Schengen Area

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/schengen-area

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Where is Schengen Area?Primarily Western and Central Europe, encompassing 29 countries
2. How many people live in Schengen Area?Exceeds 450 million inhabitants
3. How big is Schengen Area?Approximately 4,595,000 km²
4. What is the founding agreements?Schengen Agreement (1985) and Schengen Convention (1990)
5. What is the economic impact?Reduced trade costs and facilitated significant cross-border commerce
6. Why does Ireland not belong to the Schengen Area?Ireland has chosen to keep its own border rules because of its special relationship with the United Kingdom.

Area of Freedom, Security, and Justice (AFSJ): A policy area within the EU focused on ensuring these principles for citizens across member states.
European Free Trade Association (EFTA): An intergovernmental organization promoting free trade among its member states, some of which are Schengen members.
Schengen Information System (SIS): A shared database used by member states to share critical information for border security and law enforcement.