Africa in 1980
This map shows the 74 states and peoples the data has for Africa in that year.
Watch these borders move
Play the changes on an animated map, in your browser. Free, no account needed.
States and peoples in Africa in 1980
Largest first, by area on this map.
- French Fifth Republic
- People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
- Republic of Sudan
- Zaire
- South Africa
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Libyan Arab Republic
- Republic of Chad
- Mali Federation
- Ethiopia
- People's Republic of Angola
- Republic of the Niger
- Mauritania
- Arab Republic of Egypt
- Islamic Republic of Iran
- Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Tanzania
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Federal Republic of Somalia
- Madagascar
- Central African Republic
- Republic of Botswana
- Republic of Kenya
- Iraqi Republic
- Morocco
- Republic of Cameroon
- Zimbabwe Rhodesia
- Republic of the Congo
- Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
- People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
- Burkina Faso
- Republic of Turkey
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Ghana
- Syria
- Republic of Uganda
- Republic of Senegal
- Republic of Tunisia
- North Yemen
- Kingdom of Great Britain
- Republic of Benin
- Kingdom of Spain
- Kingdom of Jordan
- State of Israel
- Republic of Liberia
- Malawi
- Sultanate of Oman
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- United Arab Emirates
- Third Hellenic Republic
- Lesotho
- Republic of Guinea-Bissau
- Republic of Italy
- Republic of Rwanda
- Equatorial Guinea
- Republic of Burundi
- Republic of Djibouti
- Eswatini
- State of Kuwait
- Portugal
- Lebanon
- State of Qatar
- Republic of The Gambia
- Republic of Cyprus
- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
- Estado Novo
- Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
- Republic of Cabo Verde
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Kingdom of Bahrain
- Malta
New on the map since 1955
French Fifth Republic · People's Democratic Republic of Algeria · Republic of Sudan · Zaire · Libyan Arab Republic · Republic of Chad · Mali Federation · People's Republic of Angola · Republic of the Niger · Mauritania · Arab Republic of Egypt · Islamic Republic of Iran · Federal Republic of Nigeria · Tanzania · Mozambique · Zambia · Federal Republic of Somalia · Madagascar · Central African Republic · Republic of Botswana · Republic of Kenya · Iraqi Republic · Morocco · Republic of Cameroon · Zimbabwe Rhodesia · Republic of the Congo · Republic of Côte d'Ivoire · People's Democratic Republic of Yemen · Burkina Faso · Gabon · Guinea · Ghana · Syria · Republic of Uganda · Republic of Senegal · Republic of Tunisia · Republic of Benin · Kingdom of Spain · Malawi · Sultanate of Oman · Sierra Leone · Togo · United Arab Emirates · Third Hellenic Republic · Lesotho · Republic of Guinea-Bissau · Republic of Rwanda · Equatorial Guinea · Republic of Burundi · Republic of Djibouti · Eswatini · State of Kuwait · Portugal · State of Qatar · Republic of The Gambia · Republic of Cyprus · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus · Republic of Cabo Verde · São Tomé and Príncipe · Kingdom of Bahrain · Malta
Gone from the map by 2005
Zaire · Zimbabwe Rhodesia · People's Democratic Republic of Yemen · North Yemen · State of Kuwait · Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Animated maps of this time
Africa in other years
Other regions in 1980
The outlines are coarse and follow the Cliopatria dataset: borders before modern surveys are estimates, and a blank area means the data has no state on record there, not that nobody lived there. A state that changed hands during the year can appear together with its successor.