Western Europe

Overview

Westren Europe is the westerly region o Europe. The extent o the region varies dependin on the context. The concept o 'the West' appeared in Europe in contrast tae 'the East' and originally applied tae the Westren half o the auld Mediterranean world, the Latin West o the Roman Empire, and 'Westren Christendom'. Begginnin wi the Renaissance and the Age o Discovery, roughly frae the 15t century, the notion o Europe as 'the West' gradually became distinct frae and eventually replaced the mainstream use o 'Christendom' as the preferred term in the area. By the Age o Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, the concepts o 'Eastern Europe' and 'Westren Europe' were used mair regularly. The unique nature o Westren Europe became most apparent durin the Cold War, when Europe was divided for 40 years by the Iron Curtain intae the Westren Bloc and Eastern Bloc, each marked by distinct political and economical systems.