On this page you will learn what the European Union actually is. Many people think it is a whole new type of political phenomenon – not a country like the United States, but also not an international organization like the United Nations. So what is the European Union? And does it offer a possible model for other parts of the world?
There are 28 countries in the European Union. These countries are called Member States. The EU did not always have 28 Member States. It grew from 6 Member States in 1952 to 28 in July 2013. CLICK HERE to find out how! The following activities will help you learn more about these Member States of the European Union.
| Activities | |
| Activity 1: | Where are the EU Countries? |
| Activity 2: | Comparing Countries in the EU |
So the European Union is composed of 28 member states. But what is the EU? Is the European Union a country? Is it a regional organization? An international organization? A federation?
These are questions that scholars, politicians and average European citizens are trying to answer. Donald Puchala is a famous scholar who studies European Integration. Check out his interpretation of how people have been trying to describe and explain the European Union.