Formable nations are alternate country identities you can unlock in Europa Universalis V by meeting cultural, religious, and/or territorial conditions. When formed, they replace your current nation tag and usually raise your rank, for example, from Duchy to Kingdom or Empire.
You can see the info in-game by hovering your cursor over a potential formable country, and the game will highlight the required areas and also list extra conditions in a tooltip (as well as potential bonuses you’ll get).
But I think that having everything easy to see at a glance makes planning easier, so I am listing below all formable countries in EU5, how to create each one and, to optimize everything, I’m also listing them based on continents/areas, to make it easier to focus.
There are three categories of formable countries in the game:
- Historical – Nations that existed during the game’s timeframe.
- Plausible – Nations that could have existed with a slightly different history.
- Ahistorical (Fantasy) – Powerful or unlikely forms that never realistically emerged.
You can toggle which types appear in your playthrough. On the country selection screen, open Game Rules – Flavor to enable or disable Historical, Plausible, or Fantasy formables. Turning on Fantasy or Ahistorical nations disables achievements.
The British Isles and the North Atlantic
England (ENG) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: British culture or English language; control 75% of Home Counties, East Anglia, West Country, Midlands, Wales, Northumbria, and Scottish Lowlands.
Great Britain (GBR) – Historical, Tier 3
Requirements: British culture group; Hundred Years’ War must be over; control 75% of the Great Britain region.
Additional: Wales, England, and Scotland must not exist independently (they can be your subjects).
Wales (WLS) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Welsh culture or Brythonic language; control 75% of Wales.
Scotland (SCO) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Scottish culture group; control 75% of Scottish Lowlands, Highlands, and Hebrides.
Northumberland (NOL) – Plausible, Tier 2
Requirements: Own the Scottish Lowlands + Northumbria.
Hen Ogledd / Old North (HEN) – Ahistorical, Tier 2
Requirements: Primary culture’s language is Brythonic; control 50% of Northumbria and Lowlands.
Ireland (IRE) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Hibernian culture group or starting as Pale; control 75% of Ireland; lead the High Kingship; Disband the Lordship of Ireland IO.
Ulster (ULS) – Historical, Tier 1
Requirements: Celtic or Hibernian group; control 75% of Ulster.
Connacht (CNN) – Historical, Tier 1
Requirements: Celtic or Hibernian group; control 75% of Connaught.
Also read: Whiteout Survival: Strategy Guide Hub
Scandinavia and the Nordics
Scandinavia (SCA) – Plausible, Tier 3
Requirements: Scandinavian culture group; control 75% of the Scandinavia region or Iceland.
Sweden (SWE) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Control 75% of Svealand, Götaland, Norrland, and Finland.
Denmark (DAN) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Control 75% of Denmark and Skåneland.
Finland (FIN) – Historical, Tier 1
Requirements: Finnish culture; control 50% of Finland.
Iceland (ICE) – Historical, Tier 1
Requirements: Icelandic culture; control 75% of Iceland.
North Sea (NSE) – Ahistorical, Tier 4
Requirements: British or Scandinavian culture group; own at least one location in Great Britain / Ireland and one in Scandinavia / North Atlantic Islands; control 50% of all four regions combined.
Also read: Europa Universalis V Launches
France and the Low Countries
France (FRA) – Historical, Tier 3
Requirements: French-group culture; Paris; control 75% of France region.
Lotharingia (LOT) – Plausible, Tier 3
Requirements: Culture is Rhine Alemannic, Bourguignon, Franc-Comtois, Lorrain, Walloon, or starting as Lorraine / Burgundy (BUR); control 50% of Palatinate, Rhine Valley, Lorraine, Wallonia, Brabant, Friesland, Rhineland, Alsace.
Burgundy (BGP) – Plausible, Tier 2
Requirements: Culture Arpitan, Alpine, Franc-Comtois, Provençal, or starting as Viennois (DAU) / Savoy (SAV); control 50% of Provence, Savoy, Lyonnais, Franche-Comté, Romandy, and Switzerland.
Netherlands (NED) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Netherlandish culture group; control 30% of Brabant, Flanders, Friesland, Holland, and Wallonia.
