who were the central powers?

The Central Powers were a coalition of countries during World War I primarily consisting of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria. Germany and Austria-Hungary formed the core of this alliance from the start of the war in 1914, with the Ottoman Empire joining later that same year and Bulgaria joining in 1915. These countries were located centrally in Europe and the Middle East and fought against the Allied Powers during the war. The name "Central Powers" comes from their geographic location between the Allied countries, with Germany and Austria-Hungary positioned centrally in Europe.