Regions of Europe

Europe is often divided into regions and subregions based on geographical, cultural or historical factors.

Since there is no universal agreement on Europe's regional composition, the placement of individual countries may vary based on criteria being used.

[2] The exact placement of the Caucasus has also varied since classical antiquity[3] and is now regarded by many as a distinct region within or partly in Europe.

[4] Greenland, and partially Iceland, is geographically a part of North America but has been politically and culturally influenced by Northern European countries for more than a millennium.

Groupings by compass directions are the hardest to define in Europe, since there are a few calculations of the midpoint of Europe (among other issues), and the pure geographical criteria of "east" and "west" are often confused with the political meaning these words acquired during the Cold War era.