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Europe: a beautiful continent with a fascinating history !t has produced many of the world"s famous scientists# in$entors# artists and composers# as well as popular entertainers and successful sports people %or centuries Europe was plagued by wars and di$isions &ut in the last '0 years or so# the countries of this old continent ha$e at last been coming together in peace# friendship and unity# to wor( for a better Europe and a better world )his boo( for children *roughly + to 12 years old, tells the story simply and clearly %ull of interesting facts and colourful illustrations# it gi$es a li$ely o$er$iew of Europe and e-plains briefly what the European .nion is and how it wor(s Go to the website: http://europa eu/europago/e-plore 0ou"1ll find lots of fun 2ui33es and games to test your (nowledge4 5a$e fun e-ploring4
European .nion
$ co ti e t to %isco&er
Europe is one of the world"s se$en continents )he others are 8frica# @orth and Aouth 8merica# 8ntarctica# 8sia and 8ustralia/Bceania Europe stretches all the way from the 8rctic in the north to the Mediterranean Aea in the south# and from the 8tlantic Bcean in the west to the .ral mountains *in 9ussia, in the east !t has many ri$ers# la(es and mountain ranges )he map on page C tells you the names of some of the biggest ones )he highest mountain in Europe is Mount Elbrus# in the Caucasus mountains# on the border between 9ussia and Georgia !ts highest pea( is D 'C2 metres abo$e sea le$el )he highest mountain in western Europe is Mont &lanc# in the 8lps# on the border between %rance and !taly !ts summit is o$er C E00 metres abo$e sea le$el 8lso in the 8lps is ;a(e Gene$a < the largest freshwater la(e in western Europe !t lies between %rance and Awit3erland# goes as deep as ?10 metres and holds about E+ trillion litres of water )he largest la(e in central Europe is &alaton# in 5ungary !t is FF (ilometres *(m, long and co$ers an area of about '00 s2uare (ilometres *(m2, @orthern Europe has e$en bigger la(es# including Aaimaa in %inland *1 1CF (m2, and GHnern in Aweden *more than D D00 (m2, )he largest la(e in Europe as a whole is ;a(e ;adoga !t is located in north-western 9ussia and it is the 1Cth largest la(e in the world !ts surface co$ers an area of 1F F00 (m2
Bne of Europe"s longest ri$ers is the Danube !t rises in the &lac( %orest region of Germany and flows eastwards through 8ustria# Alo$a(ia# 5ungary# Croatia# Aerbia# &ulgaria# Moldo$a and .(raine to 9omania# where it forms a delta on the &lac( Aea coast !n all# it co$ers a distance of about 2 ED0 (m Bther big ri$ers include the 9hine *about 1 ?20 (m long,# the Elbe *about 1 1F0 (m, and the ;oire *more than 1 000 (m, Can you find them on the map: &ig ri$ers are $ery useful for transporting things 8ll (inds of goods are loaded onto barges that carry them up and down the ri$ers# between Europe"s sea ports and cities far inland
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0etti g arou %
Did you (now that railways were in$ented in Europe: !t was in England that George Atephenson introduced the first passenger train in 1E2D 5is most famous locomoti$e was called Kthe 9oc(et" and it reached speeds of more than C0 (ilometres per hour *(m/h, < which was really fast for those days )oday# Europe"s high-speed electric trains are $ery different from those first steam engines )hey are $ery comfortable and they tra$el at speeds of up to ??0 (m/h on specially built trac(s More trac(s are being built all the time# to allow people to tra$el 2uic(ly between Europe"s big cities 9oads and railways sometimes ha$e to cross mountain ranges# wide ri$ers or e$en the sea Ao engineers ha$e built some $ery long bridges and tunnels )he longest road tunnel in Europe is the ;aerdal tunnel in @orway# between &ergen and Bslo !t is more than 2C (m long and was opened in the year 2000 )he longest railway tunnel in Europe is the Channel )unnel !t carries Eurostar high-speed trains under the sea between Calais in %rance and %ol(estone in England# and it"s more than D0 (m long