Belgium (BEL) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Walloon or Low Franconian; must be in the Age of Revolutions; control 75% of Wallonia and Flanders.
Livonia (LVA) – Plausible, Tier 2
Requirements: German culture group; control 75% of the Baltic area.
The German Sphere and Major duchies
Germany (GER) – Plausible, Tier 4
Requirements: Any German-group culture; control 75% of North and South German regions.
Effect: Become an Empire if not already.
Holy Roman Empire (HRE) – Plausible, Tier 4
Requirements: Formable only through the Renovatio Imperii policy of the HRE IO.
Austria (HAB) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Southern Bavarian or Danube Bavarian culture; Vienna; control 60% of Austria, Styria, Carinthia; also Traungau, Mühlviertel, St. Georgen, Linz, Braunau.
Bohemia (BOH) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Czech or Moravian culture; Prague; control 75% of Bohemia and Moravia.
Bavaria (BAV) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Danube Bavarian culture; no “Bavarian Share of Land” estate privilege; own Munich, Braunau, Ried, Schärding; control 75% of Bavaria.
Saxony (SAX) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Saxon or Lower Saxon culture; must be an HRE Elector; control 25% of Lower and Upper Saxony plus Fläming.
Prussia (PRU) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: German culture group; control 75% of Prussia; must be at peace; Nobles ≥ 20 %, Clergy < 20 %; have Noble Land Rights; not a Military Order; clergy can’t hold Powerful Dioceses.
Effects: If neither Monarchy nor Republic, become a Monarchy with 100 Legitimacy; if outside the HRE, rise to Kingdom rank.
Hanover (HAN) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Lower Saxon culture; Hanover; control 60% of Lower Saxony.
Mecklenburg (MKL) – Historical, Tier 1
Requirements: Western Pomeranian culture; control 75% of Mecklenburg.
Pomerania (POM) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Eastern or Western Pomeranian; control Pomerania area.
Franconia (FKN) – Plausible, Tier 2
Requirements: East Franconian culture; control 60% of East Franconia.
Westphalia (WES) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Not a Theocracy; Cologne absent or game in Age of Revolutions; control 75% of Westphalia.
Swabia (SWA) – Plausible, Tier 2
Requirements: Swabian culture; control 80% of Swabia.
Nassau (NSA) – Historical, Tier 1
Requirements: Rhine-Franconian or Moselle-Franconian; own Dillenburg, Hadamar, Siegen, Usingen, Wiesbaden.
Switzerland (SWI) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Swiss culture group; Swiss Confederation must no longer exist; control 75% of Central, Eastern, and Western Switzerland.
Effects: Become a Duchy; unlock the Autonomous Swiss Cantons reform; if government isn’t Monarchy, Theocracy, or Republic, convert to Republic.
Also read: Resonance Solstice Tips & Tricks Guide
More Europe
Europa / Europe (EUR) – Ahistorical, Tier 5
Requirements: Own at least 1,500 locations; be a Hegemon; control 50% of all locations on the European continent.
Russia (RUS) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs: Russian-group culture; Moscow and Novgorod; own 50% of Russia, Ural, Pontic Steppe.
Effect: Become an Empire.
Spain (SPA) – Historical, Tier 3
Requirements: Iberian culture group; Christian religion; all independent nations in Iberia must be Christian; control 75% of the Iberia region.
Andalusia (ADU) – Plausible, Tier 3
Requirements: Maghrebi or Iberian culture group; Muslim religion; control 75% of Iberia; all independent nations in Iberia must be Muslim.
Navarre (NAV) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Basque culture; own 80% of Navarre province + Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
Italy (ITA) – Plausible, Tier 3
Requirements: Italian culture group; own Milan, Florence, Naples; control 75% of Italy.
Two Sicilies (TWS) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Not Italy; Sicilian or Neapolitan culture; Naples / Sicily presence checks per Art. 2; control 80% of Basilicata, Apulia, Abruzzo, Campania, Sicily.
Sardinia (SAR) – Historical, Tier 2
Requirements: Italian culture group; control 85% of Sardinia.
Effect: Become a Kingdom.
Tuscany (TUS) – Historical, Tier 1
Requirements: Tuscan culture; Florence; control 75% of Tuscany.
