The European Community (European Union) consists of 27 member countries and has a total population of 450.4 million inhabitants: Austria and Belgium in the heart of the continent; Bulgaria and Romania in Eastern Europe; Croatia and Slovenia in the Balkans; Cyprus and Malta in the Mediterranean; the Czech Republic and Slovakia in Central Europe; Denmark, Finland, and Sweden in Northern Europe; Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in the Baltic area; France, Germany, and Luxembourg in Western Europe; Greece in Southeastern Europe; Ireland among the English-speaking countries; Italy, Spain, and Portugal in Southern Europe; Hungary and Poland in Central-Eastern Europe; and finally the Netherlands, historically at the center of European integration.