Territory Changes
848 events since 1816 · 165.4M 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
31
since 1816
Expanded
145
47 via conflict
98 peaceful only
Contracted
34
25 via conflict
9 peaceful only
Based on 848 recorded events (236 by conflict · 165.4M 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 | 🇨🇦Canada▼ | 8K km² | +10.0M | -1 | +10.0M km² | 10.0M km² | 4 |
| 2 | 🇧🇷Brazil▼ | 0 km² | +9.2M | -273K | +9.0M km² | 8.5M km² | 12 |
| 3 | 🇦🇺Australia▼ | 268K km² | +7.9M | -463K | +7.5M km² | 7.7M km² | 8 |
| 4 | 🇺🇸United States of America▼ | 5.1M km² | +5.5M | -1.0M | +4.4M km² | 9.5M km² | 42 |
| 5 | 🇦🇷Argentina▼ | 0 km² | +2.9M | -40K | +2.9M km² | 2.8M km² | 10 |
| 6 | 🇮🇳India▼ | 479K km² | +2.9M | -94K | +2.8M km² | 3.3M km² | 22 |
| 7 | 🇰🇿Kazakhstan▼ | 8K km² | +2.7M | -470 | +2.7M km² | 2.7M km² | 2 |
| 8 | 🇩🇿Algeria▼ | 0 km² | +2.4M | — | +2.4M km² | 2.4M km² | 1 |
| 9 | 🇨🇩Democratic Republic of the Congo▼ | 0 km² | +2.3M | — | +2.3M km² | 2.3M km² | 1 |
| 10 | 🇧🇴Bolivia▼ | 0 km² | +3.0M | -771K | +2.2M km² | 1.1M km² | 9 |
| 11 | 🇸🇩Sudan▼ | 0 km² | +5.2M | -3.1M | +2.0M km² | 1.9M km² | 5 |
| 12 | 🇮🇩Indonesia▼ | 168 km² | +1.9M | -15K | +1.9M km² | 1.9M km² | 4 |
| 13 | 🇵🇪Peru▼ | 0 km² | +1.8M | -165K | +1.6M km² | 1.3M km² | 6 |
| 14 | 🇲🇳Mongolia▼ | 33K km² | +1.5M | — | +1.5M km² | 1.6M km² | 1 |
| 15 | 🇯🇵Japan▼ | 0 km² | +3.7M | -2.2M | +1.4M km² | 378K km² | 25 |
| 16 | 🇦🇴Angola▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | — | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 1 |
| 17 | 🇿🇦South Africa▼ | 0 km² | +2.0M | -824K | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 5 |
| 18 | 🇲🇱Mali▼ | 35K km² | +1.4M | -197K | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 3 |
| 19 | 🇹🇩Chad▼ | 79K km² | +1.3M | -78K | +1.2M km² | 1.3M km² | 2 |
| 20 | 🇳🇬Nigeria▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | — | +1.2M km² | 924K km² | 1 |
| 21 | 🇨🇴Colombia▼ | 29K km² | +2.5M | -1.4M | +1.1M km² | 1.1M km² | 11 |
| 22 | 🇲🇷Mauritania▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | -89K | +1.1M km² | 1.0M km² | 3 |
| 23 | 🇪🇬Egypt▼ | 0 km² | +5.4M | -4.4M | +1.0M km² | 1.0M km² | 19 |
| 24 | 🇹🇿Tanzania▼ | 8K km² | +939K | — | +939K km² | 947K km² | 1 |
| 25 | 🇳🇪Niger▼ | 344K km² | +924K | -665 | +923K km² | 1.3M km² | 3 |
| 26 | 🇳🇦Namibia▼ | 0 km² | +824K | -5 | +824K km² | 824K km² | 3 |
| 27 | 🇿🇲Zambia▼ | 676 km² | +752K | — | +752K km² | 753K km² | 1 |
| 28 | 🇵🇱Poland▼ | 0 km² | +912K | -190K | +722K km² | 313K km² | 13 |
| 29 | 🇸🇴Somalia▼ | 0 km² | +638K | — | +638K km² | 638K km² | 2 |
| 30 | 🇸🇸South Sudan▼ | 25K km² | +620K | — | +620K km² | 644K km² | 1 |
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.