Poland (POL) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Polish-group culture; Kraków and Warsaw; own 75% of Central/Greater/Lesser Poland and Mazovia.
Poland–Lithuania (PLC) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Polish or Lithuanian group; Kraków, Vilnius, Warsaw; own 50% across Central/Greater/Lesser Poland, Lithuania, Mazovia, Prussia, Samogitia, Silesia, Polesia, Volhynia, Red Ruthenia; Poland and Lithuania don’t exist, are your subjects, or you’re playing as them.
Mazovia (MAZ) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Mazovian culture; Warsaw; own 90% of Mazovia area.
Silesia (SIL) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Silesian or Silesian-German culture; own 75% of Silesia area.
Moldavia (MOL) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Moldovan culture; own 90% of Moldavia area.
Ruthenia / Ukraine (UKR) – Plausible, Tier 3
Reqs: One of Halychian, Polatskian, Polesian, Ruthenian, Severian, Volhynian, Rusyn, Cossack, Smolenskian; Kyiv; own 60% of Ruthenia region.
Bulgaria (BUL) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Bulgarian culture; own 90% of Bulgaria area.
Effect: Become a Kingdom.
Serbia (SER) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Serbian culture; own 80% of Serbia area.
Croatia (CRO) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Croatian culture; Zagreb; own 50% of Croatia and Slavonia areas.
Dalmatia (DAL) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Dalmatian or Croatian culture; Dubrovnik; own 75% of Croatia area.
Transylvania (TRA) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Hungarian, Transylvanian, Transylvanian-German, or Székely; own 75% of Transylvania area.
Romania (RMN) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Romanian-group culture; own 50% of Wallachia, Transylvania, Moldavia.
Effect: Become a Kingdom.
Hungary (HUN) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Hungarian-group culture; Pest and Buda; own 75% of North Alföld, South Alföld, Transdanubia.
Effect: Become a Kingdom.
Greece (GRE) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Greek-group culture; BYZ does not exist; not the Ottomans; Athens; own 50% of Thrace, Northern Greece, Macedonia, Morea, Aegean Archipelago.
Byzantium (BYZ) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs: Greek-group culture; Orthodox; Constantinople; own 50% of Balkans and Anatolia regions.
Effects: If capital isn’t Constantinople (or Rome), move it to Constantinople; become an Empire.
Latin Empire (LAT) – Plausible, Tier 3
Reqs: Catholic; Constantinople; own 50% of Thrace area and Thessaly province.
Circassia (CIR) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Own 60% of Matrega area.
Georgia (GEO) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Georgian culture; Tbilisi; own 75% of Georgia area.
Armenia (ARM) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Armenian culture; own 75% of Armenia area plus Kars and Malazgirt.
Also read: Super Fantasy Kingdom Guide
Iran, Arabia, and successors
Persia / Iran (IRA) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs: Iranian-group culture; own 50% of Persia region.
Effects: Become an Empire (if not already).
Arabia (AIA) – Plausible, Tier 3
Reqs: Arabian-group culture; own 75% of Arabia region.
Rûm (RUM) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs: Turkic-group culture; Muslim; victor in Rise of the Turks situation; own 85% of Anatolia region.
Effects: Become an Empire.
Kurdistan (KRS) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Kurdish culture; 25% of Kordestān area and the listed provinces (Garmian, Mosul, Diyar Bakr, Hasankeyf, Amadiya, Bitlis, Nusaybin, Urfa (Ar Ruha), Mardin, Safhat al-Jibal, Harput, Malatya).
Kingdom of Jerusalem (KOJ) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Catholic; either Cyprus/Naples tag or Military Order gov reform; own 75% of Filastin province.
Effects (if formed via “We are victorious!” event path): +20 Stability, +10 Government Power, Jerusalem Resurgent for 20 years (−25% War on Different Religion Cost, +20% Crown Power, +33% Clergy Levy Size).
Mongol Legacies, Timurids & The Steppe
Timurids (TIM) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Uzbek culture; own 80% of Persia region.
Ilkhanate (ILK) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs: Ilkhanate IO exists; you’re the leader; no other claimants; own 85% of Persia region and areas: Irâk al-‘Arabi, Jazira, Shirvan, Armenia, Armenian Highlands, Georgia, Pontus, Cappadocia.
