Central Europe is the central region of Europe. Central Europe includes contiguous territories that are sometimes also considered parts of Western Europe and Eastern Europe. The concept of Central Europe is based on a common historical, social and cultural identity and is a patchwork of territories that are traditionally Catholic and Protestant. The Thirty Years' War between Catholicism and Protestantism was a significant shaping process in the history of Central Europe, and neither side was able to prevail in the region as a whole.