Most of Russias land mass, however, is part of Asia, not Europe, as Russia is a transcontinental country, and has territory in both Europe and Asia. On balance, adults in Western European countries are less likely to view these nativist elements as important to national identity. They endured fascism, communism, corruption, economic chaos, invasion, occupation, famine, war, and genocide. For example, in the Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia, the vast majority of people say being Christian (specifically Lutheran) is not important to their national identity. Fully nine-in-ten Russians, for instance, oppose legal same-sex marriage, while similarly lopsided majorities in the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally. It consists of 10 countries. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Western Europe refers to the western part of Europe. This is especially true in Western Europe, which is more secular than other parts of Europe. In many Western European countries surveyed, roughly one-fifth of the population expresses belief in reincarnation, a concept more closely associated with Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism than with Christianity. Not only is religious affiliation on the decline in Western Europe, religious commitment also is generally lower there than in Central and Eastern Europe. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax @media (max-width: 1171px) { .sidead300 { margin-left: -20px; } } To really get a sense of traditional Eastern European culture, you have to venture beyond the cities into small towns and hamlets. 5. Greece is located in south-east Europe! The two sides of Europe do not appear to be moving closer on these questions with younger generations. The top 25 rapid-growth markets, or RGMs, will continue to contribute nearly half of the worlds growth over the next three years. This may reflect the fact that multiple languages are spoken in these countries, including large numbers of Russian speakers in Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. Western Europe (Robinson Project)By Serg!o [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons, 2. And most Hungarians say that being born in their country and having Hungarian ancestry are important to being truly Hungarian a typically Eastern European view of national identity. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. Combined, they contain more than half of Western Europes population. Adults in both regions say it is important to respect their countrys institutions and laws and to be able to speak the national language to truly share their national identity. Given that, its amazing that Eastern Europeans arent more screwed up. This includes Armenia and Georgia where the balance of opinion favors government support for religious values and beliefs as well as Russia, where 42% of adults say the government should promote religion. Russia and the other 9 countries that make up the subregion of Eastern Europe once comprised what was commonly known as the Eastern bloc during the Cold War. There is a strong tradition of hospitality in Eastern Europe, and generosity and goodwill are common: from inviting strangers to dinner to offerings of drinks and gifts. Moreover, Eastern Europe isnt the global leader on such issues (nor are they the laggard, either). Even with workaholic Slovenians on one extreme and relaxed Bosnians on the other, Eastern Europeans tend to balance work and play better than Americans. This is true to a lesser extent in much of Europe, but especially so in the east. The subregion is home to two of Europes biggest political and economic powers, France and Germany. The cities of Western Europe, especially in the UK, France, and Germany, are responsible for a large proportion of the economic growth, and life there is different from much of the rest of Europe. I took trains all the way from Istanbul to London, and eastern and western Europe felt like different worlds. 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Thus, Central Europe is a European crossroads of sorts, where different languages and cultures of the continent meet. Today, most of Eastern Europe is part of the European Union (EU) and NATO. People in Central and Eastern Europe also are more likely than Western Europeans to say being born in their country and having family background there are important to truly share the national identity (e.g., to be truly Romanian; see here.). 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA 1. Meanwhile, Americans and Western Europeans are plagued with a Byzantine tax code. By this measure, young Estonian adults are still six times as likely as older adults in Denmark (10%) to oppose same-sex marriage. Latin American Culture & Traditions | What is Latin America? Although there is no longer a physical east-west barrier in Europe, there still exists a faint, but measurable, cultural and economic divide. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Still, there are notable differences across the Atlantic. Taken together, these and other questions about national identity, religious minorities and cultural superiority would seem to indicate a European divide, with high levels of religious nationalism in the East and more openness toward multiculturalism in the West. In Western Europe, far fewer people believe their lives are preordained roughly four-in-ten or fewer in most of the countries surveyed. These geographic races include: Europeans (which include Middle Easterners and Mediterraneans) Eastern Indians Asians American Indians Africans Melanesians Micronesians Polynesians Australian Aborigines 3. 