Adults in both regions say it is important to respect their countrys institutions and laws and to be able to speak the national language to truly share their national identity. In Portugal, for example, the vast majority of adults say that being born in Portugal (81%) and having a Portuguese family background (80%) are very or somewhat important to being truly Portuguese. These sentiments also are widespread among adults in Italy and Spain. Although Greece was not part of the Eastern bloc, it is categorized in Central and Eastern Europe because of both its geographical location and its public attitudes, which are more in line with Eastern than Western Europe on the issues covered in this report. To summarize an entire way of life in a whole continent, much less one that contains around 50 countries, is no easy task. Even with workaholic Slovenians on one extreme and relaxed Bosnians on the other, Eastern Europeans tend to balance work and play better than Americans. Russia and the other 9 countries that make up the subregion of Eastern Europe once comprised what was commonly known as the Eastern bloc during the Cold War. Europeans throughout the continent generally show far less religious commitment than adults previously surveyed in other regions.8. Italian Culture | Customs, Traditions & Values, Western Region of the U.S. Between these two regions, a myriad of differences can be viewed regarding the geographical location, culture, economy, etc. Also, the people follow many religions such as Orthodox Christianityand also Islam. Eastern European culture is friendly and welcoming: from inviting strangers into your home to offerings of gifts and beverages. They usually have got brown or dark . The most common facial features that Russians have are a strong jawline, high cheekbones, and light-colored eyes. Identification with Christianity has declined over time across Western Europe, but this is not the case in much of Central and Eastern Europe. In Belgium, for example, 55% of respondents currently identify as Christian, compared with 83% saying they were raised Christian. Religion is central to life, especially in Italy where the Catholic faith is dominant. For example, in the Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia, the vast majority of people say being Christian (specifically Lutheran) is not important to their national identity. And Protestantism is the dominant Christian tradition in much of Northern Europe, particularly Scandinavia. Life in Western Europe is different from Eastern Europe. Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms. Taken together, these and other questions about national identity, religious minorities and cultural superiority would seem to indicate a European divide, with high levels of religious nationalism in the East and more openness toward multiculturalism in the West. In France, only 14% consider religion very important. Today, more than 748 million people live in Europe. Germany has the worlds fourth largest economy, while France has the seventh largest economy in the world. Western Europeans also are more likely than their neighbors in the East to say they never pray (e.g., 62% in Denmark vs. 28% in Russia). The Baltic States, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, are Northern Europes newest countries, having regained their independence upon the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. All the countries of Northern Europe, except the UK, Iceland, and Norway, are now part of the EU. Thats why they want to take away from us the right to decide with whom we want to live.. Eastern Europe refers to the eastern part of Europe. While majorities in most Central and Eastern European countries tie being Christian to being truly Serbian, Polish, etc. 2015. In most countries in the East, the share of Christians has remained fairly stable in recent generations. However, today, Westerners are saddled with convoluted tax codes, while Eastern Europeans are champions of flat taxes. Sweden is very famous for its many lakes, and Norway for its many fjords. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main 3. Yes, it continues to fade, but it hasnt disappeared yet. Some of the countries that belong to Eastern Europe are Albania, Bosnia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Russia, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Serbia, Slovakia, Moldova, Lithuania, etc. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union refers to common values in its preamble, which begins: The peoples of Europe, in creating an ever closer union among them, are resolved to share a peaceful future based on common values. There is no precise definition of Eastern Europe. Only about 343,000 people live in Iceland. In addition to the importance of religion to national identity, the surveys also asked about several other possible elements of national identity. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. Catholic-majority countries are prevalent in the central and southwestern parts of Europe, cutting a swath from Lithuania through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, and then extending westward across Croatia, Austria, Italy and France to the Iberian Peninsula. Tallinns Town Hall square Raekoja Plats in Estonia during the holidays season in 2008, Share Six Enviable Traits From Eastern Europe on Facebook, Share Six Enviable Traits From Eastern Europe on Twitter, Share Six Enviable Traits From Eastern Europe on LinkedIn, Subscribe for counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. Though the Cold War has long past, there is still a struggle for influence in Eastern Europe. For statistical purposes, the United Nations Geoscheme divides the continent into four different subregions: Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Southern Europe, and Northern Europe. That brings us to their greatest trait: resilience. For example, in nearly every Central and Eastern European country polled, fewer than half of adults say they would be willing to accept Muslims into their family; in nearly every Western European country surveyed, more than half say they would accept a Muslim into their family. Your email address will not be published. Western Europe: Western Europe is economically more advanced as well as prosperous. In this way, Eastern Europeans are similar to Western Europeans, although Eastern Europeans are one step more in the relaxed direction. Conscious of its spiritual and moral heritage, the Union is founded on the indivisible, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity; it is based on the principles of democracy and the rules of law. This is especially true in Western Europe, which is more secular than other parts of Europe. Artists like Van Gogh, Renoir, and Chagall, not to mention some of the worlds greatest orchestras, museums, and galleries. They may whine and complain, but theyll endure any hardship and overcome any challenge with a stoic and grim determination. 5. Life in Eastern Europe has more and more in common with the West every day, especially in cities, where fast food chains are now common. The two sides of Europe do not appear to be moving closer on these questions with younger generations. How abortion is regulated around the world. