European Union

- at a glance -

500 million people in 28 countries

General facts

politico-economic union of 28 countries

capital: Brussels

24 official languages

leaders: Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk

legislature: Council, Parliament

currency: euro (, EUR)

secular body

EU symbols

United in diversity The European anthem

The euro The European flag Europe Day, 9 May

FLAG

symbol of unity and identity

12 golden stars in a circle on a blue background

unity, solidarity, harmony

first appeared in 1955

1983 adopted by European Parliament

Anthem

Ludwig Van Beethoven, Ninth Symphony

Friedrich von Schillers lyrical verse

Ode to Joy

idealistic vision of the human race becoming brothers

adopted in 1972 by the Council of Europe

in 1985 adopted by European leaders

Europe Day

9 May

peace and unity

anniversary of the Schuman declaration

1950, speech given by French foreign minister Robert Schuman, proposed the creation of European Coal and Steel Community

idea new form of political cooperation in Europe

considered to be the beginning of the EU

Key quotes

"World peace cannot be safeguarded without the making of creative efforts proportionate to the dangers which threaten it."

"Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity."

Europe day, Berlin, 2011

The motto

United in diversity

in 2000

peace and prosperity

different cultures, traditions and languages

The euro

symbol:

19 of 28 countries

introduced in 1999 as a virtual currency

banknotes and coins in 2002

eliminating fluctuating exchange rates and exchange costs

Banknotes

7 different denominations

feature architectural styles from different periods in Europes history

Size and population

over 4 million km

503 million inhabitants

France biggest, Malta smallest

population increasing natural growth and net migration

ageing population

63

3

50

6

43

9

35

7

33

8

31

3

30

2

24

9

23

8

13

2

11

1

93

92

88

84

79

70

65

65

49

45

43

42

31

20

9

2.6

0.3

Fra

nce

Spain

Sw

eden

Germ

any

Fin

land

Pola

nd

Italy

United K

ingdom

Rom

ania

Gre

ece

Bulg

aria

Hungary

Port

ugal

Cro

atia

Austr

ia

Czech R

epublic

Irela

nd

Lithuania

Latv

ia

Slo

vakia

Esto

nia

Denm

ark

Neth

erlands

Belg

ium

Slo

venia

Cypru

s

Luxem

bourg

Malta

Size of the EU countries

People in the EU 8

0.8

65

.9

64

.3

60

.8

46

.5

38

.5

19

.9

16

.8

11

.2

11

10

.5

10

.4

9.9

9.6

8.5

7.3

5.6

5.5

5.4

4.6

4.3

2.9

2.1

2

1.3

0.9

0.6

0.4

Germ

any

Fra

nce

United K

ingdom

Italy

Spain

Pola

nd

Rom

ania

Neth

erlands

Belg

ium

Gre

ece

Czech R

epublic

Port

ugal

Hungary

Sw

eden

Austr

ia

Bulg

aria

Denm

ark

Fin

land

Slo

vakia

Irela

nd

Cro

atia

Lithuania

Slo

venia

Latv

ia

Esto

nia

Cypru

s

Luxem

bourg

Malta

GDP per inhabitant (average 100) 2

64

12

9

12

7

12

7

12

6

12

5

12

4

11

9

11

2

10

8

10

6

98

95

87

86

83

80

76

75

75

74

72

68

67

67

61

54

47

Luxem

bourg

Austr

ia

Neth

erlands

Sw

eden

Irela

nd

Denm

ark

Germ

any

Belg

ium

Fin

land

Fra

nce

United K

ingdom

Italy

Spain

Malta

Cypru

s

Slo

venia

Czech R

epublic

Slo

vakia

Port

ugal

Gre

ece

Lithuania

Esto

nia

Pola

nd

Hungary

Latv

ia

Cro

atia

Rom

ania

Bulg

aria

Resources

http://europa.eu/about-eu/basic-

information/symbols/index_en.htm

http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

http://www.civitas.org.uk/eufacts/index.php