, signed in Rome on 29
October 2004, gave member states two years to ratify the document
before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006. Referenda
held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 that rejected
the constitution suspended the ratification effort. Despite the
expansion of membership and functions, "Eurosceptics" in various
countries have raised questions about the erosion of national
cultures and the imposition of a flood of regulations from the EU
capital in Brussels. Failure by all member states to ratify the
constitution or the inability of newcomer countries to meet euro
currency standards might force a loosening of some EU agreements and
perhaps lead to several levels of EU participation. These "tiers"
might eventually range from an "inner" core of politically
integrated countries to a looser "outer" economic association of
members.

Geography European Union

Location:
Europe between Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, southeastern Europe, and
the North Atlantic Ocean

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 3,976,372 sq km

Area - comparative:
less than one-half the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 11,214.8 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050
km, Bulgaria 494 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein
34.9 km, Macedonia 246 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Romania
443 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151
km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 206 km, Ukraine 726 km
note: data for European Continent only

Coastline:
65,413.9 km

Maritime claims:
NA

Climate:
cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate;
mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Terrain:
fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the
central and southern areas

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands
-7 m
highest point: Mount Blanc, France/Italy 4,807 m

Natural resources:
iron ore, arable land, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead,
zinc, hydropower, uranium, potash, fish

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%

Irrigated land:
115,807 sq km

Natural hazards:
flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes
in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in
Spain; ice floes in the Baltic