COUNTRIES

There are 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe.

In 1951, six countries founded the European Coal and Steel Community, and later, in 1957, the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community:

• Belgium
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Luxembourg
• the Netherlands

A further 21 countries have since joined the EU, including a historic expansion in 2004 marking the re-unification of Europe after decades of division. Croatia  is an acceeding country and Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey are candidate countries. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidates.
Click HERE   if you want to know more about the  27 member countries.

Austria

Year of EU entry: 1995

Capital city: Vienna

Total area: 83 870 km²

Population: 8.3 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1995

Belgium

Year of EU entry: Founding member (1952)

Capital city: Brussels

Total area: 30 528 km²

Population: 10.7 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1985

Bulgaria

Year of EU entry: 2007

Capital city: Sofia

Total area: 111 910 km²

Population: 7.6 million

Currency: lev (лв)

Schengen area: Not a member of Schengen

Cyprus

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Nicosia

Total area: 9 250 km²

Population: 0.8 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 2008 (€)

Schengen area: Not a member of Schengen

Czech Republic

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Prague

Total area: 78 866 km²

Population: 10.5 million

Currency: Czech koruna (Kč)Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Denmark

Year of EU entry: 1973

Capital city: Copenhagen

Total area: 43 094 km²

Population: 5.5 million

Currency: Danish krone (kr.)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1996

Estonia

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Tallinn

Total area: 45 000 km²

Population: 1.3 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 2011 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Finland

Year of EU entry: 1995

Capital city: Helsinki

Total area: 338 000 km²

Population: 5.3 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1996

France

Year of EU entry: Founding member (1952)

Capital city: Paris

Total area: 550 000 km²

Population: 64.3 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since

1985

Germany

Year of EU entry: Founding member (1952)

Capital city: Berlin

Total area: 356 854 km²

Population: 82 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1985

Greece

Year of EU entry: 1981

Capital city: Athens

Total area: 131 957 km²

Population: 11.2 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 2001 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1992

Hungary

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Budapest

Total area: 93 000 km²

Population: 10 million

Currency: forint (Ft)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Ireland

Year of EU entry: 1973

Capital city: Dublin

Total area: 70 000 km²

Population: 4.5 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Not a member of Schengen

Italy

Year of EU entry: Founding member (1952)

Capital city: Rome

Total area: 301 263 km²

Population: 60 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1990

Latvia

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Riga

Total area: 65 000 km²

Population: 2.3 million

Currency: lats (Ls)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Lithuania

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Vilnius

Total area: 65 000 km²

Population: 3.3 million

Currency: litas (Lt)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Luxembourg

Year of EU entry: Founding member (1952)

Capital city: Luxembourg

Total area: 2 586 km²

Population: 0.5 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1985

Malta

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Valletta

Total area: 316 km²

Population: 0.4 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 2008 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Netherlands

Year of EU entry: Founding member (1952)

Capital city: Amsterdam

Total area: 41 526 km²

Population: 16.4 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1985

Poland

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Warsaw

Total area: 312 679 km²

Population: 38.1 million

Currency: Zloty (zł)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Portugal

Year of EU entry: 1986

Capital city: Lisbon

Total area: 92 072 km²

Population: 10.6 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1991

Romania

Year of EU entry: 2007

Capital city: Bucharest

Total area: 237 500 km²

Population: 21.5 million

Currency: Romanian leu

Schengen area: Not a member of Schengen

Slovakia

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Bratislava

Total area: 48 845 km²

Population: 5.4 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 2009 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Slovenia

Year of EU entry: 2004

Capital city: Ljubljana

Total area: 20 273 km²

Population: 2 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 2007 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 2007

Spain

Year of EU entry: 1986

Capital city: Madrid

Total area: 504 782 km²

Population: 45.8 million

Currency: Member of the eurozone since 1999 (€)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1991

Sweden

Year of EU entry: 1995

Capital city: Stockholm

Total area: 449 964 km²

Population: 9.2 million

Currency: krona (kr)

Schengen area: Member of the Schengen area since 1996

United Kingdom

Year of EU entry: 1973

Capital city: London

Total area: 244 820 km²

Population: 61.7 million

Currency: pound sterling (£)

Schengen area: Not a member of Schengen

EU Overseas countries and territories