History of Europe in Timeline

Europe is a continent in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, bordered by the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, the Mediterranean Sea, and Asia. It forms part of the Eurasia landmass and shares Afro-Eurasia with Africa and Asia. The Ural Mountains, Ural River, Caspian Sea, Caucasus Mountains, Black Sea, and Turkish Straits are commonly considered its eastern boundary with Asia.

1900: European Population in 1900

By 1900, Europe's population increased to approximately 400 million, growing from about 100 million in 1700.

1906: Boundary Definition in Russia

In 1906, in Russia and the Soviet Union, the boundary along the Kuma–Manych Depression was the most commonly used.

1912: Balkan Wars

The Balkan Wars occurred in 1912–1913, marking the end of Ottoman rule in the Balkans.

1913: Peak of European Share of World Population

Around the year 1913, the share of the world population living in Europe reached a peak of slightly above 25%.

1913: Balkan Wars

The Balkan Wars occurred in 1912–1913, marking the end of Ottoman rule in the Balkans.

1914: Start of World War I

In 1914, World War I began after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip.

1918: End of World War I

In 1918, World War I ended, leaving more than 16 million civilians and military personnel dead and over 60 million European soldiers mobilized.

1919: Establishment of the Weimar Republic and First Austrian Republic

In 1919, The Great War led to the establishment of the Weimar Republic in Germany and the First Austrian Republic.

1919: Treaty of Versailles

In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles officially ended World War I, imposing heavy sanctions on Germany and placing full responsibility for the war on the country.

1922: Rise of Fascism in Italy and the Turkish Republic

In 1922, Mussolini's one-party fascist government was established in the Kingdom of Italy and Atatürk's Turkish Republic adopted the Western alphabet and state secularism.

1929: Wall Street Crash of 1929

In 1929, the Wall Street crash occurred, bringing about the worldwide Great Depression.

1932: Soviet Famine of 1932-1933

In 1932, under Stalin's leadership, confiscations of grain by the Soviet authorities contributed to the second Soviet famine which caused millions of deaths.

1933: Hitler Becomes Leader of Germany

In 1933, Hitler became the leader of Germany and began to work towards his goal of building Greater Germany.

1933: Jewish Population in Europe

In 1933, there were about 9.5 million Jewish people in Europe, representing 1.7% of the population.

1933: Soviet Famine of 1932-1933

In 1933, under Stalin's leadership, confiscations of grain by the Soviet authorities contributed to the second Soviet famine which caused millions of deaths.

1935: Germany Takes Back Saarland

In 1935, Germany re-expanded and took back the Saarland.

1936: Germany Takes Back Rhineland

In 1936, Germany took back the Rhineland.

1937: The Great Purge begins

In 1937, Stalin was responsible for the Great Purge of 1937–38 in which the NKVD executed 681,692 people.

1938: Anschluss of Austria

In 1938, Austria became a part of Germany following the Anschluss.

September 1939: Germany invades Poland, starting WWII

In September 1939, Germany invaded Poland, prompting France and the United Kingdom to declare war on Germany on September 3rd, opening the European theatre of the Second World War.

1939: Germany Annexes Sudetenland

In early 1939, Germany annexed the Sudetenland, which was a part of Czechoslovakia inhabited by ethnic Germans, and split the remainder of Czechoslovakia.

May 1940: Germany Attacks France

In May 1940, Germany attacked France through the Low Countries.

June 1940: France Capitulates

In June 1940, France capitulated to Germany.

December 1941: Japan's Attack on Pearl Harbor

In December 1941, Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into the conflict as allies of the British Empire, and other allied forces.

1943: Battle of Stalingrad

After the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943, the German offensive in the Soviet Union turned into a continual fallback.

June 1944: D-Day Landings

In June 1944, British and American forces invaded France in the D-Day landings, opening a new front against Germany.

1945: Fall of Berlin

In 1945, Berlin fell, ending the Second World War in Europe.

1947: Founding of the Free Territory of Trieste

In 1947, the Free Territory of Trieste was founded with the UN.

