Western, Eastern, Northern or Southern ?

[Minty]

I as an Oriental can see and feel there is near-ZERO European-ness among general white-American population regardless of regions,they've only retained " Western values " and don't have traditional values.I've had a brief discussion with a female American,she agreed with my assessment.

Me and one Japanese foreign exchange student I've befriended some years ago had a small chat,we could clearly tell some continental European faces have look of " purity " distinctive from typical " Heinz 57 " Americans.We both have met a few Western Europeans ( Norwegian,German,and Dane ) in person.

Actually Norwegian, Danish people are Northern Europeans; Western Europeans are the French, the Belgians, the Swiss, the Austrians...etc

[Maciamo]

Actually Norwegian, Danish people are Northern Europeans; Western Europeans are the French, the Belgians, the Swiss, the Austrians...etc

This is debatable. I usually draw the line between northern and southern European somewhere in the middle of France, about at the height of Swizterland and Austria (who are really the limit between north and south).

In a West vs East scale, many people consider Germany, Switerland and Austria, as well as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, etc. to be Central Europeans.

When I say "North-West Europe", I normally mean the UK, Ireland, the Benelux and Northern France.

[Minty]

This is debatable. I usually draw the line between northern and southern European somewhere in the middle of France, about at the height of Swizterland and Austria (who are really the limit between north and south).
In a West vs East scale, many people consider Germany, Switerland and Austria, as well as the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, etc. to be Central Europeans.
When I say "North-West Europe", I normally mean the UK, Ireland, the Benelux and Northern France.

My definitions of the divisions of the Europeans are acknowledged from the Australian definitions of the different ethnic group divisions. But I know not all would agree with me, for example I do not consider British Western Europeans but North West Europeans but I know some British think they are Western Europeans.

[ricecake]

There is no ethnic differentiation between Scandinavians and Western or North-Western Europeans in America,they're lump in one " Western Europeans " umbrellla.Whereas they categorize Slavs as Eastern Europeans and Latin peoples plus Greeks as Southern Europeans.

It seems,Caucasian-American ruling class and media regionalize Europeans by ____.I am lost in English translation,can't think of a word best fit in finishing my sentence here.

BTW,welcome back Minty.

[Maciamo]

My definitions of the divisions of the Europeans are acknowledged from the Australian definitions of the different ethnic group divisions. But I know not all would agree with me, for example I do not consider British Western Europeans but North West Europeans but I know some British think they are Western Europeans.

Talking of Australia, the Lonely Planet Guide Book divides Europe the same way as I do. They have guidebooks for Western Europe (as far East as Germany), Eastern Europe (the former Communist block) and Central Europe (as I mentioned above). This just shows that geographical regions are not exclusive of each others. Germany is both Western and Central. Hungary is both Eastern and Central. France is both Northern and Southern (Mediterranean). France, the Benelux and Britain are Western, but also Northern. Scandinavia and Finland are just Northern (rather Central or Eastern, but never considered as such).

It is all a matter of feeling and benchmark. Within the EU 15, Belgium was considered the "centre of Europe", because the geographical centre of the EU 15 was at the Belgo-French border and Brussels is the EU capital. Now with the EU 25 (or 27), the geographical centre is in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. If we consider all Europe, including Russia as far as the Ural, the geographic centre of Europe is in Lithuania ! Naturally, if we take the latter as a reference, Poland is in Western and Southen Europe, which sounds like a nonesense.

[Maciamo]

There is no ethnic differentiation between Scandinavians and Western or North-Western Europeans in America,they're lump in one " Western Europeans " umbrellla.

I suppose that this category should be called "Germanic" (+ Celtic) and not "Western European". It sounds so nonsensical to me to say that Sweden is in Western Europe, as it is just above Poland. French people are hard to categorise because they are ethnically mixed. They are Germanic, Celtic, Latin, Basque, etc. This is why it is always safer to categorise ethnic groups based on looks and DNA rather than just on the country of origins.

Whereas they categorize Slavs as Eastern Europeans and Latin peoples plus Greeks as Southern Europeans.

Ok with that, except that not all Eastern European are Slavs (e.g. the Hungarians, Romanians and Balts).

[Minty]

Talking of Australia, the Lonely Planet Guide Book divides Europe the same way as I do. They have guidebooks for Western Europe (as far East as Germany), Eastern Europe (the former Communist block) and Central Europe (as I mentioned above). This just shows that geographical regions are not exclusive of each others. Germany is both Western and Central. Hungary is both Eastern and Central. France is both Northern and Southern (Mediterranean). France, the Benelux and Britain are Western, but also Northern. Scandinavia and Finland are just Northern (rather Central or Eastern, but never considered as such).
It is all a matter of feeling and benchmark. Within the EU 15, Belgium was considered the "centre of Europe", because the geographical centre of the EU 15 was at the Belgo-French border and Brussels is the EU capital. Now with the EU 25 (or 27), the geographical centre is in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. If we consider all Europe, including Russia as far as the Ural, the geographic centre of Europe is in Lithuania ! Naturally, if we take the latter as a reference, Poland is in Western and Southen Europe, which sounds like a nonesense.

I didn't get this idea from the lonely planet guide.
I got the idea from here
@ricecake...thanks buddy!

[GorazdR]

The geographic regions of Europe are not clearly defined. There is no definite boundary between Eastern and Western Europe. Central Europe is also diffenenty defined in various sources. I think that Europeans, the ones that live in eastern and western Europe have preemposed assumptions about one another from Cold war times when they were both subjected to brainwashing. Polish about the glory of their system, and western europeans about the big red satan lurking in over the Iron Curtain. Now that this unfortunate period of our history is finally behind us we should also mentaly tear down the borders in our heads, not imposing old (new) East-West divide.