Europe and the EU: 27 countries — one house

The European Union is a union of 27 countries with ~450 million people. The core idea: peace through economics — after two world wars, the countries were woven together by trade so that war became unprofitable. The single market: goods, money and people move freely. 20 countries pay in euro, Schengen removed borders for 29.

• ●EU capitals: Brussels (commission), Strasbourg (parliament), Frankfurt (ECB)
• ●Largest countries: Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland
• ●Schengen ≠ EU: Norway is in Schengen without EU, Ireland in EU without Schengen