Countries of Europe
Europe has 44 recognised sovereign states (UN count). From the vast plains of Ukraine to the microstates of Vatican City and San Marino — each country has its own history, language and character. This page provides a complete table of capitals and population figures (2025 estimate), together with an interactive map.
A continent of 44 states
No other continent packs so many states into such a small area as Europe. The 44 countries together cover around 10.2 million km² — less than a quarter of Asia's land area — yet are home to 744 million people (2025). That makes Europe one of the most densely populated continents on Earth.
The most populous state is Germany (around 84 million); the smallest are Vatican City (approx. 800 inhabitants) and San Marino (approx. 34,000). This enormous range in scale explains why Europe hosts both world powers and tiny enclave states. For a broader perspective on how countries compare by area, see the largest countries page.
Transcontinental countries
Two countries straddle both Europe and Asia geographically. Russia has its political and administrative centre in Europe (Moscow), but the vast majority of its territory — including the frozen Siberian expanse — lies in Asia. Russia is nonetheless counted as part of Europe for most statistical purposes.
Kazakhstan has a small slice of territory west of the Ural Mountains that falls strictly within Europe, but is usually classed as Asian. Turkey, with Istanbul straddling the border of Europe and Asia, has its official capital Ankara in the Asian part of the country. The climate page explains how geography shapes the continent's climate zones.
All countries of Europe: capitals and population
Population figures are estimates for 2025. Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 and Worldometer 2025. The table is sorted by population size (largest first). Russia/Moscow is transcontinental — only the European part is listed here.
| Country | Capital | Population (2025, estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Russia (European part, transcontinental) | Moscow | ~110,000,000 |
| Germany | Berlin | 84,000,000 |
| United Kingdom | London | 68,000,000 |
| France | Paris | 66,000,000 |
| Italy | Rome | 59,000,000 |
| Spain | Madrid | 48,000,000 |
| Poland | Warsaw | 38,000,000 |
| Ukraine | Kyiv | ~37,000,000 |
| Romania | Bucharest | 19,000,000 |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | 18,000,000 |
| Belgium | Brussels | 11,800,000 |
| Czechia | Prague | 10,900,000 |
| Sweden | Stockholm | 10,600,000 |
| Portugal | Lisbon | 10,300,000 |
| Greece | Athens | 10,400,000 |
| Hungary | Budapest | 9,700,000 |
| Austria | Vienna | 9,200,000 |
| Switzerland | Bern | 8,900,000 |
| Bulgaria | Sofia | 6,500,000 |
| Serbia | Belgrade | 6,700,000 |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | 5,900,000 |
| Finland | Helsinki | 5,600,000 |
| Norway | Oslo | 5,500,000 |
| Ireland | Dublin | 5,200,000 |
| Croatia | Zagreb | 3,900,000 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Sarajevo | 3,200,000 |
| Slovakia | Bratislava | 5,800,000 |
| Albania | Tirana | 2,800,000 |
| Lithuania | Vilnius | 2,800,000 |
| North Macedonia | Skopje | 2,100,000 |
| Slovenia | Ljubljana | 2,100,000 |
| Latvia | Riga | 1,800,000 |
| Estonia | Tallinn | 1,400,000 |
| Montenegro | Podgorica | 620,000 |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg | 680,000 |
| Malta | Valletta | 540,000 |
| Iceland | Reykjavik | 380,000 |
| Andorra | Andorra la Vella | 80,000 |
| Monaco | Monaco | 36,000 |
| San Marino | San Marino | 34,000 |
| Liechtenstein | Vaduz | 38,000 |
| Vatican City | Vatican City | ~800 |
| Kosovo (partially recognised) | Pristina | 1,800,000 |
Sources: UN World Population Prospects 2024, Worldometer 2025, CIA World Factbook. * Ukraine: estimate after population displacement due to the conflict. ** Kosovo is not recognised as a sovereign state by all UN members.
Population trends
Europe is the only continent where the population is shrinking in several countries. Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania each lost more than 15% of their population over the past two decades through emigration and low birth rates. Germany and the United Kingdom are still growing slightly, largely driven by immigration.
Ukraine is a special case: its population is difficult to estimate following the large-scale displacement caused by the conflict that began in 2022. The UN estimated the in-country population in 2025 at around 37 million, down from 44 million before the conflict. The figures are included in the most populous countries comparison.
Small states with great significance
Europe is home to five of the world's smallest states: Vatican City (0.44 km²), Monaco (2.02 km²), San Marino (61 km²), Liechtenstein (160 km²) and Andorra (468 km²). Despite their tiny size, all are fully sovereign.
Monaco has the highest population density in the world — over 19,000 inhabitants per km². Vatican City is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and draws millions of pilgrims each year. Liechtenstein and Switzerland are not EU members but are part of the Schengen Area. See the wildlife of Europe page to discover how the fauna of this diverse continent is distributed.
Sources
- United Nations — World Population Prospects 2024 (population by country)
- Worldometer 2025 — current country estimates
- CIA World Factbook — capitals and national borders