Territory Changes
500 events since 1900 · 96.6M 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
16
since 1900
Expanded
147
41 via conflict
106 peaceful only
Contracted
31
17 via conflict
14 peaceful only
Based on 500 recorded events (130 by conflict · 96.6M 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 | 🇦🇺Australia▼ | 268K km² | +7.9M | -463K | +7.5M km² | 7.7M km² | 8 |
| 3 | 🇮🇳India▼ | 479K km² | +2.9M | -94K | +2.8M km² | 3.3M km² | 22 |
| 4 | 🇰🇿Kazakhstan▼ | 8K km² | +2.7M | -470 | +2.7M km² | 2.7M km² | 2 |
| 5 | 🇩🇿Algeria▼ | 0 km² | +2.4M | — | +2.4M km² | 2.4M km² | 1 |
| 6 | 🇨🇩Democratic Republic of the Congo▼ | 0 km² | +2.3M | — | +2.3M km² | 2.3M km² | 1 |
| 7 | 🇮🇩Indonesia▼ | 168 km² | +1.9M | -15K | +1.9M km² | 1.9M km² | 4 |
| 8 | 🇸🇩Sudan▼ | 13K km² | +2.5M | -640K | +1.9M km² | 1.9M km² | 3 |
| 9 | 🇲🇳Mongolia▼ | 33K km² | +1.5M | — | +1.5M km² | 1.6M km² | 1 |
| 10 | 🇯🇵Japan▼ | 0 km² | +3.6M | -2.2M | +1.4M km² | 378K km² | 21 |
| 11 | 🇦🇴Angola▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | — | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 1 |
| 12 | 🇿🇦South Africa▼ | 0 km² | +2.0M | -824K | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 5 |
| 13 | 🇲🇱Mali▼ | 35K km² | +1.4M | -197K | +1.2M km² | 1.2M km² | 3 |
| 14 | 🇹🇩Chad▼ | 79K km² | +1.3M | -78K | +1.2M km² | 1.3M km² | 2 |
| 15 | 🇳🇬Nigeria▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | — | +1.2M km² | 924K km² | 1 |
| 16 | 🇲🇷Mauritania▼ | 0 km² | +1.2M | -89K | +1.1M km² | 1.0M km² | 3 |
| 17 | 🇪🇬Egypt▼ | 0 km² | +1.3M | -239K | +1.0M km² | 1.0M km² | 13 |
| 18 | 🇹🇿Tanzania▼ | 8K km² | +939K | — | +939K km² | 947K km² | 1 |
| 19 | 🇳🇪Niger▼ | 344K km² | +924K | -665 | +923K km² | 1.3M km² | 3 |
| 20 | 🇳🇦Namibia▼ | 0 km² | +824K | -5 | +824K km² | 824K km² | 3 |
| 21 | 🇿🇲Zambia▼ | 676 km² | +752K | — | +752K km² | 753K km² | 1 |
| 22 | 🇵🇱Poland▼ | 0 km² | +912K | -190K | +722K km² | 313K km² | 13 |
| 23 | 🇲🇲Myanmar▼ | 0 km² | +678K | -161 | +678K km² | 677K km² | 2 |
| 24 | 🇸🇴Somalia▼ | 0 km² | +638K | — | +638K km² | 638K km² | 2 |
| 25 | 🇸🇸South Sudan▼ | 25K km² | +620K | — | +620K km² | 644K km² | 1 |
| 26 | 🇵🇰Pakistan▼ | 273K km² | +913K | -304K | +609K km² | 882K km² | 14 |
| 27 | 🇲🇬Madagascar▼ | 0 km² | +590K | — | +590K km² | 587K km² | 1 |
| 28 | 🇰🇪Kenya▼ | 0 km² | +583K | — | +583K km² | 580K km² | 1 |
| 29 | 🇧🇼Botswana▼ | 7K km² | +575K | — | +575K km² | 582K km² | 3 |
| 30 | 🇹🇲Turkmenistan▼ | 0 km² | +488K | — | +488K km² | 488K 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.