This article gives a detailed listing of all the countries, including puppet states, that have existed in Europe since the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to the present day. Each country has information separated into columns: name of the distinct country, its lifespan, the country or countries that hold all or some of the territory it once did, and further information about it.[1][2]
The scope of this article begins in 1815, after a round of negotiations about European borders and spheres of influence were agreed upon at the Congress of Vienna.[3] The Congress of Vienna was a nine-month, pan-European meeting of statesmen who met to settle the many issues arising from the destabilising impact of the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire.[3]
The immediate background was Napoleonic France's defeat and surrender in May 1814, which brought an end to twenty-five years of nearly continuous war during which France had caused the annexation or geopolitical reorganisation of myriad European microstates as well as some larger ones. The Congress of Vienna was the first of a series of international meetings that came to be known as the Concert of Europe, which was an attempt to forge a peaceful balance of power in Europe,[3] including restoring or reorganising many of the states which had previously been removed from Europe's political map.
Sovereign countries
This is a list of all the independent countries or puppet states that existed between 1815 and the present day that no longer exist. (Lifespan of each is based on that country's sovereignty. This means that those countries may have existed outside of those dates as well but not under full independence.)
The Democratic Republic of Armenia emerged as an independent state in the wake of the Russian Revolution, which led to the collapse of the Russian Empire. However, it was invaded and incorporated in the Soviet Union in 1922.
Artsakh (also known as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) declared its independence from Azerbaijan in 1991 amidst the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. After the 1994 ceasefire that ended the war, the situation remained stable until the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War in 2020, which saw an Azerbaijani victory. As a result, Artsakh's territory was substantially reduced and it became an enclave within Azerbaijan. Following the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, Artsakh agreed to disarm itself, with the country's president agreeing to dissolve all government institutions by 1 January 2024.
This entity founded on the domains of the Habsburg monarchy can be regarded in constitutional law as a unitary monarchy on a differentiated federalistic basis, whereby the special position of Hungary within the framework of this federal entity was a separate realm ruled in a personal union that was not annexed or incorporated into the Empire.
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic emerged as an independent state in the wake of the Russian Revolution, which led to the collapse of the Russian Empire. However, it was invaded and eventually incorporated in the Soviet Union in 1922.
Gained independence from the Russian SFSR and quickly was swallowed by the Russian Soviets. Currently, its Rada (Council) is the oldest government in exile still functioning.
It was an autonomous region within Czechoslovakia from late 1938 to 15 March 1939. It declared itself an independent republic on 15 March 1939 but was annexed by Hungary between 15 and 16 March 1939, remaining under Hungarian control until the end of World War II, when it was ceded to the Soviet Union.
By error, a small strip of land went unmentioned in a sale treaty, and its inhabitants promptly declared independence; nearly 400 years later it was absorbed into the Papal States and Tuscany equally.
The Democratic Republic of Georgia emerged in the wake of Russian Revolution and existed from 1918 to 1921. In 1921, it was invaded by Bolshevik Russia and forcibly incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1922.
The German empire was the first unified, centralized German nation, created after the North German victory in the Franco-Prussian War. It was also a colonial empire, with territories outside of Europe.
The Kingdom of Italy was the first unified, centralized Italian nation, created after the Expedition of the Thousand. It was also a colonial empire, with territories outside of Europe.
From the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917 until it was annexed by the Russian SFSR it existed as a small short-lived country in the Northern Caucasus and has never regained its independence
The historical kingdom's territorial continuity has been altered more times during its lifespan, however was permanently restored after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867.
1920 formation by Treaty of Trianon. Two-thirds of pre-WWI territory was repartitioned to other countries. Regency was established until overthrow of the kingdom in 1944.
The Free Cities of Menton and Roquebrune seceded from Monaco in 1848. In November 1849 they were annexed by Sardinia, and in 1861 were annexed by France.
From the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917 until 1918, when this republic united with the Kingdom of Romania, the Moldavian Democratic Republic existed as one of the Imperial Russian successor countries in Europe.
From the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917 until 1920 this country existed for a short time before annexation by the Russian SFSR and never has regained independence
One of the longest lasting empires in history, this empire rose out of the Near East and fluctuated drastically in territory and economic status throughout its history; it was dissolved after its defeat in World War I.
The entire eastern region joined the United Provinces of Central Italy, (one of the predecessors of the Kingdom of Italy); however, the remaining strip of land along the west coast did not join Italy until it was annexed in 1870.
From the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917 until 1922 the Russian SFSR was an independent communist state comprising almost all of the territory the Russian Empire had possessed in its final years; in 1922 it became the leading and dominating state in the Soviet Union until the union's end in 1991
De facto split in 1954 between neighbouring countries Italy and Yugoslavia, it was formally removed in 1975 with an agreement between these two countries
One of the greatest superpowers in modern times comprising most of the territory that once was under the Russian Empire including some new territory after World War II in Europe annexed from Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia
Communist government of the south Slavic ethnicities after World War II outside of the Iron Curtain
Autonomous countries or incorporated protectorates
This is a list of all the dependencies of countries that existed between 1815 and the present day that no longer exist. (Lifespan of each is based on that country's autonomy. This means that those countries may have existed outside of those dates as well, but as independent countries.)
The principality was actually in existence since the 12th century and even managed to keep its autonomous home rule after being conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th and 16th centuries; the autonomous principality was transferred to the Russian Empire in 1810 and was completely dissolved and assimilated into Russia by 1864
During the Russian-Turkish Wars of 1878, and the independence of Montenegro, Serbia and Romania, Bulgaria gained autonomous status within the Ottoman Empire; the principality gained complete independence in 1908
The principality had existed since the 15th century and even managed to keep its autonomous home rule after being conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century; the autonomous principality was transferred to the Russian Empire in 1810 and was completely dissolved and assimilated into Russia by 1829
In 1816 Neutral Moresnet became a territory under common administration of the Netherlands and Prussia. The Netherlands were replaced by Belgium in 1830. After World War I in 1919 the territory was ceded to Belgium by Germany under Treaty of Versailles and formally annexed in 1920.
An autonomous monarchy of the Russian Empire with the Russian Tsar as its king; at home it was called the ‘Kingdom of Poland’, but internationally known as Congress Poland and functioned more like a protectorate
In 1859 Moldavia and Wallachia unified into the United Principalities and gained autonomous status within the Ottoman Empire until its independence in 1878 with Russian support
The principality had existed since the 4th century BC, and even managed to keep its autonomous home rule after being conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century; the autonomous principality was transferred to the Russian Empire in 1803 and was completely dissolved and assimilated into Russia by 1857
A rebellion broke out in 1804 and 1817 Serbia gained autonomous status within the Ottoman Empire until its independence in 1878 with Russian support
Proposed states
This is a list of all the independent countries that could or would have existed between 1815 and the present day that for some reason or another never did.
A concept brought forth by the Habsburgs in reaction to tensions within the empire of autonomy; the autocratic empire would be changed into a united autonomous country where each nation governed itself with some support from a much weaker Habsburg monarchy
It was a geopolitical project conceived by politicians in successor states of the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in several iterations, some of which anticipated the inclusion as well of other, neighboring states. The proposed multinational polity would have extended across territories lying between the Baltic and Black Seas, hence the Latinate name Intermarium, meaning "Between-Seas".
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