3. Crime is low, even in cities, making Western Europe very safe. Although Greece was not part of the Eastern bloc, it is categorized in Central and Eastern Europe because of both its geographical location and its public attitudes, which are more in line with Eastern than Western Europe on the issues covered in this report. All these countries are part of different subregions of Europe as defined by the UN Geoscheme. Each of these four subregions consist of several countries. In much of Europe, life is laid-back and slow-paced; people work shorter hours and have lots of time with family. But not everyone across Western Europe feels this way. But in several others, including Poland, Russia and Ukraine, the balance of opinion tilts in the other direction, with respondents more likely to say that abortion should be mostly or entirely illegal. Western Europe: Western Europe refers to the western part of Europe. For example, majorities in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway say it is not very or not at all important to be born in their country or have family background there to be truly Swedish, etc. Eastern Europeans also tend to have high cheekbones, which helps to protect against the cold wind. These are not the only issues dividing Eastern and Western Europe.5 But they have been in the news since a surge in immigration to Europe brought record levels of refugees from predominantly Muslim countries and sparked fierce debates among European leaders and policymakers about border policies and national values. Another common eastern European facial feature is a wide nose. Religion plays a less-significant role in everyday life than places like the United States, and the majority do not attend church regularly. And while adultery is widely frowned upon in the EU except, notably, in France Americans are even more likely to say having an affair is morally unacceptable. Americans and Europeans share many things: a commitment to fundamental democratic principles, a strategic alliance that has shaped the world order for more than half a century, and despite serious economic challenges in recent years, some of the highest living standards in the world. In Western Europe, meanwhile, majorities in nearly every country surveyed say religion should be kept separate from government policies. In general, Eastern Europeans are less stressed out than the West. In addition to belief in God, Central and Eastern Europeans are more likely than Western Europeans to express belief in fate (that the course of life is largely or wholly preordained), as well as in some phenomena not typically linked with Christianity, including the evil eye (that certain people can cast curses or spells that cause bad things to happen to someone). For more on how the European Court of Justice has handled these issues, see Ferraro, Francesca, and Jess Carmona. Thats ironic because communist countries were known for their bureaucracy, while capitalist ones were known for their efficiency. These two regions consist of a large number of countries that enrich the diversity of the two regions. If you compare Korean Idols with American celebrities, you can see the clear difference in . For example, 83% of adults in Hungary and 82% of adults in Poland say it is very or somewhat important to have been born in their country to be truly Hungarian or truly Polish. And 72% of Russians say it is important to have Russian family background to be truly Russian.. Nordics in eastern Europe, Asia, and North Africa may have been formed by separate recombinations or simple depigmentations of comparable Mediterranean strains, or by invasions of these regions from an European or West Asiatic depigmentation center. Western culture prefers curvy women and tan skin, while Asian culture idolizes slim figures and pale skin. Eastern Europe is the Eastern side of the continent of Europe, usually considered to include Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, and Bulgaria, though sometimes also including Poland, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. France, Germany, and the Low Countries are also members of NATO. Indeed, Germany has always figured prominently in the history of Central Europe, beginning with the Holy Roman Empire that controlled much of the region in medieval times. What are the reasons for these opposing patterns on different sides of the continent? But a general East-West pattern is also apparent on at least one other measure of nationalism: cultural chauvinism. The Western European region is very much advanced in its economy. That said, on balance, Central and Eastern Europeans are more likely than Western Europeans to say that religion is very important in their lives, that they attend religious services at least monthly, and that they pray every day. Is Christianity a European value? What about secularism? In addition to the 24 EU countries surveyed, two additional ones in the survey Serbia and Bosnia are in various stages of accession, the yearslong process of joining the EU. In most other parts of Central and Eastern Europe, Christian shares of the population have been relatively stable by this measure. Among the other, smaller countries of Western Europe are the so-called Low Countries of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Its All About RGM (Rapid Growth Markets). For a complete analysis of abortion laws in Europe and elsewhere, see . They usually possess brown or dark eye, and they can have coarse . All human development, from large cities to small towns, shines light into the night sky. The lower Christian shares in Western Europe reflect how the regions religious landscape has been changing within the lifetimes of survey respondents. And in Georgia, 92% of adults say it is important to speak Georgian to truly share their national identity. | Latin America Countries, Physical Features & Facts, North America Physical Map & Significant Features | Rivers & Mountain Ranges, Economy of the Europe System | Overview, Sectors & Strengths. Life in Europe, like anywhere, varies a lot. 2Americans tend to prioritize individual liberty, while Europeans tend to value the role of the state to ensure no one in society is in need. Since 2015, the have grown by 300 percent in the US. I do appreciate the liberalization in the western world during the past 40 years. There are substantial populations belonging to non-Christian religions particularly Islam in many European countries. Indeed, in a part of the region where communist regimes once repressed religious worship, Christian affiliation has shown a resurgence in some countries since the fall of the USSR in 1991. This part of Europe is by far the richest and contains major financial centers like London and Paris. Just as it is in Western Europe, Germany is also the largest and most populous country in Central Europe. It is difficult to point out the geographical division between the western and eastern regions of Europe although it is believed that the Caucasus Mountains, Ural River and mountain lay the boundary for Eastern Europe. Majorities in all European nations polled in 2011 said guaranteeing that nobody is in need is more important. In most of Europe, including the countryside of France, Germany, and Spain, life is relatively laid-back and slow-paced, people work less demanding schedules, and family and mealtimes are central parts of life. Some of these countries are small and sparsely populated, while others are large and heavily populated. In France and the United