Central EuropeCentral Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity.[a] The Thirty Years´ War between Catholicism and Protestantism was a significant shaping process in the history of Central Europe. The concept of "Central Europe" appeared in the 19th century.[15] Central Europe comprised most of the territories of the Holy Roman Empire and those of the two neighboring kingdoms of Poland and Hungary. Hungary and parts of Poland were later part of the Habsburg monarchy, which also significantly shaped the history of Central Europe. Unlike their Western European (Portugal, Spain et al.) and Eastern European (Russia) counterparts, the Central European nations never had any notable colonies (either overseas or adjacent) due to their inland location and other factors. It has often been argued that one of the contributing causes of both World War I and World War II was Germany´s lack of original overseas colonies. Europe Austria Czech Republic Germany Hungarian Soviet Republic Hungary Liechtenstein Neutral Moresnet Ohře Poland Salzach Slovakia Slovenia Switzerland Tyrol Zala County (former) Abaúj-Torna County Baranya County (former) Bács-Bodrog County Congress Poland County of Tyrol Czechoslovak Socialist Republic Czechoslovakia Duchy of Brzeg Duchy of Holstein Duchy of Lorraine Duchy of Schleswig Duchy of Teschen Ecclesiastical principality of Basel Further Austria Fürstentum Pfalz-Veldenz German Reich Germania Grafschaft Montfort Hanau-Lichtenberg Herzogtum Bayern Hont County Kingdom of Bohemia Kingdom of Hungary Kulmer Steig Lordship of Stargard Luxembourg Margraviate of Brandenburg Noricum Pannonia Prince-Bishopric of Strasbourg Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia Prussia Rothenburg District Wolgast (Herzogtum Pommern) Zechsteinmeer empire Allgäu Banat Bodensee Deutschsprachiger Raum East Prussia Frisia Inngegend Lusatia Moselraum Oderbruch Pannonia Pomerania Rote Zone (Westwall) Silesia Spiš Sudetenland Szigetköz Upper Lusatia Upper Rhine Lausur Alps Beskids Carpathian Mountains Eifel Elbe Sandstone Mountains Fichtel Mountains Jura Mountains Krkonoše Ore Mountains Puster Valley Sněžka Tatra Mountains Weberberg Bodrog Brandenberger Ache Drava Elbe Ipeľ Isar Kirnitzsch Körös Lake Constance Lake Geneva Lake Lugano Lech (river) Leitha Loisach Mandau Moselle Mur (river) Oder Pinka Rabnitz Rhine Ronyva Rur Rába Saar (river) Tarna Tisza White Elster