- Political systems: Many Eastern European countries have transitioned from communism to democracy while Western European countries transitioned earlier
- EU membership: Most Eastern European countries have joined the European Union, but some Western European countries, like the United Kingdom, have chosen to leave; some Eastern European countries are also former parts of the Soviet Union.
- Human rights records: Some Eastern European countries have been criticized for their human rights records while Western European countries generally have stronger protections for human rights.
Economic differences:
- Economic development: Western European countries are generally more economically developed, with the average person and country.
- Employment status: Western European workers on average work on average fewer annual hour
- Economic sectors: Eastern European economies were historically based, agriculture while Western Europe focused on advanced and services such as banking,
technology.
Social and cultural differences:
- Religion: Christianity plays a key role in the culture of much of Eastern Europe, though many have more Orthodox Church traditions while much of Western Europe is mainly Catholic and Protestant.
- Population diversity: Western Europe generally has the more ethnically and nationally-diverse populations due to immigration throughout their history.