Kingdom, for example, most say it is not important to be Christian to be truly French or truly British. In a separate question, Western Europeans also are much more likely than their Central and Eastern European counterparts to say they would accept Muslims in their neighborhoods.1 For example, 83% of Finns say they would be willing to accept Muslims as neighbors, compared with 55% of Ukrainians. This is not to suggest that support for multiculturalism is universal even in Western Europe. While public opinion on the importance of religion, birthplace and ancestry to national identity is different in Central and Eastern Europe than it is in the West, people throughout the continent largely agree on some other elements of national belonging. In Poland, Germany and Italy, fewer than half think this kind of speech should be legal. The EU and NATO seek to further expand into Eastern Europe, while Russia hopes to halt any further NATO or EU expansion, and regain the influence that it had over the countries of the subregion during the Cold War. It is related to Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese. In the Eastern European countries, the conservative ideas are more prominent in comparison to the Western region. What will happen to society when AI lovers fool millions of people? It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. To summarize an entire way of life in a whole continent, much less one that contains around 50 countries, is no easy task. For example, in nearly every Central and Eastern European country polled, fewer than half of adults say they would be willing to accept Muslims into their family; in nearly every Western European country surveyed, more than half say they would accept a Muslim into their family. In Portugal, for example, the vast majority of adults say that being born in Portugal (81%) and having a Portuguese family background (80%) are very or somewhat important to being truly Portuguese. These sentiments also are widespread among adults in Italy and Spain. Relatively large amounts of time are spent with family, and mealtimes are extremely important to many cultures in this area, especially French, Italian, and Greek cultures. But this view is more widespread in Western Europe, while several Central and Eastern European countries are more divided. For example, on this question, the United Kingdom looks a lot like the United States.) For instance, Czechs are highly secular, generally favor same-sex marriage and do not associate Christianity with their national identity, similar to most Western Europeans. And large shares in both Eastern and Western European countries say speaking the national language is important to sharing their national identity. In addition to the importance of religion to national identity, the surveys also asked about several other possible elements of national identity. Transport, accommodation, and food tend to be less expensive than in Western Europe. The rest of this report will look at more cross-regional comparisons, including: Christianity has long been the prevailing religion in Europe, and it remains the majority religious affiliation in 27 of the 34 countries surveyed. Since that year, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia have joined the EU. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. 2.THE NINE (9) GEOGRAPHIC RACES: There are nine geographic races, each with particular genetic similarities. For example, fully half or more of adults in Greece, Bosnia, Armenia, Georgia and Romania say religion is very important in their lives, compared with about one-in-ten in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and several other Western European countries. Sometimes Scandinavia is included due to cultural similarities, sometimes not. Religion is central to life, especially in Italy where the Catholic faith is dominant. The countries of Scandinavia are well-known for their cradle-to-grave welfare states. Next came Ukraine (15%), Slovakia (19%), Romania (16%), Serbia (14%), Czechia (12.5%), Macedonia (10%), Albania (10%), Montenegro (9%), Bosnia (10%), and Bulgaria (10%). Westerners aim for a fierce and confident look, while Asians are more geared towards a 'light' and more natural look. Life in European cities is different from the country. Also, the people in Romania speak a language with romance roots, which is called the Romanian language. Governments also tend to take a much heavier hand in their economies to this day, and will work hard to actively provide jobs for their people. Also economically, the Western European countries are much more advanced than the eastern European countries. Unexpected transformations in Eastern Europe have been central to the remaking of contemporary Europe. Similarly, roughly three-in-ten Slovaks, Greeks and Ukrainians say they pray daily, compared with 8% in Austria and Switzerland. Most of these adults say they gradually drifted away from religion, though many also say they disagreed with church positions on social issues like homosexuality and abortion, and/or that they stopped believing in religious teachings. Catholic-majority countries are prevalent in the central and southwestern parts of Europe, cutting a swath from Lithuania through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, and then extending westward across Croatia, Austria, Italy and France to the Iberian Peninsula. One final eastern European facial feature worth mentioning is a fair . How East-West Dynamics Define Europe. In France, only 14% consider religion very important. Along with the inventions of the industrial revolution, countries have been able to gain a high economic development rate. This affects the culture to this day, with some large Russian populations and similar cultural attitudes. By contrast, fewer than two-thirds of adults in most Western European countries surveyed say they believe in God, and in some countries with large populations of nones, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Sweden, fewer than half of adults believe in God. Europeans across the continent are largely united in support of a separation between religion and government. Eastern Europe is depopulating faster than any other region. And Protestantism is the dominant Christian tradition in much of Northern Europe, particularly Scandinavia. But historical schisms underlie this common religious identity: Each of the three major Christian traditions Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy predominates in a certain part of the continent. 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