Europe spans an area of 10,400,000 km2 (or 4,000,000 square miles), from Asia to the Atlantic Ocean and from Africa to the Arctic. The longest river in Europe is the Volga (3.530km), in Russia. It flows into the Caspian Sea. Europe’s highest mountain is Mount Everest, with a height of 5,642m above the sea level. Near the Mediterranean Sea, Europe’s climate is subtropical, while near the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean, the climate is subarctic. For tourists, Europe offers a vast diversity of cultures, many beautiful cosmopolitan cities, and lots of attractions. Europe is divided into 5 zones: Western Europe, Northern Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Mediterranean Europe. Europe is a collection of different countries, currently in the process of coming together as the European Union. The European Union’s currency is the euro, but not all countries adopted it. However, some countries outside the EU use euro as single currency.
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by Erin Richards

Make a good first impression

“In some cultures you hug, in others you shake hands, and in others you kiss,” says Cindy Post Senning, a director at the Emily Post Institute. “It’s easy to disrespect locals if you aren’t familiar with how to greet them, both formally and casually.”
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