EUROPE, one of the five great divisions of the world. Its extent from Cape St. Vincent to the mouth of the Cana is nearly 3400 miles ; and from Cape Matapan, in Morea, to the North Cape in Lapland, about 2400. Europe is much smaller than either Asia or Africa. It is entirely within the temperate zone, except a small part of Norway and Russia. The inhabitants are all whites. Europe contains Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Nether lands, France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Switzerland, and part of Russia and Turkey ; also Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, with other considerable islands in the Mediterranean and other seas. The languages are the Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, which ar:.: dialects of the Latin ; the German, Flemish, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, and English, derived from the old Teutonic ; the Selavonian, which prevails, mixed with others, in Poland, Russia, Bohemia, and a great part of Turkey ; the Celtic, of which there are dialects in Wales, the Highlands of Scotland, Ireland, Bretagne in France, Biscay in Spain, and Lapland ; the modern Greek ; and several others. The principal
mountains are the Alps, Apennines, and Pyrenees. The prevailing religion is the Christian, divided into the Greek, Romish, and Protestant Churches ; Mahomedanism is the established faith of the Turks ; and there are Jews in every country.
European, in British India, is usually meant to signify a native of Europe or America, of pure descent, in contradistinction t,o a native of India, or an East Indian. The Government of India has, as regards the last of these questions, in a late resolution declared Europeans to be all persons (in India) of European origin or desce.nt, however remote, who hold to European habits or modes of life.'