Europe

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Europe

The geographical region of Europe includes over 44 countries and 752m people. It had the third largest total GDP of the continents in 2018 at 21.9 trillion USD. Average GDP per capita was 34,485 USD, which is highest among the regions. It also had the highest level of exports in 2018 at 10tr USD. From the 15th century, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, French and British all developed colonial empires. The Spanish and Portuguese enjoyed the mineral wealth of the new world. While all these countries used African slaves to develop tobacco or sugarcane industries in the new world. In the late nineteenth century, Germany, Belgium, and Italy also began to develop colonial empires. The Netherlands was the forerunner in terms of finance and trade, with the world’s first stock exchange in 1602. Britain led the way with industrialisation in the 18th century, which made steam rather than slaves and gold the new wealth of nations. Trade was becoming global and Europe led the way. By the late 19th century, Germany had also industrialised. Its growing commercial and naval rivalry with Britain contributed to the start of WW1. WW1 saw the emergence of the USA as a superpower and the break-up of the imperial European powers; European colonial empires were to survive until after WW2. The devastation of WW2 brought a determination for a new common future. The European Coal and Steel Community was formed in 1951. This became the European Economic Community in 1957, the European Union in 1993, and monetary union in 2001. The end of the cold war in 1989, saw NATO expand into Eastern Europe followed by the European Union. Many former soviet- Bloc countries have grown strongly through the 1990s and 2000s, including Poland, Czechia, and Estonia. Yugoslavia disintegrated in 1991, but Slovenia and Croatia are now EU members and the Western Balkans aspire to membership. Throughout the 2000s, the relative importance of the German economy grew. In recent years, Europe has been tested by the Greek debt crisis (2009-10), the crisis in Ukraine (2013), the Syrian refugee crisis (2015-16), and Brexit (2016-2020). But despite these challenges, Europe will continue to grow as it enjoys the fruits of trade and further integration.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

From Germany to South Africa – The Oppenheimers: Diamonds Are Not Forever

“I’m a philistine.” Nicholas F Oppenheimer, worth some $6.5bn, is not likely to be spotted at a theatre or opera house anytime soon. The vast library of rare antique tomes

Bracing for Climate Change: Managing the Unavoidable and Avoiding the Unmanageable

Climate change is already happening: 900 extreme events were registered across the world last year and in Bulgaria, the frequency of natural disasters has increased significantly in the new millennium

Achieving Green Growth in FYR Macedonia

World Bank presents its FYR Macedonia Green Growth Country Assessment The World Bank today presented its FYR Macedonia Green Growth Country Assessment, a report that aims to define the outlines of a green

Measuring Wealth to Track Sustainability

The new edition of the World Bank’s Little Green Data Book, released on World Environment Day 2014, includes a new indicator called change in wealth per capita for more than
Read more

World Bank Supports SME Development with Focus on Financial Reporting in Europe and Central Asia

Ministers of Finance, business leaders, accounting professionals, and academics from Europe and Central Asia, together with representatives of the World Bank and key EU and international institutions in financial reporting

Turkey’s Public Finances: Time for a Fiscal Policy Pivot?

New World Bank report recommends shift to more sustainable growth model. The World Bank today launched a new report, Turkey in Transition: Time for a Fiscal Policy Pivot?, at a conference held

UN Labour Report Shows Solid Return for National Investments in Quality Jobs

Developing countries that invested in quality jobs from the early 2000s grew nearly one percentage point faster every year since 2007 and were better able to weather the economic crisis

Nicholas Brady: Soccer Finance and the Pragmatist Who Fixed a Debt Crisis

Back in the days when a top-scoring soccer player could be enticed for a few million, Brazilian attacker Romario set a record when PSV put down all of six million
Read more

John Maynard Keynes – Keynesianism to the Rescue: It Still Works Wonders

When Steve Forbes rallies against someone, as he often does, the world takes (some) note: Libertarians and conservatives are apt to make noises of approval while all others suspect the

Restoring Public Confidence: Industrialising Delivery of Pension and Retirement Solutions

Over the past century, governments, as well as public and private sector pension and retirement providers, focused on expanding existing and introducing new systems with a core focus on payment

Jacques Delors: Despite Design Flaws Euro Success Assured

Hindsight may offer some comfort and solace from contemporary reality. It is thus that Jacques Delors – aka Mr Euro – concludes that Europe’s much-maligned common currency suffers from a

Q&A Bentley Motors’ Stephen Reynolds: Unchanged Core Values Drive Bentley’s Global Expansion

How does Bentley secure continuous innovation and technological improvement? With the launch of new models in the coming years, the levels of technologies available will also increase. Our new Flying
Read more
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
CFI

Published by
CFI

Recent Posts

Middle East

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Middle East The Middle East (including Egypt but excluding North Africa) had over 684m…

6 years ago

North America

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] North America   North America (including Mexico and the Caribbean) had over 498m people…

6 years ago

Latin America

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Latin America Latin America (excluding Mexico and the Caribbean but including Brazil) had over…

6 years ago

Asia Pacific

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Asia Pacific Asia-Pacific (excluding the Middle East) is the most populous region. In 2018,…

6 years ago

Africa

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Africa Africa (excluding Egypt) is the second most populous region after Asia-Pacific. It comprises…

6 years ago