)he highest bridge in the world *2CD metres tall, is the Millau Giaduct in %rance# which was opened in 200C )wo of the longest bridges in Europe are the Bresund road and rail bridge *1' (m long, between Denmar( and Aweden and the Gasco da Gama road bridge *more than 1F (m long, across the ri$er )agus in Iortugal )he Gasco da Gama bridge is named after a famous e-plorer# and you can read about him in the chapter K8 7ourney through time" Ieople also tra$el around Europe by plane# because air tra$el is 2uic( Aome of the world"s best planes are built in Europe < for e-ample# the K8irbus" Different European countries ma(e different parts of an 8irbus# and then a team of engineers puts the whole plane together )he fastest e$er passenger plane# the Concorde# was designed by a team of %rench and &ritish engineers Concorde could fly at 2 1'0 (m/h < twice the speed of sound < and could cross the 8tlantic in less than three hours4 *Most planes ta(e about eight hours , Concorde too( its final flight in 200? %aster than any plane are space roc(ets# such as 8riane < a 7oint pro7ect between se$eral European countries Ieople don"t tra$el in the 8riane roc(et: it is used to launch satellites# which are needed for )G and mobile phone networ(s# for scientific research and so on Most of the world"s satellites are now launched using these European roc(ets )he success of Concorde# 8irbus and 8riane show what can be achie$ed when European countries wor( together
La guages i Europe
Ieople in Europe spea( many different languages Most of these languages belong to three large groups or Kfamilies": Germanic# Ala$ic and 9omance )he languages in each group share a family li(eness because they are descended from the same ancestors %or e-ample# 9omance languages are descended from ;atin < the language spo(en by the 9omans 5ere"s how to say KGood morning" or K5ello" in 7ust a few of these languages 0erma ic Danish Dutch English German Awedish Sla&ic &ulgarian C3ech Iolish Alo$a( Alo$ene Dobr tro Dobr rno Dzie dobr Dobr rno Dobro jutro God morgen Goedemorgen Good morning Guten Morgen God morgon Roma ce %rench !talian Iortuguese 9omanian Apanish Bonjour Buongiorno Bom dia
Bun dimineaa
Buenos das
!t"s not hard to see the family li(eness in these e-amples &ut there are other European languages that are less closely related# or not at all related# to one another 5ere"s how to say KGood morning" or K5ello" in se$eral of these languages &as2ue &reton Catalan Estonian %innish Gaelic *Acottish, Gree( !gun on Demat Bon dia 'ere $ommi(ust ) *++ $uomenta Madainn m$at$ /a#imera 5ungarian !rish ;at$ian ;ithuanian Maltese 6elsh " regge#t Dia d$uit %abr&t %abas r tas %,G-od.a t,'ajba Bore da
!n the language of the 9oma people# who li$e in many parts of Europe# KGood morning" is %as$o d es ;earning languages can be great fun < and it"s important on a continent li(e ours Many of us en7oy going on holiday to other European countries# and getting to (now the people there )hat"s a great opportunity to practice the phrases we (now in different languages
(limate a % ature
Most of Europe has a Ktemperate" climate < neither too hot nor too cold )he coldest places are in the far north and in the high mountains )he warmest places are in the far south and south-east )he weather is warmest and driest in summer *roughly Lune to Aeptember, and coldest in winter *roughly December to March, Europe had record-brea(ing hot summers in 200? and 200' !s this a sign that the climate is changing: Climate change is a worldwide problem that can only be sol$ed if all countries wor( together
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Cold-blooded animals such as reptiles also need the sun to gi$e them energy !n summer# especially in southern Europe# you will often see li3ards bas(ing in the sunshine and hear the chirping of grasshoppers and cicadas
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5armi g
Bn high mountains and in the far north of Europe# farming is impossible because it is too cold for crops to grow &ut e$ergreen trees such as pines and firs can sur$i$e cold winters )hat is why Europe"s coldest places are co$ered with e$ergreen forests Ieople use the wood from these forests to ma(e many things < from houses and furniture to paper and cardboard pac(aging %urther south# most of the land is suitable for farming !t produces a wide $ariety of crops including wheat# mai3e# sugar beet# potatoes and all sorts of fruit and $egetables 6here there is plenty of sunshine and hardly any frost *near the Mediterranean# for e-ample,# farmers can grow fruit such as oranges and lemons# grapes and oli$es Bli$es contain oil which can be s2uee3ed out of the fruit and used in preparing food Grapes are s2uee3ed to get the 7uice# which can be turned into wine Europe is famous for its $ery good wines# which are sold all o$er the world Mediterranean farmers also grow lots of other fruit and $egetables )omatoes# for e-ample# ripen well in the southern sunshine &ut $egetables need plenty of water# so farmers in hot# dry regions will often ha$e to irrigate their crops )hat means gi$ing them water from ri$ers or from under the ground
