Extreme points of the European Union
This is a list of the extreme points of the European Union — the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.
Overall
[edit]- North: Nuorgam, Finland
- South: Pointe de Langevin, Saint-Joseph, Réunion,[1] France (21° 23′ 20″ S)
- West: Pointe du Canonnier, Saint-Martin, France (63° 08′ W)
- East: Pointe des Cascades, Sainte-Rose, Réunion,[1] France (55° 50′ 11″ E)
Note that most overseas territories of EU member countries are not part of the European Union, and therefore do not count here. All of these territories are as well part of Eurozone and represent its extreme points.
In Europe, not including overseas territories
[edit]
- North: Nuorgam, Finland (70° 5′ 30″ N)
- South: La Restinga, Canary Islands, Spain (27° 38′ N)
- West: Monchique Islet, Azores Islands, Portugal (31°16′30″W)
- East: Rizokarpaso, Cyprus de jure[2] (34° 36′ E)
- or Cape Greco, Ayia Napa, Cyprus de facto[2] (34° 5′ E)
In mainland Europe
[edit]Only including the European continent proper, i.e. mainland of the 24 member states excluding islands such as Cyprus, Malta or Ireland.
- North: Nuorgam, Finland
- South: Punta de Tarifa, Spain (36° 0′ 15″ N)
- West: Cabo da Roca, Portugal (9° 30′ W)
- East: Virmajärvi, Finland (31° 35′ E)
- Southeastern: Rezovo, Bulgaria (41°59′N 28°1′E)
- Southwestern: Cape St. Vincent, Portugal (37°1′30″N 8°59′40″W)
- Northwestern: Tripoint between Sweden and the Norwegian provinces of Nordland and Troms, near the town of Narvik, Norway (37°1′30″N 8°59′40″W)
- Northeastern: Same as the Northernmost point: Nuorgam, Finland
In the Schengen Area
[edit]- North: Knivskjellodden, Norway (71° 11′ 8″ N)
- South: La Restinga, Canary Islands, Spain (27° 38′ N)
- West: Monchique Islet, Azores Islands, Portugal (31°16′30″W)
- East: Virmajärvi, Finland (31° 35′ 11″E)
Altitude
[edit]- The EU's highest peak is Mont Blanc in the Graian Alps, 4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft) above sea level.[3]
- The lowest point (man-made) in the EU is Tagebau Hambach, 293 m (961 ft) below sea level, Niederzier, North Rhine-Westphalia,
- The lowest natural point in the EU is Étang de Lavalduc in Southeastern Metropolitan France, at 10 m (33 ft) below sea level.
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ a b Réunion is a French département d'outre-mer, and as such is fully part of France and the EU.
- ^ a b Rizokarpaso/Dipkarpaz, in Northern Cyprus, is the de jure easternmost point. Although the whole of Cyprus acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004, EU legislation only applies to the southern part of the island which remained under the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus after the Turkish invasion of 1974. EU legislation is suspended in Northern Cyprus. It is therefore de facto not part of the EU, making Cape Greco, Ayia Napa the de facto easternmost point. Cyprus is usually considered to be in Asia rather than Europe with respect to physical geography, although it is considered culturally European. See also European Union Enlargement#Northern Cyprus and Extreme points of Cyprus.
- ^ "Mont Blanc shrinks by 45 cm (17.72 in) in two years". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2010.