Turkey - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2014)Prime Minister: Ahmet Davutoglu (2014)Land area: 297,591 sq mi (770,761 sq km); total area: 301,382 sq mi (780,580 sq km)Population (July 2014 est.): 81,619,392 (growth rate: 1.12%); birth rate: 16.86/1000; infant Mortality rate: 21.43/1000; life expectancy: 73.29Capital (2011 est.): Ankara, 4.194 millionLargest cities: Istanbul, 11.253 million; Izmir, 2.927 million; Bursa, 1.713 million; Adana, 1.468 million, Gaziantep 1.198 million.Monetary unit: Turkish lira (YTL)

Anatolia (Turkey in Asia) was occupied in about 1900 B.C. by the Indo-European Hittites and, after the Hittite empire's collapse in 1200 B.C. , by Phrygians and Lydians. The Persian Empire occupied the area in the 6th century B.C. , giving way to the Roman Empire, then later the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Turks first appeared in the early 13th century, subjugating Turkish and Mongol bands pressing against the eastern borders of Byzantium and making the Christian Balkan states their vassals.

They gradually spread through the Near East and Balkans, capturing Constantinople in 1453 and storming the gates of Vienna two centuries later. At its height, the Ottoman Empire stretched from the Persian Gulf to western Algeria. Lasting for 600 years, the Ottoman Empire was not only one of the most powerful empires in the history of the Mediterranean region, but it generated a great cultural outpouring of Islamic art, architecture, and literature.

After the reign of Sultan Süleyman I the Magnificent (1494–1566), the Ottoman Empire began to decline politically, administratively, and economically. By the 18th century, Russia was seeking to establish itself as the protector of Christians in Turkey's Balkan territories. Russian ambitions were checked by Britain and France in the Crimean War (1854–1856), but the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) gave Bulgaria virtual independence and Romania and Serbia liberation from their nominal allegiance to the sultan. Turkish weakness stimulated a revolt of young liberals known as the Young Turks in 1909. They forced Sultan Abdul Hamid to grant a constitution and install a liberal government. However, reforms were no barrier to further defeats in a war with Italy (1911–1912) and the Balkan Wars (1912–1913). Turkey sided with Germany in World War I, and, as a result, lost territory at the conclusion of the war.

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Southern Europe - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Albania - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Bujar Nishani (2011)

Prime Minister: Edi Rama (2013)

Land area: 10,579 sq mi (27,400 sq km);

total area: 11,100 sq mi (28,748 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 3,020,209 (growth rate: 0.3%); birth rate: 12.73/1000; infant mortality rate: 13.19/1000; life expectancy: 77.96; density per sq mi: 272

Capital and largest city (2011 est.):

Tirana, 419,000 Albania

Other large cities: Durres, 113,900; Elbasan, 97,000

Monetary unit: Lek

Andorra - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Prime Minister: Antoni Martí Petit (2011)

Chiefs of State (Coprinces): Francois Hollande for France and Joan Enric Vives Sicília for Spain

Population (2014 est.): 85,458 (growth rate: 0.17%); birth rate: 8.48/1000; infant mortality rate: 3.69/1000; life expectancy: 82.65

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Andorra la Vella, 23,000

Monetary units: Euro

Bosnia and Herzegovina - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Chairman of the Presidency: Mladen Ivanić (Bosnian Serb, 2014)

Members of the Presidency: Dragan Čović (Bosnian Croat, 2014), Bakir Izetbegović (Bosniak, 2010)

Prime Minister: Vjekoslav Bevanda (2012)

Total area: 19,741 sq mi (51,129 sq km)

Population (2012 est.): 4,622,292) (growth rate: -0.003%); birth rate: 8.89/1000; infant mortality rate: 8.47/1000; life expectancy: 78.96

Capital and largest city (2009 est.): Sarajevo, 392,000

Monetary unit: Marka

Croatia - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Republic of Croatia

President: Ivo Josipovic (2010)

Prime Minister: Zoran Milanovic (2011)

Land area: 21,781 sq mi (56,414 sq km);

total area: 21,831 sq mi (56,542 sq km)

