How did Austria's territory change over time?

Austria’s territorial history began in the 10th century as a small border province within the Holy Roman Empire. Everything changed in 1278 when the Habsburg dynasty took control, gradually transforming Austria into the center of a vast European power. Through inheritance and political alliances, the Habsburgs expanded their influence across Central Europe, ruling lands such as Bohemia and Hungary, and at one point even controlling Spain and parts of southern Italy. Over time, growing internal pressures forced Austria to share power with Hungary, creating the Austro-Hungarian Empire, one of the largest and most diverse states in Europe.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 triggered a chain of events that led to World War I and the collapse of the empire, leaving Austria reduced to a much smaller country. In 1938, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany, disappearing from the map until the end of World War II, when it was restored but divided into Allied occupation zones. By declaring permanent neutrality in 1955, Austria secured the withdrawal of foreign troops and re-emerged as an independent state, marking the final stage in its long transformation from imperial po