Western Europe has a population of about 196 million, with many countries being part of NATO and the EU. This region is notable for its rich cultural heritage, including famous artists, orchestras, and popular fashion brands, along with distinct national symbols and traditions in countries like Austria, Belgium, France, and Germany. The document also details the estimated Filipino populations in various Western European countries and highlights aspects such as religion, cuisine, and national holidays.

1. • WESTERN EUROPE HAS A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 196 MILLION.
• MOST COUNTRIES IN WESTERN EUROPE ARE MEMBERS OF THE NATO MILITARY
ALLIANCE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION.
• SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND ORCHESTRAS ARE
LOCATED IN WESTERN EUROPE.
• WESTERN EUROPE WAS THE HOME OF ARTISTS LIKE VAN GOGH AND MONET,
AND MUSICIANS LIKE BEETHOVEN AND CHOPIN.
• WESTERN EUROPE IS THE HOME OF POPULAR FASHION BRANDS, INCLUDING
CHRISTIAN DIOR, CHANEL, ADIDAS, AND BALLY.

2. FLAG: The Austrian flag has three stripes, two red and one
white. According to my colleagues here at the university, the
red stands for strength and bravery while the white stands for
peace and honesty.
BELIEF AND TRADITION: Religious freedom is guaranteed in
the Austrian constitution. Since the 2001 Census for Austria, no
official data has been collected on religious affiliation to maintain
a secular stance. Nonetheless, Christianity, particularly
Roman Catholicism, continues to be the predominant
religion in Austria.

3. NATIONAL FLOWER: Austria. The national
flower of Austria is edelweiss (Leontopodium
nivale).
The national animal of Austria is the golden eagle,
but they also have an official bird: the barn swallow.

4. RELIGION: St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. According to
church membership data, in 2021 53.9% of the population
were Roman Catholics and 3.0% adhered to Protestant
churches. Austria was historically a strongly Catholic country,
having been the centre of the Habsburg monarchy (1273–
1918) which championed Roman Catholicism.
CLOTHING: Women wear 'Dirndls', a close-fitting bodice
combined with an apron in different colors; either it is
sleeveless and worn with a cotton and lace blouse, or it has
sleeves and a high neck. Men wear 'Lederhosen', knee-
length trousers or short-pants made from leather, worn with
rustic shoes and wool socks.

5. AIRPORT: Vienna Airport, German: Flughafen Wien-
Schwechat, Slovak: Letisko Viedeň-Švechat,
(IATA: VIE, ICAO: LOWW) is the international
airport of Vienna, the capital of Austria. It is located
in Schwechat, 18 km (11 mi) southeast of central Vienna and
57 kilometres (35 mi) west of Bratislava, the capital
of Slovakia. Its name in the Austrian Aeronautical Information
Publication is Wien-Schwechat Airport.

6. CLIMATE: The climate of Austria can be classified as Cfb
Climate; a warm temperated humid climate with the
warmest month lower than 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22
degrees Celsius) over average and four or more months
above 50 (10 degrees Celsius) over average.
FILIPINO RESIDENTS: It is estimated by the Filipino
ambassador to Austria that 30,000 Filipino Austrians
currently live in Austria. 13,499 Filipino Austrians were
born in the Philippines, with 5,823 of them holding
Philippine citizenship.

7. FLAG: Vertically striped black-yellow-red national
flag. Its width-to-length ratio is 13 to 15. A rampant lion
appeared in the seal of Count Philip of Flanders as
early as 1162, while its colours (a gold shield and a
black lion) are known to have existed since 1171.

8. CUISINE: Moules-frites/Mosselen met friet: mussels
cooked or steamed with onions and celery served with
Belgian fries. The recipe has often been referred to as the
country's national dish but is also popular in the
neighboring Nord region of France.
NATIONAL FLOWER: The national flower of Belgium is
the Red Poppy (Papaver rhoeas).

9. CURRENCY: The euro banknotes and coins were
introduced in Belgium on 1 January 2002, after a
transitional period of three years when the euro was the
official currency but only existed as 'book money'.
RELIGION: Belgium's religious tradition is Catholic,
although Protestant churches, mosques, synagogues and
temples are found in most cities. About 65% of the
population is Christian, of which 58% are Catholic.
Members of Protestant, Eastern Orthodox churches and
other Christian denominations make up 7%.

10. FESTIVAL: Belgian National Day is celebrated
across Belgium and in Belgian emigrant communities
abroad on 21 July. It is a public holiday, being one of
ten observed nationally each year.
AIRPORT: The Brussels Airport is also called Luchthaven
Zaventem Airport or the Brussels-National Airport. The
airport is located at a distance of 12 km from the city center
of Brussels and connects Brussels to different destinations
and European cities.

