Country and Minority Flags of Europe
EU Country Profiles & Immigration Info
Minority Languages & Identities in Europe

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• Far-Right/Xenophobic Parties
• Ethnic/religious groups of Habsburg Empire
• Historical breakup of Yugoslavia ('91-'09)
• Muslim populations in European countries
• History of Christianization of Europe
• Soviet Union, Communist influence
• Map of European ethnic groups
• Map of Arab and Turkish Rule in Europe
• Religions & ethnic groups in Russia
• Detailed map of French colonization
• Detailed map of British colonization
• Napoleon's conquests & legacy
• Ethnic & religious map of pre-Nazi Poland

--MORE & NON-ENGLISH--

• Pecs, Hungary: crossroads between
East and West
• Auschwitz and Birkenau
• Poland's resistance to Nazis in pictures
• Stalin's private summer home
• Ravenna: capital of Gothic empire
• Czar Nicholas II's Ukrainian palace
• European traditional cultural costumes
• Inside the Vatican, house of all wealth
• Banknotes/currencies of Europe
• Croatia's Dubrovnik, untarnished gem

--MORE & NON-ENGLISH--

• Arab Warriors vs. Christian Crusaders
• Poland-Lithuania vs. Teutonic Order
• Nevskiy's Russia vs. German Crusaders
• Ivan the Terrible vs. Muslim Tatars
• Soviet Propaganda: Defeat of Germany  

--MORE & NON-ENGLISH--

• A Hungarian government perspective on Gypsy/Roma integration
• An analysis of Mussolini's 1938 racialist legislation
• The disastrous effects of Soviet collectivization on Kazakhstan
• Changing meaning of Italian identity under Fascist rule
• Yugoslavia's independent break from East and West
• Stalin's Ethnic Cleansing of Muslim Tatars
• The Galicians: the Celts of Spain
• The modern Macedonian Slavs and Alexander the Great
• An argument for the Romanians' links to ancient Dacians
• Mussolini's Italian death camp for Jews, Slovenes, and Marxists
• The disappeared Jews of Hungary and the Arrow Cross regime
• The Gypsies in history and today, treated as Europe's public enemy
• History of Chechnya versus Russia (1800-today)
• Post-WWII expulsion of 10 million ethnic German civilians
• Ethnic & religious history of Serbs, Croats, & Bosnians
• Breakaway states and independence movements in Europe
• The ancient Germanic Runic alphabet and Runestones
• Teutonic Order and their 800-year legacy in Eastern Europe
• 460-year struggle for Albanian homeland, and 540 for Kosovo
• 2,800-year-old white mummies of China, bringers of Buddhism?
• Alexander the Great's Greek descendents in Pakistan?
• Visual History of Yugoslavia and its breakup (1918-2008)

--MORE & NON-ENGLISH--

EU Country Profiles, Immigration and Demographic Information

This page is intended as a quick reference for fun and interesting facts about the many diverse nations of Europe, including their age and state mottos. Note that the "approx. century established" field is easily debatable, so many different interpretations have been included if they exist. Most of the statistics information (population, birthrate, GDP) is from the CIA World Factbook.

Read this article on the European Heritage Library to learn about the many official and minority languages/identities in Europe.

Important Note: the Muslim population field is included simply because the Muslim immigrant minority issue is one of the more controversial conflicts in European societies today. The percentages are listed for this reason alone, rather than for any discriminatory or offensive reasons. View our exclusive map of Muslim immigrant populations in Europe for source information and more thorough analysis of Muslims in Europe.

Shortcut:   Germany • United Kingdom • Portugal • Spain • France • Italy • Iceland • Norway • Denmark • Sweden • Finland • Belgium • Netherlands • Switzerland • Austria • Poland • Russia • Estonia • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxemburg • Liechtenstein • Malta • Czech Republic • Slovakia • Belarus • Ukraine • Moldova • Romania • Bulgaria • Greece • Kosovo • Macedonia • Serbia • Bosnia • Slovenia • Croatia • Montenegro • Albania

Germany

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit (Unity and Justice and Freedom), formerly always "Deutschland über alles"
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Federal Republic
Capital- Berlin
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Namibia, Cameroon, Togo, Tanzania (Tanganyika), West Samoa, Papua New Guinea, etc.
Approx. Century Established- 1st Reich ~11th century (Holy Roman Empire), 2nd Reich 1871, 3rd Reich 1933, Reunified 1990
Official Languages- German
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Frisian, Sorbian, and Danish. Northern Germany, by the Danish border, has about 75.000 Danes who are primarily Danish-speaking. They are a remnant of the historical border shifts between Schleswig and Holstein between the Kingdom of Denmark and the Second and Third Reichs.
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 82,329,758
Major Immigrant Groups- Turks, Poles, Romanians
Muslim Population- ~4% reported
Population Growth Rate- -0.053%
Life Expectancy- 79.26 years
Ethnic Groups- German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1%
Religions- Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or other 28.3%
GDP Per Capita- $34,800 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $2.863 trillion (2008 est.)

