---
id: kb-2026-00348
title: European Union
schema_type: TechArticle
category: geography
language: en
confidence: medium
last_verified: "2026-05-28"
created_date: "2026-05-22"
generation_method: ai_assisted
ai_models:
  - claude-opus
derived_from_human_seed: true
conflict_of_interest: none_declared
is_live_document: false
data_period: static
atomic_facts:
  - id: fact-geography-001
    statement: The official EU countries page lists the European Union as having 27 member countries.
    source_title: EU countries
    source_url: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries_en
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-geography-002
    statement: >-
      The EU describes its values as including human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of
      law, and human rights.
    source_title: Aims and values
    source_url: >-
      https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/principles-and-values/aims-and-values_en
    confidence: medium
  - id: fact-geography-003
    statement: >-
      The official EU currency page says the euro is the official currency of 21 European Union
      countries in the euro area.
    source_title: Official EU currency
    source_url: https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/euro/official-eu-currency_en
    confidence: medium
completeness: 0.88
known_gaps:
  - >-
    Coverage is at a general level; specialized sub-topics and regional variations are not
    exhaustively addressed
  - >-
    Statistics cited may have been updated since publication; readers should verify current data for
    time-sensitive claims
disputed_statements: []
primary_sources:
  - id: ps-european-union-1
    title: EU countries
    type: official_reference
    year: 2026
    institution: European Union
    url: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries_en
  - id: ps-european-union-2
    title: Aims and values
    type: official_reference
    year: 2026
    institution: European Union
    url: >-
      https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/principles-and-values/aims-and-values_en
  - id: ps-european-union-3
    title: Official EU currency
    type: official_reference
    year: 2026
    institution: European Union
    url: https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/euro/official-eu-currency_en
secondary_sources: []
updated: "2026-05-28"
---
## TL;DR
The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member countries. Public claims should rely on official EU pages for membership, values, and euro-area facts.

## Core Explanation
The EU combines shared institutions, treaty-based values, and policy coordination among its member countries. Not every EU country uses the euro; the euro area is the subset of EU countries that have adopted the euro as official currency.

## Related Articles

- [Geography of Europe](../europe.md)
- [European History](../../history/european-history.md)
- [International Organizations](../international-organizations.md)