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Historical map · 1970

Map of Asia in 1970

In 1970, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 62 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 Republic of India.

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Asia in 1970. 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 1970 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1970
Atlas map: Vietnam (Aug 1968)
FROM THE ATLAS · THE COLD WAR, CHAPTER 7: VIETNAM (AUG 1968)

States and empires in Asia in 1970

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Wikipedia19.7 million km²21.9 million km²1922–1991
People's Republic of China Wikipedia9.4 million km²9.4 million km²1950–2024
Republic of India Wikipedia3.2 million km²3.2 million km²1947–2024
Republic of Sudan Wikipedia2.3 million km²2.5 million km²1956–2024
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 Wikipedia1.3 million km²1.3 million km²1942–2024
Islamic Republic of Pakistan Wikipedia1.0 million km²1.0 million km²1947–2024
United Arab Republic Wikipedia948,000 km²953,000 km²1958–1972
Democratic Republic of the Congo Wikipedia894,000 km²2.3 million km²1960–2024
Tanzania Wikipedia862,000 km²890,000 km²1964–2024
Republic of Turkey Wikipedia768,000 km²768,000 km²1924–2024
Burma Wikipedia678,000 km²678,000 km²1820–2024
Somali Democratic Republic Wikipedia649,000 km²649,000 km²1960–2024
Kingdom of Afghanistan Wikipedia644,000 km²644,000 km²1926–1972
Republic of Kenya Wikipedia588,000 km²588,000 km²1963–2024
Kingdom of Thailand Wikipedia524,000 km²524,000 km²1932–2024
Iraqi Republic Wikipedia434,000 km²434,000 km²1959–2024
Territory of Papua and New Guinea (Australian)432,000 km²480,000 km²1946–1974
Japan411,000 km²411,000 km²1947–2024
Malaysia Wikipedia348,000 km²348,000 km²1963–2024
Republic of the Philippines Wikipedia345,000 km²345,000 km²1947–2024
Sultanate of Oman Wikipedia315,000 km²315,000 km²1744–2024
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen Wikipedia314,000 km²314,000 km²1968–1989
Republic of Finland Wikipedia228,000 km²335,000 km²1918–2024
Kingdom of Laos Wikipedia217,000 km²217,000 km²1954–1975
Republic of Uganda Wikipedia211,000 km²211,000 km²1963–2024
Syrian Arab Republic Wikipedia186,000 km²186,000 km²1961–2024
Republic of Vietnam181,000 km²181,000 km²1956–1975
Khmer Republic181,000 km²181,000 km²1970–1975
Democratic Republic of Vietnam Wikipedia158,000 km²158,000 km²1954–1975
North Yemen Wikipedia152,000 km²152,000 km²1919–1989
Nepal Wikipedia149,000 km²149,000 km²1775–2024
Zambia Wikipedia128,000 km²750,000 km²1965–2024
Democratic People's Republic of Korea Wikipedia127,000 km²127,000 km²1948–2024
Socialist Republic of Romania Wikipedia117,000 km²238,000 km²1948–1989
Republic of Korea105,000 km²105,000 km²1948–2024
British Empire Wikipedia103,000 km²627,000 km²1706–1999

Also on the map: United Kingdom, State of Israel, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Dominion of Ceylon, People's Republic of Bulgaria, Central African Republic, Republic of China, Kingdom of Bhutan, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Burundi, Portugal (Estado Novo), French Fifth Republic, Greek junta, State of Kuwait, Republic of Cyprus, