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Historical map · 1914

Map of Africa in 1914

In 1914, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 22 states, empires and other polities in Africa. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the French Third Republic, the French Africa and the British Empire. The British Empire reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 37.8 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 1914. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.

OPEN 1914 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1914
Atlas map: The Balkan Crises (Aug 1913)
FROM THE ATLAS · WWI, CHAPTER 2: THE BALKAN CRISES (AUG 1913)

States and empires in Africa in 1914

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
French Third Republic Wikipedia10.4 million km²12.5 million km²1871–1939
French Africa Wikipedia10.4 million km²10.4 million km²1846–1957
British Empire Wikipedia9.7 million km²37.8 million km²1706–1999
British Africa Wikipedia8.3 million km²8.3 million km²1885–1960
German Africa Wikipedia2.7 million km²2.7 million km²1871–1918
Belgian Congo Wikipedia2.4 million km²2.4 million km²1890–1962
Portuguese Republic Wikipedia2.1 million km²2.2 million km²1911–1925
Italian Africa Wikipedia1.5 million km²1.5 million km²1890–1943
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia1.4 million km²1.9 million km²1305–1923
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia1.1 million km²1.1 million km²1272–1935
British Gold Coast Wikipedia1.1 million km²1.1 million km²1873–1960
Qajar Iran Wikipedia548,000 km²1.6 million km²1788–1923
Emirate of Nejd Wikipedia455,000 km²455,000 km²1824–1925
Kingdom of Spain Wikipedia434,000 km²854,000 km²1516–2024
Spanish Empire Wikipedia434,000 km²854,000 km²1516–1931
United Kingdom Wikipedia338,000 km²745,000 km²1709–2024
Republic of Liberia Wikipedia100,000 km²100,000 km²1848–2024
Emirate of Jabal Shammar Wikipedia84,000 km²84,000 km²1825–1921
Greece Wikipedia26,000 km²114,000 km²1822–1940
Kingdom of Italy Wikipedia22,000 km²277,000 km²587–1946
Qatar Wikipedia13,000 km²13,000 km²1820–2024
Sultanate of Muscat and Oman Wikipedia5,510 km²21,000 km²1900–1969

"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.

What changed since 1910

New on the map: Portuguese Republic, Qatar.

Gone from the map: Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese Empire, Ottoman Tripolitania, Morocco, Wadai Empire, Colony of Natal (British).

What comes next: 1918

Appear by 1918: Kingdom of Hejaz, Asir.

Gone by 1918: Qatar.

Read the history of 1914

Guided atlas chapters set near this date, each with its own map, causes and consequences:

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Africa in 1914?

The map data draws 22 states and other polities in Africa in 1914. The largest by land were the French Third Republic, the French Africa, the British Empire, the British Africa and the German Africa.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 1914?

Of the states on this map, the British Empire held the most land in total: about 37.8 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 1914 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1914, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.

About these borders

The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.

Africa in other years

Other regions in 1914