<sod>Europe is the world's [[List of continents|second-smallest]] continent by surface area, covering about {{convert|10,180,000|km2|sqmi}} or 2% of the Earth's surface and about 6.8% of its land area. Of Europe's approximately 50 countries, [[Russia]] is by far the largest by both population (15%) and area (39%), while [[Vatican City]] is the smallest. Europe is the third-most populous continent after [[Asia]] and [[Africa]], with a [[Demographics of Europe|population]] of 739–743&nbsp;million or about 11% of the [[World population|world's population]].<ref>"[http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/Excel-Data/population.htm World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision]". UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.</ref> Europe has a climate heavily affected by warm Atlantic currents that temper winters and summers on much of the continent, even at latitudes along which the climate in Asia and North America is severe. Further from the Atlantic, seasonal differences are mildly greater than close to the coast.<eod>
<sod>Europe is the world's [[List of continents|second-smallest]] continent by surface area, covering about {{convert|10,180,000|km2|sqmi}} or 2% of the Earth's surface and about 6.8% of its land area. Of Europe's approximately 50 countries, [[Russia]] is the largest and most populous, spanning 39% of the continent and comprising 15% of its population, while [[Vatican City]] is the smallest both in terms area and population. Europe is the third-most populous continent after [[Asia]] and [[Africa]], with a [[Demographics of Europe|population]] of 739–743&nbsp;million or about 11% of the [[World population|world's population]].<ref>"[http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/Excel-Data/population.htm World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision]". UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.</ref> Europe has a climate heavily affected by warm Atlantic currents that temper winters and summers on much of the continent, even at latitudes along which the climate in Asia and North America is severe. Further from the Atlantic, seasonal differences are mildly greater than close to the coast.<eod>