1948: Founding of the Council of Europe

In 1948, European integration was advanced institutionally with the founding of the Council of Europe.

1948: Berlin Blockade

The Berlin Blockade happened in 1948 and 1949, one of the great international crises of the Cold War.

1949: Council of Europe Founded

In 1949, the Council of Europe was founded following a speech by Sir Winston Churchill, with the aim of unifying Europe to achieve common goals. All European states, except Belarus, Russia, and Vatican City, are included in the council.

1949: Berlin Blockade

The Berlin Blockade happened in 1948 and 1949, one of the great international crises of the Cold War.

1954: Dissolution of Free Territory of Trieste

The Free Territory of Trieste, founded in 1947 with the UN, was dissolved in 1954 and 1975.

1957: Treaty of Rome Establishes the EEC

In 1957, the Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community (EEC) among six Western European states, with the goal of a unified economic policy and common market.

1958: Soviet Geographical Society's Boundary Recommendation

In 1958, the Soviet Geographical Society formally recommended a boundary between Europe and Asia to be drawn in textbooks from Baydaratskaya Bay, along the eastern foot of the Ural Mountains, then following the Ural River until the Mugodzhar Hills, the Emba River, and the Kuma–Manych Depression.

1961: Construction of the Berlin Wall

In 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall was one of the great international crises of the Cold War.

1967: Formation of the European Community

In 1967, the EEC, European Coal and Steel Community, and Euratom merged to form the European Community.

1975: Dissolution of Free Territory of Trieste

The Free Territory of Trieste, founded in 1947 with the UN, was dissolved in 1954 and 1975.

1989: Increase in Trade between East and West

After 1989, trade between East and West, as well as towards Asia, increased sharply following the end of the Cold War and the disruption caused by the two World Wars.

1989: Revolutions of 1989 and Fall of the Berlin Wall

In 1989, the Revolutions of 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, allowed European integration to advance significantly, marking the end of the Cold War divide.

1989: Fall of the Berlin Wall

In 1989, the symbolic fall of the Berlin Wall occurred, leading to Germany's reunification and the redrawing of Central and Eastern Europe's maps.

1990: Reunification of Germany and Economic Struggles

After East and West Germany were reunited in 1990, the economy of West Germany struggled as it had to support and largely rebuild the infrastructure of East Germany, while the latter experienced sudden mass unemployment and plummeting of industrial production.

1990: Increase in Primary Forest Area

In 1990-2000, the area of primary forest in Europe increased at an average annual rate of 191 000 hectare.

1990: Expansion of the European Community

Until 1990, the European Community was expanded from 6 founding members to 12, and the emphasis was placed on resurrecting the West German economy, which led to it overtaking the UK as Europe's largest economy.

1991: Dissolution of the Soviet Union

In 1991, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the European Union began expanding eastward.

1991: Economic Liberalization in Central and Eastern Europe

With the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe in 1991, the post-socialist states underwent shock therapy measures to liberalise their economies and implement free market reforms.

1993: Formation of the European Union

In 1993, the European Community evolved into the European Union (EU), establishing a parliament, a court, and a central bank, and introducing the euro as a unified currency.

1993: European Union Foundation

In 1993, the European Union was founded and became the focus of economic integration on the continent.

1999: Introduction of the Euro

In 1999, 12 of the 15 members of the EU joined the Eurozone, replacing their national currencies with the euro.

2000: Increase in Primary Forest Area

In 2000-2015, the area of primary forest in Europe increased at an average annual rate of 217 000 ha.

2004: "Peoples of Europe"

Pan and Pfeil count 87 distinct "peoples of Europe" in 2004, of which 33 form the majority population in at least one sovereign state, while the remaining 54 constitute ethnic minorities. Romani people are the largest ethnic minority in Europe, according to European Commission.

2004: EU Enlargement

Starting in 2004, more Central European countries began joining the EU, expanding it to 28 European countries and reinforcing Europe's status as a major economic and political center.

