GDP among European Union countries has been anemic, which is one significant problem. Other problems include unemployment, and the possibility of England quitting the EU.

Eastern Europe is 'poorer' than western europe, during the war they were helpless and were taken over by Germany or the Soviets, with the fall of both empires countries taken by Hitler and Stalin suffered and were left to fend for themselves. The countries in the East have started to pick themselves up in the recent decades and they each support their neighbours,places like Azerbaijan are not as poor any more and it fact some of the more developed cities can be found in Eastern Europe.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Romania and Bulgaria border one another and are separated by the Danube. There is no country 'in the middle'.

As of 2012, the EU currently has 27 members:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom

The 28th member, Croatia, due to join on 1st July 2013.

All other countries in the world are not members of the EU.

Good luck!

Finland (Just) folowed by Sweden

No.

The smallest country in Europe - and the world - is the Vatican State, a tiny enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It is a fraction of a square mile in area.

Albania comes way up the list of countries in Europe. The next smallest is Monaco, a principality on the south coast of France.

Among the other countries that are smaller than Albania are Leichtenstein, Andorra, San Marino, Malta, Luxembourg and several others.

Becoming a member of the EU involves the adoption of the Copenhagen criteria. The criteria demands the inclusion of a free market economy, a stable democracy, and the acceptance of all the EU legislation including adoption of the Euro as currency.

Today's borders may not correspond to the ancient regions... so there are some differences. But in general, Greece is very old... former world-ruler-nation. Macedonia has an old and very known name, too. The "region" Italy is even mentioned in the Bible. And the old Romans called the "region" of today's Spain Hispania... but it belonged de facto to the roman empire. It might also be confusing that the English language calls the population of Germany Germans... there were a lot of German tribes in ancient times... but this does not (always) directly correspond to Germany. Germany is one of those countries which were formed relatively late... leading to territorial clashes in the last century, because other big-player-nations already occupied a lot of colonies around the world.

To give an average idea, Greece and the Roman Empire existed already in the years B.C. But these regions are only the roots of today's nations. Other European countries grew up later, sometimes in form of regional unions.

That's as a whole correct. But I admit it's somewhat abstract, too. Look at a map of Europe... most of the big nations have very old roots.

On the 1st of July 2013.

No , not yet

The Warsaw Pact.

No, Uzbekistan is not a member of the EU, nor is it under consideration for EU membership at any future time.

8 per cent. d.jones

If you check with the Institute of Fiscal Studies you will see that the VAT rate in April 1973 was 10%. It was reduced to 8% in the following year.

No.

Nepal is in central Asia, it is a long way from Europe.

Neither Switzerland nor Australia are members of the European Union. Austria, which you may have meant, is a member of the European Union.

No, not at the current date of 12. July 2009.

Yes. The Netherlands has earned its Independence by the Eighty Years' war between what we now call the Netherlands and Spain that lasted from 1568 till 1648. Many Dutch schoolchildren are taught about this war in class.

The European Union Headquarters is located in Brussels, Belgium.

Some other forces that continue the the division is the European nation and the other 29 countries.

because they wanted to

They didn't join the EU. They were one of the original six founding states along with France, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy and Luxembourg.