Population (2012 est.): 4,480,043 (growth rate: -0.09%); birth rate: 9.57/1000; infant mortality rate: 6.06/1000; life expectancy: 75.99; density per sq km: 79

Capital and largest city (2009 est.): Zagreb, 685,000

Other large cities: Split, 173,600; Rijeka, 142,500; Osijek, 89,600

Monetary unit: Kuna

Cyprus - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Nikos Anastasiadis (2013)

Land area: 3,568 sq mi (9,241 sq km);

total area: 3,571 sq mi

Population (2012 est.): 1,138,071 (growth rate: 1.57%); birth rate: 11.44/1000; infant mortality rate: 9.05/1000; life expectancy: 78; density per sq km: 85

Capital and largest city (2009 est.): Lefkosia (Nicosia) (in government-controlled area), 240,000

Monetary unit: Euro

Gibraltar - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Status: Overseas territory

Governor: Sir James Dutton (2013)

Chief Minister: Fabian Picardo (2011)

Total area: 2 sq mi (6 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 29,185 (growth rate: 0.25%); birth rate: 14.15/1000; infant mortality rate: 6.29/1000; life expectancy: 79.13

Monetary unit: Gibraltar pound

Greece - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Karolos Papoulias (2005)

Prime Minister: Antonis Samaras (2012)

Land area: 50,502 sq mi (130,800 sq km); total area: 50,942 sq mi (131,940 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 10,775,557 (growth rate: .01%); birth rate: 8.8/1000; infant mortality rate: 11/1000; life expectancy: 80.3

Capital (2011 est.): Athens, 3.414 million

Other large cities: Thessaloníki, 883,000

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly drachma)

Vatican City - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Ruler: Francis I (2013)

Land area: 0.17 sq mi (0.44 sq km)

Population (July 2014 est.): 842

Monetary unit: Euro

The Vatican City State, sovereign and independent, is the survivor of the papal states that in 1859 comprised an area of some 17,000 sq mi (44,030 sq km). During the struggle for Italian unification, from 1860 to 1870, most of this area became part of Italy.

Italy - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Giorgio Napolitano (2006)

Prime Minister: Matteo Renzi (2014)

Land area: 113,521 sq mi (294,019 sq km);

total area: 116,305 sq mi (301,230 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 61,680,122 (growth rate: 0.3%); birth rate: 8.84/1000; infant mortality rate: 3.31/1000; life expectancy: 82.03

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Rome, 3.298 million

Other large cities: Milan 2.909 million; Naples 2.373 million; Turin 1.613 million; Palermo 915,000; Bergamo 784,000 (2011)

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly lira)

Macedonia - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Gjorge Ivanov (2009)

Prime Minister: Nikola Gruevski (2006)

Land area: 9,928 sq mi (25,173 sq km);

total area: 9,781 sq mi (25,333 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 2,091,719 (growth rate: 0.21%); birth rate: 11.64/1000; infant mortality rate: 7.9/1000; life expectancy: 75.8

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Skopje, 499,000

Monetary unit: Denar

National Name: Republika Makedonija

Malta - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca (2014)

Prime Minister: Joseph Muscat (2013)

Total area: 124 sq mi (321 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 412,655 (growth rate: 0.33%); birth rate: 10.24/1000; infant mortality rate: 3.59/1000; life expectancy: 80.11

Capital (2011 est.): Valletta, 198,000

Monetary unit: Euro

The strategic importance of Malta was recognized by the Phoenicians, who occupied it, as did, in turn, the Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans.

Montenegro - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Filip Vujanovic (2003)

Prime Minister: Milo Djukanovic (2012)

Land area: 5,333 sq mi (13,812 sq km);

total area: 5,415 sq mi (14,026 sq km)

Population (2012 est.): 657,394 (growth rate: –0.633%); birth rate: 10.89/1000; death rate: 9.03/1000.