United Kingdom

Official State Emblem

State Motto- God Save the Queen
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Constitutional Monarchy/Empire
Capital- London
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- Scotland, Wales, Gibraltar
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- intense conflict over Northern Ireland, partial desires by Cornwall and Scotland
Current Colonies- Gibraltar, various holdings in Cyprus and the Carribean, Guernsey, Jersey
Former Colonies- nearly half of the earth
Approx. Century Established- England 10th century, Great Britain 1707, United Kingdom 1800
Official Languages- English, Welsh
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Welsh, Cornish, Manx, Scots, Scots Gaelic
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 61,113,205 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Pakistanis, Indians, Black Africans, North Africans, Poles, Romanians
Muslim Population- ~4-6% reported
Population Growth Rate- 0.279% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.01 years
Ethnic Groups- white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)
Religions- Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%
GDP Per Capita- $36,600 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $2.231 trillion (2008 est.)

Portugal

Official State Emblem

State Motto- A Portuguesa
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Lisbon/Lisboa
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none, rhetoric from Lusitania area straddling Spain
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Brazil, Macao, Timor-Leste, Angola, Mozambique
Approx. Century Established- 11th century
Official Languages- Portuguese
Native Minority Languages/Identities- none
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Iberian

Population- 10,707,924 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Black Africans
Muslim Population- less than 1%
Population Growth Rate- 0.275% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 78.21 years
Ethnic Groups- Portuguese, tremendous Black African immigrant population in Lisbon, but homogeneous outside
Religions- Roman Catholic 84.5%, other Christian 2.2%, other 0.3%, unknown 9%, none 3.9% (2001 census)
GDP Per Capita- $22,000 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $237.3 billion (2008 est.)

Spain

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Further, Beyond
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Constitutional Monarchy
Capital- Madrid
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- Catalonia, Andalusia, Basque Country, Galicia
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Basques and Catalans seek even more autonomy
Current Colonies- Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla in Morocco
Former Colonies- nearly all of South America and Central America
Approx. Century Established- unified 1492, liberalized 19th century, Fascist state under Franco from 1939 until 1975
Official Languages- Castilian Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Basque
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Catalan, Galician, Basque, Andalusian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Iberian

Population- 40,525,002 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- North Africans, Eastern Europeans
Muslim Population- ~2-5%
Population Growth Rate- 0.072% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 80.05 years
Ethnic Groups- Castilian Spaniards and related ethnic sub-groups (Catalans, etc.), Galician "Celts," Basques
Religions- Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
GDP Per Capita- $34,600 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $1.378 trillion (2008 est.)

France

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Paris
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- overtures from Basques and Catalans in west, Germans in Alsace-Lorraine
Current Colonies- New Caledonia, Reunion island, French Polynesia (Tahiti), French Guyana, Guadalupe, Martinique
Former Colonies- nearly half the world, almost all Southeast Asia, most of North Africa, huge swathes of North America
Approx. Century Established- 11th century under Caphetians, powerful empire 16th century, Republic 1789
Official Languages- French
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Catalans, Basques, Germans
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Mediterannean

Population- 64,057,792
Major Immigrant Groups- North African Arabs and Berbers, Black Africans, Southeast Asians, Poles, Romanians
Muslim Population- ~5-15% reported, in reality far more (dubious estimates range 20-35%), but outside of Paris few non-natives
Population Growth Rate- 0.549% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 1.98 children born/woman (2009 est.)
Ethnic Groups- French, black African, Arab North African, Southeast Asian
Religions- Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
GDP Per Capita- $32,700 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $2.097 trillion (2008 est.)

