Maps are not simply geographic references but also vital insights into the shape of our political world. Atop unchanging terrain, these surprisingly subjective creations project the power struggles, ambitions and economic imperatives which – as they ebb and flow – reflect the geopolitics of their time.

As Europe seeks to establish its place in an emergent global order, cartography provides invaluable clarity on the opportunities and challenges posed by political geography. BIG’s Mapping Geopolitics series uses original maps to survey the shifting contextual landscape in which the continent finds itself.