Capital (2009 est.): Podgorica, 144,000

Monetary unit: Euro

National name: Republike Crne Gore

Current government officials

Languages: Serbian 63.6%, Montenegrin (official) 22%, Bosnian 5.5%, Albanian 5.3%, unspecified (includes Croatian) 3.7% (2003 census)

Portugal - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Portuguese Republic

President: Aníbal Cavaco Silva (2006)

Prime Minister: Pedro Passos Coelho (2011)

Land area: 35,382 sq mi (91,639 sq km); total area: 35,672 sq mi (92,391 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 10,813,834 (growth rate: 0.12%); birth rate: 9.42/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.48/1000; life expectancy: 79.01

Capital and largest city (2011 est.) Lisbon, 2.843 million

Other large city: Porto, 1.367 million (2011)

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly escudo)

An early Celtic tribe, the Lusitanians, are believed to have been the first inhabitants of Portugal.

San Marino - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Republic of San Marino

Captains Regent: Gian Franco Terenzi and Guerrino Zanotti (2014)

Total area: 23 sq mi (60 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 32,742 (growth rate: 0.87%); birth rate: 8.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.52/1000; life expectancy: 83.18; density per sq mi: 1,346.8

Capital (2013 est.): San Marino, 4,128

Largest city: Dogana, 7,000 (2014 est.)

Monetary unit: Euro

Serbia - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Tomislav Nikolic (2012)

Prime Minister: Aleksandar Vucic (2014)

Land and total area: 29,913 sq mi (77,474 sq km)

Population (July 2014 est): 7,209,764 (growth rate: –0.46%); birth rate: 9.13/1000; infant mortality rate: 6.4/1000; life expectancy: 75.02.

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Belgrade, 1.135 million

Monetary unit: Yugoslav new dinar. In Kosovo both the euro and the Yugoslav dinar are legal.

Serbs settled the Balkan Peninsula in the 6th and 7th centuries and adopted Christianity in the 9th century.

Slovenia - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Borut Pahor (2012)

Prime Minister: Miro Cerar (2014)

Land area: 7,780 sq mi (20,151 sq km); total area: 7,827 sq mi (20,273 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 1,988,292 (growth rate: -0.23%); birth rate: 8.54/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.04/1000; life expectancy: 77.83

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Ljubljana 273,000

Monetary unit: Slovenian tolar; euro (as of 1/1/07)

Slovenia was originally settled by Illyrian and Celtic peoples. It became part of the Roman Empire in the first century B.C.

Spain - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Ruler: King Felipe VI (2014)

Prime Minister: Mariano Rajoy (2011)

Land area: 192,819 sq mi (499,401 sq km);

total area: 194,896 sq mi (504,782 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 47,737,941 (growth rate: 0.81%); birth rate: 9.88/1000; infant mortality rate: 3.33/1000; life expectancy: 81.47; density per sq mi: 240

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Madrid, 6.574 million

Other large cities: Barcelona, 5.57 million; Valencia, 797,000

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly peseta)

Turkey - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2014)

Prime Minister: Ahmet Davutoglu (2014)

Land area: 297,591 sq mi (770,761 sq km);

total area: 301,382 sq mi (780,580 sq km)

Population (July 2014 est.): 81,619,392 (growth rate: 1.12%); birth rate: 16.86/1000; infant mortality rate: 21.43/1000; life expectancy: 73.29

Capital (2011 est.): Ankara, 4.194 million

Largest cities: Istanbul, 11.253 million; Izmir, 2.927 million; Bursa, 1.713 million; Adana, 1.468 million, Gaziantep 1.198 million.

Monetary unit: Turkish lira (YTL)

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Spain - The Wide Worlds Snaps

Ruler: King Felipe VI (2014)
Prime Minister: Mariano Rajoy (2011)
Land area: 192,819 sq mi (499,401 sq km);
total area: 194,896 sq mi (504,782 sq km)
Population (2014 est.): 47,737,941 (growth rate: 0.81%); birth rate: 9.88/1000; infant mortality rate: 3.33/1000; life expectancy: 81.47; density per sq mi: 240
Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Madrid, 6.574 million
Other large cities: Barcelona, 5.57 million; Valencia, 797,000
Monetary unit: Euro (formerly peseta)

Spain, originally inhabited by Celts, Iberians, and Basques, became a part of the Roman Empire in 206 B.C. , when it was conquered by Scipio Africanus. In A.D. 412, the barbarian Visigothic leader Ataulf crossed the Pyrenees and ruled Spain, first in the name of the Roman emperor and then independently. In 711, the Muslims under Tariq entered Spain from Africa and within a few years completed the subjugation of the country. In 732, the Franks, led by Charles Martel, defeated the Muslims near Poitiers, thus preventing the further expansion of Islam in southern Europe.