Italy

Official State Emblem

State Motto- None. Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR), used by the Roman Empire, is sometimes used.
Government Type- Monarchy with Fascist authority until after World War II, now Republic
Capital- Rome
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Venice, Naples, Sicily, Lombardy, South Tirol
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, Albania, Western Greece, Slovenia
Approx. Century Established- Roman Republic 6th century BCE, Roman Empire 1st century BCE, Italy unified by 1870
Official Languages- Italian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Germans in South Tirol, Sicilians, dialectical differences among Venetians, Romangoles, Florentines, Sammarins, etc.
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Italic/Mediterannean

Population- 58,126,212 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Black Africans, Slavs, Albanians, Greeks
Muslim Population- ~1-3%
Population Growth Rate- -0.047% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 80.2 years
Ethnic Groups- Italians, Albanians, Sicilians, Germans, Greeks
Religions- Catholic over 90%
GDP Per Capita- $31,000 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $1.821 trillion (2008 est.)

Iceland

Official State Emblem

State Motto- O, God of Our Lands
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Reykjavik
Member of EU Since- Not a member.
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- traces statehood to 10th century Viking assemblies (Althing). Broke from Denmark after World War II.
Official Languages- Icelandic
Native Minority Languages/Identities- none
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 306,694 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- none
Muslim Population- none
Population Growth Rate- 0.741% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 80.67 years
Ethnic Groups- Icelandic
Religions- Lutheran Church of Iceland 80.7%, Roman Catholic Church 2.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.4%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.6%, other religions 3.6%, unaffiliated 3%, recent growing resurgence of Odinist religion (Asatru)
GDP Per Capita- $39,900 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $12.15 billion (2008 est.)

Norway

Official State Emblem

State Motto- All for Norway
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Constitutional Monarchy
Capital- Oslo
Member of EU Since- Not a member.
Autonomous Regions- none. Saami of Finnmark and Lappland are given fanciful overtures of autonomy.
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Saami tribes of Lappland
Current Colonies- none. Svalbard and Longyearbyen islands to the far north, Antarctic claims.
Former Colonies- northeast Scotland, eastern Ireland, and all Iceland and Faroes during the Viking period.
Approx. Century Established- 9th century under Harald Fairhair, then merged with Denmark 14th century, then broke from Sweden 1905
Official Languages- Norwegian (two dialects: Nynorsk and Boekmal)
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Saami
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 4,660,539 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Poles, Romanians, Russians, Bulgarians, Somalis
Muslim Population- less than 2%
Population Growth Rate- -0.341% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.95 years
Ethnic Groups- Norwegian 94.4% (includes Sami, about 60,000), other European 3.6%, other 2% (2007 estimate)
Religions- Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)
GDP Per Capita- $55,200 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $256.5 billion (2008 est.)

Denmark

Official State Emblem

State Motto- The Help of God, the Love of the People, the Strength of Denmark
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Constitutional Monarchy
Capital- Copenhagen (Koebenhavn)
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none. Polemics exaggerate the "autonomy" of the Christiania city gangs.
Current Colonies- Faroe Islands, Greenland
Former Colonies- Norway, Sweden, northern Germany, Iceland, England
Approx. Century Established- 9th century, annexes all Scandinavia 14th century, Sweden breaks off 16th century, loses Norway 19th
Official Languages- Danish
Native Minority Languages/Identities- German
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population-5,500,510 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Somalis, North Africans, Afghans, Eastern European Slavs, Turks
Muslim Population- ~2-4%
Population Growth Rate- 0.28% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 78.3 years
Ethnic Groups- "Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali"
Religions- Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Christian 3%, Muslim 2%, recent resurgence of Odinist religion (Asatru)
GDP Per Capita- $37,400 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $204.9 billion (2008 est.)

Sweden

Official State Emblem

State Motto- For Sweden, With the Times
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Constitutional Monarchy
Capital- Stockholm
Member of EU Since- 1995
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Saami tribes of far north (they have their own superficial parliament, click here)
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Norway, Finland, Aland Islands (now Finland)
Approx. Century Established- debated, likely 11th century but genesis may date to 6th century Yngling House
Official Languages- Swedish
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Saami (Lapps)
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 9,059,651 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Somalis, Arabs, Black Africans, Afghans, Iranian expatriots, Slavs
Muslim Population- ~4-10% reported, in reality far more. Perceived by many to be in serious crisis.
Population Growth Rate- 0.158% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 80.86 years
Ethnic Groups- indigenous population: Swedes with Finnish and Sami minorities; Finns, Yugoslavs, Greeks, Turks
Religions- Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%
GDP Per Capita- $38,500 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $348.6 billion (2008 est.)