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Grass grows easily where there is enough rain# e$en if the soil is shallow or not $ery fertile Many European farmers (eep animals that eat grass < such as cows# sheep or goats )hey pro$ide mil(# meat and other useful products li(e wool and leather Many farmers also (eep pigs or chic(ens )hese animals can be raised almost anywhere because they can be (ept indoors and gi$en specially prepared feed Chic(ens pro$ide not only meat but eggs too# and some farms produce thousands of eggs e$ery day %arms in Europe range from $ery big to $ery small Aome ha$e large fields < which ma(es it easy to har$est crops using big machines Bthers# for e-ample in hilly areas# may ha$e small fields 6alls or hedgerows between fields help stop the wind and rain from carrying away soil# and they can be good for wildlife too Many city people li(e to spend wee(ends and holidays in the European countryside# en7oying the scenery# the peace and 2uiet and the fresh air 6e all need to do what we can to loo( after the countryside and (eep it beautiful
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The sea
Europe has thousands and thousands of (ilometres of coastline# which nature has shaped in $arious ways )here are tall roc(y cliffs and beaches of sand or colourful pebbles formed by the sea as it pounds away at the roc(s# century after century !n @orway# glaciers ha$e car$ed the coast into steep-sided $alleys called f7ords !n some other countries# the sea and wind pile up the sand into dunes )he highest dune in Europe *11F metres tall, is the Dune du Iyla# near 8rcachon in %rance Many (inds of fish and other animals li$e in the sea around Europe"s coasts )hey pro$ide food for seabirds# and for marine mammals such as seals 6here ri$ers flow into the sea# floc(s of waders come to feed# at low tide# on creatures that li$e in the mud
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5ishi g
%ishing has always been important for people in Europe 6hole towns ha$e grown up around fishing harbours# and thousands of people earn their li$ing by catching and selling fish or doing things for the fishermen and their families Modern fishing boats# such as factory trawlers# can catch huge numbers of fish )o ma(e sure that enough are left in the sea# European countries ha$e agreed rules about how many fish can be caught and about using nets that let young fish escape 8nother way to ma(e sure we ha$e enough fish is to farm them Bn the coasts of northern Europe# salmon are reared in large cages in the sea Ahellfish such as mussels# oysters and clams can be farmed in the same way
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1F
$ cie t 0reece *roughly 2000 to 200 &C < &C means before the birth of Christ,
!n Greece about C 000 years ago# people began to build cities 8t first they were ruled by (ings ;ater# around D00 &C# the city of 8thens introduced Kdemocracy" < which means Kgo$ernment by the people" *!nstead of ha$ing a (ing# the men of 8thens too( decisions by $oting , Democracy is an important European in$ention that has spread around the world Some o' the other thi gs the a cie t 0ree"s ga&e us i clu%e4 wonderful stories about gods and heroes# wars and ad$enturesM elegant temples# marble statues and beautiful potteryM the Blympic GamesM well-designed theatres# and great writers whose plays are still performed todayM teachers li(e Aocrates and Ilato# who taught people how to thin( logicallyM mathematicians li(e Euclid and Iythagoras# who wor(ed out the patterns and rules in mathsM scientists li(e 8ristotle *who studied plants and animals, and Eratosthenes *who pro$ed that the Earth is a sphere and wor(ed out how big it is ,
1E
The Roma Empire *roughly D00 &C to D00 8D < 8D means after the birth of Christ,
9ome started out as 7ust a $illage in !taly &ut the 9omans were $ery well organised# their army was $ery good at fighting and they gradually con2uered all the lands around the Mediterranean E$entually the 9oman empire stretched all the way from northern England to the Aahara Desert and from the 8tlantic to 8sia Here are some o' the thi gs the Roma s ga&e us4 good# straight roads connecting all parts of the empireM beautiful houses with courtyards and mosaic tiled floorsM strong bridges and a2ueducts *for carrying water long distances,M round-topped arches < which made their buildings solid and long-lastingM new building materials# such as cement and concreteM new weapons such as catapultsM great writers li(e Cicero and GirgilM the 9oman system of law# which many European countries still use today