Effect: Destroy the Ilkhanate IO on formation.
Manchu (MCH) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Jurchen culture; own 50% of Liaodong, Lower/ Middle Amur, Songhua, Songnen, Ussuri.
Effect: Triggers event The Later Jīn.
Mongolia (MGE) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs (any of): Timurid tag; Borjigin dynasty; Steppe Horde with Mongolian/Turkic culture. Also: not in civil war; own Sarai, Kazan, Samarkand, Kaffa, Dàdū, Shàngyuán, Bāxiàn, Guǎngzhōu, Karakorum; own 85% of Mongolia, Persia, East/North/West China, Pontic Steppe, Russia, Khorasan, Xinjiang.
Effects: Become an Empire. If target of Rise of Timur, trigger The Restoration of the Mongol Empire; else gain 50-year modifier Restorer of the Mongol Empire (+0.1 Monthly Horde Unity, +50% Amount Looted, −5% Separatism, −33% Army Reinforcement Cost).
Kazakh (KAZ) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Kipchak language; own 75% of Desht-i Kipchak and Zhetysu.
Ryūkyū (RYU) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Ryūkyū culture; Urasoe, Nakijin, Ōzato.
Effect: Become a Kingdom.
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Africa
Egypt (EGY) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Not Mamluks; own 75% of Egypt region.
Kingdom of Africa (KOA) – Plausible, Tier 3
Reqs: Catholic; own 75% of Tunis and Tripolitania; hold Tunis and Tripoli.
Carthage (CTH) – Ahistorical, Tier 2
Reqs: Tunis; own 70% of Tunis, Tripolitania, Sicily, Algiers areas.
Effects: Move capital to Tunis; rename Tunis to Qart-ḥadašt.
Morocco (MOR) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Moroccan culture; own 75% of Al-Maġrib al-Aqṣā and Sūs.
Mali (MAL) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Mande language; Niani; own 75% of Mali and Ghana areas.
Effect: Become an Empire.
Mossi (MSI) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Mossi culture; own 75% of East and West Mossi.
Beja (BEJ) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Beja culture; own Zula, Massawa, Tesenei, Agordat, Dereheib (75%).
Ethiopia (ETH) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Miaphysite; Agaw/Amhara/Tigre/Tigrinya culture; own Axum or Lalibela or Gonder; 60% of Ethiopia region.
Hausa (HAU) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Hausa culture; own 50% of North and South Hausaland.
Sokoto (SKO) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Hausa culture; Sunni; own 75% of North/South Hausaland; Sokoto.
Kongo (KON) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Bantu religion; own 50% of West Kongo and Kongo.
Nubia (NUB) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Nubian culture; own 75% of Nubia and Butana.
Somalia (SOI) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Somali culture; own 50% of Somalia region.
Imerina (MIR) – Historical, Tier 2 (Madagascar)
Reqs: Malagasy-group culture; own 75% of Madagascar region.
Air (AIR) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Tuareg culture; own 75% of Air area.
South Asia (India)
Bengal (BGL/BNG) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Bengali culture; own 80% of Bengal area.
Delhi (DLH) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Muslim; culture in Indian/Iranian/Mongolian/Turkic groups; Delhi; own 70% of Hindustan; move capital to Delhi if needed.
Mughal Empire (MUG) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs: Muslim; culture Iranian/Turkic or Afghani language; Delhi, Agra, Lahore; own 80% of Hindustan.
Effect: Become an Empire.
Deccan (DEC) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Language Marathi/Kannada/Telugu; Sunni; own 50% of Deccan region.
Marathas (MHR) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Language Marathi; Sunni; own 50% of Deccan region.
Hindustan (HIN) – Plausible, Tier 4
Reqs: Own 70% of South Asia subcontinent.
Punjab (PUN) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Punjabi culture; own 80% of Punjab area.
Rajputana (RJP) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Rajasthani language; own 80% of Rajputana area.
Gujarat (GUJ) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Gujarati language; Muslim; own 60% of Gujarat and Saurashtra.
Nepal (NPL) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Nepali-group culture; own 70% of Nepal area.
Southeast, East & Central Asia
Shan (SHA) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Shan-group culture; own 90% of Shan Highland area.
