Territory Changes
303 events since 1945 · 51.4M km² transferred
Data quality:1900+ comprehensive (COW dataset)1816–1899 sparse (many events from unrecorded polities)Pre-1816 historical estimates only
New Countries
132
94 independence
24 secession
14 partition
Dissolved
9
since 1945
Expanded
139
28 via conflict
111 peaceful only
Contracted
24
15 via conflict
9 peaceful only
Based on 303 recorded events (64 by conflict · 51.4M km² transferred)
Territory Transfers by Decade
Conquest / AnnexationCession / TreatySecession / IndependenceOther
Net Territory Change by Country
Net territory lostNo change / no dataNet territory gained
Territory Changes by Country
| # | Country | Start | Gained | Lost | Net ▼ | End | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇮🇳India▼ | 479K km² | +2.9M | -94K | +2.8M km² | 3.3M km² | 22 |
| 2 | 🇰🇿Kazakhstan▼ | 8K km² | +2.7M | -470 | +2.7M km² | 2.7M km² | 2 |
| 3 | 🇩🇿Algeria▼ | 0 km² | +2.4M | — | +2.4M km² | 2.4M km² | 1 |
| 4 | 🇨🇩Democratic Republic of the Congo▼ | 0 km² | +2.3M | — | +2.3M km² | 2.3M km² | 1 |
| 5 | 🇮🇩Indonesia▼ | 168 km² | +1.9M | -15K | +1.9M km² | 1.9M km² | 4 |
| 6 | 🇸🇩Sudan▼ | 13K km² | +2.5M | -640K | +1.9M km² | 1.9M km² | 3 |
| 7 | 🇨🇳China▼ | 8.1M km² | +1.5M | -39K | +1.5M km² | 9.6M km² | 13 |
| 8 | 🇦🇴Angola▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | — | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 1 |
| 9 | 🇲🇱Mali▼ | 35K km² | +1.4M | -197K | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 3 |
| 10 | 🇹🇩Chad▼ | 79K km² | +1.3M | -78K | +1.2M km² | 1.3M km² | 2 |
| 11 | 🇳🇬Nigeria▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | — | +1.2M km² | 924K km² | 1 |
| 12 | 🇲🇷Mauritania▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | -89K | +1.1M km² | 1.0M km² | 3 |
| 13 | 🇹🇿Tanzania▼ | 8K km² | +939K | — | +939K km² | 947K km² | 1 |
| 14 | 🇳🇪Niger▼ | 344K km² | +924K | -665 | +923K km² | 1.3M km² | 3 |
| 15 | 🇳🇦Namibia▼ | 0 km² | +824K | -5 | +824K km² | 824K km² | 3 |
| 16 | 🇿🇲Zambia▼ | 676 km² | +752K | — | +752K km² | 753K km² | 1 |
| 17 | 🇲🇦Morocco▼ | 0 km² | +682K | — | +682K km² | 447K km² | 7 |
| 18 | 🇲🇲Myanmar▼ | 0 km² | +678K | -161 | +678K km² | 677K km² | 2 |
| 19 | 🇸🇴Somalia▼ | 0 km² | +638K | — | +638K km² | 638K km² | 2 |
| 20 | 🇸🇸South Sudan▼ | 25K km² | +620K | — | +620K km² | 644K km² | 1 |
| 21 | 🇵🇰Pakistan▼ | 273K km² | +913K | -304K | +609K km² | 882K km² | 14 |
| 22 | 🇲🇬Madagascar▼ | 0 km² | +590K | — | +590K km² | 587K km² | 1 |
| 23 | 🇰🇪Kenya▼ | 0 km² | +583K | — | +583K km² | 580K km² | 1 |
| 24 | 🇧🇼Botswana▼ | 7K km² | +575K | — | +575K km² | 582K km² | 3 |
| 25 | 🇹🇲Turkmenistan▼ | 0 km² | +488K | — | +488K km² | 488K km² | 1 |
| 26 | 🇨🇲Cameroon▼ | 28 km² | +476K | — | +476K km² | 476K km² | 3 |
| 27 | 🇺🇦Ukraine▼ | 136K km² | +604K | -136K | +467K km² | 604K km² | 8 |
| 28 | 🇵🇬Papua New Guinea▼ | 0 km² | +463K | — | +463K km² | 463K km² | 1 |
| 29 | 🇺🇿Uzbekistan▼ | 0 km² | +447K | — | +447K km² | 447K km² | 1 |
| 30 | 🇨🇦Canada▼ | 9.6M km² | +405K | -1 | +405K km² | 10.0M km² | 3 |
Ranked totals based on event-level records (1816-2025). Pre-1816 events are historical estimates shown separately. Area in square kilometers. Events classified as conquest, annexation, cession, secession, unification, or mandated territory. Wartime occupations (e.g., WWII) are excluded from the dissolved list.