This simple but incredible clip brilliantly illustrates the changes Europe has experienced in the last millennium.
The video, created by LiveLeak, shows a map of Europe's borders changing in colour and layout in accordance with the continent's geopolitical developments from the year 1000 all the way to 2003.
The gif below shows a section that few today give much thought to: The fact that Germany didn't really exist until the late 1800s, and then suddenly takes over much of Northern Europe within a few decades:
The video manages to capture the changes the continent has experienced throughout the immense timeline — from the height of the Byzantine Empire to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Accompanied by the theme from Inception, it makes quite the watch.
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