Frequently asked questions about Europe

  Regions 22 main regions, of which 4 are islands (Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Reunion), French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, SFAT (French Antarctica and Antarctic territory). Population 65.4 million (2013). Number of tourists 84.7 million (2013) - the world's number one tourist destination for over 20 years. 3.2 million US tourists in 2013 (+3% compared to 2012), with a similar increase expected in 2014. Cultural facts. There are more than 44,000 historical monuments in France. There are more than 1,140 museums in France. Among them, the Louvre Museum attracts 9.3 million visitors. Seven important museums have opened in France in the last five years: 2010 - Centre Pompidou, Metz (Lorraine) 2012 - Louvre Museum Reims (Pas-de-Calais department) 2013 - MUCEM (Marseille) 2013 - Musee Overlord (Normandy region) 2014 - Musee de la Soulages (South) 2014 - Fondation Louis Vuitton 2014 - Musée de la Confluence (Lyon) Hotels ...

     The Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna is named after a spring that supplies water to the palace. Apparently the water was so good that the emperors decided to name the palace after this spring. In 1552, a Habsburg prince brought an elephant from Spain to Vienna, but it soon died due to the very cold climate. When the artist Edwin Lippburger argued with the authorities over a building permit for a spherical house, he decided to declare independence from Austria. He named his new country the Republic of Kugelmüller (Round Hill). But the authorities moved his home to Prater Park in central Vienna and surrounded it with barbed wire. After refusing to pay Austrian taxes, Edwin was spared imprisonment by a presidential pardon. Today the Kugelmügel is preserved as one of Austria's most famous landmarks. Much of Austria is a mountainous region covered by the Alps, with a quarter of the population living in the capital Vienna. The Grossglockner stands out among them and is the sec...

  1. Berlin has more bridges than Venice. There are 960 bridges in the German capital Berlin. Together with the neighboring state of Brandenburg, Berlin has the largest network of inland waterways in Europe. However, the German city of Hamburg tops the list in terms of the number of bridges. According to various estimates, there are between 2,300 and 2,500 bridges on the Elbe River. According to this indicator, Hamburg 'exceeds' Venice, Amsterdam and London combined. 2. Germany has around 1,500 types of sausage, 300 types of bread and 5,000 types of beer. There are also many bread museums. 3. Germany has changed its capital seven times; since 1990 Berlin has been the capital again. 4. Aspirin is the brainchild of German scientists. This unique drug that fascinates the world was developed in 1897 in the chemical laboratory of the Bayer factory in Wuppertal. 5. Running out of fuel is a crime on the German autobahn. Stopping on the autobahn is only allowed in emergencies and only ...

  Italy is derived from the word 'italia', which means 'land of calves'. It is also often referred to as 'Bel Paese', meaning 'beautiful country'. About 80% of Italy's surface area is hilly or mountainous. The highest mountain in Europe is in Italy. It is 4807 meters high and is called Monte Bianco (White Mountain) here. In Russia it is called Mont Blanc and the French gave it this name. Italians have created high-quality cheeses that are known worldwide, such as Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese. Parmesan cheese, as the name suggests, is produced near the city of Parma. Other specialties include Gorgonzola, provolone and ricotta. No one knows exactly where the first pizza was cooked, but it was the Neapolitans who contributed most to its spread. Centuries of cultivation and the highest population density in Europe displaced much of Italy's flora and fauna. The Italian economy suffered in the first half of the twentieth century, but today it ranks s...