2005: EU's Net Gain from Immigration

In 2005, the EU had an overall net gain from immigration of 1.8 million people, accounting for almost 85% of Europe's total population growth.

2008: Eurozone Recession

Figures released by Eurostat in 2009 confirmed that the Eurozone had gone into recession in 2008, affecting much of the region.

2008: Europe's Wealth Compared to North America

In 2008, Europe's economy was the largest on Earth and richest region, with over $32.7 trillion in assets under management compared to North America's $27.1 trillion.

2009: Europe's Wealth Surpasses Precrisis Peak

In 2009, Europe remained the wealthiest region with $37.1 trillion in assets under management, representing one-third of the world's wealth and surpassing its precrisis year-end peak.

2009: Eurostat Confirms Eurozone Recession

In 2009, figures released by Eurostat confirmed that the Eurozone had entered a recession in 2008, affecting much of the region and leading to measures for Greece by leading Eurozone countries.

2012: European Union Unemployment Rate

In 2012, the European Union unemployment rate was 10.3%. For those aged 15–24, it was 22.4%.

2013: EU Expansion Completion

By 2013, the European Union's expansion had reached 28 European countries, solidifying Europe as a major economical and political centre of power.

2015: Increase in Primary Forest Area

In 2015-2025, the area of primary forest in Europe increased at an average annual rate of 153 000 ha.

June 2016: Referendum on EU Membership in the United Kingdom

In June 2016, a referendum on EU membership was held in the United Kingdom.

2016: Europe's GDP per capita

According to a 2016 International Monetary Fund assessment, Europe's GDP per capita is US$21,767.

2016: Income Inequality in Europe

In 2016, the richest 20% of households in Europe earned over five times more than the poorest 20%, highlighting rising income inequality.

2018: Monaco's Nominal GDP

In 2018, Monaco's nominal GDP per capita was US$185,829, making it one of the richest countries.

2019: Ukraine's Nominal GDP

In 2019, Ukraine's nominal GDP per capita was US$3,659, making it one of the poorest countries.

January 2020: United Kingdom withdraws from the EU

On 31 January 2020, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from the European Union (EU) following the June 2016 referendum on EU membership.

2020: Europe's Migrant Population

According to the International Organisation for Migration, Europe was home to the highest number of migrants of all global regions at nearly 87 million people in 2020.

2020: Jewish Population in Europe

In 2020, the Jewish population in Europe was about 1.4 million people, representing about 0.2% of the population.

2021: Citizenship Granted in the EU

In 2021, 827,000 persons were given citizenship of an EU member state, an increase of about 14% compared with 2020. 2.3 million immigrants from non-EU countries entered the EU in 2021.

2021: Percentage of Elderly People in Europe

In 2021, the percentage of people over 65 years old was 21% in Western Europe and Southern Europe, compared to 19% in all of Europe and 10% in the world.

2021: European Population in 2021

In 2021, the total population of Europe was about 745 million, which is approximately 10% of the world's population. This makes it the third-largest continent in terms of population, following Asia and Africa.

February 2022: Russian Invasion of Ukraine

On 24 February 2022, the Russo-Ukrainian War escalated dramatically with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leading to the largest humanitarian and refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War and the Yugoslav Wars.

2022: UN Predicts Population Decline

In 2022, The United Nations predicts that Europe will decline in population between 2022 and 2050 by −7 per cent, without changing immigration movements.

2023: Europe's Population in 2023

In 2023, according to UN estimates, the population of Europe was about 742 million people, which is slightly more than one-ninth of the world's population.

2025: Increase in Primary Forest Area by 2025

From 2015 to 2025, the area of primary forest in Europe increased at an average annual rate of 153,000 hectares.

2025: Countries with Least Democracy

In 2025, according to the V-Dem Democracy indices, the least democratic countries in Europe were Belarus, Russia, and Turkey.

2025: Global Forest Resources Assessment

The article incorporates text from the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

2050: UN Population Projection for Europe

According to a population projection of the UN Population Division, by 2050 Europe's population may fall to between 680 and 720 million people, which would be 7% of the world population at that time.