Southern Europe



"Southern Europe is so hot in here, but is very rich when it comes to the Roman Empire. Since its peoples' ancestors remember the name of the Roman people, I think things get out of hand when a financial crisis finally happened today."

--Su Ji-Hoon, The Ambitions of the European Union

Southern Europe is the southern region of the European continent. Most definitions of Southern Europe, also known as Mediterranean Europe, includes Southern and Eastern Spain, Southern France, Italy, the Adriatic coast of Bosnia and Hesergovina, Croatia, Albania, Greece and East Thrace of European Turkey. Portugal is also usually included despite not having a coast in the Mediterranean.

Different methods can be used to define Southern Europe, including its political, economic, and cultural attributes. Southern Europe can also be defined by its natural features — its geography, climate, and flora.

Geography
Geographically, Southern Europe is the southern half of the landmass of Europe. This definition is relative, although largely based in history, culture, climate, and flora which is shared across the region. It includes southwestern Europe: the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) and southern France, including the minor territories of Andorra, Gibraltar, and Monaco. It also includes Italy in South-Central and the micro-states of San Marino and the Vatican City. It includes mostly just Greece in Southeastern Europe. However, Albania, Montenegro, the coast of Croatia and the southern tips of Bosnia and Herzegovina and East Thrace in European Turkey can be considered part of southern Europe according to some authors.