 800 BCE - c. 600 BCE
The Early Iron Age Hallstatt culture is at its peak in central Europe.
700 BCE
Iron in wide use across Europe.
c. 513 BCE - c. 512 BCE
Darius I of Persia campaigns against Scythians into European Scythia, past the Danube River, Scythians refuse to fight and Darius is forced to abandon the campaign due to lack of provisions.
c. 450 BCE - c. 50 BCE
Period of the La Tène culture in northern/western/central Europe.
193 BCE
The Boii are defeated by the Romans, suffering, according to Livy, 14,000 dead.
58 BCE
Julius Caesar invades Gaul. Roman influence on the European tribes begins in earnest.
300 CE - 700 CE
Migration Age in Europe.
c. 476 CE - 1500 CE
The Catholic Church holds supreme power in Europe during the Middle Ages.
c. 1050 CE - c. 1250 CE
Feudalism is the dominant system of land ownership in northern medieval Europe.
1347 CE - 1352 CE
The Black Death plague sweeps across Europe.
1453 CE
The Ottoman Empire closes the overland Silk Road trade routes between Europe and the East, initiating the European Age of Discovery.