World organisations · Updated September 2026
European Union countries
The EU has 27 member states in 2026. The UK left in 2020 (Brexit). Eurozone, Schengen and the EU are three different maps.
The European Union is a political and economic union. In 2026 it has 27 members. The United Kingdom left on 31 January 2020 — that process is called Brexit. The UK is not an EU member.
Not every EU country uses the euro, and not every EU country is in the Schengen free-travel area. Ireland and Cyprus, for example, are EU but not Schengen. Norway and Switzerland are Schengen but not EU.
Germany is the most populous EU member. Malta is the smallest. Candidate countries (including Ukraine, Moldova and several Western Balkan states) sit in the waiting room — they are not members until every current member agrees.
European Union countries — key facts (2026)
| Topic | Fact |
|---|---|
| Members (2026) | 27 |
| UK status | Left in 2020 — not a member |
| Euro users | 20 countries in the euro area (2026) |
| Founding six (1957/58 community) | Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands |
| Newest member | Croatia (2013) |
| Capital of the EU institutions (main) | Brussels; Parliament also sits in Strasbourg |
| Schengen ≠ EU | Some EU states out; some non-EU states in |
| Official languages | 24 |
Figures are the usual classroom and news-desk numbers for 2026. Border disputes and membership votes can change a count by one or two.
People also ask
How many countries are in the EU?
27 in 2026.
Is the UK in the EU?
No. It left in 2020.
Is every EU country in the euro?
No. Denmark has an opt-out. Others (for example Poland, Sweden, Czechia) still use a national currency.