Eurasia
Eurasia is the combined landmass of Europe and Asia in the northern part of the Earth. It has the Atlantic Ocean on its west, and the Pacific Ocean to the east. The Arctic Ocean is to its north, and the Mediterranean and Pacific Ocean to its south. It is the largest of the continents. It includes the Indian subcontinent. If one adds Africa, it becomes "Afro-Eurasia".
Some geographers say Eurasia is one continent, because Europe and Asia are mostly on the same tectonic plate and do not have a sea between them. The Ancient Greeks divided the world they knew into Europe, Asia and Africa. Knowing little of the land north of the Black Sea, they took that and the Sea of Marmara as dividing Europe from Asia. Since then, people have talked about Asia and Europe as two regions so it is now a tradition.
Sometimes Eurasia is divided into West Eurasia and East Eurasia. The dividing line is the Ural Mountains. West Eurasia is Europe and the Middle East. Historians sometimes add North Africa to West Eurasia because the Sahara Desert divides North Africa from the other parts of Africa and it is as difficult to cross as a sea. Also, North Africa is culturally linked to Europe by the Mediterranean Sea.
Some other continents which are not completely divided by sea are joined together by a thin strip of land (called an isthmus). An example is North America and South America. Europe and Asia are not divided by a sea, nor by any isthmus.
List of countries[change | change source]
Afghanistan
Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Austria (EU)
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium (EU)
Bhutan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria (EU)
Brunei
Cambodia
China
Croatia (EU)
Cyprus (EU) Geologically in Europe and Asia
Czech Republic (EU)
Denmark (EU) Geologically in Europe and North America
Egypt
Estonia (EU)
Finland (EU)
France (EU)
Georgia Geologically in Europe and Asia
Germany (EU)
Greece (EU)
Hungary (EU)
Iceland Geologically in Europe and North America
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland (EU)
Israel
Italy (EU)
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan Geologically in Europe and Asia
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia (EU)
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Lithuania (EU)
Luxembourg (EU)
Macedonia (EU)
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta (EU)
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Myanmar
Nepal
Netherlands (EU)
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland (EU)
Portugal (EU)
Qatar
Romania (EU)
Russia
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia (EU)
Slovenia (EU)
South Korea
Spain (EU)
Sri Lanka
Sweden (EU)
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand
Turkey Geologically in Europe and Asia
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Uzbekistan
Vatican City
Vietnam
Yemen
The OECD’s Eurasia activities involve 13 countries extending from the borders of the European Union to the Far East:
- Afghanistan
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Georgia
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Mongolia
- Republic of Moldova
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Turkey