Southern Europe

Southern Europe is a region of the European continent. Although there are more than one definition, Southern Europe typically refers to the European territories with coastline on the Mediterranean Sea.

Geographical definition

Geographically, Southern Europe would be the south half of the landmass of Europe. This definition is relative, with no clear limits. The Alps mountains consitute a physical barrier between Italy and central Europe, but this natural limit disappears in France where southern and Northern Europe seem to meet together without a clear border. The same way in the Eastern part of Europe the limit is not clear.

Geopolitical definition of the United Nations

For its official works and publications, the United Nations Organisation use to group countries under a classification of regions. This classification it somehow arbitrary, and depends more of the states borders than of the areas, wich can lead to abnormalities such as Corsica being less Southern European than Italian Tyrol.

Climatical definition

The climatic definition of southern Europe would be the areas of mediterranean climate. The mediterranean climate is often thought to be a typical characteristic of southern Europe, and the origin of most of the food traditions, (olive oil, wine and wheat culture especially). The mediterranean area present similar landscapes (dry hills, little plains, pine forests, olive trees) and similar traditional habitat. This area is about the two thirds south of Portugal, the Southern half of Spain + the eastern Coast, the South-east costs of France + Corsica, Most of Italy excepted the Po plain and Alps region, the costs of Ex-Yougoslavia, Coasts of Albania, Most of Greece, Cyprus and Malta.

Linguistic and cultural definition

Countries of latin Europe are often associated with the concept of southern Europe, especially South-West Europe (see Latin Arch). Greece and Balkans is often associated with them in the concept of southern Europe, especially South-East Europe.

List of countries

Although there is no precise definition, the following territories are commonly reckoned in Southern Europe:

Iberian Peninsula
Southern France
- Corsica
Monaco
Italian peninsula
Balkan Peninsula
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Greece
- Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- the European part of Turkey (Rumelia (Trakya))
Mediterranean States:
- Cyprus
- Malta

Notes

The UN includes these states in Western Asia.