Destination 》Europe 》Western Europe
Western Europe is the region of Europe farthest from Asia, with the countries and territories included varying depending on context, so once again I will use EuroVoc definition of the Western Europe.
Western Europe is the western part of the European continent that includes Andorra, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Switzerland, and United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Click on any country to view my travel photos and stories.
Austria is a landlocked alpine German speaking country, bordering Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west, Germany and Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east and Slovenia and Italy to the south. Austria, along with neighboring Switzerland, is the winter sports capital of Europe.
Belgium is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France. Belgium is world-famous for its chocolate, waffles, and beer. It is known for medieval towns, Renaissance architecture, and as headquarters of the European Union and NATO.
Germany is a country in Western Europe bordered by Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Germany is one of the most influential European nations culturally, and one of the world’s main economic powers. Known around the world for its precision engineering and high-tech products, it is equally admired by visitors for its old-world charm.
Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles. Geopolitically, the Island of Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland, which covers five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Around the world Ireland is well-known for Saint Patrick’s Day, Irish pubs serving a good old pint of Guinness and Irish Music and Step Dancing—Riverdance.
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a German-speaking country situated in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. It is Europe’s fourth-smallest country, with an area of just over 160 square kilometers (62 square miles) and a population of less than 39,000. Liechtenstein, along with Uzbekistan make up the only two doubly landlocked countries in the world.
Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign states in the world. With over 30% of the resident population being millionaires, Monaco has the world’s highest number of millionaires and billionaires per capita in the world. With real estate prices reaching €60,000 per square meter, Monaco is significantly more expensive place to buy a home than anywhere in the world.
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a mountainous landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein.
Since 16th century, Switzerland has maintained a strong policy of armed neutrality; it has not fought an international war since 1815 and did not join the United Nations until 2002. Switzerland is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world and it is the birthplace of the Red Cross, one of the world’s oldest and best known humanitarian organizations.
The United Kingdom (UK) is an island country located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe. The United Kingdom comprises the whole of the island of Great Britain—which contains England, Wales, and Scotland—as well as the northern portion of the island of Ireland.
The British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, encompassed almost a quarter of the world’s landmass and a third of the world’s population, and was the largest empire in history. British influence can be observed in the language, culture and the legal and political systems of many of its former colonies.
Window on the World 