▁the ▁west ▁to ▁the ▁U ral ▁Mountains ▁in ▁the ▁east . ▁These ▁two ▁hal ves ▁are ▁separated ▁by ▁the ▁mountain ▁ch ains ▁of ▁the ▁Py ren ees ▁and ▁the ▁Al ps / Car path ians . ▁The ▁northern ▁pla ins ▁are ▁del im ited ▁in ▁the ▁west ▁by ▁the ▁Sc and in av ian ▁mountains ▁and ▁the ▁mountain ous ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Is les . ▁The ▁major ▁shall ow ▁water ▁bodies ▁sub mer ging ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁northern ▁pla ins ▁are ▁the ▁C elt ic ▁Sea , ▁the ▁North ▁Sea , ▁the ▁Balt ic ▁Sea ▁complex , ▁and ▁the ▁Bar ents ▁Sea . ▁ ▁The ▁northern ▁plain ▁contains ▁the ▁old ▁ge ological ▁continent ▁of ▁Balt ica , ▁and ▁so ▁may ▁be ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁" main ▁continent ", ▁while ▁peri pher al ▁high lands ▁and ▁mountain ous ▁regions ▁in ▁south ▁and ▁west ▁const itute ▁fragments ▁from ▁various ▁other ▁ge ological ▁contin ents . ▁ ▁The ▁ge ology ▁of ▁Europe ▁is ▁h ug ely ▁varied ▁and ▁complex , ▁and ▁gives ▁rise ▁to ▁the ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁land sc apes ▁found ▁across ▁the ▁continent , ▁from ▁the ▁Scottish ▁High lands ▁to ▁the ▁rolling ▁pla ins ▁of ▁Hung ary . ▁ ▁Population ▁ ▁Fig ures ▁for ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Europe ▁vary ▁according ▁to ▁which ▁definition ▁of ▁European ▁boundaries ▁is ▁used . ▁The ▁population ▁within ▁the ▁standard ▁physical ▁ge ographical ▁boundaries ▁was ▁ 7 0 1 ▁million ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Nations . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁the