Europe is one of the continents in the world, comprising 44 nations. Viewing Europe as 44 separate countries is the best way to understand the region rather than considering it as one content for various reasons. The first reason is that political systems or forms of government differ across the countries. Politics in the 44 countries is dominated by three types of government systems, including presidential, semi-presidential, and parliamentary republic. While the president is the head of government and state in the presidential system, the prime minister and president share political powers in the semi-presidential system. Conversely, the president has few political powers and is a ceremonial figurehead in the parliamentary republic system. Therefore, these factors influence how every country is governed, which differs across the European region.
The second factor is the constitution used in the countries that build Europe. Every country in the world has its constitution that determines what impacts all aspects of government. Notably, specific chapters in the constitutions, such as those defining fundamental human rights, are universal. However, the constitutional laws and guidelines that determine agencies that a government has and how people conduct businesses are different. Undeniably, the constitution is the main factor instrumental to understanding a country and its relation to other nations across the world.
The third factor is the economic activities and the level of economic growth across the 44 nations comprising Europe. Although countries pursue various economic activities with their territories depending on the availability of resources, some mainly focus on manufacturing and others on agriculture. These factors impact the citizens and international relations that a country forms with other nations. For instance, the European countries that capitalize on manufacturing have to establish strong relationships with states that source raw materials and sell their finished products. The level of manufacturing and agricultural activities in every country in Europe differently impacts the lives of its inhabitants. For example, nations with more manufacturing industries negatively affect citizens’ lives due to increased pollution levels. Equally, economic activities determine the level of employment, poverty level, minimum wage, and standard of living that are significantly different across the 44 nations. Therefore, assessing the economic activities of every nation and their impacts is the best way of understanding Europe instead of generalizing.
The fourth reason for viewing Europe as 44 separate nations is culture and the level of technological advancement. Every country in Europe has a culture that distinguishes it from others. Some cultures that define a nation include language, architecture, religion, and music. It would be wrong to say that Europe has one common culture. However, evaluating the culture of the 44 countries can better understand the rich cultures that make Europe unique from other regions of the world. Countries worldwide have been experiencing accelerated technological growth in the 21st century. The level of technology used in various sectors such as manufacturing, health, and agricultural industries varies. Thus, it is imperative to consider this factor for a very country to understand Europe better.