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Public Sees Black People, Women, Gays and Lesbians Gaining Influence in Biden Era, Economy and COVID-19 Top the Publics Policy Agenda for 2021, Our favorite Pew Research Center data visualizations of 2019, 60% of Americans Would Be Uncomfortable With Provider Relying on AI in Their Own Health Care, The changing face of Congress in 8 charts. Attitudes toward religious minorities in the region go hand in hand with differing conceptions of national identity. When examining the culture and society of the countries of Eastern Europe, a clear difference can be seen in family structures. Meanwhile, far fewer Western Europeans say they are currently Christian than say they were raised Christian. Your email address will not be published. But historical schisms underlie this common religious identity: Each of the three major Christian traditions Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy predominates in a certain part of the continent. Moreover, although the concept of Central Europe exists both historically and currently, there is no consensus as to which countries should be considered part of it. Among the Central and Eastern European countries surveyed, there are only three exceptions where fewer than two-thirds of adults say they believe in God: Hungary (59%), Estonia (44%) and the Czech Republic (29%). And of course, the United Kingdom voted in 2016 to leave the European Union, which many have suggested came in part due to concerns about immigration and open borders. For example, 98% of Danes, 96% of Hungarians and 87% of Russians say it is important to respect their institutions and laws to truly be Danish, Hungarian or Russian. Check out Francis other posts on Big Think. These are among the findings of Pew Research Center surveys conducted across Central and Eastern Europe in 2015 and 2016 and Western Europe in 2017.7. Among the Western European countries surveyed, only in Portugal (44%) do more than three-in-ten say they are absolutely certain that God exists. Communism, wars, and winters have sculpted their tradition of getting by with little. Europe is very much a safe place to live. City life is fast-paced and stressful when compared with Europe as a whole. Still, there are notable differences across the Atlantic. Mediterranean Europe is an area that includes Eastern Spain, Southern France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, and Albania. They also tend to have thicker eyebrows than other ethnic groups. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. For example, most Greeks say they are not willing to accept Muslims in their families; three-quarters consider being Orthodox Christian important to being truly Greek; and nearly nine-in-ten say Greek culture is superior to others. People are also much more religious here, especially in Italy where the Catholic faith is dominant. A similar divide emerges between Central/Eastern Europe and Western Europe with regard to accepting Jews into ones family. Eastern Europe is the Eastern side of the continent of Europe, usually considered to include Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, and Bulgaria, though sometimes also including Poland, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism are each prominent in different parts of Europe, Christian affiliation has declined in Western Europe, Religious commitment particularly low in Western Europe, Substantial shares in Western Europe dont believe in God, Majorities in most Central and Eastern European countries believe in fate, Prevailing view across Europe is that religion and government should be separate, Europe split on importance of ancestry to national identity, united on importance of speaking national language, Jews in U.S. are far less religious than Christians and Americans overall, at least by traditional measures, Hispanic teens enjoy religious activities with parents, but fewer view religion as very important, U.S. They also have a small smile that tends to be more angled than Asians. Thats natural because there are common bonds, despite the diversitythe same goes for Eastern Europe. The countries of Scandinavia are well-known for their cradle-to-grave welfare states. East Germany is another unusual case; it was part of the Eastern bloc, but is now included in Western Europe as part of a reunified Germany. But it is useful for us to see the old ideals still alive in the minds of Eastern Europeans. But Czechs also express low levels of acceptance toward Muslims, more closely resembling their neighbors in the East. In fact, the levels of belief in the evil eye across Central and Eastern Europe are comparable to those found in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, where indigenous religions have had a broad impact on the respective cultures. Life satisfaction differs all over Europe depending on social and economic factors which aid or contribute positively or negatively to the landscape. Many of the countries of Eastern Europe were once part of the USSR or were allies of the Soviet Union at one time or another. In Ukraine, for example, more people say they are Christian now (93%) than say they were raised Christian (81%); the same is true in Russia, Belarus and Armenia. It is related to Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Life in Europe, like anywhere, varies a lot. It is different from Western Europe. Every European country, he said, has the right to defend its Christian culture, and the right to reject the ideology of multiculturalism, as well as the right to reject immigration and to defend the traditional family model. Earlier in the year, in an address to the Hungarian parliament, he criticized the EU stance on migration: In Brussels now, thousands of paid activists, bureaucrats and politicians work in the direction that migration should be considered a human right. A sampling of other topics that are said to divide Eastern and Western Europe, other than those included in this report, include sentiment regarding democracy; the importance of individualism in society, as opposed to collectivism; and overall economic well-being. While this is substantially lower than the median of 86% in Western Europe, it's much higher than the median of 46% who say the same in Central and Eastern Europe. The most populous country in Southern Europe is Italy, which has more than 60 million people living within its borders. Learn more about the comparisons of life in different locations in Europe, compare country or city life, and analyze lifestyle factors. But Southern Europe is more than just the ruins of ancient civilizations. A solid majority (77%) of Americans believe citizens should be allowed to make statements that are offensive to peoples religious beliefs, a significantly higher share of the public than in any of the European Union nations included in our 2015 survey. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. Thus, Central Europe is a European crossroads of sorts, where different languages and cultures of the continent meet. During the cold war period, this region was referred to as the Eastern bloc or else the Soviet bloc. And in a few countries, including Russia, Christians have increased as a percentage of the population.
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