15 January 2007

Kaffeekranz: Europe or Asia

This question really gets boring, or not ? Wikipedia had some updates trying to define the "real" border between Europe and Asia. But on this nice map you clearly see without any doubt, that at least Khevsureti, Tusheti and a small part of Khevi ;-) are parts of Europe.


Map: Wikipedia

Personally I think, that Georgia will very soon benefit from its strong geo-strategic position between Europe and Asia. I understand the wish for joining the EU very well, but I don't wish the Georgians all the over-regulations, the bureaucracy and the patronizing lately so characteristic for Europe. (Here is just a random link (German))

A FistfulofEuros today displays its Kaffeekranz-Discussion, don't miss the long section of Comments (most commenters had never been in Georgia or Armenia but clearly put the two to Europe but Azerbaijan to Asia...

Who had been in the Caucasus knows, it just belongs to heaven.

Ok, lets put it different: We're retagging Batumi to Europe and Friedrichshain to Asia.

Thanks to Registan.net

2 comments:

rolandmex said...

Pretty difficult question indeed. It has been discussed for centuries now, from the geographic point of view as well as from the cultural point of view.

Geographical the Caucasus may lay inside or outside of Europe (depending which geologic fault you take as the border), but culturally it belongs without a doubt to Europe, even Azerbaijan.

Is the Elbrus now Europe's highest mountain? - I think the French ("la grande nation") will know to prevent this. ;-)

But don't worry: with Mexico is happening something very similar. Geographically it belongs to North America (Central America starts at the Istmus of Tehuantepec) - but ask any gringo about it and they'll deny it.

So it goes. Who's got the power at the moment determines who's in and who's out.

Hans said...

Thanks for your interesting comment, Roland.

The top was the last: "Who's got the power at the moment determines who's in and who's out."

If the EU wants it to Europe, then the decision makers would have so many different explanations to choose , why it is part of it (or not). Start with the Amazons, further to Iason and to Prometheus...,... the wine and the tasty roasted pig