1+
The )orma s or K@orthmen"# were Gi(ings who settled in %rance *in the area we call @ormandy, and then con2uered England in 10'' 8 famous @orman tapestry shows scenes from this con2uest !t is (ept in a museum in the town of &ayeuThe Sla&s settled in many parts of eastern Europe and became the ancestors of today"s Ala$icspea(ing peoples# including &elorussians# &ulgarians# Croatians# C3echs# Ioles# 9ussians# Aerbs# Alo$a(s# Alo$enes and .(rainians 8fter the /ag3ars settled in the Carpathian &asin in the +th and 10th centuries# they founded the Jingdom of 5ungary in the year 1000 )heir descendants today li$e in 5ungary and other neighbouring countries During the Middle 8ges# (ings and nobles in Europe often 2uarrelled and there were many wars *)his was the time when (nights in armour fought on horsebac(, )o defend themsel$es from attac(# (ings and nobles often li$ed in strong castles# with thic( stone walls Aome castles were so strong they ha$e lasted until today Christianity became the main religion in Europe during the Middle 8ges# and churches were built almost e$erywhere Aome of them are $ery impressi$e < especially the great cathedrals# with their tall towers and colourful stained-glass windows Mon(s were in$ol$ed in farming and helped de$elop agriculture all o$er Europe )hey also set up schools and wrote boo(s )heir monasteries often had libraries where important boo(s from ancient times were preser$ed !n southern Apain# where !slam was the main religion# the rulers built beautiful mos2ues and minarets )he most famous ones left today are the mos2ue in Cordoba and the Giralda minaret in Ae$ille
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8gatha Christie
.nited Jingdom
8(i JaurismH(i
%inland
8lbert Einstein
Germany
8nne %ran(
)he @etherlands
!taly Aweden
Carmen Jass
Estonia
Christo
&ulgaria
Malta
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George Michael
Cyprus
&elgium
Denmar(
5elena 9ubinstein
Ioland
5omer
Greece
!$ana Jobilca
Alo$enia
Lean Monnet
%rance
JriO7Pnis &arons
;at$ia
;eonardo da Ginci
!taly
Malta in poetry to confirm its cultural and national identityM his $erses later became the lyrics of the national anthem Composer: he wrote some of the world"s most difficult piano music# such as the 'rans6endenta# 5tudies Composer and pianist: he wrote many piano pieces including his famous 7o6turnes %ashion designer: her inno$ati$e women"s clothing made her an important figure in 20th century fashion !nternational pop star: he rose to fame with hits such as %ast 8$ristmas and has sold o$er E0 million singles Comic boo( writer: most famous for his comic strip '$e 2d*entures o9 'intin# which he wrote from 1+2+ until his death in 1+E? 6riter: his mar$ellous fairy tales < such as '$e :g# Du6(#ing and '$e %itt#e Mermaid < ha$e delighted generations of children around the world &usinesswoman: she founded the 5elena 9ubinstein cosmetic company# which made her one of the richest and most successful women of her time Ioet: a legendary ancient Gree( poet# traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems '$e ;#iad and '$e <d sse 8rtist: Alo$enia"s most important female painter# she produced realist and impressionist still life paintings# portraits and landscapes Iolitical figure: de$eloped the core ideas for forming the European .nion and helped establish the European Coal and Ateel Community 6riter: author of the famous )arr 3otter boo( series# which ha$e sold o$er C00 million copies worldwide 5istorical figure: she led the %rench army to se$eral important $ictories during the 5undred 0ears" 6ar and was later captured and burned at the sta(e aged 1+ Musician: (nown as the father of the Kdainas" < traditional &altic music and lyrics < his is the only portrait to appear on ;at$ian ban( notes Iainter# sculptor# architect#
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;y((e ;i
Aweden
Ioland
Marlene Dietrich
Germany
%rance ;ithuania
9omania
Apain Apain
9obert Achuman
;u-embourg
Alo$a(ia Germany
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!reland