Finland

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Our Land
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Helsinki
Member of EU Since- 1995
Autonomous Regions- Aland Islands in between Sweden and Finland with a Swedish majority
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Saami of Lappland
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Karelija seized from Russia briefly during Winter War and Continuation War, allied with the Third Reich
Approx. Century Established- part of Sweden until it was seized by Alexander after he defeated Napoleon, then free 1918
Official Languages- Finnish, Swedish
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Saami, Swedish, tribal Finnic dialects
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Scandinavian, Finnic

Population- 5,250,275 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Slavs
Muslim Population- less than 1%
Population Growth Rate- 0.098% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 78.97 years
Ethnic Groups- Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.6%, Russian 0.5%, Estonian 0.3%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.1%, Sami 0.1% (2006)
Religions- Lutheran Church of Finland 82.5%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 15.1% (2006)
GDP Per Capita- $37,200 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $195.2 billion (2008 est.)

Belgium

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Strength Through Unity
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Federalized Monarchy, extremely decentralized
Capital- Brussels
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- Flanders and Wallonia
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Flanders' Dutch want even more independence
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Belgian Congo (later Congo Free State, Zaire, Democratic Republic), Burundi, Rwanda
Approx. Century Established- 1820
Official Languages- Dutch, French
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Dutch, French, German
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic in Flanders, Mediterannean in French Wallonia

Population- 10,414,336 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Slavs, North Africans, Turks
Muslim Population- ~4-6%
Population Growth Rate- 0.094% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.22 years
Ethnic Groups- Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
Religions- Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
GDP Per Capita- $37,500 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $390.5 billion (2008 est.)

Netherlands

Official State Emblem

State Motto- I Shall Stand Fast
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Constitutional Monarchy
Capital- Amsterdam (den Haag is government capital)
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Frisians
Current Colonies- Dutch Antilles, Aruba
Former Colonies- Indonesia, Belgium, New York, Suriname (Dutch Guyana), South Africa
Approx. Century Established- 80-Years' War ends and Netherlands is formally recognized 1648
Official Languages- Dutch
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Frisians, Germans
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 16,715,999 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- North Africans (especially Moroccans), Black Africans, Indonesians, Slavs, Turks
Muslim Population- ~5-10% reported
Population Growth Rate- 0.412% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.4 years
Ethnic Groups- Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%
Religions- Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%
GDP Per Capita- $40,300 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $670.2 billion (2008 est.)

Switzerland

Official State Emblem

State Motto- One for All, All for One
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Confederacy
Capital- Bern
Member of EU Since- Not a member.
Autonomous Regions- German, French, and Italian Regions
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Romansch-speaking minority want more recognition
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 1291
Official Languages- German, French, Italian, Romansch
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Romansch
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic for Germans, Mediterannean for Italians and French

Population- 7,604,467 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Slavs, Turks
Muslim Population- ~4-5%
Population Growth Rate- 0.276% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 80.85 years
Ethnic Groups- German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Religions- Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%
GDP Per Capita- $40,900 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $309.9 billion (2008 est.)

Austria

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Land of Mountains, Land by the River
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Vienna (Wien)
Member of EU Since- 1995
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Hungarians and Slavs in provinces seek more rights
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- nearly all of Europe (Spain, Low Countries, Hungary, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Bosnia, Transylvania, etc.)
Approx. Century Established- part of Bavaria and First Reich since 9th century, then growing Habsburg empire from 13th century-1918
Official Languages- German
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Hungarian, Slovak, Italian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 8,210,281 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Turks, Poles, Romanians
Muslim Population- ~4% reported
Population Growth Rate- 0.052% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.5 years
Ethnic Groups- Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%
Religions- Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)
GDP Per Capita- $39,200 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $325 billion (2008 est.)

Poland

Official State Emblem

State Motto- None.
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Warsaw
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none. Silesia and Danzig -- now Polish after all Germans expelled -- seek regional rights.
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Lithuania, western Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Belarus
Approx. Century Established- 9th century, merged with Lithuania 14th century, then absorbed into Russia, Germany, Austria until 1918
Official Languages- Polish
Native Minority Languages/Identities- none
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 38,482,919 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Romanians, Russians, Lithuanians, Bulgarians
Muslim Population- less than 1%
Population Growth Rate- -0.047% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.63 years
Ethnic Groups- Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%
Religions- Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%
GDP Per Capita- $17,300 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $667.4 billion (2008 est.)

