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)
Territory Transfers by Decade
Conquest / AnnexationCession / TreatySecession / IndependenceOther
Net Territory Change by Country
Net territory lostNo change / no dataNet territory gained
Ranked totals below use data from 1816 onward (consistent records).
Territory Changes by Country
| # | Country | Start | Gained | Lost | Net ▼ | End | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇨🇦Canada▼ | 8K km² | +10.0M | — | +10.0M km² | 10.0M km² | 2 |
| 2 | 🇧🇷Brazil▼ | 0 km² | +9.2M | -273K | +9.0M km² | 8.5M km² | 12 |
| 3 | 🇷🇺Russia▼ | 8.9M km² | +17.8M | -9.7M | +8.2M km² | 17.1M km² | 100 |
| 4 | 🇦🇺Australia▼ | 268K km² | +7.9M | -463K | +7.5M km² | 7.7M km² | 8 |
| 5 | 🇺🇸United States of America▼ | 3.3M km² | +7.2M | -1.0M | +6.2M km² | 9.5M km² | 45 |
| 6 | 🇦🇷Argentina▼ | 0 km² | +2.9M | -40K | +2.9M km² | 2.8M km² | 10 |
| 7 | 🇮🇳India▼ | 479K km² | +2.9M | -94K | +2.8M km² | 3.3M km² | 20 |
| 8 | 🇰🇿Kazakhstan▼ | 8K km² | +2.7M | — | +2.7M km² | 2.7M km² | 1 |
| 9 | 🇸🇩Sudan▼ | 0 km² | +5.2M | -2.5M | +2.7M km² | 1.9M km² | 3 |
| 10 | 🇩🇿Algeria▼ | 0 km² | +2.4M | — | +2.4M km² | 2.4M km² | 1 |
| 11 | 🇨🇩Democratic Republic of the Congo▼ | 0 km² | +2.3M | — | +2.3M km² | 2.3M km² | 1 |
| 12 | 🇧🇴Bolivia▼ | 0 km² | +3.0M | -771K | +2.2M km² | 1.1M km² | 9 |
| 13 | 🇮🇩Indonesia▼ | 0 km² | +1.9M | — | +1.9M km² | 1.9M km² | 3 |
| 14 | 🇵🇪Peru▼ | 0 km² | +1.8M | -165K | +1.6M km² | 1.3M km² | 6 |
| 15 | 🇲🇳Mongolia▼ | 33K km² | +1.5M | — | +1.5M km² | 1.6M km² | 1 |
| 16 | 🇯🇵Japan▼ | 0 km² | +3.7M | -2.2M | +1.4M km² | 378K km² | 25 |
| 17 | 🇦🇴Angola▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | — | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 1 |
| 18 | 🇿🇦South Africa▼ | 0 km² | +2.0M | -824K | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 5 |
| 19 | 🇲🇱Mali▼ | 35K km² | +1.4M | -197K | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 3 |
| 20 | 🇹🇩Chad▼ | 79K km² | +1.3M | -78K | +1.2M km² | 1.3M km² | 2 |
| 21 | 🇳🇬Nigeria▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | — | +1.2M km² | 924K km² | 1 |
| 22 | 🇵🇹Portugal▼ | 0 km² | +11.5M | -10.4M | +1.1M km² | 157K km² | 28 |
| 23 | 🇨🇴Colombia▼ | 29K km² | +2.5M | -1.4M | +1.1M km² | 1.1M km² | 11 |
| 24 | 🇲🇷Mauritania▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | -89K | +1.1M km² | 1.0M km² | 3 |
| 25 | 🇪🇬Egypt▼ | 7K km² | +5.4M | -4.4M | +994K km² | 1.0M km² | 18 |
| 26 | 🇹🇿Tanzania▼ | 8K km² | +939K | — | +939K km² | 947K km² | 1 |
| 27 | 🇳🇪Niger▼ | 343K km² | +924K | — | +924K km² | 1.3M km² | 2 |
| 28 | 🇳🇦Namibia▼ | 0 km² | +824K | — | +824K km² | 824K km² | 2 |
| 29 | 🇿🇲Zambia▼ | 676 km² | +752K | — | +752K km² | 753K km² | 1 |
| 30 | 🇸🇴Somalia▼ | 0 km² | +638K | — | +638K km² | 638K km² | 2 |
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.