Territory Changes
891 events since 1500 · 227.6M 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
31
since 1500
Expanded
144
47 via conflict
97 peaceful only
Contracted
32
24 via conflict
8 peaceful only
Based on 891 recorded events (279 by conflict · 227.6M km² transferred)
Notable Historical Events (pre-1816)
Estimated figures from historical sources. Not included in the ranked totals on the main tab.
| Year | Gainer | Territory | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | Brazil (claimed by Cabral) | 8.5M km² |
| 1505 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | Mozambique (forts established) | 812K km² |
| 1510 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | Goa (India) (from Bijapur Sultanate) | 4K km² |
| 1513 | 🇪🇸 Spain | Cuba (settled) | 110K km² |
| 1517 | Ottoman Empire | Mamluk Sultanate (Egypt, Syria, Hejaz, Palestine) (from Mamluk Sultanate) | 1.8M km² |
| 1521 | 🇪🇸 Spain | Aztec Empire (Cortés conquers Tenochtitlan) (from Aztec Empire) | 207K km² |
| 1526 | Ottoman Empire | Ottoman Hungary (Battle of Mohács) (from Kingdom of Hungary) | 91K km² |
| 1533 | 🇪🇸 Spain | Inca Empire / Tawantinsuyu (Pizarro) (from Inca Empire) | 2.0M km² |
| 1534 | Ottoman Empire | Iraq / Baghdad (from Safavid Empire) | 438K km² |
| 1535 | 🇪🇸 Spain | Viceroyalty of New Spain (Mexico + Central America + SW US) | 5.0M km² |
| 1542 | 🇪🇸 Spain | Viceroyalty of Peru (most of South America) | 4.5M km² |
| 1551 | Ottoman Empire | Tripolitania (Libya) (from Knights of St. John) | 1.8M km² |
| 1552 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Kazan Khanate | 400K km² |
| 1556 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Astrakhan Khanate (Lower Volga) | 100K km² |
| 1565 | 🇪🇸 Spain | Philippines | 300K km² |
| 1574 | Ottoman Empire | Tunisia (from Hafsid dynasty) | 164K km² |
| 1575 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | Angola (Luanda founded) | 1.2M km² |
| 1582 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Siberian Khanate (western Siberia) | 500K km² |
| 1600 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Central Siberia (Yenisei to Lena basin) | 4.0M km² |
| 1607 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Virginia colony (claimed) | 175K km² |
| 1636 | Qing Dynasty | Inner Mongolia | 1.2M km² |
| 1640 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Eastern Siberia + Pacific coast (to Okhotsk) | 4.0M km² |
| 1644 | Qing Dynasty | Ming China proper (Manchu conquest) (from Ming Dynasty) | 4.0M km² |
| 1654 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Left-bank Ukraine (Cossack Hetmanate) (from Poland-Lithuania) | 250K km² |
| 1655 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Jamaica (taken from Spain) (from Spain) | 11K km² |
| 1667 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Smolensk + Kiev region (Treaty of Andrusovo) (from Poland-Lithuania) | 100K km² |
| 1683 | Qing Dynasty | Taiwan (from Kingdom of Tungning) | 36K km² |
| 1691 | Qing Dynasty | Outer Mongolia (from Khalkha Mongols) | 1.6M km² |
| 1713 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Nova Scotia / Acadia (Treaty of Utrecht) (from France) | 55K km² |
| 1720 | Qing Dynasty | Tibet (protectorate) | 1.2M km² |
| 1721 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Estonia + Livonia + Ingria + Karelia (Treaty of Nystad) (from Sweden) | 130K km² |
| 1743 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Southeast Finland (Treaty of Åbo) (from Sweden) | 25K km² |
| 1757 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Bengal, Bihar, Orissa (Battle of Plassey) (from Nawab of Bengal) | 339K km² |
| 1759 | Qing Dynasty | Xinjiang / Dzungaria + Tarim Basin (from Dzungar Khanate) | 1.6M km² |
| 1763 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | New France / Canada (Treaty of Paris 1763) (from France) | 8.0M km² |
| 1763 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Florida (Treaty of Paris 1763) (from Spain) | 170K km² |
