Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary was a dual monarchy in Central Europe from 1867 to 1918, formed by the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. It consisted of two major regions: the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary. Each had its own administrative systems but shared a common monarch, Franz Joseph I for most of its existence. The empire was ethnically diverse, including Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Serbians, and others, leading to ethnic tensions. Its complex political structure and rival nationalist ambitions contributed to its instability, ultimately playing a significant role in the outbreak of World War I, after which it collapsed.