In the News, 2021: EUROPE

Covering more than 6.6 million square miles, Russia is the world’s largest country by landmass. It has nine different time zones and shares borders with 14 nations. Russia has been led by Vladimir Putin for more than 20 years, since 1999.

MEDIAN AGE in Europe, 12 years older than the rest of the world. Europe also has the lowest birthrate of any continent. By 2035, a quarter of Europe’s population will be 65 or older, which experts say could pose a serious challenge to the countries’ economies.

Source: Financial Times

At its height in 1913, the British Empire was the largest in history. It covered about 25 percent of the world’s land surface and included places on every continent except Antarctica. The British brought developments such as railroads and court systems to many parts of the world, but they were also responsible for massacres, famines, and discrimination against their colonial subjects.

The world’s first democracy was in  ancient Greece. The term comes from the Greek words for “people” (demos) and “rule” (kratos).