Russian Federation

Official State Emblem

State Motto- None. National Anthem returned to Soviet theme by Vladimir Putin.
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Federal Republic
Capital- Moscow
Member of EU Since- Not a member.
Autonomous Regions- over 20 autonomous regions for non-Slavic races such as Ashkenazi Jews, Tatars, Finns, and Circassians
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- many Mongol, Turkic, and Finnish regions want more. Muslims of far south demand freedom.
Current Colonies- no formal colonies, although sub-republics are de facto colonies.
Former Colonies- nearly all of Eurasia, all of Eastern Europe, all Central Asia. Largest nation and empire on earth.
Approx. Century Established- Kiev Rus 9th century, Russia united by Ivan III and Terrible 15th-16th centuries, USSR 1922, Russia 1991
Official Languages- Russian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Minority languages official in provinces only
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 140,041,247 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Mongol, Turkic, Slavic

Muslim Population- ~4% reported
Population Growth Rate- -0.467% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 66.03 years
Ethnic Groups- Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)
Religions- Russian Orthodox 15-20%, Muslim 10-15%, other Christian 2% (2006 est.)
GDP Per Capita- $15,800 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $2.225 trillion (2008 est.)

Estonia

Official State Emblem

State Motto- My Fatherland, My Happiness, My Joy
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Tallinn
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 1918
Official Languages- Estonian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Russian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Scandinavian, Finnic

Population- 1,299,371 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Slavs
Muslim Population- less than 1%
Population Growth Rate- -0.632% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 72.82 years
Ethnic Groups- Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)
Religions- Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian
GDP Per Capita- $21,200 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $27.72 billion (2008 est.)

Latvia

Official State Emblem

State Motto- God Bless Latvia!
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Riga
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Latvian tribes like Semigallians and Livonians want more recognition vis-a-vis Russians
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 1918
Official Languages- Latvian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Semigallian, Livonian, Lev, Russian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Baltic

Population- 2,231,503 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Slavs, Russians
Muslim Population- less than 1%
Population Growth Rate- -0.614% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 72.15 years
Ethnic Groups- Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
Religions- Lutheran 19.6%, Orthodox 15.3%, other Christian 1%, other 0.4%, unspecified 63.7% (2006)
GDP Per Capita- $17,800 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $38.98 billion (2008 est.)

Lithuania

Official State Emblem

State Motto- The Strength of the Nation Lies in Unity
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Vilnius
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- when merged with Poland, Lithuania ruled western Ukraine and Belarus
Approx. Century Established- 13th century, then merged with Poland from 14th-18th centuries, then Russian until 1918, again 1990
Official Languages- Lithuanian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Polish
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Baltic

Population- 3,555,179 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Slavs, Russians, Latvians
Muslim Population- none
Population Growth Rate- -0.279% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 74.9 years
Ethnic Groups- Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)
Religions- Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant
GDP Per Capita- $17,700 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $63.25 billion (2008 est.)

Luxemburg

Official State Emblem

State Motto- We Want to Reman What We Are
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Principality
Capital- Luxemburg
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- principality since the Middle Ages within First Reich (HRE), then independent from Netherlands 1890
Official Languages- German, Luxemburgish (dialect of German), French
Native Minority Languages/Identities- French, Portuguese
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic and Mediterannean composite

Population- 491,775 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Slavs
Muslim Population- none
Population Growth Rate- 1.172% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.33 years
Ethnic Groups- Luxembourger 63.1% (Germans), Portuguese 13.3%, French 4.5%, Italian 4.3%
Religions- Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000)
GDP Per Capita- $81,100 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $39.42 billion (2008 est.)

Liechtenstein

Official State Emblem

State Motto- For God, Prince, and Fatherland
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Principality
Capital- Vaduz
Member of EU Since- 1995
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- principality within First Reich and Habsburg Empire since Middle Ages, breaks free 1866
Official Languages- German
Native Minority Languages/Identities- none
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 34,761 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- some Slavs
Muslim Population- none
Population Growth Rate- 0.702% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 80.06 years
Ethnic Groups- Germans
Religions- Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002)
GDP Per Capita- $118,000 (2007 est.)
National GDP - $4.16 billion (2007)

Malta

Official State Emblem

State Motto- None.
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Valetta
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 1964, independent from British Empire
Official Languages- Maltese
Native Minority Languages/Identities- none
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Malta is tremendously unique. Its language is related to Arabic, but its culture Mediterannean.

Population- 405,165 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Italians, Britons, Arabs
Muslim Population- very few reported due to an aggressive Maltese policy of expelling boat-borne immigrants from Africa
Population Growth Rate- 0.4% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.44 years
Ethnic Groups- Maltese, some British and Italian settlers
Religions- 98% Catholic
GDP Per Capita- $24,200 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $9.801 billion (2008 est.)