scientist# in$entor and philosopher: he painted the famous portrait of the Mona %isa and designed the first helicopter model as early as 1C+? Ainger: she released her first album in 200E and 2uic(ly rose to international fame# collaborating with stars such as Jings of ;eon and Janye 6est Acientist: with her husband Iierre she disco$ered radium < a radioacti$e metal )hey were awarded the @obel Iri3e for Ihysics in 1+0? 8ctress: she starred in many films# including the original $ersion of 2round t$e 1or#d in => Da s *1+D', 9apper: he is one of the most internationally popular and influential %rench rappers Iainter and composer: one of ;ithuania"s most famous artists# he composed 2D0 pieces of music and produced ?00 paintings 8thlete: the first person e$er to score full mar(s *10 out of 10, for gymnastics at the Blympic Games in 1+F' 8rtist: famous for his paintings in the KCubist" style 8ctress: she has starred in many international bo- office hits and wor(ed with famous directors such as 6oody 8llen and Iedro 8lmodS$ar Iolitician: although he was born near ;u-embourg# he went on to become Irime Minister of %rance 5e is widely considered to be the Kfather of Europe" )he Achuman Declaration was made on + May 1+D0 and to this day + May is designated KEurope Day" !n$entor: he in$ented the parachute in 1+1? )ennis player: she is a former number one and the only player to ha$e won all four Grand Alam singles tournaments at least four times each 9oc( band: their songs ha$e been big hits around the world since 1+E0 Ilaywright# politician: former dissident playwright who criticised
GVcla$ 5a$el
C3ech 9epublic
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Gasco da Gama
Iortugal
Gi$ienne 6estwood
.nited Jingdom
8ustria
the Communist regime and who was nominated for the @obel Ieace Iri3e in 200? 5e was the last Iresident of C3echoslo$a(ia and the first Iresident of the C3ech 9epublic E-plorer: one of the most successful e-plorers during the European 8ge of Disco$ery# he commanded the first ships to sail directly from Europe to !ndia %ashion designer: she brought pun( and new wa$e fashion into the mainstream in the 1+F0s and continues to be an important player in the fashion world today Musician: a composer of classical music# Mo3art produced o$er '00 wor(s and wrote his first opera in 1FF0# when he was 7ust 1C years old
My choice:
2C
2D
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%irst radio messages &a(elite# the first plastic @eon lighting )ele$ision and motorways
)oday# roughly a 2uarter of the people wor(ing in Europe are producing things needed for the modern world: food and drin(sM mobile phones and computersM clothes and furnitureM washing machines and tele$isionsM cars# buses and lorries and lots more besides 8bout F out of e$ery 10 European wor(ers ha$e Kser$ice" 7obs !n other words# they wor( in shops and post offices# ban(s and insurance companies# hotels and restaurants# hospitals and schools# etc < either selling things or pro$iding ser$ices that people need
2F
War:
9egrettably# there ha$e been many 2uarrels in the European family Bften they were about who should rule a country# or which country owned which piece of land Aometimes a ruler wanted to gain more power by con2uering his neighbours# or to pro$e that his people were stronger and better than other peoples Bne way or another# for hundreds of years# there were terrible wars in Europe !n the 20th century# two big wars started on this continent but spread and in$ol$ed countries all around the world )hat is why they are called world wars )hey (illed millions of people and left Europe poor and in ruins Could anything be done to stop these things happening again: 6ould Europeans e$er learn to sit down together and discuss things instead of fighting: )he answer is Kyes" )hat"s the story of our ne-t chapter: the story of the European .nion
:a % peace
6e Europeans belong to many different countries# with different languages# traditions# customs and beliefs 0et we belong together# li(e a big family# for all sorts of reasons 5ere are some of them 6e ha$e shared this continent for thousands of years Bur languages are often related to one another Many people in e$ery country are descended from people from other countries Bur traditions# customs and festi$als often ha$e the same origins 6e share and en7oy the beautiful music and art# and the many plays and stories# that people from all o$er Europe ha$e gi$en us# down the centuries 8lmost e$eryone in Europe belie$es in things li(e fair play# neighbourliness# freedom to ha$e your own opinions# respect for each other and caring for people in need Ao we en7oy what"s different and special about our own country and region# but we also en7oy what we ha$e in common as Europeans
2E
$ !ra % e1 i%ea
