--- title: Map of Europe at the End of World War I, November 1918: Lost Empires, Uncertain Borders, and New Nations author: Simeon Netchev source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18127/map-of-europe-at-the-end-of-world-war-i-november-1/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) updated: 2026-02-13 --- # Map of Europe at the End of World War I, November 1918: Lost Empires, Uncertain Borders, and New Nations _Authored by [Simeon Netchev](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/simeonnetchev/)_ ## Image File [![Map of Europe at the End of World War I, November 1918: Lost Empires, Uncertain Borders, and New Nations](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/18127.png)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/18127.png) ## Image Caption This map illustrates the geopolitical landscape of [Europe](https://www.worldhistory.org/europe/) in mid-November 1918, immediately after the signing of the Armistice of Compiègne (11 November 1918), which ended the First World [War](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/War/) (1914–1918). The Great War, fought on an unprecedented industrial scale, brought devastation to every corner of the continent. As the guns fell silent, Europe stood at a crossroads, exhausted, fragmented, and uncertain of what would follow. The armistice marked not just the cessation of fighting but the collapse of an entire political order that had dominated Europe for centuries. The war’s human and material cost, an estimated 20 million dead and 21 million wounded, nearly half of them civilians, was accompanied by the disintegration of four great empires: the German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, and Ottoman. Monarchies fell, revolutions erupted, and new nations, such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia, began to emerge amid the chaos. The principle of national self-determination, championed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, inspired hope for a just peace but also fueled competing territorial claims. The new map of Europe drawn in the aftermath of 1918 embodied both the promise of reconstruction and the seeds of future conflict, setting the stage for the turbulent decades to come. #### Editorial Review This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## About the Author Simeon is a freelance visual designer and history educator, passionate about the human stories that shape the past. - [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/simeon-netchev/) ## Cite This Work ### APA Netchev, S. (2025, November 11). Map of Europe at the End of World War I, November 1918: Lost Empires, Uncertain Borders, and New Nations. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Netchev, Simeon. "Map of Europe at the End of World War I, November 1918: Lost Empires, Uncertain Borders, and New Nations." *World History Encyclopedia*, November 11, 2025. . ### MLA Netchev, Simeon. "Map of Europe at the End of World War I, November 1918: Lost Empires, Uncertain Borders, and New Nations." *World History Encyclopedia*, 11 Nov 2025, . ## License & Copyright Submitted by [Simeon Netchev](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/simeonnetchev/ "User Page: Simeon Netchev"), published on 11 November 2025. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0deed.en). This licence only allows others to download this content and share it with others as long as the author is credited, but they can't change the content in any way or use it commercially. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.