11. Brussels experiences a mild oceanic climate
typical of northern Europe, with cold winters and
warm summers.
FILIPINO RESIDENTS: Of the 12,224 Filipinos estimated to
be living in Belgium, the CFO estimates that 5,000 (40.9%)
are "irregular" or living without legal residency status, while
6,840 (56.0%) and 384 (3.1%) Filipinos have "permanent"
and "temporary" status, respectively.

12. FLAG: The "tricolore" (three-colour) flag is an emblem
of the Fifth Republic. It had its origins in the union, at the
time of the French Revolution, of the colours of the King
(white) and the City of Paris (blue and red). Today, the
"tricolour" flies over all public buildings.

13. CUISINE: Renowned for its diverse and sophisticated cuisine,
including dishes like coq au vin, ratatouille, and crème
brûlée.
NATIONAL FLOWER: The Iris, also called fleur-de-lis, has
officially represented France since the 12th century as both
the country’s insignia and national emblem. Before it was the
National Flower of France, the Iris was the official flower of
the Roman Empire’s ruling class.

14. CURRENCY: The euro banknotes and coins were introduced
in France on 1 January 2002, after a transitional period of
three years when the euro was the official currency but only
existed as 'book money'. The dual circulation period – when
both the French franc and the euro had legal tender status –
ended on 17 February 2002.
RELIGION : It is estimated that 63-66% of the population
identify as Catholic, 7-9% identify as Muslim, 0.5-0.75% identify
as Jewish, 0.5-0.75% identify as Buddhist and 0.5-1% identify
with some other religion. A further 23-28% of the population is
believed to be unaffiliated with any religion.

15. FESTIVAL: Bastille Day, national holiday in France and its
overseas départements and territories, marking the
anniversary of the fall on July 14, 1789, of the Bastille, in
Paris. Originally built as a medieval fortress, the Bastille
eventually came to be used as a state prison.
AIRPORT: Charles de Gaulle International Airport
Recognised as the largest and busiest airport in France, the
Charles De Gaulle International Airport is the major airport

16. CLIMATE: Summers are warm, with some
thunderstorms, and winters are cold. Temperatures can
drop below 0 degrees Celsius and, in the mountains, are
frequently accompanied by snow. In the South, the climate is
Mediterranean. Summers are hot and winters mild and dry.
FILIPINO RESIDENTS: About 50,000 Filipinos resided in
France in 2020, with a large share of the population
consisting of those who arrived illegally. 80% of Filipinos in
France have lived in the nation for less than seven years,
and 95% have lived in France for less than 15 years.

17. FLAG: The national flag of Germany is a tricolour consisting
of three equal horizontal bands displaying the national
colours of Germany: black, red, and gold (German:
Schwarz-Rot-Gold). The flag was first sighted in 1848 in the
German Confederation. The flag was also used by the
German Empire from 1848 to 1849.

18. CUISINE: sauerbraten, in German cuisine, dish of spiced braised
beef. A solid cut from the round or rump is marinated for three or
four days in red wine and vinegar flavoured with onions, bay
leaves, juniper berries, cloves, and peppercorns.
NATIONAL FLOWER: Cornflowers, a beautiful blue-
violet bloom, is the national flower for Germany.

19. RELIGION: Christianity is the dominant religion in Germany
while Islam is the biggest minority religion. There are a
number more faiths, however, that together account for the
religions of around 3-4% of the population.
CURRENCY: Germany only uses euros. Since 2002, it no
longer uses the Deutsche mark. Deutsche mark bills and coins
can be exchanged for euros at federal bank locations in
Germany.

20. FESTIVAL: A few of the main national festivals in Germany, Austria and
Switzerland include; the moveable feasts including the Easter
celebrations – Palmsonntag, Karfreitag, Ostern, Ostermontag and
Ascension day (Christi Himmelfahrt), Fasching during lent season
(called Karneval in Germany), Ash Wednesday (Aschermittwoch)

21. FLAG: Horizontally divided blue-red national flag with a
yellow crown in the upper hoist corner. The flag has a
width-to-length ratio of 3 to 5. Traditionally, flags of territories
ruled by royalty in Europe have corresponded to the “livery
colours” of the ruler's coat of arms.
BELIEF AND TRADITION: Roman Catholic Christianity
The Roman Catholic Church is the official national religion of
Liechtenstein, and 75.9% of its total population adheres to the
faith. The constitution of Lichtenstein declared the Roman
Catholic Church as the official state church and is protected
entirely by the government.

