European Union. Map of the member states based on satellite data. North is a top of image. Member states of the EU are seen as the non-shaded areas. There are 25 member states in all, the latest member states joined on 1st May 2004. Those countries were Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Notable absentees from the EU include Norway on the north-western flank of Scandinavia, Iceland in the Atlantic Ocean to the north west of mainland Europe and Switzerland in central Europe. Russia, Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria (all non-EU states) are to the east of Europe, at right of image.