Italy is famous for its boot-shaped peninsula. The country is surrounded by four seas: the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Spain is geographically separated from continental Europe by the Pyrenees mountains. It is also bound to the east by the Mediterranean Sea, to the north by the Bay of Biscay, and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. In spite of these natural boundaries, however, Spain has played a major role in European affairs over the centuries.

The Volga is Europe's longest river. It rises in the hills just northwest of Moscow and flows approximately 2,300 miles (3,700 km) to the Caspian Sea.

Landlocked Hungary is bordered by seven countries: Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria. It is no coincidence, perhaps, that Hungary has suffered through many invasions and unwanted occupations over the years. That's a lot of neighbors to keep track of!

Germany is divided into 16 states including: Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thueringen.

Poland is situated on the southern end of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic is believed to be a very young sea, probably formed by the last ice age. Since Viking times, Scandinavians have referred to it as "the Eastern Lake".

The Danube River begins in the Black Forest region of Germany, flows across central Europe and the countries of Austria, Hunbary, Croatia and Yugoslavia, and empties into the Black Sea. It also forms the border between Romania and Bulgaria. At 1,771 miles (2,850 km), the Danube is one of the most significant commercial waterways in all of Europe.

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania. Vilnius is also, interestingly, almost the precise "geographical center" of Europe.

At 5,633 meters (18,481 ft) Mount Elbrus is the tallest mountain in Europe. It is part of the Ural mountains which are considered to be the border between Europe and Asia. During ancient times, Mount Elbrus was known as Strobilus and it was believed to be the location where Zeus had Prometheus chained to a rock. The highest summit of Mount Elbrus was first climbed in 1874 by F. Crauford Grove.

Andorra, located in the heart of the Pyrenees Mountains, is the hightest inhabited country in Europe. Although it is only about 1/5 the size of Rhode Island, it attracts thousands of tourists each year because of its gorgeous scenery, great skiing, and lack of taxes.