Geography of Europe is not surrounded by sea and its southeastern border has always been variously defined for centuries. In terms of shape, Europe is a collection of connected peninsulas and nearby islands. The two largest peninsulas are mainland Europe and Scandinavia to the north, divided from each other by the Baltic Sea. Three smaller peninsulas—Iberia, Italy and the Balkans—emerge from the southern margin of the mainland. The Balkan peninsula is separated from Asia by the Black and Aegean Seas. Italy is separated from the Balkans by the Adriatic Sea, and from Iberia by the Mediterranean Sea, which also separates Europe from Africa.
Cluster of Excellence "Asia and Europe in a Global Context" Cluster of Excellence "Asia and Europe in a Global Context" The Cluster of Excellence "Asia and Europe in a Global Context" is a research facility that has been funded in the framework of the German Universities Excellence Initiative of the federal state governments of Germany since October 2007. It is a trans- and interdisciplinary network of researchers affiliated with Heidelberg University. Key research areas of the Cluster are the processes of exchange between cultures of Asia and Europe, ranging from migration and trade to the formation of concepts and institutions. The Cluster aims at enhancing the understanding of the multi-layered