Southern Europe

Southern Europe is the southern region of the European continent. Most definitions of Southern Europe, also known as Mediterranean Europe, includes Italy, Greece, Southern France, Southern and Eastern Spain, Albania, the Adriatic coast of former Yugoslavia; Portugal is also usually included despite not having a coast in the Mediterranean.

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.