8 %renchman called Lean Monnet thought hard about this 5e realised that there were two things a country needed before it could ma(e war: iron for producing steel *to ma(e tan(s# guns# bombs and so on, and coal to pro$ide the energy for factories and railways Europe had plenty of coal and steel: that"s why European countries had easily been able to ma(e weapons and go to war Ao Lean Monnet came up with a $ery daring new idea 5is idea was that the go$ernments of %rance and Germany < and perhaps of other European countries too < should no longer run their own coal and steel industries !nstead# these industries should be organised by people from all the countries in$ol$ed# and they would sit around a table and discuss and decide things together )hat way# war between them would be impossible4 Lean Monnet felt that his plan really would wor( if only European leaders were willing to try it 5e spo(e about it to his friend 9obert Achuman# who was a minister in the %rench go$ernment 9obert Achuman thought it was a brilliant idea and he announced it in an important speech on + May 1+D0 )he speech con$inced not only the %rench and German leaders but also the leaders of &elgium# !taly# ;u-embourg and the @etherlands )hey all decided to put their coal and steel industries together and to form a club they called the European Coal and Ateel Community *ECAC, !t would wor( for peaceful purposes and help rebuild Europe from the ruins of war )he ECAC was set up in 1+D1
5oo% a % 'armi g
)he Aecond 6orld 6ar had made it $ery difficult for Europe to produce food or to import it from other continents Europe was short of food e$en in the early 1+D0s Ao the EEC decided on an
2+
arrangement for paying its farmers to produce more food# and to ma(e sure that they could earn a decent li$ing from the land )his arrangement was called the Kcommon agricultural policy" *or C8I, !t wor(ed well Ao well# in fact# that farmers ended up producing too much food and the arrangement had to be changed4 @owadays# the C8I also pays farmers to loo( after the countryside
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?1
@e$er before ha$e so many countries 7oined the E. in such a short time )his is a real Kfamily reunion"# bringing together the eastern# central and western parts of Europe
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The euro
!n years gone by# each country in Europe had its own (ind of money# or Kcurrency" @ow there is one single currency# the euro# which all E. countries can share if they wish 5a$ing one currency ma(es it easier to do business and to tra$el and shop all o$er the E. without ha$ing to change from one currency to another !t too( nine years of hard wor( and careful planning to introduce the euro )he notes and coins came into use in 2002 )oday# more than two thirds of the E."s citi3ens are using the euro instead of the old currencies !f you compare euro coins you will see that on one side there is a design representing the country it was made in )he other side is the same for all the countries
5ree%om!
Ieople in the E. are free to li$e# wor( or study in whiche$er E. country they choose# and the E. is doing all it can to ma(e it simple to mo$e home from one country to another 6hen you cross the borders between most E. countries# you no longer need a passport )he E. encourages students and young people to spend some time studying or training in another European country
;o!s
!t"s important for people to ha$e 7obs that they en7oy and are good at Aome of the money they earn goes to pay for hospitals and schools# and to loo( after old people )hat"s why the E. is doing all it can to create new and better 7obs for e$eryone who can wor( !t helps people to set up new businesses# and pro$ides money to train people to do new (inds of wor(
!n many countries around the world# people are dying or li$ing difficult li$es because of war# disease and natural disasters such as droughts or floods Bften these countries do not ha$e enough money to build the schools and hospitals# roads and houses that their people need )he E. gi$es money to these countries# and sends teachers# doctors# engineers and other e-perts to wor( there !t also buys many things that those countries produce without charging customs duties )hat way# the poor countries can earn more money
?C
Peace
)he European .nion has brought many European countries together in friendship Bf course# they don"t always agree on e$erything but# instead of fighting# their leaders sit round a table to sort out their disagreements So the %ream o' ;ea /o et a % Ro!ert Schuma has come true.