Malaya (MSA) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Malay culture; Muslim; own 90% of Malay Peninsula.
Siam (SIA) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Thai culture; own 75% of Chao Phraya and Northern Tai Highland.
Banten (BAN) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Sundanese culture; Banten; own 50% of Banten, Ogan, Tulangbawang, Lampung provinces.
Nusantara (NUS) – Plausible, Tier 3
Reqs: Javanese/Sundanese/Madurese; Trowulan and Palembang; own 50% of Indonesia region.
Borneo (BNO) – Plausible, Tier 3
Reqs: Own 90% of North Borneo and South Borneo areas.
China & Tibet
China (CHI) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs: Chinese-group culture; Middle Kingdom IO does not exist; own 70% of West/East/North/South China regions.
Effects: Become a Monarchy; Restore the Middle Kingdom; become an Empire.
Tibet (TIB) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Tibetan-group culture; own 60% of Tibet region.
Oceania & the Americas
Aotearoa / Nū Tīreni (NTR) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Māori culture; He Whakaputanga advance; own 50% of New Zealand region.
Aztec (AZT) – Historical, Tier 1
Reqs: Nahuatl religion or Nahua culture; Tenochtitlan; own 75% of Mesoamerica.
Effect: Become an Empire.
Maya (MAY) – Plausible, Tier 2
Reqs: Maya language or Mayan religion; own 50% across Cháak te’ éemal, Chilapan, Ma’ya’ab, Peten, Pu’uk, Tezulutlan.
Mexico (MEX) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Either Iberian culture or Native culture with Christian religion; own 50% of Mesoamerica region.
USA (USA) – Historical, Tier 4
Reqs: British-group culture (non-Native); own 35% of East Coast region.
Canada (CAN) – Plausible, Tier 3
Reqs: British or French group (non-Native); own 35% of Canada region.
Haudenosaunee / Iroquois (IRO) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Haudenosaunee group; own 80% of Onondowaga, Gayogohono, Onondagega, Onyotaaka, Kanienkehaka.
Effect: Become a Kingdom.
Pueblo (PUE) – Historical, Tier 2
Reqs: Culture is Keres, Zuni, Hopi, Hualapai, Tanoan, Hohokam; own listed settlements: Iałopháybo, Ohkwee Ówîngeh, T’han-u-ge, Tsi’ya, Tuf Shur Tia, Shiewhibak, Áak’u, Teypana.
Inca (INC) – Historical, Tier 3
Reqs: Quechuan language; Folk Peruvian religion; own 80% of Acamama and Puna areas.
Effects: Become an Empire; remove Andean Monarchy if enacted; if lacking Reformed Tawantinsuyu: become Monarchy with 100 Legitimacy and add Reformed Tawantinsuyu reform.
Pan-Continent & Fantasy/Ahistorical Blocks
Roman Empire (ROM) – Ahistorical, Tier 4
Reqs: Not Papal States; Rome and Constantinople; Empire rank; Hegemon; if not BYZ, then BYZ must not exist; Christian group or Hellenism; own 75% of Italy, Iberia, France, Balkans, Great Britain, Anatolia, South Germany, Crescent, Egypt, Maghreb, Carpathia, Caucasus.
Effects: Set court language to Latin; move capital to Rome.
Celtica (CEL) – Ahistorical, Tier 3
Reqs: Celtic group; Celtic Traditions reform; court language Brythonic or Gaelic; own 90% of Ireland region + Cornwall + Wales, Lowlands, Highlands, Hebrides, Brittany.
Dalriada (DRD) – Ahistorical, Tier 2
Reqs: Gaelic language; Scottish or Hibernian culture group; own 75% of Ulster, Hebrides, Scottish Highlands.
North Sea (NSE) – Ahistorical, Tier 4
Reqs: British or Scandinavian group; at least one location in GB/Ireland and one in Scandinavia/North Atlantic Islands; own 50% across GB, Ireland, Scandinavia, North Atlantic Islands.
These are all the formable countries in the game. It’s a massive list and, if I somehow missed any, please let me know in the comments down below (also do so if there are other things I missed).
And if you want to get even better at EU5, I recommend reading my guide to the Ages and Institutions in the game.
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