| 1768 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Alaska (Russian America) | 1.7M km² |
| 1772 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Eastern Poland (Dvina-Dnieper region) (from Poland-Lithuania) | 36K km² |
| 1772 | 🇦🇹 Austria | Galicia (from Poland-Lithuania) | 32K km² |
| 1772 | 🇩🇪 Prussia | Royal Prussia (exc. Danzig & Toruń) (from Poland-Lithuania) | 14K km² |
| 1774 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Azov + Black Sea coast (Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca) (from Ottoman Empire) | 19K km² |
| 1776 | 🇺🇸 United States of America | Thirteen Colonies (from United Kingdom) | 255K km² |
| 1783 | 🇺🇸 United States of America | Northwest Territory + western lands (Treaty of Paris) (from United Kingdom) | 695K km² |
| 1783 | 🇪🇸 Spain | East & West Florida (Treaty of Paris) (from United Kingdom) | 66K km² |
| 1783 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Crimean Khanate | 10K km² |
| 1788 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Australia (New South Wales claim) | 3.0M km² |
| 1792 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Yedisan steppe to Dniester (Treaty of Jassy) (from Ottoman Empire) | 25K km² |
| 1792 | 🇫🇷 France | Austrian Netherlands (Belgium) (from Austria) | 12K km² |
| 1792 | 🇫🇷 France | Savoy + Nice (from Sardinia-Piedmont) | 4K km² |
| 1793 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Lithuanian Belorussia + western Ukraine (from Poland-Lithuania) | 97K km² |
| 1793 | 🇩🇪 Prussia | Great Poland + Danzig + Toruń (from Poland-Lithuania) | 22K km² |
| 1795 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Eastern remnant of Poland (from Poland-Lithuania) | 46K km² |
| 1795 | 🇦🇹 Austria | Western Galicia + Kraków (from Poland-Lithuania) | 18K km² |
| 1795 | 🇩🇪 Prussia | Masovia + Warsaw (from Poland-Lithuania) | 19K km² |
| 1795 | 🇫🇷 France | Batavian Republic (satellite state) (from Netherlands) | 16K km² |
| 1795 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Cape Colony (South Africa) (from Netherlands) | 46K km² |
| 1796 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | Ceylon (Sri Lanka) (from Netherlands) | 25K km² |
| 1797 | 🇫🇷 France | Cisalpine Republic (Lombardy) (from Austria) | 17K km² |
| 1797 | 🇦🇹 Austria | Republic of Venice (from Venice) | 14K km² |
| 1798 | 🇫🇷 France | Left bank of Rhine + Rhineland (from Holy Roman Empire) | 12K km² |
| 1800 | 🇫🇷 France | Louisiana Territory (retroceded from Spain) (from Spain) | 826K km² |
| 1801 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Kingdom of Georgia (Kartli-Kakheti) | 27K km² |
| 1803 | 🇺🇸 United States of America | Louisiana Territory (purchased for $15M) (from France) | 826K km² |
| 1804 | 🇭🇹 Haiti | Saint-Domingue (French colony) (from France) | 11K km² |
| 1807 | 🇫🇷 France | Duchy of Warsaw (from Prussian Poland) (from Prussia) | 40K km² |
| 1809 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Finland (Grand Duchy) (from Sweden) | 131K km² |
| 1809 | 🇫🇷 France | Illyrian Provinces (Slovenia, Croatia coast, Dalmatia) (from Austria) | 21K km² |
| 1810 | 🇫🇷 France | Kingdom of Holland (direct annexation) (from Netherlands) | 13K km² |
| 1810 | 🇫🇷 France | Hanseatic cities + Oldenburg + Lauenburg (from Northwest Germany) | 11K km² |
| 1812 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Bessarabia (from Ottoman Empire) | 17K km² |
| 1815 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | Belgium + Luxembourg (United Kingdom of Netherlands) (from France) | 25K km² |
| 1815 | 🇩🇪 Prussia | Rhineland + Westphalia + part of Saxony (from France) | 22K km² |
| 1815 | 🇦🇹 Austria | Lombardy-Venetia + Illyrian Provinces + Tyrol (from France) | 31K km² |
| 1815 | 🇷🇺 Russia | Congress Poland (Kingdom of Poland under Russia) (from France) | 49K km² |
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.