Borders over time
Europe’s borders, 2000 BCE to 2024
Bronze Age kingdoms, Greek city-states, Rome’s rise and fall, the medieval kingdoms, Napoleon, two world wars and the end of the Soviet Union: four thousand years of Europe’s borders, one year at a time.
every year drawn: 4,024 years
the borders change in 498 of them
Loading 4,024 years of borders…
2000BCE
Largest on the map
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Take the tour: Europe Through History
A guided tour in 19 stops, from Greek colonies and Rome to the Iron Curtain and the Europe of today, with the map moving to each moment as you read.
Europe in key years
15 maps- Europe in 500 BCE →
Greek city-states, Etruscans, Carthage and a young Rome
- Europe in 100 →
The Roman Empire near its greatest size
- Europe in 500 →
The kingdoms that replaced Rome in the west
- Europe in 800 →
Charlemagne’s empire
- Europe in 1000 →
The first Christian kingdoms of the north and east
- Europe in 1300 →
The Golden Horde and the rise of Moscow
- Europe in 1500 →
Spain united, the Ottomans in the Balkans
- Europe in 1650 →
After the Peace of Westphalia
- Europe in 1815 →
The Congress of Vienna settlement
- Europe in 1914 →
The four empires on the eve of war
- Europe in 1920 →
The new states after the First World War
- Europe in 1938 →
On the eve of the Second World War
- Europe in 1945 →
Germany occupied, Poland moved west
- Europe in 1985 →
The Cold War divide
- Europe in 1994 →
After the fall of communism
The big changes, year by year
219 changesEvery year in which a large state — over 100,000 km² inside this view — appears on the map or vanishes from it. Smaller shifts happen in many more years; press play above to see them all.
- 1500 BCE
New: Mitanni
- 1150 BCE
Gone: Hittites
- 900 BCE
New: Neo-Assyrian Empire
- 700 BCE
Gone: Kingdom of Urartu
- 675 BCE
Gone: Phrygia
- 650 BCE
New: Scythia, Assyrian Egypt
- 615 BCE
New: Kingdom of Urartu
Gone: Assyrian Egypt
- 600 BCE
New: Neo-Babylonian Empire
Gone: Neo-Assyrian Empire
- 550 BCE
New: Achaemenid Empire
Gone: Kingdom of Urartu
- 540 BCE
Gone: Lydia
- 530 BCE
Gone: Neo-Babylonian Empire
- 450 BCE
New: Odrysian Kingdom
- 337 BCE
Gone: Odrysian Kingdom
- 331 BCE
New: Ptolemaic Kingdom
- 326 BCE
New: Kingdom of Armenia
Gone: Achaemenid Empire
- 323 BCE
New: Kingdom of Lysimachus
Gone: Ptolemaic Kingdom
- 307 BCE
New: Ptolemaic Kingdom
- 301 BCE
New: Seleucid Empire
- 291 BCE
New: Antigonid Dynasty
Gone: Macedonian Empire
- 281 BCE
Gone: Kingdom of Lysimachus
- 277 BCE
New: Antigonid Macedonia
- 223 BCE
Gone: Scythia
- 210 BCE
Gone: Kingdom of Armenia
- 197 BCE
New: Kingdom of Numidia
- 188 BCE
New: Kingdom of Armenia
- 126 BCE
Gone: Kingdom of Pergamon
- 31 BCE
New: Roman Empire
Gone: Roman Republic
- 30 BCE
Gone: Ptolemaic Kingdom
- 43
Gone: Mauretania
- 60
Gone: Kingdom of Armenia
- 68
New: Kingdom of Armenia
- 114
Gone: Kingdom of Armenia
- 127
New: Parthian Empire
- 154
New: Kingdom of Armenia
- 161
Gone: Kingdom of Armenia
- 165
New: Kingdom of Armenia
- 207
New: Gothia
- 260
Gone: Kingdom of Armenia
- 261
New: Gallic Empire, Palmyrene Empire
- 270
Gone: Palmyrene Empire
- 283
Gone: Gallic Empire
- 287
New: Kingdom of Armenia
- 371
New: Huns
Gone: Kingdom of Armenia
- 383
Gone: Gothia
- 395
New: Eastern Roman Empire, Western Roman Empire
Gone: Roman Empire
- 414
New: Alans
- 426
New: Hunnic Empire
Gone: Huns
- 439
New: Brythons
Gone: Alans
- 455
New: Ostrogoths
- 462
New: Kingdom of Alamannia
- 476
New: Kingdom of Soissons
Gone: Western Roman Empire
- 490
Gone: Kingdom of Soissons
- 500
New: Ostrogothic Kingdom, Scandinavian minor kingdoms
Gone: Kingdom of Alamannia, Ostrogoths
- 510
New: Kingdom of the Gepids
Gone: Salian Franks
- 534
Gone: Burgundian Kingdom, Vandal Kingdom
- 561
New: Avar Khaganate, Göktürk Khaganate
- 567
Gone: Kingdom of the Gepids
- 587
New: Kingdom of Italy
Gone: Göktürk Khaganate
- 602
New: Burgundian Kingdom
- 617
Gone: Burgundian Kingdom
