Inhabitants: The European Union has 501 million inhabitants — the world’s third largest population after China

Size: The European Union is less than half the size of the United States, but its population is over 50% larger.

Surface area in millions:  4.2 square kilometres

27 Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Languages: 23 official and working languages: Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish and Swedish.

Highest mountain: Mont Blanc in France/Italy 4810 m

Longest river: Wolga in Russia 3534 km

Source: Information and data made available by the official website ©Europa Gateway to the European Union 2010