Central Powers

Allied powers and Central Powers in World War I
Infographic summarizing World War I with sections on the war's onset, technological firsts, and major events. Includes a timeline from 1914 to 1918, maps showing the global spread of the conflict, and pie charts displaying casualty percentages for major countries and alliances. At the bottom, two maps compare Europe's borders in 1914 and 1919. The design uses red and green tones to differentiate allies, central powers, and neutral countries.
World War IA collection of significant facts about World War I.

Central Powers, World War I coalition that consisted primarily of the German Empire and Austria-Hungary, the “central” European states that were at war from August 1914 against France and Britain on the Western Front and against Russia on the Eastern Front. Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy had been parties to a secret agreement, the Triple Alliance, from 1882 until World War I, but Italy entered the war in opposition to Germany and Austria-Hungary. The Ottoman Empire entered the war on the side of the Central Powers on October 29, 1914, as did Bulgaria on October 14, 1915.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeff Wallenfeldt.
Citation Information
Article Title: Central Powers
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 10 August 2026
Access Date: November 13, 2026