Internal dissension of Spanish Islam invited a steady Christian conquest from the north.Aragon and Castile were the most important Spanish states from the 12th to the 15th century, consolidated by the marriage of Ferdinand II and Isabella I in 1469. In 1478, they established the Inquisition, to root out heresy and uncover Jews and Muslims who had not sincerely converted to Christianity. Torquemada, the most notorious of the grand inquisitors, epitomized the Inquisition's harshness and cruelty.

The last Muslim stronghold, Granada, was captured in 1492. Roman Catholicism was established as the official state religion and most Jews (1492) and Muslims (1502) were expelled. In the era of exploration, discovery, and colonization, Spain amassed tremendous wealth and a vast colonial empire through the conquest of Mexico by Cortés (1519–1521) and Peru by Pizarro (1532–1533). The Spanish Hapsburg monarchy became for a time the most powerful in the world.

In 1588, Philip II sent his invincible Armada to invade England, but its destruction cost Spain its supremacy on the seas and paved the way for England's colonization of America. Spain then sank rapidly to the status of a second-rate power under the rule of weak Hapsburg kings, and it never again played a major role in European politics. The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) resulted in Spain's loss of Belgium, Luxembourg, Milan, Sardinia, and Naples.

Its colonial empire in the Americas and the Philippines vanished in wars and revolutions during the 18th and 19th centuries.In World War I, Spain maintained a position of neutrality. In 1923, Gen. Miguel Primo de Rivera became dictator. In 1930, King Alfonso XIII revoked the dictatorship, but a strong antimonarchist and republican movement led to his leaving Spain in 1931.

The new constitution declared Spain a workers' republic, broke up the large estates, separated church and state, and secularized the schools. The elections held in 1936 returned a strong Popular Front majority, with Manuel Azaña as president.

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Slovenia - The Wide Worlds Snaps

President: Borut Pahor (2012)
Prime Minister: Miro Cerar (2014)
Land area: 7,780 sq mi (20,151 sq km);
total area: 7,827 sq mi (20,273 sq km)
Population (2014 est.): 1,988,292 (growth rate: -0.23%); birth rate: 8.54/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.04/1000; life expectancy: 77.83
Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Ljubljana 273,000
Monetary unit: Slovenian tolar; euro (as of 1/1/07)

Slovenia was originally settled by Illyrian and Celtic peoples. It became part of the Roman Empire in the first century B.C.

The Slovenes were a south Slavic group that settled in the region in the 6th century A.D. During the 7th century, the Slavs established the state of Samu, which owed its allegiance to the Avars, who dominated the Hungarian plain until Charlemagne defeated them in the late 8th century.

When the Hungarians were defeated by the Turks in 1526, Hungary accepted Austrian Hapsburg rule in order to escape Turkish domination; the Hapsburg monarchy was the first to include all of the Slovene regions. Thus, Slovenia and Croatia became part of the Austro-Hungarian kingdom when the dual monarchy was established in 1867. Like Croatia and unlike the other Balkan states, it is primarily Roman Catholic.

Following the defeat and collapse of Austria-Hungary in World War I, Slovenia declared its independence. It formally joined with Montenegro, Serbia, and Croatia on Dec. 4, 1918, to form the new nation called the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. The name was later changed to Yugoslavia in 1929.

During World War II, Germany occupied Yugoslavia, and Slovenia was divided among Germany, Italy, and Hungary. For the duration of the war many Slovenes fought a guerrilla war against the Nazis under the leadership of the Croatian-born Communist resistance leader, Marshal Tito. After the final defeat of the Axis powers in 1945, Slovenia was again made into a republic of the newly established Communist nation of Yugoslavia.

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