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Historical map · 1930

Map of Asia in 1930

In 1930, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 44 states, empires and other polities in Asia. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the British Empire and the Republic of China. The British Empire reached well beyond Asia: its whole territory measured about 39.1 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Asia 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 Great Turn: Collectivisation (1930)
FROM THE ATLAS · THE SOVIET UNION UNDER STALIN, CHAPTER 2: THE GREAT TURN: COLLECTIVISATION (1930)

States and empires in Asia in 1930

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Wikipedia19.5 million km²21.5 million km²1922–1991
British Empire Wikipedia11.1 million km²39.1 million km²1706–1999
Republic of China7.9 million km²7.9 million km²1912–1949
British Raj Wikipedia4.9 million km²4.9 million km²1859–1947
British Africa Wikipedia4.9 million km²9.1 million km²1885–1960
Dutch East Indies Wikipedia2.0 million km²2.0 million km²1800–1949
Netherlands Wikipedia2.0 million km²2.1 million km²1811–2024
Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1926–1935
Pahlavi Iran Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1924–1978
Mongolian People's Republic Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1925–1991
Tibet Wikipedia1.2 million km²1.2 million km²1363–1952
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia1.1 million km²1.1 million km²1272–1935
French Third Republic Wikipedia1.0 million km²13.4 million km²1871–1939
Kingdom of Egypt Wikipedia1.0 million km²1.0 million km²1922–1952
Belgian Congo Wikipedia945,000 km²2.4 million km²1890–1962
Republic of Turkey Wikipedia763,000 km²763,000 km²1924–2024
French Indochina Wikipedia757,000 km²793,000 km²1860–1957
Empire of Japan Wikipedia742,000 km²748,000 km²1868–1946
Kingdom of Afghanistan Wikipedia644,000 km²644,000 km²1926–1972
Italian Africa Wikipedia595,000 km²2.1 million km²1890–1943
Anti-Kuomintang Coalition Wikipedia557,000 km²557,000 km²1930–1931
Siam Wikipedia524,000 km²524,000 km²1783–1931
United Kingdom Wikipedia401,000 km²667,000 km²1709–2024
United States of America Wikipedia346,000 km²9.8 million km²1776–2024
Sultanate of Muscat and Oman Wikipedia331,000 km²331,000 km²1900–1969
Republic of Finland Wikipedia267,000 km²374,000 km²1918–2024
French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon Wikipedia202,000 km²202,000 km²1920–1945
North Yemen Wikipedia182,000 km²182,000 km²1919–1989
Kingdom of Romania Wikipedia178,000 km²300,000 km²1919–1947
Nepal Wikipedia149,000 km²149,000 km²1775–2024
Second Polish Republic Wikipedia105,000 km²372,000 km²1918–1939
French Africa Wikipedia64,000 km²11.1 million km²1846–1957
Kingdom of Bulgaria Wikipedia51,000 km²102,000 km²1909–1946
Kingdom of Bhutan Wikipedia41,000 km²41,000 km²1636–2024
Communist-held China Wikipedia39,000 km²39,000 km²1928–1949
Republic of Latvia Wikipedia35,000 km²67,000 km²1920–2024
Kingdom of Norway Wikipedia31,000 km²418,000 km²1814–2024
Estonia Wikipedia30,000 km²48,000 km²1919–2024
Portugal (military dictatorship) Wikipedia28,000 km²2.2 million km²1926–2024
Greece Wikipedia15,000 km²121,000 km²1822–1940

Also on the map: Republic of Lithuania, Kingdom of Italy, Commonwealth of Australia, Kingdom of Belgium.

"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: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, Pahlavi Iran, Mongolian People's Republic, Kingdom of Egypt, Republic of Turkey, Kingdom of Afghanistan, Anti-Kuomintang Coalition, Communist-held China, Portugal (military dictatorship).

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

What comes next: 1938

Appear by 1938: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Siam, Kingdom of Iraq, Nazi Germany.

Gone by 1938: Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, Ethiopian Empire, Anti-Kuomintang Coalition, Siam, Kingdom of Belgium.

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 Asia in 1930?

The map data draws 44 states and other polities in Asia in 1930. The largest by land were the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the British Empire, the Republic of China, the British Raj and the British Africa.

What was the largest empire in Asia 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 Asia 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.

Asia in other years

Other regions in 1930