Separated from the European continent by the North Sea and English Channel, the United Kingdom (informally referred to as Britain) includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. England and Wales were united in 1536. The addition of Scotland in 1707 created Great Britain, renamed the United Kingdom in 1801 when Ireland was added. The Republic of Ireland fought itself free of British rule in 1922, leaving volatile Northern Ireland as a province of the United Kingdom. About 55 percent of Northern Ireland's 1.6 million people trace their ancestry to Scotland or England, are Protestants, and favour continued union with Britain; however, many of the Roman Catholic population (44 percent) want to join the Republic of Ireland.

England is the most populous part of the U.K., with 49 million inhabitants. Almost one third of England's people live in the prosperous south eastern part of the country centred on London one of the largest cities in Europe. Scotland, with one third of Britain's area, is a mountainous land with 5 million people, most of them (75 percent) concentrated in the lowland area where Glasgow and Edinburgh (Scotland's capital) are located. The Scottish nation can be traced to the Scoti, a Gaelic-speaking Celtic tribe. Wales, with 2.9 million people, is also mountainous with a Celtic culture the country is called Cymru (pronounced CUM-ree) in the Welsh language and its capital, Cardiff, features castles and museums highlighting Welsh culture. Since 1997 the government has been pursuing a policy of devolution, leading in 1999 to an elected Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly. In 2000 Londoners elected their first mayor and assembly.

The industrial revolution was born in Britain in the 18th century, making it the world's first industrialized nation. The British Empire, a worldwide system of dependencies, fed raw materials to British industry and spread British culture. Most dependencies gained independence in the 20th century. Part of the legacy of empire is that Britain is home to a growing multicultural population. The 2001 census counted more than 2.5 million Asians (mostly Indians and Pakistanis) and 1.1 million Blacks (from Africa and the Caribbean). Most of the remaining dependencies consist of small islands in the Atlantic and Caribbean.

The Netherlands faces the North Sea in western Europe. The Dutch have a saying: "God made the Earth, but the Dutch made Holland." The first defences against the sea went up some 800 years ago. Today more than 2,400 kilometres (1,491 miles) of dikes shield the low, flat land almost half of which lies below sea level from invasion by the North Sea. Without the existing dikes 65 percent of the country would be flooded daily. Reclamation of the Zuider Zee has created 165,000 hectares (407,700 acres) of arable land a precious commodity in this densely populated nation. About 60 percent of the country is farmed, with super-efficiency, by just 2 percent of the workforce. Only the U.S. and France export more agricultural goods. Located at the mouth of the Rhine River, the Netherlands is a gateway to north western Europe and participates in the European common currency, the euro. Rotterdam, the world's largest and busiest general-cargo port, includes Europoort, a petroleum-refining centre.

For several decades natural gas production has subsidized a welfare system. Funds are needed for continued flood-control efforts, for cleaning up the Rhine and the North Sea, and for combating damage to forests by acid rain. The government seeks to cut back on all forms of pollution by up to 90 percent. Tourism is important to the country, and many come to see Dutch art, architecture and the flowers. Tulips are a major industry, and the Dutch produce billions of bulbs a year more than any other country.

The Netherlands was a major colonial power, but its largest colonies, Indonesia and Suriname, gained independence decades ago. The islands of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles still form part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Fertile plains cover two thirds of France, which is the largest country in Western Europe. With more than half the land under cultivation, France leads the European Union in food exports. The mountain ranges are mostly in the south, including the Alps, Pyrenees, and Massif Central. Forests cover 26 percent of France and are a source of environmental and scenic wealth. The north is humid and cool, while the south is dry and warm. Favourable conditions for grape growing in the south make French wines world-renowned and France the world's largest producer. The nation sets a fast pace in telecommunications, biotechnology, and aerospace industries. Sophia Antipolice, a booming high-tech complex on the Riviera, attracts scientists from throughout Europe. Coal and steel industries are concentrated in the northeast near major coalfields.

The government continues to play a large role in directing economic activity. The national road network is the world's densest, and the high-speed train (TGV) runs at speeds of 270 kilometres (167 miles) per hour or more. Both road and rail transport tourists, helping to make France the most visited country on Earth. Nuclear power, which supplies 80 percent of France's electricity, enjoys widespread support, in part because there is virtually no domestic oil. Government policies provide for a 35-hour workweek and five weeks of paid vacation annually.

Paris has long been France's cultural, political, and business epicentre. In the early 19th century Napoleon Bonaparte divided large, traditional provinces into small departments, which have since been regrouped into larger, regional units. Low turnout in the 2002 elections was interpreted as voter apathy due to the dominant influence of Paris. Amendments to the constitution, approved in 2003, give more political power to the country's 22 regions and 96 departments.

Heavy losses in both world wars bled France of labour, wealth, and prestige. After World War II, France's colonial subjects, from Algeria to Vietnam, struggled for independence. Immigration from France's former colonies, especially Algeria, contributes to some four million persons of Arab descent living in France today. An independent defence doctrine, launched by President Charles de Gaulle in 1966, has turned the nation into one of the world's largest arms suppliers. France maintains ties with its former colonies through aid, trade, and military pacts. The French have developed modern political ties with former colonies still under French administration. Overseas departments (officially part of France) with their own elected governments are: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Réunion. Territories with varying degrees of autonomy are: French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Territories, Mayotte, New Caledonia, St.-Pierre and Miquelon, and Wallis and Futuna.

Bordering eight countries in Europe's centre, Austria is mountainous in the south and west. Fertile lowlands in the east are part of the Danube River basin. Accepted in 1995 as a member of the European Union (EU), Austria has increased its competitiveness by privatizing industries and reducing subsidies. Manufacturing, powered by hydroelectricity, drives the nation's export trade; Austria also profits from iron ore, oil, and timber. Austria is one of the most forested countries in Europe with almost half its territory covered in forest and forested area is increasing steadily thanks to Austria's "green lung" projects. In 2002 the euro replaced the Austrian schilling; the EU common currency benefits trade and the Austrian economy.

Natural grandeur lures visitors to Tyrol and the Hohe Tauern National Park the largest protected natural area in Central Europe. Seat of the former Habsburg empire, Vienna is a world centre of the arts, the site of many splendid palaces, and the headquarters for many international organizations. Tourists can visit the houses of Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, or Johann Strauss. Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace, celebrates his 250th birthday in 2006.