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Historical map · 1950

Map of Asia in 1950

In 1950, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 46 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 People's Republic of China and the British Empire.

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Asia in 1950. 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 1950 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1950
Atlas map: The People’s Republic (1949)
FROM THE ATLAS · CHINA IN REVOLUTION, CHAPTER 12: THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC (1949)

States and empires in Asia in 1950

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Wikipedia19.7 million km²21.9 million km²1922–1991
People's Republic of China Wikipedia8.5 million km²8.5 million km²1950–2024
British Empire Wikipedia5.7 million km²11.3 million km²1706–1999
British Africa Wikipedia4.9 million km²8.0 million km²1885–1960
Republic of India Wikipedia3.1 million km²3.1 million km²1947–2024
Republic of Indonesia Wikipedia2.0 million km²2.0 million km²1946–2024
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Wikipedia1.9 million km²1.9 million km²1936–2024
Pahlavi Iran Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1924–1978
Mongolian People's Republic Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1925–1991
Ethiopia Wikipedia1.1 million km²1.1 million km²1942–2024
Dominion of Pakistan Wikipedia1.0 million km²1.0 million km²1947–2024
Kingdom of Egypt Wikipedia1.0 million km²1.0 million km²1922–1952
Belgian Congo Wikipedia945,000 km²2.4 million km²1890–1962
Tibet Wikipedia911,000 km²911,000 km²1363–1952
French Fourth Republic Wikipedia819,000 km²13.8 million km²1945–1957
Republic of Turkey Wikipedia768,000 km²768,000 km²1924–2024
French Indochina Wikipedia755,000 km²790,000 km²1860–1957
Burma Wikipedia678,000 km²678,000 km²1820–2024
Kingdom of Afghanistan Wikipedia644,000 km²644,000 km²1926–1972
Kingdom of Thailand Wikipedia524,000 km²524,000 km²1932–2024
Kingdom of Iraq Wikipedia434,000 km²434,000 km²1932–1957
Territory of Papua and New Guinea (Australian)432,000 km²480,000 km²1946–1974
United Kingdom Wikipedia426,000 km²692,000 km²1709–2024
Japan411,000 km²411,000 km²1947–2024
Republic of the Philippines Wikipedia345,000 km²345,000 km²1947–2024
Muscat and Oman Wikipedia315,000 km²315,000 km²1900–1969
Republic of Finland Wikipedia228,000 km²335,000 km²1918–2024
Second Syrian Republic Wikipedia188,000 km²188,000 km²1946–1957
North Yemen Wikipedia152,000 km²152,000 km²1919–1989
Nepal Wikipedia149,000 km²149,000 km²1775–2024
Democratic People's Republic of Korea Wikipedia129,000 km²129,000 km²1948–2024
Romanian People's Republic Wikipedia117,000 km²238,000 km²1948–1989
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Wikipedia104,000 km²104,000 km²1947–2024
Republic of Korea103,000 km²103,000 km²1948–2024
Dominion of Ceylon Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²1948–2024
Kingdom of Bhutan Wikipedia71,000 km²71,000 km²1636–2024
French Africa Wikipedia64,000 km²11.7 million km²1846–1957
People's Republic of Bulgaria Wikipedia59,000 km²109,000 km²1947–1990
Republic of China41,000 km²41,000 km²1950–2024
Kingdom of Norway Wikipedia31,000 km²418,000 km²1814–2024

Also on the map: Portugal (Estado Novo), State of Israel, Kingdom of Greece, Lebanon, United States of America, Commonwealth of Australia.

"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 1945

New on the map: People's Republic of China, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Dominion of Pakistan, Burma, Kingdom of Iraq, Territory of Papua and New Guinea (Australian), Japan, Republic of the Philippines, Second Syrian Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Romanian People's Republic, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Republic of Korea, Dominion of Ceylon, People's Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of China, State of Israel.

Gone from the map: Empire of Japan, Republic of China, British Raj, East Turkestan Republic, French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Kingdom of Romania, Kingdom of Bulgaria, Communist-held China.

What comes next: 1960

Appear by 1960: Republic of Sudan, United Arab Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somali Republic, Iraqi Republic, Kingdom of Laos, Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Federation of Malaya, French Fifth Republic, Kingdom of Libya.

Gone by 1960: Kingdom of Egypt, Tibet, French Fourth Republic, French Indochina, Kingdom of Iraq, Second Syrian Republic, French Africa.

Read the history of 1950

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 1950?

The map data draws 46 states and other polities in Asia in 1950. The largest by land were the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the People's Republic of China, the British Empire, the British Africa and the Republic of India.

What was the largest empire in Asia in 1950?

Of the states on this map, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics held the most land in total: about 21.9 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Asia in 1950 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1950, 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 1950