22. NATIONAL FLOWER: The National flower of
Liechtenstein is Neroli Viviparum Lily. Botanical name is
N/A.
The National animal of Liechtenstein is Kestrel

23. REGION: The Principality of Liechtenstein is located in
Western Europe between Switzerland and Austria, making
Liechtenstein one of only two doubly landlocked countries in
the world.
•With a total area of 62 square miles, Liechtenstein is roughly
the geographic size of Washington, DC.
CLOTHING: The official national dress of Liechtenstein
features a black skirt and a white blouse with
crocheted and bobbin laced necklines and
sleeves. Bodices and aprons are made of silk; their
traditional colour was red, but modern designs often
substitute blue or green.

24. Main airport and main port: Liechtenstein does not have its own
airport or port due to its small size and lack of direct access to the
sea. The nearest major airports are located in Zurich, Switzerland,
and Friedrichshafen, Germany.
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF), as Liechtenstein is in a customs and
monetary union with Switzerland.
FILIPINO RESIDENTS: Lichtenstein is host to around 38,
including the 16 who have already acquired Liechtensteiner
citizenship. Majority of Filipinos residing in Lichtenstein are
married mainly to Liechtensteiners and some to German
nationals.

25. FLAG: The national flag of Luxembourg (Luxembourgish:
Lëtzebuerger Fändel; German: Flagge Luxemburgs; French:
Drapeau du Luxembourg) consists of three horizontal stripes,
red, white and light blue, and can be in 1:2 or 3:5 ratio. It was
first used between 1845 and 1848 and officially adopted in
1993.

26. CUISINE: The national dish of Luxembourg is Judd mat
Gaardebounen. This traditional recipe is made by soaking
smoked and salted pork neck (judd) in water overnight and
then boiling it with vegetables and spices such as bay
leaves and cloves.
NATIONAL FLOWER: The Rose, Rosa, is the most
significant scent to Luxembourg, known as “Ville des
Roses,” the City of Roses. It is the country's national
flower, cultivated in world renowned gardens across the
city.

27. CURRENCY: The symbol for the Luxembourg Franc is fr. or F.
On January 1, 1999, the Luxembourg Franc was replaced by
the Euro (€). 1 Euro is equal to about 40 Luxembourg Francs.
RELIGION: As of 2018, 73.2% of Luxembourg’s population
adhere to forms of Christianity (63.8% are Catholics, 1.8% are
Protestants, 3.0% are Orthodox Christians while 4.6% adhere to
other Christian denominations). 2.6% of the population are
Muslims and 0.6% are followers of other non-Christian religions.

28. FESTIVAL: Luxembourg's national holiday is celebrated
on June 23. Each commune celebrates the event with its
citizens, whatever their nationality. In the capital, the
festivities begin on June 22 with the solemn changing of
the guard. A torchlight procession and a magnificent
fireworks display are organized in the evening.
AIRPORT: Luxembourg-Findel Airport has three terminals
(Terminals A & B plus a business terminal) and can handle up
to 3 million passengers per year as well as around 700,000
tons of freight.

29. CLIMATE: Luxembourg has a continental climate with cold
winters and relatively mild-warm summers.
FILIPINO RESIDENTS: Luxembourg: As of 2017, there are around
427 Filipinos in Luxembourg. Luxembourg offers opportunities in
various sectors such as finance, technology, and research. It's
important to familiarize yourself with local laws, customs, and
cultural norms to fully integrate into your new environment.

30. FLAG: The flag of Monaco consists of two horizontal stripes, red
over white, which are said to represent the Grimaldi family.
BELIEF AND TRADITION: St. Devota is the patron saint of the
Principality of Monaco, the Royal Family and the Archdiocese of
Monaco, and is also the patron saint of Corsica. In the Principality
of Monaco, the Roman Catholic apostolic religion is the State
religion, and St.

31. NATIONAL FLOWER: The carnation is the national flower of
Spain, Monaco, and Slovenia, and the provincial flower of the
autonomous community of the Balearic Islands.
Monaco. Perhaps that most unusual of all, Monaco has
three national animals – the hedgehog, rabbit and wood
mouse.

32. RELIGION: The constitution states that Roman Catholicism is the
state religion. The Catholic Archbishop of Monaco occupies the
highest government office below the sovereign and the Minister
of State.
CLOTHING: Monaco has a modern and fashionable dress style,
influenced by its affluent status and Mediterranean climate.

