Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Map of Germany
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
Political map of Germany showing state boundaries, major cities, and neighboring countries including Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. A small inset locator map in the top left highlights Germany's position within Europe. Historical map showing the regions of Germany in the 10th and 11th centuries, with color-coded territories such as Saxony, Bavaria, Swabia, Lorraine, Franconia, and Carinthia. The map includes major cities, bishoprics, archbishoprics, and neighboring areas like France, Bohemia, and Hungary, highlighting the political divisions and ecclesiastical centers of the era. Historical map showing the unification of Germany by Prussia in the late 19th century. The map highlights in green the Kingdom of Prussia as of 1866, and in yellow the additional territories that formed the German Empire by 1871-1918, encompassing most of north-central Europe. Neighboring countries such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Switzerland are labeled, with major regions and states within the empire clearly marked. A set of four historical maps showing changes in Germany's territory and internal status from 1914 to 1990. Each map highlights Germany in yellow, illustrating its larger borders in 1914, reduced and redefined borders between 1920 and 1938, division into East and West Germany from 1945 to 1990, and reunified Germany in 1990, with surrounding European countries labeled for context. Black and white map showing the zones of Allied occupation in Germany and Austria in 1945, following World War II. The map divides both countries into British, American, French, and Soviet zones, each marked with different shading patterns. Insets highlight the divided administration of Berlin and Vienna. Surrounding countries and major cities are labeled for context. Map of Germany from 1952 to 1990 showing the division between West Germany, shaded in light yellow, and East Germany, shaded in orange. State and district boundaries are marked, with major cities and national capitals such as Bonn, West Berlin, and East Berlin labeled. Neighboring countries including Denmark, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands are also shown. Map of divided Berlin, with the path of the Berlin Wall marked
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Political map of Germany showing state boundaries, major cities, and neighboring countries including Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. A small inset locator map in the top left highlights Germany's position within Europe.
Political map of Germany, with state boundaries, capitals, and major cities

Map of Germany

Written by
Michael Ray
Michael Ray is an assistant managing editor who has worked at Britannica since 2003. In addition to leading the Geography and History team, he oversees coverage of European history and military affairs....
Michael Ray
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

It is believed that Julius Caesar, in his commentarii on the Gallic Wars, was the first person to have described the peoples living near the Rhine as “Germans.” The idea of a German people and nation would persist—manifesting politically in a variety of duchies and kingdoms, many of which would be incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire—but almost 2,000 years would pass before a united Germany would take shape and forever change the map of...

Discover the world with Britannica

Subscribe to Continue Reading

Free Trial | No Ads | Exclusive Content
Explore Subscriptions
DNA
Right
Mobile