The very name of this country goes back to the Roman period, when Julius Caesar called it “Germania” – a land of barbarian tribes that his empire was unable to conquer (unlike nearby Gaul – modern day France, which he did). During the medieval period, Germany first gained historical prominence when the Holy Roman Empire […]
Belgium is located in northwest Europe – sharing borders with France, Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg. Even though the country goes as far back as the Roman era, when that empire annexed that country as “Gallia Belgica” (a northern extension of Gaul – ancient France), Belgium as an independent country didn’t actually come into existence until […]
The landlocked country of Austria (bordered by Germany and Czech Republic to the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland & Liechtenstein to the west), is best-known for being one of Europe’s great cultural destinations. With the country now known as Austria being occupied by various Celtic […]
The volcanic island of La Palma is part of the Canary Islands (off the northwest coast of Africa). It’s the fifth largest of these islands, the furthest into the Atlantic Ocean, and a modestly-sizes population of just 86,000 residents. Like the rest of the Canary Islands, La Palma was settled by the Spaniards by the […]
The island republic of Malta is an archipelago of several islands located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea (the main islands being Malta, Gozo, and Comino). It’s 80 km. south of Sicily, 284 km. east of Tunisia, and 333 km. north of Libya. Because of its location, it has been occupied in one time […]
The volcanic island of Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands (off the northwest coast of Africa), was reputedly discovered by Genoese navigator Lancelotto Malcello in 1312, who named this island after himself. However, it wasn’t settled until the 15th century by the Castilians. Due in part to its distance from mainland Spain (1,000 km) and […]
The volcanic island of Gran Canaria, is the third largest of the Canary Islands (off the northwest coast of Africa), but currently commands about half their population. Those visiting Gran Canaria are immediately impressed by its varied landscape – white sand beaches along its southern coast, a rural mountainous interior (especially the island’s center – […]
The volcanic island of La Gomera is among the smallest of the Canary Islands (along with El Hierro). Located off the North African coast, it has a small population of just 21,136 inhabitants. La Gomera was colonized by the Spanish crown in the early 1400s. The island already made history then when Christopher Columbus made […]
The volcanic island of El Hierro is the smallest of the Canary Islands (at just 268 square kilometers, with a population of just 10,798 inhabitants). This island was colonized in the early 1400s by the same explorer (Jean de Bethencourt) who also founded the neighboring Canary Island of Fuerteventura on behalf of the Spanish crown. […]
The former Yugoslavian republic of Croatia has a history that goes back to the days when portions of that country were made part of the Roman Empire as the province of Illyricum (c 32 BC). After that Empire’s fall, the country eventually became the Kingdom of Croatia (925-1102 AD) – the origin of its current […]