What does the name Europe mean?

Answer 1

=Europe (IPA:/ˈjɔːɹəp/, /ˈjuɹəp/) is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.[1] Europe is washed upon to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and to the southeast by the Black Sea and the waterways connecting it to the Mediterranean. Yet, the borders for Europe---a concept dating back to classical antiquity---are somewhat arbitrary, as the term continent can refer to a cultural and political distinction or a physiographic one.==EuropE==Europe (IPA: /ˈjɔːɹəp/, /ˈjuɹəp/) is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast.[1] Europe is washed upon to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea, and to the southeast by the Black Sea and the waterways connecting it to the Mediterranean. Yet, the borders for Europe---a concept dating back to classical antiquity---are somewhat arbitrary, as the term continent can refer to a cultural and political distinction or a physiographic one.==Europe is the world's second-smallest continent by surface area, covering abou, while the Vatican City is the smallest. Europe is the third most populous continent after Asia and Africa, with a population of 731 million or about 11% of the world's population; however, according to the United Nations (medium estimate), Europe's share may fall to about 7% in 2050.[2]==Modern Western Europe is the birthplace of Western culture. European (particularly Western European) nations played a predominant role in global affairs from the 16th century onwards, especially after the beginning of colonialism. Between the 17th and 20th centuries, European nations controlled at various times the Americas, most of Africa, Australasia and large portions of Asia. Demographic changes and the two World Wars led to a decline in European dominance in world affairs by the mid-20th century as the United States and Soviet Union took prominence. During the Cold War Europe was divided along the Iron Curtain between NATO in the West and the Warsaw Pact in the East. European integration led to the formation of the Council of Europe and the European Union in Western Europe, both of which have been expanding eastward since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.==e is the world's second-smallest continent by surface area, covering about 10,180,000 square kilometres (3,930,000 sq mi) or 2% of the Earth's surface and about 6.8% of its land area. Of Europe's approximately 50 states, Russia is the largest by both area and population, while the Vatican City is the smallest. Europe is the third most populous continent after Asia and Africa, with a population of 731 million or about 11% of the world's population; however, according to the United Nations (medium estimate), Europe's share may fall to about 7% in 2050.[2]==Modern Western Europe is the birthplace of Western culture. European (particularly Western European) nations played a predominant role in global affairs from the 16th century onwards, especially after the beginning of colonialism. Between the 17th and 20th centuries, European nations controlled at various times the Americas, most of Africa, Australasia and large portions of Asia. Demographic changes and the two World Wars led to a decline in European dominance in world affairs by the mid-20th century as the United States and Soviet Union took prominence. During the Cold War Europe was divided along the Iron Curtain between NATO in the West and the Warsaw Pact in the East. European integration led to the formation of the Council of Europe and the European Union in Western Europe, both of which have been expanding eastward since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.=

Answer 2

In the Greek myth, Europa was the daughter of the Phoenician King of Tyre. Europa was seduced by Zeus (who appeared to her in the form of a gentle bull, but after mounting its back the bull rushed into the sea and carried Europa to Crete - in what is now regarded as the southeastern most part of Europe). On the island of Crete, Zeus returned to his anthropomorhic form and made Europa his lover. She bore him three sons, and the myth goes on further).

At any rate, the name of Europa was used to name the continent of Europe. (In a way, it fits the "out of Africa" theory, which holds that all humans originated in East Africa and gradually migrated out of Africa, approximately 2 million years ago, first to the Middle East, where the Phoenician lands were situated on the eastern Mediterranean, and then to points west in Europe, and points north and east, as well).