- 623
New: Samo's Empire
- 630
New: Khazaria
- 633
New: Byzantine Empire, Old Great Bulgaria
Gone: Eastern Roman Empire
- 638
New: Rashidun Caliphate
- 644
New: Burgundian Kingdom
- 656
New: Umayyad Caliphate
- 661
New: Aquitaine
Gone: Samo's Empire, Burgundian Kingdom
- 666
Gone: Rashidun Caliphate
- 682
New: First Bulgarian Empire
- 724
New: Kingdom of Neustria
- 732
Gone: Kingdom of Neustria, Aquitaine
- 750
New: Aquitaine, Fihrids
- 757
New: Kharijites, Emirate of Córdoba
Gone: Fihrids, Umayyad Caliphate
- 763
Gone: Kharijites
- 768
Gone: Aquitaine
- 775
Gone: Kingdom of Italy
- 788
Gone: Bavarians
- 800
New: Aghlabid Dynasty
- 806
Gone: Avar Khaganate
- 840
New: Magyars
- 850
New: Middle Franks, West Franks, East Franks
Gone: Kingdom of the Franks
- 860
New: Lower Burgundy
Gone: Middle Franks
- 866
New: Old Kingdom of Norway
- 870
Gone: Lower Burgundy
- 880
New: Rus'
- 882
New: Kievan Rus'
Gone: Rus', East Franks
- 887
New: Kingdom of Italy, East Franks
- 888
New: Aquitaine
- 896
Gone: Aquitaine, Kingdom of Italy
- 898
New: Duchy of Spoleto
- 899
New: Middle Franks
Gone: Duchy of Spoleto
- 900
New: Principality of Hungary, Kingdom of Lower Burgundy
Gone: Middle Franks, Kingdom of Italy
- 911
New: Fatimid Caliphate, Kingdom of Germany, Kingdom of Italy
Gone: Aghlabid Dynasty, Magyars, East Franks, Kingdom of Lower Burgundy
- 922
New: Upper Burgundy and Italy
Gone: Kingdom of Italy
- 926
New: Kingdom of Lower Burgundy
Gone: Upper Burgundy and Italy
- 936
New: Caliphate of Córdoba, Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Arles, Kingdom of Italy, Hamdanid Emirates
Gone: Emirate of Córdoba, Kingdom of Lower Burgundy
- 947
Gone: Abbasid Caliphate
- 962
New: Kingdom of Poland, Holy Roman Empire
Gone: Kingdom of Germany
- 970
Gone: Kingdom of Italy
- 980
New: Buyid Dynasty
Gone: Khazaria
- 990
New: Duchy of Aquitaine
Gone: Buyid Dynasty, West Franks
- 1000
New: Kingdom of Hungary
Gone: Principality of Hungary
- 1010
New: Taifa of Badajoz
- 1018
New: North Sea Empire, Hammadid Dynasty
Gone: Kingdom of Denmark, First Bulgarian Empire
- 1034
Gone: Kingdom of León
- 1040
New: Kingdom of León, Denmark-England
Gone: North Sea Empire
- 1046
New: Norway-Denmark, Kingdom of England
Gone: Old Kingdom of Norway, Kingdom of León, Denmark-England
- 1056
New: Halych-Volhynia occupation, Kimek-Kipchak confederation, Principality of Kiev, Principality of Rostov-Suzdal, Principality of Chernigov, Old Kingdom of Norway, Principality of Smolensk, Principality of Polotsky and 1 more
Gone: Norway-Denmark
- 1072
New: Norman England
Gone: Kingdom of England
- 1094
New: Sultanate of Rum
- 1111
Gone: Principality of Polotsky
- 1126
New: Kingdom of León
Gone: Hamdanid Emirates, Kingdom of Castile
- 1139
New: Duchy of Silesia, Zengid dynasty, Kingdom of Castile
Gone: Duchy of Aquitaine, Kingdom of León, Kingdom of Poland
- 1147
New: Principality of Halych
Gone: Duchy of Silesia
- 1169
New: Kingdom of León
Gone: Norman England
- 1188
Gone: Principality of Halych
- 1192
New: Principality of Halych
Gone: Zengid dynasty
- 1202
New: Principality of Galicia-Volhynia
Gone: Principality of Halych
- 1210
New: Kingdom of England
Gone: Angevin Empire
- 1236
New: Hafsid Dynasty, Crown of Castile, Mongol Empire
Gone: Kingdom of León, Kimek-Kipchak confederation, Kingdom of Castile
- 1241
New: Mamluk Sultanate
Gone: Principality of Smolensk, Halych-Volhynia occupation, Principality of Galicia-Volhynia, Principality of Chernigov, Principality of Rostov-Suzdal, Ayyubid Sultanate, Novgorod Republic
- 1250
Gone: Hamdanid Emirates
- 1260
New: Holy Roman Empire Minor States
- 1279
New: Byzantine Empire
Gone: Nicaean Empire
- 1285
New: Novgorod Republic
- 1294
New: Principality of Smolensk, Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal, Ilkhanate, Golden Horde, Galicia-Volhynia
Gone: Mongol Empire
- 1305
New: Kingdom of Poland
- 1344
Gone: Ilkhanate
- 1352
New: Serbian Empire