Czech Republic

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Truth Prevails
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Prague (Praha)
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none, Moravia is given overtures of autonomy sometimes
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none, some Moravian Czechs want more. Many want to re-merge with Slovakia.
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 9th century, then merged into First Reich, then independent, then within Austria until 1918
Official Languages- Czech
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Slovak
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 10,211,904 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Turks, Russians, Hungarians, Slovaks, Serbs, Bosnians
Muslim Population- ~4% reported
Population Growth Rate- -0.094% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 76.81 years
Ethnic Groups- Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)
Religions- Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)
GDP Per Capita- $26,100 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $266.3 billion (2008 est.)

Slovakia

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Lightning over the Tatras (Mountains)
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Bratislava
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- part of Hungary for nearly 1000 years, then part of Austria-Hungary, then Czechoslovakia 1918-1993
Official Languages- Slovak
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Hungarian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 5,463,046 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Hungarians, Slovaks, Hungarian, Bosnians
Muslim Population- less than 1%
Population Growth Rate- 0.137% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 75.4 years
Ethnic Groups- Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other 1.8% (2001 census)
Religions- Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)
GDP Per Capita- $21,900 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $119.5 billion (2008 est.)

Hungary

Official State Emblem

State Motto- With the Help of God for Homeland and Freedom
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Budapest
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Slovakia, Croatia, Transylvania
Approx. Century Established- 9th century tribal confederacy, 11th century Christian Kingdom of Hungary, merged w/ Austria 1526
Official Languages- Hungarian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Gypsies (Roma), Slovaks
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Magyar (culture is largely Germanic due to Austrian rule for 400 years)

Population- 9,905,596 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Turks, Poles, Romanians
Muslim Population- less than 1%
Population Growth Rate- -0.257% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 73.44 years
Ethnic Groups- Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)
Religions- Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic 2.6%
GDP Per Capita- $19,800 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $205.7 billion (2008 est.)

Belarus

Official State Emblem

State Motto- We Belarusians
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic (typically described as an Autocratic Dictatorship under Lukashenko)
Capital- Minsk
Member of EU Since- Not a member.
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 1918
Official Languages- Belarusian, Russian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Russian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 9,648,533 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Russians, Ukrainians, Slavs
Muslim Population- none
Population Growth Rate- -0.378% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 70.63 years
Ethnic Groups- Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)
Religions- Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
GDP Per Capita- $11,800 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $114.1 billion (2008 est.)

Ukraine

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Ukraine's Glory has not Perished, Nor her Freedom
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Kiev
Member of EU Since- Not a member.
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Crimean Tatars
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- Ukrainians claim 9th century (Kiev Rus state). Modern Ukraine 1918.
Official Languages- Ukrainian, Russian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Polish, Ukrainian, Tatar, Russian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Germanic

Population- 45,700,395 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Russians, Turks, Romanians, Uzbeks, Kazakhs
Muslim Population- less than 1% reported (although Crimean Tatars, larger than 1%, are overwhelmingly Muslim)
Population Growth Rate- -0.632% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 68.25 years
Ethnic Groups- Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%,
Religions- Ukrainian Orthodox - Kyiv Patriarchate 50.4%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 26.1%, etc.
GDP Per Capita- $11,800 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $114.1 billion (2008 est.)

Moldova

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Our Language
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Chisinau
Member of EU Since- Not a member.
Autonomous Regions- Transnistria, the eastern march of Moldova, operates almost without government control.
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Transnistrian Russians have gone to war multiple times for independence
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 14th century, part of Romania until seized by the Soviet Union
Official Languages- "Moldovan" (truly, simply Romanian)
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Russian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Romanian-Slavic composite

Population- 4,320,748 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- none
Muslim Population- less than 1%
Population Growth Rate- -0.079% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 70.8 years
Ethnic Groups- Moldovan/Romanian 78.2%, Ukrainian 8.4%, Russian 5.8%, Gagauz 4.4%, Bulgarian 1.9%
Religions- Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
GDP Per Capita- $2,500 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $10.63 billion (2008 est.)