)he E. has brought peace among its members !t is also wor(ing for lasting peace among its neighbours and in the wider world %or e-ample# E. soldiers and police officers are helping (eep the peace in the former 0ugosla$ia# where there was bitter fighting not many years ago )hese are 7ust some of the things the E. does: there are many more !n fact# being in the European .nion ma(es a difference to 7ust about e$ery aspect of our li$es 6hat things should the E. be doing# or not doing: )hat"s for the people in the E. to decide 5ow can we ha$e our say: %ind out in the ne-t chapter Europe has its own flag and its own anthem < <de to "o from &eetho$en"s ninth symphony )he original words are in German# but when used as the European anthem it has no words < only the tune 0ou can hear it on the !nternet: europa eu/abc/symbols/anthem/inde-Xen htm
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-e34 )he coloured countries are members of the European .nion *E., )he striped countries are planning to 7oin the E. )he other countries# including those shown by a small white circle# are neighbours of the E. )he dots show where the capital cities are Gatican City is in 9ome Aome islands and other pieces of land belonging to %rance# Iortugal and Apain are part of the E. &ut they are a long way from mainland Europe# so we ha$e put them in the bo- *top right,
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(apital cit3
&russels *&ru-elles/&russel, Aofia <bcd`a/So'ia= Irague *Iraha, Copenhagen *Jebenha$n, &erlin *&erlin, )allinn *)allinn, Dublin *&aile 8tha Cliath/Dublin, 8thens *lmnok/8thinai, Madrid *Madrid, Iaris *Iaris, 9ome *9oma, @icosia *wxyz{|}k/;ef(osia, *;ef(osa, 9iga *9~ga, Gilnius *Gilnius, ;u-embourg *;u-embourg, &udapest *&udapest, Galletta *Galletta, 8msterdam *8msterdam, Gienna *6ien, 6arsaw *6ars3awa, ;isbon *;isboa, &ucharest *&ucureti, ;7ubl7ana *;7ubl7ana, &ratisla$a *&ratisla$a, 5elsin(i *5elsin(i/5elsingfors,
Populatio
10 F million F ' million 10 D million D D million E2 million 1 ? million C D million 11 2 million CD E million 'C ? million '0 million 0 E million 2 ? million ? ? million 0 D million 10 million 0 C million 1' C million E ? million ?E 1 million 10 ' million 21 D million 2 million D C million D ? million
?F
*, )he full name of this country is Kthe .nited Jingdom of Great &ritain and @orthern !reland"# but for short most people 7ust call it &ritain# the .nited Jingdom or the .J Iopulation figures are for 200+ our6e: Eurostat
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Bne of the challenges facing Europe today is how to ma(e sure that young people can ha$e 7obs and a good future !t"s not easy# because European firms ha$e to compete for business with companies in other parts of the world that may be able to do the same 7ob more cheaply )here are other big problems today which can only be tac(led by countries around the world wor(ing together# for e-ample: pollution and climate changeM hunger and po$ertyM international crime and terrorism
)he European .nion is wor(ing on these problems# but it"s not always easy for 2F go$ernments and the European Iarliament to agree on what to do !t doesn"t help that the E."s decision-ma(ing rules are rather complicated 6hat"s more# many people feel that 7ust $oting for their MEI once e$ery fi$e years doesn"t gi$e them much of a say in what gets decided in &russels or Atrasbourg
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Ao we need to ma(e sure that e$eryone can ha$e their say in what the European .nion decides 5ow can we do that: Do you ha$e any good ideas: 6hat are the most important problems you thin( the E. should be dealing with# and what would you li(e it to do about them: 6hy not discuss and 7ot down your ideas with your teacher and your classmates and send them to your MEI: 0ou can find out who he or she is and where to write to them on the following website: europarl.europa.eu/ 0ou can also contact the European Commission or Iarliament at one of the addresses at the end of this boo( and perhaps e$en arrange for your class to $isit the two institutions 6e are today"s European children: before long we"ll be Europe"s adults )he future is for us to decide < together4
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Use'ul li "s
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6hy not test what you ha$e learned in this boo( and play the ;et"s E-plore Europe game online: Go to: europa.eu/europago/explore 0ou can also find more games# 2ui33es and online fun at: europa.eu/?uic"@li "s/eu@"i%s/i %exAe .htm
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