Gone: Kingdom of Serbia, Hafsid Dynasty
- 1363
New: Principality of Moldavia, Hafsid Dynasty, Blue Horde
Gone: Golden Horde
- 1375
New: Qara Qoyunlu
- 1385
New: Golden Horde
- 1402
New: Kalmar Union
Gone: Kingdom of Sweden, Old Kingdom of Norway, Qara Qoyunlu
- 1415
Gone: Timurid Empire
- 1422
New: Livonian Conference
- 1450
New: Crimean Khanate, House of Jagiellon, House of Oldenburg
Gone: Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Hungary, Grand Duchy of Lithuania
- 1453
Gone: Kingdom of Bohemia
- 1459
New: Kingdom of Hungary, Kingdom of Bohemia
Gone: House of Oldenburg
- 1468
Gone: Qara Qoyunlu, Beylik of Karaman
- 1482
Gone: Duchy of Burgundy, Novgorod Republic
- 1502
New: Kingdom of Sweden
Gone: Golden Horde
- 1512
Gone: Aq Qoyunlu
- 1516
New: Kingdom of Spain, Habsburg Monarchy
Gone: Crown of Aragon, House of Habsburg, Crown of Castile
- 1521
Gone: Kingdom of Sweden
- 1526
New: Denmark-Norway, Kingdom of Sweden
Gone: Kalmar Union
- 1529
Gone: Kingdom of Bohemia
- 1547
- 1564
Gone: Livonian Conference
- 1572
New: Principality of Transylvania, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Gone: House of Jagiellon, Eastern Hungarian Kingdom
- 1582
New: Iberian Union
Gone: Kingdom of Spain
- 1595
New: Nalyvaiko Uprising
- 1600
Gone: Principality of Transylvania, Nalyvaiko Uprising
- 1602
New: Principality of Transylvania
- 1612
New: Swedish Empire
Gone: Kingdom of Sweden
- 1619
New: Holy Roman Empire
- 1622
Gone: Holy Roman Empire
- 1640
New: Kingdom of Spain
Gone: Iberian Union
- 1642
New: Astrakhan Khanate
Gone: Don Cossacks
- 1645
New: Commonwealth of England
- 1662
New: Zaporozhian Cossacks, Kingdom of England
Gone: Commonwealth of England
- 1696
Gone: Principality of Transylvania
- 1702
New: Kingdom of Prussia, Pro-Habsburg Spain
- 1706
New: Regency of Algiers, Pro-Swedish Poland
- 1709
New: Kingdom of Great Britain
Gone: Kingdom of England, Pro-Habsburg Spain
- 1713
Gone: Pro-Swedish Poland
- 1718
Gone: Brandenburg-Prussia
- 1721
New: Russian Empire
Gone: Tsardom of Russia
- 1769
Gone: Astrakhan Khanate
- 1783
Gone: Crimean Khanate
- 1792
Gone: Kingdom of France
- 1794
- 1796
New: French Directory
Gone: French First Republic
- 1800
New: French Consulate
Gone: French Directory
- 1805
New: First French Empire
Gone: French Consulate
- 1806
New: Austrian Empire
Gone: Habsburg Monarchy
- 1809
New: Duchy of Warsaw, Confederation of the Rhine
- 1814
New: Kingdom of Norway
Gone: Duchy of Warsaw
- 1815
New: Bourbon Kingdom of France, United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, German Confederation
Gone: First French Empire, Swedish Empire, Confederation of the Rhine, Kingdom of Norway
- 1830
New: Poles
- 1834
Gone: Poles
- 1846
Gone: Regency of Algiers
- 1848
New: French Africa, French Second Republic
Gone: Bourbon Kingdom of France, French Algeria
- 1849
New: Hungarian Nationalists
- 1853
New: Second French Empire
Gone: Hungarian Nationalists, French Second Republic
- 1859
New: United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia
- 1862
New: Kingdom of Italy
Gone: Kingdom of Sardinia
- 1868
New: Austria-Hungary, North German Confederation
Gone: German Confederation, Austrian Empire
- 1871
New: French Third Republic, German Empire
Gone: Second French Empire, North German Confederation
- 1873
New: First Spanish Republic
Gone: Kingdom of Spain
- 1877
New: Kingdom of Spain
Gone: First Spanish Republic
- 1905
New: Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Norway
Gone: United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway
- 1917
New: Russian Republic
Gone: Russian Empire, United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia
- 1918
New: Republic of Finland
- 1919
New: Czechoslovakia, Hungarian Republic, Kingdom of Romania, Ukrainian People's Republic, Yugoslavia, Second Polish Republic
Gone: Austria-Hungary
- 1920
New: Weimar Republic, Republics of the Soviet Union, French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon
Gone: Ukrainian People's Republic, German Empire, British Africa, Russian Republic
- 1922
New: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Gone: Republics of the Soviet Union
- 1924
New: Republic of Turkey
Gone: Ottoman Empire
- 1932
New: Second Spanish Republic
Gone: Kingdom of Spain
- 1936
New: Spanish Nationalists, Nazi Germany
Gone: Weimar Republic
- 1939
New: Francoist Spain
Gone: Spanish Nationalists, Second Spanish Republic
- 1940
New: Vichy France
Gone: Second Polish Republic, French Third Republic
- 1941
Gone: Kingdom of Norway, Yugoslavia, First Hellenic Republic
- 1943
Gone: Vichy France
- 1944
Gone: Kingdom of Italy, Hungarian Republic
- 1945
New: Yugoslavia, Kingdom of Italy, Kingdom of Norway, United States of America, Kingdom of Greece, French Fourth Republic
Gone: Kingdom of Romania, Nazi Germany, Principality of Bulgaria
- 1946
New: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Republic of Italy
Gone: Yugoslavia, Kingdom of Italy
- 1947
New: Kingdom of Bulgaria, Kingdom of Romania, Czechoslovakia
- 1948
New: People's Republic of Bulgaria, Socialist Republic of Romania
Gone: Kingdom of Bulgaria, Kingdom of Romania
- 1949
New: German Democratic Republic
- 1950
New: Federal Republic of Germany
- 1953
New: Republic of Poland
- 1958
New: French Fifth Republic
Gone: French Africa, French Fourth Republic
- 1963
New: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
- 1967
New: Greek junta
Gone: Kingdom of Greece
- 1969
Gone: Czechoslovakia
- 1976
New: Third Hellenic Republic, Kingdom of Spain
Gone: Francoist Spain, Greek junta
- 1990
New: Romania
Gone: Socialist Republic of Romania
- 1991
New: Federated Republic of Germany, Republic of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia
Gone: Federal Republic of Germany, German Democratic Republic, People's Republic of Bulgaria
- 1992
New: Serbia-Montenegro, Republic of Belarus, Ukraine, Russian Federation
Gone: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia
Questions
- How have Europe’s borders changed over time?
- Europe has been redrawn again and again: by Rome’s conquests and its fall in the west, by Charlemagne and the medieval kingdoms, by the Ottoman advance, by Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna, by the unification of Italy and Germany, and by the settlements after both world wars. The last big redrawing came between 1989 and 1993, when the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia broke up.
- When did Europe’s borders change the most?
- The biggest single redrawings followed great wars and collapses: the Napoleonic Wars and the 1815 settlement, the end of the First World War, when four empires fell and states such as Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia appeared, the end of the Second World War, and the end of communism from 1989 to 1993.
- What did Europe look like in 1914?
- Four empires, the German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Ottoman, ruled most of central and eastern Europe. Poland, Czechoslovakia, Finland and the Baltic states did not exist as independent countries. All four empires were gone by 1922.
- How many countries are there in Europe today?
- Usually about 44 to 50, depending on whether countries that lie partly in Asia, such as Turkey, Kazakhstan and the Caucasus states, are counted, and on how disputed states such as Kosovo are treated.
- What is the oldest border in Europe?
- The border between Portugal and Spain is often called the oldest in Europe: most of it has barely changed since the Treaty of Alcañices in 1297.
More time-lapses
Borders from Cliopatria by the Seshat Global History Databank, licensed CC BY 4.0; simplified, clipped to this view and coloured by empire here. Each shape records the years it applies to, so every year has its own map; pre-modern borders are approximate. Areas are measured on the sphere. The full atlas uses a different source and may differ in places.