I view culture over geography. The western half of Russia is very much European as are some of the countries here, while others take a hard lean into Asian class and culture. The ancient Greeks, a portion of my own ancestors, hastily divided up regions of the immediate world.
If ‘most of Russia is in Asia’, where is the rest of it in?!
Australia take part in the Eurovision Song contest.
Does that mean Australia is in Europe?!
Brandenburg, where Berlin is, Thuringia, and the other eastern parts of Germany were not originally German. They were conquered from Slavic peoples called Wends in the Middle Ages. Prussia was conquered from Baltic people.
I voted Europe, just because that’s where all the important cities are. Sure, some of the nation is geographically Asian, but I doubt any Asian has had much say into the running of the government.
Australia was a guest entrant. They still are. Israel is a guest entrant, too, as the IBU is a member of the EBU. Neither country are culturally Europe, and one contest doesn’t dictate what an entire country is like. Your own argument doesn’t make sense since north African countries are allowed to enter as well as European countries with a predominantly Muslim population.
Either you didn’t do research or you thought I layer culture over geography, when I was clear I prefer to view culture instead of geography.
How are you defining cultural similarities? Australian culture has far more in common with the UK than any of its neighbours, excepting New Zealand. Likewise Israel is generally more culturally aligned with Mediterranean Europe than with any of its immediate neighbours. Visit Jordan or Egypt and there’s a very Arabic “vibe”. Israel has some of that vibe - obviously so in Arabic neighbourhoods - but the overall atmosphere is very European. Although possibly, some of that impression may be because Israel is more prosperous than it’s neighbours. Israel is very culturally unique, but so is Russia. Wandering around Israel, the countries it seems most similar to are Italy and Spain. The former Warsaw Pact countries still have Russian influences. But Russia seems far less like Germany than the contrast between Israel and Mediterranean Europe.
You mean other than Stalin from Georgia, and Chernenko and Yeltsin from Siberia?
It’s been an aphorism in German/Austrian politics since at least Metternich, and probably earlier: “Asia begins at the Landstraße.” quotes - Where did Metternich say the Balkans began? - History Stack Exchange
I think it’s geographically European, with Siberia as an Asian colony appended to it. And culturally closer to the Levant than Western or Central Europe. For all of the blather about Islam taking over France or Germany, the major European country (so not Turkey or one of the Balkan states) that is likely to first have a significant Islamic plurality, is probably Russia, given demographics. Of course, Russia could always divest from Ingushetia and Chechnya, etc…
Arabic is a language. You’re looking for the word “Arab.”
Australia is much like America, not the UK. The UK consists of several countries. Not every country is similar, especially in socio-economic interests. Israel is more like a middle eastern country, because it is one. Israel is not like Slovenia, Italy, Greece, and such. Which parts of Italy and Spain are you inferring Israel is like? Not any of the major cities. The country side? The Israeli countryside isn’t too different than the rest of the middle east. If you use looks to define cultural similarity, than the major cities of Saudi Arabia and Jordan also resemble Israel’s major areas such as Tel Aviv and Haifa, and if the latter resemble Italy and Spain, then your logic would say that Jordan and Saudi look the same, as well, and thus share some obscure cultural connection. Former Warsaw Pact countries don’t look the same as Russia. They may share some culture due to the histories ties these countries have, but ideology, customs and a variety of traditions all lead towards west European influence and not Russian.
Having been to a bulk of the countries you brought up as an example for several weeks at a time outside of touristy areas, it’s abundantly clear you’ve never had any meaningful time in those countries other than a few days and are blatantly trolling.
That doesn’t preclude their also being closer to the UK than to their non-Kiwi neighbors. Culturally I think both are true: Australia and the United States are both closer to the UK than the UK, and the rest of western Europe in my opinion, is to Russia.
Now, who Poland is closer to is another story. Personally that’s where I think the cultural boundary lies. Because while geographically Poland is European, culturally they seem to be in between Russia and their European neighbors. (I hesitate to say they are a “mixture” because they would probably tell you they are sui generis.)
The UK is such a vast entity of countries that your post makes little sense. North Irish culture isn’t similar to Australian or American culture, or other west European culture. Scottish culture isn’t similar either. In my experience, Slovenian culture varies depending on which region of the country you’re in during the warmer months. Some parts of Slovenia or even Italy reminded me of Greece. From the food, the way people interact, customs, etc. Beit Yannai is akin to Cape Cod in the spring if you go by looks alone. Culturally, they’re very different. Monaco is considered a west European country by geography alone, but it is nothing like the other countries in the region, particularly the UK. The closest thing is maybe the fancy resort towns in Devon, England.
And then again, Monaco is an amalgam of several cultures as the country is so small and thus is teeming with variability in culture due to it being a melting pot of various economic status and ethnic background. Estonia and Finland could be easily compared to Russia as they have such a historic connection by culture, though that wasn’t the former twos own doing or want to do that.
Aren’t the Wends still around, as a distinct ethnic group – and using their Slavic language – in the far south-east of former East Germany; around Bautzen, Hoyerswerda and such places?
From a viewpoint of someone who lives in East Asia, Russia is European. While they have a large amount of land extending all the way to the Pacific, they just do not have much influence on the affairs of other countries. China and Japan are the most influential countries of East Asia, followed by Korea and then Taiwan (although don’t tell my wife I said that). There are Southern Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia, and possibly the Middle East, although most East Asians don’t really see that as part of Asia.
There’s a Wendish museum near one of the main routes to get from Austin to Houston in Texas. I’ve seen the sign along 290, but never made in. Museum – Texas Wendish Heritage
Sounds like a fun side trip.
The precise dividing line between Europe and Asia is somewhat ambiguous, but every version of it I’ve seen passes through part of Russia. So if we’re going to insist that they’re two separate continents, Russia is in both of them.
Bonus question: Is France Europe or South America?
Something something something, Urals, something Siberia, something something Former Soviet States, etc etc.
Yeah, the Sorbs. They’re the remnant of the ancient Wend population. They were there before the Germans. A reminder of Germany’s medieval eastward expansion.
Thanks for the link – much interesting material. Wiki tells us that these folk observe on April 30, the custom of Witch Burning – not literally, one hopes.
Geographically it is both. Culturally, I wouldn’t really call it Asia. There are Asians throughout the Russian Far East (remnants of the Mongol and other “hordes”) but I believe they are far outnumbered by European Russians these days. The Russian Far East certainly does NOT project culturally into Mongolia, China, Korea. In fact, it’s probably the other way around with Chinese from China making inroads into the Russian Far East.