Timeline of world map changes

The world map has changed a lot throughout history. This page lists some of the changes.

21st Century[change | change source]

2020s[change | change source]

September 30, 2022 - Russia annexes four regions from southeast Ukraine. This action is only partly recognized, and Russia did not control all the land.^[1] This action is largely seen as a war crime and the land is still recognized as Ukrainian by most countries.
September 17, 2022 - The Republic of Kazakhstan officially changed the name of its capital from Nur-Sultan back to Astana.
May 31, 2022 - The Republic of Turkey officially changes its name to the Republic of Türkiye.^[2]
August 15, 2021 - The Taliban overthrow the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and replace it with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.^[3]

2010s[change | change source]

February 2019 - The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia officially changes its name to the Republic of North Macedonia.^[4]
April 19, 2018 - The Kingdom of Swaziland changed its name to the Kingdom of Eswatini.
February 20, 2014 - Russia annexes Crimea from Ukraine Which causes the Crimea Crisis, and The Russo-Ukrainian War begins. This action is only partly recognized.
July 9, 2011 - The Republic of South Sudan becomes independent from Sudan.

2000s[change | change source]

February 17, 2008 - The Republic of Kosovo declares independence from Serbia. Its independence is only partly recognized.
June 8, 2006 - Serbia and Montenegro splits into the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro.
February 4, 2003 - The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia votes to enact the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro, renaming it to Serbia and Montenegro.
May 20, 2002 - East Timor becomes independent from Indonesia.

20th Century[change | change source]

1990s[change | change source]

December 31, 1999 - The United States gives the Panama Canal Zone to Panama.
December 20, 1999 - Macau is given from Portugal to the People's Republic of China.
July 1, 1997 - Hong Kong is given from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China.
May 21, 1997 - Zaire officially reverts its name back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
May 24, 1993 - Eritrea becomes independent.
January 1, 1993 - Czechoslovakia breaks up into The Czech Republic and Slovakia.
1991 - The Soviet Union breaks up. The countries of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan are formed.
October 3, 1990 - The Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic merge. They take the name the Federal Republic of Germany.

1980s[change | change source]

September 21, 1981 - Belize becomes independent from the United Kingdom.

1970s[change | change source]

December 1971 - Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) becomes independent from Pakistan after nine months of Bangladesh Liberation War.
December 1971 - The United Arab Emirates forms.

1960s[change | change source]

April 26, 1964 - Tanganyika and Zanzibar merges and form The United Republic of Tanzania.
December 10, 1963 - Zanzibar gains independence from Britain.
July 5, 1962 - The Algerian State becomes independent of France.
December 9, 1961 - Tanganyika gains independence from Britain.
October 1, 1960 - The Federation of Nigeria becomes its own country.
August 15, 1960 - The Republic of the Congo becomes its own country.
August 3, 1960 - The Republic of Niger becomes its own country.

1950s[change | change source]

January 1, 1956 - The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan becomes the Republic of the Sudan.
April 20, 1952 - Treaty of San Francisco

1940s[change | change source]

October 7, 1949 - East Germany is founded.
September 21, 1949 - West Germany is founded.
September 9, 1948 - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is formed in northern Korea.
August 15, 1948 - The Republic of Korea is formed in southern Korea.
May 14, 1948 - Israel claimed its independence after The 1948 Arab-Israeli War
August 15, 1947 - The Union of India becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
August 14, 1947 - The Dominion of Pakistan becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
August 17, 1945 - The Republic of Indonesia becomes independent from the Netherlands.
September 8, 1943 - The Italian Civil War has started
April 17, 1941 - Yugoslavia Ceases to exist and is divided between Axis members.
April 10, 1941 - Independent State of Croatia, is Formed as a German Puppet State.
August 30, 1940 - Second Vienna Award, Hungary annexes Northern Transylvania from Romania.
August 6, 1940 - Estonia, is annexed by the Soviet Union.
August 5, 1940 - Latvia, is annexed by the Soviet Union
August 3, 1940 - Lithuania, is annexed by the Soviet Union
March 13, 1940 - Winter War Comes to a close , the Soviet Union annexes parts of eastern Finland

1930s[change | change source]

September 29, 1939 - Poland is divided along the Bug River between the German Reich and Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
September 27, 1939 - Poland Surrenders to the German Reich
September 1, 1939 - World War 2 Begins with the German Reich Invading Poland
March 22, 1939 - German Reich annexes Memel from Lithuania.
March 16, 1939 - Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia Becomes a Partially annexed territory of the German Reich.
March 14, 1939 - Slovak State Becomes a German Puppet State.
March 1, 1939 - Poland annexes Zaolzie from Czechoslovakia.
November 2, 1938 - Hungary annexes parts of southern Slovakia.
September 30, 1938 - Munich Agreement, German Reich annexes the German speaking parts of Czechoslovakia.
March 12, 1938 - Anschluss, German Reich annexes Austria through a referendum.
May 9, 1936 - Italy annexes Ethiopia and Establishes Italian East Africa.
February 16, 1934 - The Dominion of Newfoundland joins Canada.

1920s[change | change source]

The end of the Ottoman Empire:
- Occupation of Constantinople after WWI (13 November 1918 – 23 September 1923).
- Sultanate abolished (ended) on 1 November 1922, and the last Sultan, Mehmed VI (reigned 1918–22), left the country on 17 November 1922.
- Republic of Turkey founded on 29 October 1923. The Caliphate was abolished on 3 March 1924.^[5]
December 6, 1921 - The Irish Free State becomes independent from the United Kingdom.

1910s[change | change source]

December 1, 1918 - Kingdom of Romania merges with all the principalities (Țara Românească , Moldova and Transilvania) after the Treaty of Trianon and the collapse of the Russian Empire.
November 11, 1918 - The German Empire is dissolved and the Treaty of Versailles is signed which gives land to France, Belgium, Denmark and Poland. German colonies are split between France, Belgium and the United Kingdom.
October 14, 1918 - Austria-Hungary is dissolved into Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia.
January 2, 1918 - Finland becomes independent from the Soviet Russia.
June 28, 1914 - The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie.
May 30, 1913 - Treaty of London is signed and the last of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans is conquered by the combined forces of the Balkan League
September 29 1911 - The start of Italo-Turkish War
August 22, 1910 - Japan takes over Korea.

1900s[change | change source]

August 5, 1908 - Bulgaria splits off from the Ottoman Empire.
October 6, 1908 - Bosnia is annexed by Austria-Hungary.

19th Century[change | change source]

1880's[change | change source]

15 November 1884 - Berlin Conference

1870s[change | change source]

January 18, 1871 - The German Empire is formed as one nation from a multitude of smaller German States.

1860s[change | change source]

October 18, 1867 - The United States of America buys Alaska from Russia.
March 15, 1867 - Austro-Hungarian Compromise. Austrian empire becomes Austro-Hungary.
March 17, 1861 - The Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont becomes the Kingdom of Italy.

1850s[change | change source]

1854 - United States of America buys territory from Mexico, extending the New Mexico territory southward: Gadsden Purchase

1840s[change | change source]

February 2, 1848 - After the Second Mexican–American War (April 25, 1846 – February 2, 1848) much of north-western Mexico becomes part of the United States.