Romanian

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Awaken, Romania!
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Bucharest
Member of EU Since- 2007
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Hungarians and Germans in Transylvania
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Moldova was part of Romania. Once ruled western Ukraine when allied with the Third Reich
Approx. Century Established- Wallachia dates back to 14th century, unified Romania to 19th century
Official Languages- Romanian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Gypsy (Roma), Hungarian, German, Bulgarian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Romanian-Slavic composite, many claim descent from ancient Roman-era Dacians

Population- 22,215,421 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Turks, Poles, Romanians
Muslim Population- less than 1% reported. This is understated: there are many Turks, Pomaks (Bulgarian Muslims), etc.
Population Growth Rate- -0.147% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 72.45 years
Ethnic Groups- Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%
Religions- Eastern Orthodox 86.8%, Protestant 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.9%
GDP Per Capita- $12,200 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $271.2 billion (2008 est.)

Bulgaria

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Unity Makes Strength
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Sofia
Member of EU Since- 2007
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- Macedonia, East Rumelia
Approx. Century Established- 7th century tribal confederacy, 9th century kingdom of Bulgaria, free from Turkish scourge 19th
Official Languages- Bulgarian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Gypsies, Pomaks (Bulgarians who were pressured to convert to Islam by Ottoman)
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic (many argue a descent from ancient Thracian masters of gold)

Population- 7,204,687 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Turks, Romanians, Greeks, Russians
Muslim Population- 12% (note most Muslims are native Slavs)
Population Growth Rate- -0.79% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 73.09 years
Ethnic Groups- Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2%
Religions- Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
GDP Per Capita- $12,900 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $93.78 billion (2008 est.)

Greece

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Freedom or Death
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Athens
Member of EU Since- 1993 (founding)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- South Epirus region has contumacious Albanian population seeking merger w/ Albania
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none. Megali Idea of Greek racial nationalism inspired conquest of western Turkey, but it failed.
Approx. Century Established- "Greece" was founded as a nation for the first time in the 19th century
Official Languages- Greek
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Albanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Turkish
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Greek (often called Attic or Hellenic)

Population- 10,737,428 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Macedonians, ex-Yugoslavs, Albanians
Muslim Population- reports vary from 1-10% (Albanians)
Population Growth Rate- 0.127% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 79.66 years
Ethnic Groups- Greek 93%, other (foreigners like Albanians) 7% (2001 census)
Religions- Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
GDP Per Capita- $32,000 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $343.6 billion (2008 est.)

Kosovo (not a recognized nation by most of the world)

Official State Emblem

NOTE: Kosovo is not recognized as a nation by the majority of the world. It was seized from Serbia/Yugoslavia by the US, UN, and NATO during the Yugoslav Wars and led to independence in 2009 with rampant opposition by the Serbs, a minority there, who emphasize that Kosovo was part of Serbia for over 1000 years and never part of Albania or its own nation. Read this EHL article for the Albanian perspective on this conflict.

State Motto- None
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Pristina
Member of EU Since- 2009 (not formally acknowledged as a member nation yet)
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Serbs refuse to let an integral part of their homeland be taken by the UN, US, & NATO
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 2009
Official Languages- Albanian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Serbian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Albanian. Kosovo was part of Serbia since that kingdom's birth over 1000 years ago.

Population- 1,804,838 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- none
Muslim Population- 90%
Ethnic Groups- Albanians 88%, Serbs 7%, other 5% (Bosniak, Gorani, Roma, Turk, Ashkali, Egyptian)
Religions- 90% Muslim, 10% Christian
GDP Per Capita- $2,300 (2007 est.)
National GDP - $5 billion (2007 est.)

Macedonia

Official State Emblem

State Motto- None.
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Capital- Skopje
Member of EU Since- Candidate member as of 2009
Autonomous Regions- Albanians enjoy autonomy after their national revolt in the 2001 civil war
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Albanians seek more rights
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- Macedonian nationalists insist that their nation dates to Philip, father of Alexander. Truly, 1993.
Official Languages- Macedonian, Albanian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Albanian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Macedonian nationalists claim to be completely their own culture. Truly, Slavic.

Population- 2,066,718 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- none
Muslim Population- 33%
Population Growth Rate- 0.262% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 74.68 years
Ethnic Groups- Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)
Religions- Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)
GDP Per Capita- $9,000 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $18.52 billion (2008 est.)

