Southern Europe

southern region of the European continent

Southern Europe is a region of the European continent. The official definition of Southern Europe includes the Iberian Peninsula, Italian Peninsula and Balkan Peninsula. Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece and all northern Mediterranean countries of the European continent are considered part of Southern Europe. Most importantly, in a European Union context, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia and Slovenia officially belong to the Group of the South.

Geographical definitionEdit

Geographically, Southern Europe would be the south half of the landmass of Europe. This definition is relative, with no clear limits. The Alps mountains are a physical barrier between Italy and the rest of Europe.

Geopolitical definition of the United NationsEdit

 
The definition of continental subregions in use by the United Nations.

For its official works and publications, the United Nations Organization has its own special definition of regions. Corsica for example is part of France, thus not part of Southern Europe, but Italian Tyrol belongs to Southern Europe as it is part of Italy..

Climatical definitionEdit

The climatic definition of southern Europe would be similar to the areas of Mediterranean climate. The Mediterranean climate is often thought to be a typical characteristic of Southern Europe.

Linguistic and cultural definitionEdit

Countries of Latin Europe are often associated with the concept of Southern Europe, especially Italy and Spain. Greece, Malta and Anatolia are often associated with them.

List of countriesEdit

Although there is no precise definition, the following territories are commonly thought to be parts of Southern Europe: