All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Indeed, in a part of the region where communist regimes once repressed religious worship, Christian affiliation has shown a resurgence in some countries since the fall of the USSR in 1991. 1 (3 views). Iceland is home to the worlds oldest parliament, the Althing. In fact, the opposite is true: In Western Europe, young adults (ages 18 to 34) are less likely than their elders to regard birthplace and ancestry as crucial to national identity, while in Central and Eastern Europe, young adults and older people are about equally likely to feel this way. Western Europeans also are less likely to say they are certain of their belief in God. Just over half in the U.S. (53%) say religion is very important in their life,nearly double the share who hold this view in Poland, which registered the highest percentage among EU nations polled in 2015. This is especially true in Western Europe, which is more secular than other parts of Europe. Even with workaholic Slovenians on one extreme and relaxed Bosnians on the other, Eastern Europeans tend to balance work and play better than Americans. Eastern Europe shares common positive characteristics that not only distinguish it from Western Europe, but also from most of the world. In The Hidden Europe, I also examine 17 negative traits that Eastern Europeans have in common. But the term European values can mean different things to different people. 6. For example, 36% of Polish adults under 35 say they would be willing to accept Muslims in their family, far below the two-thirds of young French adults who say they would be willing to have Muslims in their family mirroring the overall publics in those countries. Eastern Europeans (Slavs) have darker skin than northern Europeans. (See Religion in Latin America: Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region and Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa.) In Western Europe, on the other hand, in no country does a majority express belief in the evil eye. Physical & Human Features of Europe | Mapping the Features of Europe, Eastern Europe | Countries, Geography & Religions, Rivers of Western Europe Lesson for Kids: History & Geography, Major Mountains in Europe | Map, Ranges & Peaks, Comparing Life in Different Locations of the United States, Where is Latin America? They also tend to look substantially more symmetrical than Western Europeans, especially the Nordics, wh Continue Reading 23 3 Jan Pierzchala Economist Author has 206 answers and 175.6K answer views 1 y Related In much of Europe, life is laid-back and slow-paced; people work shorter hours and have lots of time with family. Similarly, Americans are more likely to say offensive statements about minority groups should be permitted. Among the Western European countries surveyed, only in Portugal (44%) do more than three-in-ten say they are absolutely certain that God exists. This includes Armenia and Georgia where the balance of opinion favors government support for religious values and beliefs as well as Russia, where 42% of adults say the government should promote religion. Governments also tend to take a heavy role in economies compared to the West. Between these two regions, a myriad of differences can be viewed regarding the geographical location, culture, economy, etc. During the cold war period, this region was referred to as the Eastern bloc or else the Soviet bloc. Survey results suggest that Europes regional divide over same-sex marriage could persist into the future: Across most of Central and Eastern Europe, young adults oppose legalizing gay marriage by only somewhat narrower margins than do their elders. Also, the people follow many religions such as Orthodox Christianityand also Islam. In most countries in the East, the share of Christians has remained fairly stable in recent generations. Americans are also especially likely to believe that an individual who works hard can find success: 73% said hard work is very important for getting ahead in life compared to a European median of 35%. Siestas are a short nap in the early afternoon, usually after lunch. The Western European region is very much advanced in its economy. 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. It places the individual at the heart of its activities, by establishing the citizenship of the Union and by creating an area of freedom, security and justice.. According to my observations, the majority of Eastern Europeans (Slavs) have facial features such as high cheekbones and deep-set almond-shaped eyes with colors ranging from green, and dark blue, to light or dark brown. Other parts of the world where Pew Research Center has conducted in-depth surveys of religious beliefs and practices include. In a 2014 survey, 57% of Americans disagreed with the statement Success in life is pretty much determined by forces outside our control, a higher percentage than in any of the European nations polled. Thus, Central Europe is a European crossroads of sorts, where different languages and cultures of the continent meet. Thus, to claim that Eastern Europe is an antiquated or meaningless term because Eastern European nations have no longer anything in common is wrong. regarding European colonization of Asia and popular folklores and figures. 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. Sweden is very famous for its many lakes, and Norway for its many fjords. All rights reserved. Europe Climate Zones & Classifications | What Is the Climate In Europe? For example, 61% of younger Estonians (ages 18 to 34) oppose legal gay marriage in their country, compared with 75% of those 35 and older. By Ferenc Lacz. 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. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Western Europe is the part of Europe that generally includes the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. And still others simply lean toward the East on most issues, as Poland does on views of national identity and Muslims, as well as same-sex marriage and abortion. 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. People throughout the continent say it is important to respect national institutions and laws and speak the dominant national language to be a true member of their country, but Central and Eastern Europeans are especially likely to say that nativist elements of national identity being born in a country and having family ancestry there are very important. This website helped me pass! @media (max-width: 1171px) { .sidead300 { margin-left: -20px; } } Among the other, smaller countries of Western Europe are the so-called Low Countries of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. He said, Eastern Europe has an untarnished relation to traditional European values. Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine were all republics in the Soviet Union, until it collapsed in 1991. What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S. 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. For the European Union, whose members include 24 of the 34 countries surveyed in this report, the term European values tends to signify what Americans might consider liberal ideals.2 The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union includes respect for cultural and religious diversity; prohibitions against discrimination based on religion and sexual orientation; the right to asylum for refugees; and guarantees of freedom of movement within the EU.3. A train in Austria (left) versus Serbia (right). Eastern Europeans are usually very religious, though here, the most common faith is generally Eastern Orthodox. All of Europes countries are generally classified as developed countries, though some are more developed than others. Eastern European culture is friendly and welcoming: from inviting strangers into your home to offerings of gifts and beverages. In most of Europe, including the countryside of France, Germany, and Spain, life is relatively laid-back and slow-paced, people work less demanding schedules, and family and mealtimes are central parts of life. Russian women facial features Russian women tend to have softer features than men. Eastern Europeans also tend to have high cheekbones, which helps to protect against the cold wind. Orthodoxy is the dominant faith in the East, including in Greece, Russia, the former Soviet republics of Moldova, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus, and other former Eastern bloc countries such as Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. 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). And in Georgia, 92% of adults say it is important to speak Georgian to truly share their national identity. Coming from Engineering cum Human Resource Development background, has over 10 years experience in content developmet and management. Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World, Eastern and Western Europeans Differ on Importance of Religion, Views of Minorities, and Key Social Issues, important component of their national identity, Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe, Religion in Latin America: Widespread Change in a Historically Catholic Region, Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Central Europe also contains countries that were on different sides of the east-west divide during the Cold War. Not only is religious affiliation on the decline in Western Europe, religious commitment also is generally lower there than in Central and Eastern Europe. Given that, its amazing that Eastern Europeans arent more screwed up. 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. On the other hand, Western Europeans are also diverse (compare Portugal with Norway), yet that doesnt stop us from seeing their common traits. On balance, there are smaller shares of nones and larger shares of Christians in Central and Eastern Europe, though a plurality of Estonians (45%) are unaffiliated, and the Czech Republic is the only country surveyed on the entire continent where nones form a majority (72%). And Protestantism is the dominant Christian tradition in much of Northern Europe, particularly Scandinavia. 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA Life in Europe, like anywhere, varies a lot. Levels of belief in reincarnation are more comparable across the region. People in Central and Eastern Europe also are more likely than Western Europeans to say being born in their country and having family background there are important to truly share the national identity (e.g., to be truly Romanian; see here.). Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms. Altogether, these countries have a population of approximately 152 million people. 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. During the twentieth century, few regions on the planet suffered as much as Eastern Europeans. In Western Europe, there are a variety of reasons why many adults who were raised Christian have become unaffiliated. Nations with higher levels of gross domestic product per capita tend to have lower percentages saying religion is very important in their lives. But Southern Europe is more than just the ruins of ancient civilizations. I feel like its a lifeline. Greece is located in south-east Europe! The breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s resulted in much bloodshed. What are the reasons for these opposing patterns on different sides of the continent? What is the Physical Geography of Europe? Other questions asked on the survey point to a further East-West values gap with respect to key social issues, such as same-sex marriage and legal abortion. In general, Eastern Europeans are less stressed out than the West. Christianity History & Location | How Did Christianity Spread? There are substantial populations belonging to non-Christian religions particularly Islam in many European countries. Globally, there is a strong relationship between a countrys wealth and its level of religiosity. The Central and Eastern Europe surveys were conducted via face-to-face-interviews, while Western Europeans were surveyed by telephone. Transport, accommodation, and food tend to be less expensive than in Western Europe. Age differences are stronger in Western Europe than in Eastern Europe on this issue: Younger adults across most of Western Europe are more likely than those ages 35 and older to prefer separation of church and state. 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. While public opinion on the importance of religion, birthplace and ancestry to national identity is different in Central and Eastern Europe than it is in the West, people throughout the continent largely agree on some other elements of national belonging. I do appreciate the liberalization in the western world during the past 40 years. 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. For instance, 46% of Romanians say their government should promote religious values and beliefs. I highly recommend you use this site! Today, 72% of Americans say homosexuality should be accepted by society, compared with 21% who say it should not be accepted. France, Germany, and the Low Countries are also members of NATO. succeed. In the Eastern European countries, the conservative ideas are more prominent in comparison to the Western region. Europe has a population for more than 747 million people. Crime is also relatively low, even in cities. In Belgium, for example, 55% of respondents currently identify as Christian, compared with 83% saying they were raised Christian. Though the Cold War has long past, there is still a struggle for influence in Eastern Europe. They also have a small smile that tends to be even more angled than Asians. However, the U.S. is a clear outlier to this pattern a wealthy nation that is also relatively religious. The rest of this report will look at more cross-regional comparisons, including: Christianity has long been the prevailing religion in Europe, and it remains the majority religious affiliation in 27 of the 34 countries surveyed. For a complete analysis of abortion laws in Europe and elsewhere, see . And while adultery is widely frowned upon in the EU except, notably, in France Americans are even more likely to say having an affair is morally unacceptable. Religion plays a less-significant role in everyday life than places like the United States, and the majority do not attend church regularly. 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. Another important reason is a connection with their national heritage. 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