Territory Changes

68 events since 1990 · 7.8M km² transferred

Territory Gained/Lost Countries Created/Dissolved Pre-1816 Events

All Time Since 1500 Since 1776 Since 1900 Since 1945 Since 1990

Data quality:1900+ comprehensive (COW dataset)1816–1899 sparse (many events from unrecorded polities)Pre-1816 historical estimates only

New Countries

9 independence
23 secession
2 partition

Dissolved

since 1990

Expanded

9 via conflict
28 peaceful only

Contracted

7 via conflict
9 peaceful only

Based on 68 recorded events (16 by conflict · 7.8M km² transferred)

Countries Created Since 1990

2010s1 countries

🇸🇸South Sudansecession2011

Seceded from Sudan

2000s5 countries

🇽🇰Kosovosecession2008

Seceded from Serbia

🇷🇸Serbiasecession2006

Seceded from Serbia and Montenegro

🇲🇪Montenegrosecession2006

Seceded from Serbia and Montenegro

🇹🇱East Timorindependence2002

Independent from Indonesia (Portuguese colony)

🇹🇻Tuvaluindependence2000

Independent from United Kingdom

1990s28 countries

🇳🇷Nauruindependence1999

Independent from Australia

🇹🇴Tongaindependence1999

Independent from United Kingdom

🇰🇮Kiribatiindependence1999

Independent from United Kingdom

🇵🇼Palauindependence1994

Independent from United States (UN trusteeship)

🇪🇷Eritreasecession1993

Seceded from Ethiopia

🇸🇰Slovakiapartition1993

Split from Czechoslovakia

🇨🇿Czech Republicpartition1993

Split from Czechoslovakia

🇲🇰Macedoniasecession1993

Seceded from Yugoslavia

🇸🇮Sloveniasecession1992

Seceded from Yugoslavia

🇧🇦Bosnia and Herzegovinasecession1992

Seceded from Yugoslavia

🇭🇷Croatiasecession1992

Seceded from Yugoslavia

🇫🇲Federated States of Micronesiaindependence1991

Independent from United States (UN trusteeship)

🇲🇭Marshall Islandsindependence1991

Independent from United States (UN trusteeship)

🇰🇿Kazakhstansecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇺🇿Uzbekistansecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇰🇬Kyrgyzstansecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇹🇯Tajikistansecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇹🇲Turkmenistansecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇦🇿Azerbaijansecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇬🇪Georgiasecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇦🇲Armeniasecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇧🇾Belarussecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇺🇦Ukrainesecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇱🇹Lithuaniasecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇱🇻Latviasecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇪🇪Estoniasecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇲🇩Moldovasecession1991

Seceded from Soviet Union

🇳🇦Namibiaindependence1990

Independent from South Africa

Countries That Ceased to Exist Since 1990

Country	Existed	Ended
🇷🇸Yugoslavia	1944–2006	2006
🇨🇿Czechoslovakia	1945–1992	1992
🇾🇪Yemen People's Republic	1967–1990	1990
🇩🇪German Federal Republic	1955–1990	1990
🏳️German Democratic Republic	1954–1990	1990
🇾🇪Yemen Arab Republic	1926–1990	1990

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.