Serbia

Official State Emblem

State Motto- God, Give Us Justice
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Member of EU Since- Candidate member pending liberalization and acceptance of Kosovo's independence
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Albanians in Kosovo, Hungarians in Vojvodina, Bosniaks in west
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- kingdom dates back over 1000 years, liberated from Muslim Ottoman conquest 19th century
Official Languages- Serbian (Serbo-Croatian)
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Hungarians, Bosnians, Albanians
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 7,379,339 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Albanians, Bosnians, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Romanians
Muslim Population- 3.2% reported (excludes Albanian Muslims in Kosovo)
Population Growth Rate- -0.468% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 73.9 years
Ethnic Groups- Serb 82.9%, Hungarian 3.9%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.4%
Religions- Serbian Orthodox 85%, Catholic 5.5%, Protestant 1.1%, Muslim 3.2%
GDP Per Capita- $10,900 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $80.74 billion (2008 est.)

Bosnia

Official State Emblem

State Motto- None
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Federal Republic
Member of EU Since- Candidate member
Autonomous Regions- Republika Srpska (the Serbian half in the east is almost entirely free from government control)
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- Serbs seek even more autonomy
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- Bosnia dates back in nascent forms over 1000 years, but was only independent again in 1995
Official Languages- Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Serbs, Croats, Bosniak Muslims
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 4,613,414 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Pakistanis, Afghans, Arabs (acc. The Balkan Caliphate)
Muslim Population- 40% (Bosnians are roughly 50% Muslim, 50% Christian, a legacy of Muslim Ottoman conquest)
Population Growth Rate- 0.339% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 78.5 years
Ethnic Groups- Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)
Religions- Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%
GDP Per Capita- $6,500 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $29.9 billion (2008 est.)

Slovenia

Official State Emblem

State Motto- None
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Member of EU Since- 2004
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 1992
Official Languages- Slovene, Italian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Italian
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 2,005,692 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Turks, Poles, Romanians, Italians, Albanians, Bosnians, Serbs, Hungarians
Muslim Population- ~2.4%
Population Growth Rate- -0.113% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 76.92 years
Ethnic Groups- Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or unspecified 12% (2002 census)
Religions- Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%
GDP Per Capita- $29,500 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $59.14 billion (2008 est.)

Croatia

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Our Beautiful Homeland
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Member of EU Since- Candidate member
Autonomous Regions- none (formerly the Serbs had autonomy in Srbija Krajina until they were expelled, the province dissolved)
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- 11th century, then part of Hungary and Habsburg Austria until 1918
Official Languages- Croatian (Serbo-Croatian)
Native Minority Languages/Identities- none
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 4,489,409 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Albanians, Bosnians, Serbs, Hungarians
Muslim Population- 1.3% reported (Muslim Bosniaks are a larger population than this)
Population Growth Rate- -0.052% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 75.35 years
Ethnic Groups- Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma)
Religions- Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 1.3%
GDP Per Capita- $16,100 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $73.36 billion (2008 est.)

Montenegro

Official State Emblem

State Motto- Oh, Bright Dawn of May
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Member of EU Since- Unofficial candidate, but its entry is almost de facto
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- none
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- principality dates back over 1000 years, independent from Serbia 2006
Official Languages- "Montenegrin" (truly Serbian/Serbo-Croatian)
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Serbs, Bosnians, Albanians, Croats
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Slavic

Population- 672,180 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Bosniaks, Albanians, Croats, Serbs
Muslim Population- ~17.74% (Albanians)
Population Growth Rate- -0.851% (2009 est.)
Ethnic Groups- Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)
Religions- Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)
GDP Per Capita- $9,700 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $6.6 billion (2008 est.)

Albania

Official State Emblem

State Motto- You Albania Give me Honour, You Give Me the Name Albanian
Official Government Website- Click here
Government Type- Republic
Member of EU Since- Candidate member, unofficially
Autonomous Regions- none
Regions Seeking Independence/Autonomy- South Epirus (Greece) has Albanians struggling for union with Albania, like Kosovo
Current Colonies- none
Former Colonies- none
Approx. Century Established- Albanian nation declared 1878 but was not truly solidified nor universally accepted until 1930s
Official Languages- Albanian
Native Minority Languages/Identities- Greeks struggle for more rights due to a history of abuse by Albanian Communists
Linguistic, Cultural, & Ethnic Heritage- Albanian (they claim to be Illyrian descendants)

Population- 3,639,453 (July 2009 est.)
Major Immigrant Groups- Greeks, Macedonians
Muslim Population- 70% (a very liberal, irreligious form of Islam)
Population Growth Rate- 0.546% (2009 est.)
Life Expectancy- 77.96 years
Ethnic Groups- Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
Religions- Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
GDP Per Capita- $6,000 (2008 est.)
National GDP - $21.82 billion (2008 est.)