Europe has a long history of civilization development. From 4000 BC to 2500 BC, the megalithic culture was widely distributed in southern Europe and western Europe, and then the Aegean Sea, located in southeastern Europe, flourished as one of the birthplaces of ancient civilizations in the world, known as Aegean civilization, leaving a rich cultural heritage for mankind. In the 6th century BC, the ancient Roman countries rose and gradually developed into a huge empire covering half of Europe (south of the line from the British Isles to the mouth of the Danube), North Africa and West Asia. The Italian Peninsula where Italy is located has always been its political and economic core. At the beginning of this century, the population of Europe was about 32 million, more than half of which were distributed in southern Europe, while the total population of Eastern Europe, Northern Europe and the British Isles was less than110. After the 3rd century AD, the Roman Empire gradually weakened, and Germans living in northern Europe and Slavs living in eastern Europe invaded in large numbers. Population migration and extensive economic and cultural exchanges accompanying this historical process have greatly promoted the all-round development of Europe. By the middle of 14 century, the population of the whole continent had reached 8 1 10,000, while the population proportion in southern Europe had dropped to13, which was also obvious in other regions, especially in eastern Europe.

15 ~16th century, capitalism began to sprout in some countries in southern Europe and western Europe. Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, France and Britain have successively developed into powerful countries with world influence through geographical discovery and plundering of overseas colonies. In the subsequent bourgeois revolution and industrial revolution, western Europe further established its leading position in economy and culture. /kloc-In the middle of the 0/9th century, countries in northern Europe, central Europe and eastern Europe also embarked on the road of capitalist development, while countries in southern Europe developed relatively slowly. 1900 The population of Europe is 4150,000, and the proportion of the population of southern Europe is less than 1/4. Due to the rapid development of capitalism, Europe's economic and cultural level has been far ahead in the world in the19th century. Colonies of several European powers spread all over continents, and tens of millions of Europeans emigrated overseas, which had a great impact on the world's human geography and economic geography.

In the first half of the 20th century, Europe became the main source of two world wars. Due to the destruction of war and the imbalance of capitalist political and economic development laws, Europe's position in the world has declined relatively. Its population proportion in the world dropped from 25% in 1900 to 20% in 1950, and its industrial production proportion also dropped from 65% to 45%. In this process, the political map of Europe has also undergone great changes. 19 17, the first socialist country in the world was born, and a number of new socialist countries appeared after the second world war. Since the 1950' s, there has been a long-term political and military confrontation in Europe. One side is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the other side is a signatory to the Warsaw Treaty. This basic situation has not fundamentally changed so far.

In the 40 years after the end of World War II, the European economy has been rapidly restored and developed, and it still has a wide and decisive influence in the world. Due to the differences in the original foundation or social system, the development speed of various regions in Europe after the war is quite different. Southern Europe, Central Europe and Eastern Europe have developed rapidly, but the overall economic and technological development level of Western Europe and Northern Europe is still in the leading position in the whole continent.

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