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The world in 1885

1885 is the year the Berlin Conference ended. This map shows the 99 states and peoples the data has for the world in that year.

Map of the world in 1885 with 99 states and peoples
Borders: Cliopatria, Seshat Global History Databank (CC BY 4.0). Coarse outlines: check and adjust them for your story.

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States and peoples in the world in 1885

Largest first, by area on this map.

  • Russian Empire
  • Qing Dynasty
  • United States of America
  • British Colonial Empire
  • Empire of Brazil
  • British Raj
  • British Africa
  • Argentine Confederation
  • Ottoman Empire
  • Mexico
  • Qajar Dynasty
  • United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway
  • Bolivia
  • French Africa
  • Republic of Peru
  • Republic of Colombia
  • Kingdom of Portugal
  • Kingdom of Spain
  • Dutch East Indies
  • German Empire
  • Ottoman Tripolitania
  • Austria-Hungary
  • Venezuela
  • French Third Republic
  • German Africa
  • Republic of Chile
  • Sokoto Caliphate
  • Emirate of Afghanistan
  • Rattanakosin Kingdom
  • Kingdom of Great Britain
  • Empire of Japan
  • Merina Kingdom
  • French Indochina
  • Morocco
  • Kingdom of Italy
  • South African Republic
  • Denmark-Norway
  • Emirate of Nejd
  • Wadai Empire
  • Joseon
  • Emirate of Jabal Shammar
  • Republic of Ecuador
  • Ethiopian Empire
  • Bornu Empire
  • Greenland
  • Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  • Sultanate of Oman
  • United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia
  • Paraguay
  • Nepal
  • Kingdom of Luang Phrabang
  • Ashanti Empire
  • Free Orange State
  • Netherlands Antilles
  • Principality of Bulgaria
  • Sultanate of Hobyo
  • Honduras
  • Republic of Nicaragua
  • Guatemala
  • Kingdom of Lunda
  • Republic of Liberia
  • Majeerteen Sultanate
  • First Hellenic Republic
  • Trucial States
  • Kingdom of Sarawak
  • Serbs
  • Kingdom of Belgium
  • Talpur Dynasty
  • Netherlands
  • Swiss Confederation
  • Republic of Costa Rica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Kingdom of Bhutan
  • Natalia Republic
  • Pahang Sultanate
  • Sultanate of Aceh
  • Kingdom of Champasak
  • People's Republic of Zanzibar
  • Empire of Haiti
  • Zululand
  • Sultanate of Jambi
  • Portuguese Colonies
  • Republic of El Salvador
  • Swaziland
  • Kingdom of Hawaï'i
  • Sultanate of Terengganu
  • Nieuwe Republiek
  • Qatar Dynasty
  • Montenegro
  • Sultanate of Brunei
  • Sultanate of Kedah
  • Kelantan
  • Sultanate of Bima
  • Negeri Sembilan
  • Bali
  • Kedah-Perlis District
  • House of Khalifa
  • Principality of Andorra
  • Kingdom of Monaco

New on the map since 1860

British Africa · Mexico · Republic of Colombia · German Empire · Austria-Hungary · French Third Republic · German Africa · Empire of Japan · Kingdom of Italy · Emirate of Jabal Shammar · Principality of Bulgaria · Sultanate of Hobyo · Swaziland · Nieuwe Republiek

Gone from the map by 1910

Empire of Brazil · United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway · Sokoto Caliphate · Merina Kingdom · South African Republic · Joseon · Bornu Empire · Sultanate of Oman · Kingdom of Luang Phrabang · Ashanti Empire · Free Orange State · Sultanate of Hobyo · Kingdom of Lunda · Majeerteen Sultanate · Trucial States · Kingdom of Sarawak · Talpur Dynasty · Pahang Sultanate · Kingdom of Champasak · People's Republic of Zanzibar · Zululand · Sultanate of Jambi · Swaziland · Kingdom of Hawaï'i · Sultanate of Terengganu · Nieuwe Republiek · Qatar Dynasty · Sultanate of Brunei · Kelantan · Sultanate of Bima · Negeri Sembilan · Bali · House of Khalifa

Animated maps of this time

The world in other years

Other regions in 1885

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.