1900 AD
In 1900, the political world was a hierarchy dominated by Europe, though the foundations of that control were beginning to crack under the weight of rising nationalism and new industrial rivals.
Europe
The center of global power, Europe was governed by a "Balance of Power" that was becoming increasingly unstable.
United Kingdom: The world’s leading maritime and financial power, focused on maintaining its "splendid isolation" and its massive colonial holdings.
Germany: A rising industrial and military giant. Under Kaiser Wilhelm II, it was pursuing Weltpolitik (world policy) to challenge British naval supremacy.
France: Driven by a desire for "revanche" (revenge) against Germany for the 1871 defeat, it focused on expanding its African empire and its alliance with Russia.
Russia & Austria-Hungary: Massive, multi-ethnic land empires struggling with internal dissent. Russia was expanding into Asia, while Austria-Hungary faced rising ethnic nationalism in the Balkans.
North America
United States: Having recently defeated Spain, the U.S. had become an imperial power with territories in the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. It was the world’s largest industrial economy, though it remained politically isolationist regarding European affairs.
Canada: A self-governing Dominion within the British Empire, increasingly asserting its own identity while still tied to British foreign policy.
Asia
China (Qing Dynasty): Severely weakened by "unequal treaties." In 1900, the Boxer Rebellion saw an 8-nation international force occupy Beijing to protect foreign interests, signaling the near-collapse of imperial authority.
Japan: The only non-Western nation to successfully modernize. By 1900, it was a recognized Great Power, preparing for an inevitable clash with Russia over influence in Korea and Manchuria.
India: The "Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire, ruled directly by the British Raj. Nationalist movements (like the Indian National Congress) were active but had not yet gained mass momentum.
Africa
By 1900, the "Scramble for Africa" was almost complete.
Colonial Partition: Almost the entire continent was divided among Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, and Italy.
Resistance: The Boer War was raging in South Africa, where the British were fighting two independent Boer republics.
Independent States: Only Ethiopia (having defeated Italy in 1896) and Liberia remained sovereign.
South America
The ABC Powers (Argentina, Brazil, Chile): These nations were the most influential on the continent. Argentina, in particular, was one of the wealthiest nations in the world per capita due to agricultural exports.
Political Climate: Most nations were republics but were often controlled by "caudillos" (military/political strongmen) or land-owning elites, with significant British and American financial investment.
Oceania
Australia: In 1900, the separate British colonies were in the final stages of federating; on January 1, 1901, they would officially become the Commonwealth of Australia.
And no I WILL NOT let this die, I will be making updates.
Flag Packs used: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3510280364, https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3609332883, https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3647089201
Thanks to the creators !
MASSIVE Thanks to: WAABT, mail2mats73, TMG, Zombie spider3, underwatercrustacean, BrockKids1, RomanC1114, kalebnw13, Nihon Teikoku, XPGamer97, Hornet Gaming.
778 NATIONS !!!!!!!!
