We hope that this listing of major, selected political changes can assist you in estimating the age of a world map or globe. This listing is intended to determine an approximate time frame for the publication of your map or globe. Unfortunately, we cannot provide more detailed (case by case) analysis to private collectors. Specific inquiries are best resolved with professional appraisers or with a visit to local public or university library. Links to possible sources of information and other suggestions are found at the end of this page.
General Information
A globe or map publisher will sometimes include a copyright date or edition date near the legend, globe name, or publisher's information. If an edition date is not shown, you can determine the approximate date by comparing your globe to the following listing. Please note that the naming conventions or the actual date a change is made by a publisher can vary.
Instructions
You can determine an edition date by comparing your globe or map to the listing. For example, if your globe shows the Philippines as independent (1946), but India as a British possession and not yet independent (1947), then the globe's edition date is 1946 or 1947. The Listing of Global Changes provides major, selected political changes. It begins with changes in 1898 and is current through 1997. To assist you in locating places, we have provided a Region Map. Simply find the country's index number in the listing and then refer to the Region Map to locate the country more easily. Please note that North America, Australia, and Antarctica are not included in the Region Map or in the Listing of Global Changes. Although Australia gained independence in 1901, and several U.S. states have achieved statehood since 1898, such changes are not shown.
| (1) . . . . (2) . . . . (3) . . . . (4) . . . . (5) . . . . |
Middle America South America Western Europe Northern Africa Central Africa |
(6) . . . . (7) . . . . (8) . . . . (9) . . . . (10) . . . |
Southern Africa Eastern Europe and Russia Middle East Central and Southern Asia East and Southeastern Asia |
| Date | Event (Region index number) |
|---|---|
| 1890s.................................................................. | |
| 1898 | Spanish-American War U.S. acquires the territories of Philippines (10) U.S. acquires Puerto Rico (spelled Porto Rico), Cuba (1) |
| 1900s.................................................................. | |
| 1902 | Cuba independence (1) |
| 1903 | Panama independence (1) |
| 1905 | Norway independence (3) |
| 1908 | Bulgaria independence (7) |
| 1910s.................................................................. | |
| 1910 | Union of South Africa independence (6) |
| 1912 | Albania independence (7) |
| 1914 | Panama Canal opens (1) |
| 1914-18 | World War One |
| 1917 | Finland independence (3) |
| 1918 | Austria, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia independence (7) |
| 1919 | Afghanistan independence (9) |
| 1920s.................................................................. | |
| 1920 | Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia independence (7) |
| 1921 | Irish Free State semi-independence (3) |
| 1922 | Russia changes to Soviet Union (7) Egypt independence(4) |
| 1923 | Turkey independence (7) |
| 1928 | Capital city of China changes from Peiping to Peking (10) |
| 1929 | Yugoslavia name change (7) |
| 1930s.................................................................. | |
| 1932 | Saudi Arabia, Iraq independence (8) |
| 1935 | Persia changes to Iran (8) |
| 1936 | Italy invades Ethiopia (5) |
| 1939 | Germany annexes Austria (3) & Czechoslovakia (7) |
| 1939-1945 | World War Two |
| 1940s.................................................................. | |
| 1946 | Jordan, Syria independence (8) Philippines independence (10) |
| 1947 | India, Pakistan independence (9) |
| 1948 | Israel independence (8) Burma, Ceylon independence font COLOR="red">(9) |
| 1949 | Indonesia independence (10) East and West Germany created (3) |
| 1950s.................................................................. | |
| 1951 | Libya independence (4) |
| 1953 | Cease fire line divides North and South Korea (10) |
| 1954 | North and South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia independence (10) |
| 1956 | Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan independence (4) |
| 1957 | Malaya independence (10) |
| 1958 | Guinea independence (5) |
| 1960s.................................................................. | |
| 1960 | Major break-up of colonial Africa: French West Africa, French Equatorial Africa, Belgian Congo, and other territories end, creating over 15 independent countries, including Niger, Chad, Somalia, Congo, Nigeria (4, 5) |
| 1961 | Kuwait independence (8) Tanganyika independence (5) |
| 1962 | Algeria independence (4) Uganda independence (5) Jamaica independence (1) |
| 1963 | Kenya independence (5) Malaysia independence (10) |
| 1964 | Zambia, Malawi independence (6) Tanzania independence (5) |
| 1965 | Singapore independence (10) |
| 1966 | Botswana, Lesotho independence (6) Guyana independence (2) |
| 1967 | French Somaliland changes to Afars & Issas (Fr.) (5) |
| 1968 | Equatorial Guinea independence (5) |
| 1970s.................................................................. | |
| 1970 | Muscat and Oman changes to Oman (8) |
| 1971 | Congo changes to Zaire (5) Bangladesh independence (9) |
| 1972 | Ceylon changes to Sri Lanka (9) |
| 1973 | Bahamas independence (1) |
| 1974 | Guinea-Bissau independence (5) |
| 1975 | Angola, Mozambique independence (6) Suriname independence (2) |
| 1976 | Vietnam unifies (10) Indonesia annexes Portuguese Timor (10) |
| 1977 | Djibouti independence (5) |
| 1978 | Dominica independence (1) |
| 1979 | St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines independence (1) |
| 1980s.................................................................. | |
| 1980 | Zimbabwe independence (6) |
| 1981 | Belize, Antigua and Barbuda independence (1) |
| 1984 | Upper Volta changes to Burkina Faso (5) |
| 1986 | Ivory Coast changes to Cote d'Ivoire (5) |
| 1989 | Burma changes to Myanmar (9) |
| 1990s.................................................................. | |
| 1990 | Germany unifies (3) Yemen unifies (8) Namibia independence (6) |
| 1991-1992 | Soviet Union dissolves into 15 new countries, including Russia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan (7, 9) |
| 1992 | Yugoslavia dissolves into 5 new countries, including Bosnia, Croatia, Yugoslavia (7) |
| 1993 | Czechoslovakia divides into Czech Republic and Slovakia (7) |
| 1994 | Walvis Bay possession changes to Namibia (6) |
| 1997 | Zaire changes to Congo (5) Hong Kong possession changes to China (10) Western Samoa changed its name to Samoa [Pacific Ocean / half way between Hawaii and New Zealand] |
| 1999 | Nunavut Territory created from part of Northwest Territories [Canada] Mt. Everest elevation adjusted to 29,035 feet, in Nepal [Southern Asia] Macau returned by Portugal to China, next to Hong Kong [Southern China] |
Copyright, George F. Cram Co., used with permission, Interface Network Inc.
Source Cited
Source Cited
