Crimea Could Be Just A Blip In Europe's History, This Incredible Time Lapse Video Shows

Incredible Time Lapse Video Shows 1,000 Years Of European Border Changes

This fascinating video lays bare the fluidity of Europe's borders, carved up into smaller and smaller chunks, then merged and broken again over 1,000 years.

The video has gone viral after Crimea's annexation to Russia seems now inevitable after 97% voted to leave Ukraine to join Russia.

Though controversial, the changing of borders in Europe has rarely been more peaceful. The time-lapse video of Europe's maps shows the rise and fall of powers on the continent that no longer exist, from the Holy Roman Empire, to the Ottoman Empire, Bohemia, the Nazi occupation and the Soviet Union.

UKRAINE-RUSSIA-POLITICS-CRISIS-CRIMEA-BASE

Crimea Referendum

And the borders are still in flux. Crimea's border with Russia will almost certainly be non-existent within weeks. Should Alex Salmond get his way, or Catalan separatists, a thin black line will appear across the north of the UK, the north east of Spain. In the context of 1,000 years of history, it will be a barely noticeable shift.

But what worries Western powers is the precedent set by Crimea's annexation to Russia, that it could be a sign that Russia is looking to expand its power in regions with Russian speakers, starting with eastern Ukraine, but perhaps even further to other countries with ethnic Russian populations.

The referendum vote in Crimea was the "first step" in an eventual takeover of eastern Ukraine by Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliev said on Sunday.

"Maybe in Crimea, 82% want to join to Russia. I think that in the east of Ukraine approximately 70%, 75% want to join to Russia," Termigaliev told NBC News.

"This is the first step and I really think other regions will follow. I think the second step will be with east Ukraine."

If he is proven correct, that could begin a whole different colour scheme begins to spread on the time-lapse map of Europe for the next 100 years.

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