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Historical map · 1930

Map of Africa in 1930

In 1930, 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 39.1 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 1930. 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 1930 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1930
Atlas map: The World the Slump Made (1931)
FROM THE ATLAS · THE ROAD TO WAR, CHAPTER 1: THE WORLD THE SLUMP MADE (1931)

States and empires in Africa in 1930

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
French Third Republic Wikipedia11.3 million km²13.4 million km²1871–1939
French Africa Wikipedia11.1 million km²11.1 million km²1846–1957
British Empire Wikipedia10.7 million km²39.1 million km²1706–1999
British Africa Wikipedia9.1 million km²9.1 million km²1885–1960
Belgian Congo Wikipedia2.4 million km²2.4 million km²1890–1962
Italian Africa Wikipedia2.1 million km²2.1 million km²1890–1943
Portugal (military dictatorship) Wikipedia2.1 million km²2.2 million km²1926–2024
Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1926–1935
British Gold Coast Wikipedia1.2 million km²1.2 million km²1873–1960
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia1.1 million km²1.1 million km²1272–1935
Kingdom of Egypt Wikipedia1.0 million km²1.0 million km²1922–1952
Pahlavi Iran Wikipedia548,000 km²1.6 million km²1924–1978
Kingdom of Spain Wikipedia434,000 km²854,000 km²1516–2024
Spanish Empire Wikipedia434,000 km²854,000 km²1516–1931
United Kingdom Wikipedia337,000 km²667,000 km²1709–2024
Republic of Turkey Wikipedia205,000 km²763,000 km²1924–2024
French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon Wikipedia202,000 km²202,000 km²1920–1945
North Yemen Wikipedia182,000 km²182,000 km²1919–1989
Republic of Liberia Wikipedia100,000 km²100,000 km²1848–2024
Kingdom of Italy Wikipedia26,000 km²299,000 km²587–1946
Greece Wikipedia26,000 km²121,000 km²1822–1940
Sultanate of Muscat and Oman Wikipedia26,000 km²331,000 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 1920

New on the map: Portugal (military dictatorship), Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, Kingdom of Egypt, Pahlavi Iran, Republic of Turkey.

Gone from the map: Portuguese Republic, Emirate of Nejd, Qajar Iran, Kingdom of Hejaz, Emirate of Jabal Shammar, Ottoman Empire, Asir.

What comes next: 1938

Appear by 1938: South Africa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Iraq, Second Spanish Republic, Spanish Nationalists, Nazi Germany.

Gone by 1938: Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, Ethiopian Empire, Kingdom of Spain, Spanish Empire.

Read the history of 1930

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 1930?

The map data draws 22 states and other polities in Africa in 1930. The largest by land were the French Third Republic, the French Africa, the British Empire, the British Africa and Belgian Congo.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 1930?

Of the states on this map, the British Empire held the most land in total: about 39.1 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 1930 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1930, 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 1930