The world in 1940
This map shows the 74 states and peoples the data has for the world in that year.
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States and peoples in the world in 1940
Largest first, by area on this map.
- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
- Canada
- United States of America
- French Africa
- Unitary State of Brazil
- Commonwealth of Australia
- Greenland
- British Africa
- British Raj
- Republic of China
- Empire of Japan
- Italian Africa
- Argentine Republic
- Nazi Germany
- Belgian Congo
- South Africa
- Mongolian People's Republic
- Estado Novo
- Communist Party of China
- Mexico
- British Colonial Empire
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Pahlavi Dynasty
- Dutch East Indies
- Free French
- Republic of Peru
- Republic of Colombia
- Bolivia
- Kingdom of Egypt
- Kingdom of Great Britain
- Tibet
- Francoist Spain
- Kingdom of Norway
- Republic of Turkey
- Kingdom of Sweden
- Venezuela
- Republic of Chile
- French Indochina
- Republic of Finland
- Kingdom of Afghanistan
- Kingdom of Thailand
- Kingdom of Iraq
- Vichy France
- Kingdom of Italy
- Paraguay
- Kingdom of Romania
- Yugoslavia
- Sultanate of Muscat and Oman
- Republic of Ecuador
- French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon
- Oriental Republic of Uruguay
- Hungarian Republic
- Nepal
- First Hellenic Republic
- North Yemen
- Netherlands Antilles
- Principality of Bulgaria
- Republic of Nicaragua
- Republic of Cuba
- Honduras
- Éire
- Guatemala
- Republic of Liberia
- Kingdom of Bhutan
- Republic of Panama
- Swiss Confederation
- Republic of Costa Rica
- Dominican Republic
- Republic of Haiti
- Republic of El Salvador
- New Hebrides
- Denmark-Norway
- Tangier International Zone
- Principality of Andorra
New on the map since 1915
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics · Canada · Unitary State of Brazil · Argentine Republic · Nazi Germany · South Africa · Mongolian People's Republic · Estado Novo · Communist Party of China · Mexico · Kingdom of Saudi Arabia · Pahlavi Dynasty · Free French · Kingdom of Egypt · Francoist Spain · Republic of Turkey · Republic of Finland · Kingdom of Afghanistan · Kingdom of Thailand · Kingdom of Iraq · Vichy France · Kingdom of Romania · Yugoslavia · French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon · Hungarian Republic · North Yemen · Éire · Republic of Haiti
Gone from the map by 1965
French Africa · Unitary State of Brazil · Greenland · British Africa · British Raj · Empire of Japan · Italian Africa · Nazi Germany · Belgian Congo · Communist Party of China · Dutch East Indies · Free French · Kingdom of Egypt · Tibet · French Indochina · Kingdom of Iraq · Vichy France · Kingdom of Italy · Kingdom of Romania · Yugoslavia · Sultanate of Muscat and Oman · French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon · Hungarian Republic · First Hellenic Republic · Principality of Bulgaria · Republic of Cuba · Denmark-Norway · Tangier International Zone
Animated maps of this time
- World War II in Europe, 1939–1945: Who Held What
- The Making of the United States, 1492–2025: Native Nations and Colonial Powers
- Swedish Empire – Dynasties & Territories
- Lights Against the Sea: North Sea Shipwrecks and Lighthouses (1593–2026)
- Friesland Through the Ages (12 BC – 2019)
- The British Empire, 1600–1997
The world in other years
Other regions in 1940
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.