The political boundaries of Europe vary with the definition of Europe that is used by different political organizations. For instance, the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights include 46 countries in their definition of Europe . The European Higher Education Area includes 48 countries , and the European Cultural Convention and the European Olympic Committees include 50 countries in their definitions. Europe is made up of 44 countries recognized by the United Nations, including important nations like France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Russia holds the title of the largest, while Vatican City is the smallest. Check the full list of European countries and their capitals. Here you will find a list and a map with the current 50 European countries (Well contrasted information updated to 2025).