33. AIRPORT: Monaco has no airport, but has Monaco
Heliport in the district of Fontvieille. The nearest major
airport is Nice Côte d'Azur Airport in France.
MAIN PORT: Port Hercules (French: Port Hercule [pɔʁ ɛʁkyl])
is the only deep-water port in Monaco. The port has been in
use since ancient times. The modern port was completed in
1926, and underwent substantial improvements in the 1970s.

34. FILIPINO RESIDENTS: There are Filipino residents
living in Monaco, likely working in various sectors such
as hospitality, healthcare, or domestic services.
Maldives: As of 2018, there were 3,000 Filipinos in the
Maldives. Mexico: As of 2010, there are 1,200 Filipinos
in Mexico. Micronesia: As of 2017, there are around
1,910 Filipinos in Micronesia. Monaco: As of 2017,
there are around 261 Filipinos in Monaco.

35. FLAG: The red, white, and blue colors represent the colors of
the coat of arms of the Prince of Nassau, who led the Dutch
revolt against Spanish rule. Red symbolizes bravery, white
represents purity, and blue stands for loyalty and justice.
BELIEF AND TRADITION: Dutch culture is influenced by
Protestant Christianity, with traditions like Sinterklaas (St.
Nicholas Day) and King's Day.

36. NATIONAL FLOWER: Netherlands. While most people believe it
to be the tulip, the actual national flower of the Netherlands is
the daisy (Bellis perennis). It was elected in a public vote in
2023.
The national animal of the Netherlands is the lion. As a
symbol of strength and power, the lion has been on the
Netherlands' coat of arms since the 16th and 17th centuries,
when the country became independent.

37. REGION:
CLOTHING: Traditional Dutch clothing includes garments
like clogs, dirndl skirts, and embroidered blouses, although
these are not commonly worn in everyday life.
RELIGION: More than half (55 percent) of Dutch people
aged 15 years and over are not religious. In 2020, 20
percent of the Dutch population belonged to the Catholic
Church, 14 percent were Protestant, 5 percent Muslim and
5 percent belonged to another religious group.

38. AIRPORT: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (IATA: AMS,
ICAO: EHAM), known informally as Schiphol Airport
(Dutch: Luchthaven Schiphol, pronounced [ˌlʏxtɦaːvə(n)
ˈsxɪpˈɦɔl(ɦ)ɔl; sxɪpˈɦɔl]), is the main international airport of
the Netherlands.
MAIN PORT: The Port of Rotterdam is the largest seaport in
Europe, and the world's largest seaport outside of East Asia,
located in and near the city of Rotterdam, in the province of
South Holland in the Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004, it
was the world's busiest port by annual cargo tonnage.

39. FILIPINO RESIDENTS: Filipino residents will need to
obtain a work permit in the Netherlands and this will
also allow them to apply for a residence permit. In
most cases, immigrants from the Philippines will be
given a temporary residence permit which will be
applied for by the employer.

40. FLAG: Since the 14th century, a white cross on a red
background has been the insignia of Swiss soldiers.
BELIEF AND TRADITION: Switzerland has a diverse cultural heritage with
influences from various regions and traditions, including Alpine
customs and Catholic and Protestant religious traditions.

41. NATIONAL FLOWER: Edelweiss - Swiss National
Flower.
Switzerland currently does not have a national animal, but
the animal most commonly associated with Switzerland, or Alpine
culture in general, is the cow. However, various other animals
have been used to represent the Swiss nation, such as the
marmot, ibex, St. Bernhard, and blackbird.

42. RELIGION: Switzerland is a Christian country. Two-thirds of its
population are either Catholic or Protestant (Reformed
Evangelical). Freedom of religion in Switzerland also allows
other religious communities to practice such faiths as Judaism,
Islam and Buddhism. Most people living in Switzerland are
Christians.Jul 16, 2020
CLOTHING: Gallen and skirts with gold and silver decorations in
Unterwalden are examples of traditional women's apparel. The men
wear a short leather outfit known as lederhosen in the Swiss Alpine
region. Slip-on leather shoes are popular among both men and
women.

43. AIRPORT: The main international airport in Switzerland is
Zurich Airport (Flughafen Zürich). It serves as a major hub for
both domestic and international flights.
MAIN PORT: Port of Switzerland/ Port of BaselThe Basel Port
is Switzerland's most important river port. It is divided into three
zones or sub-ports namely- the port of Kleinhüningen, Port
Birsfelden and Port Muttenz-Au. All these three ports are linked to
the major European roadways and railways as well.

44. FILIPINO RESIDENTS: A Swiss resident is a person
holding a Swiss residence permit at the time of application
and having paid taxes in Switzerland during that period.
Foreign students will be asked to submit a copy of their
residence permit; foreign and Swiss students may be asked
to submit a copy of their tax declaration.