This man in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, seems to be enjoying the feeling of sun on his face. And Portugal has been having plenty of it, as the Iberian Peninsula bakes in warmth coming over from North Africa. The country has already had near-record temperatures this year, but nothing yet to break the 47.3° C (117.1° F) recorded in 2003 in Amareleja. Still, large parts are on red alert.

Fountains, like this one in Rossio Square in Lisbon, provide welcome relief from the heat. Portugal is not just experiencing a heat wave, but also clouds of dust coming from the Sahara Desert that are tingeing the sky dark yellow in some places.

In neighboring Spain, the mercury is also soaring and heat warnings have been issued. Three people are reported to have died from heat-related causes in the past week. Authorities are warning people to shelter from the sun and drink plenty of fluids, advice heeded by this man in Madrid.

Despite its northerly location in Europe, much of Germany has been experiencing an unusually long run of high temperatures, accompanied by much less rainfall than usual. Farmers have requested financial aid from the government to help them cope with greatly reduced harvests.

The heat in Germany has caused the waters in the Rhine River to drop dramatically leaving parts of the riverbed dry, as seen here in Düsseldorf. Freight vessels are being forced to reduce their cargoes if they want to continue sailing on the river.

In the Austrian capital, Vienna, asphalt in the city has become too hot for police dogs' paws, so the force has come up with the logical response: specially made dog shoes. The working dog shown here, Spike, seems as alert as ever and completely unfazed by his new item of uniform.

Sweden has had its hottest July of the past 260 years. The high temperatures have led to a high fire danger, and wildfires in the country have extended even into the Arctic Circle. But these city dwellers in central Stockholm seem intent on seeing the bright side of the hot weather as they laze at the Tantolunden bathing place.

In Britain, the unusually long summer has taken its toll on lawns and plants across the country. Fire authorities have warned that parks and other grasslands are like a tinderbox after a July that was the country's third-warmest month in more than a century. Greenwich Park in London, seen here, seems to be no exception.

But relief can been found even in central London, as seen here in a fountain at Trafalgar Square. Retailers are also suffering, groaning not just about the heat but also over decreased sales: Accountancy firm BDO said figures were down 1.1 percent in July. "The scorching conditions did not encourage physical shopping and only hindered footfall in shops," BDO's Sophie Michael said.

North Korea has called for an "all-out battle" against record temperatures, with crops damaged amid the prolonged heat wave. Poor harvests could hit hard in a country that is already struggling under international sanctions over its nuclear arms program. North Korea also lacks irrigation systems and other infrastructure to cope with drought.

These men in Pyongyang transporting an electric fan have obviously adopted one of the cheapest, yet most effective, ways of countering heat: the humble electric fan. They seem not to believe a widespread South Korean myth: that fans can cause death if left on while someone is asleep. The fact is, of course, that people are much more likely to die from the heat without one running.