Europe: Countries and Capitals

45 sovereign countries · updated guide

Europe is the second-smallest continent by area but one of the most densely packed with countries. Depending on how you count transcontinental and partially-recognised states, it has roughly 44–45 sovereign nations, ranging from Russia — the largest country on Earth — to micro-states like Vatican City, San Marino and Monaco.

The countries of Europe and their capitals

Here is the full list of Europe's 45 sovereign countries with their capital cities. These are the countries you will meet when you play Europe rounds in the game.

Geography at a glance

Europe has no clear land border to the east; by convention it is separated from Asia by the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus. This makes Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey all transcontinental to some degree.

The continent is shaped by peninsulas and seas. The Iberian, Italian, Balkan and Scandinavian peninsulas reach into the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Baltic. The Alps form the mountainous spine of the centre, while the Danube and Rhine are its great commercial rivers.

Regions of Europe

Western Europe

France, Germany, the Benelux trio (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) and the Alpine states of Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein.

Northern Europe

The Nordic countries — Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland — plus the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Southern Europe

The Mediterranean nations: Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta and the micro-states, plus Cyprus in the far east of the sea.

Eastern Europe

Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, the Balkans (from Slovenia to Bulgaria) and European Russia. This is where Europe's borders have changed most in recent decades.

Tips for learning Europe on the map

• Anchor the map on the 'big five' of the centre: France, Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain.
• The Balkans are the hardest cluster — practise Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania as a group.
• Don't forget the micro-states: Vatican City, San Marino, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Andorra and Malta are easy points if you remember they exist.

Keep exploring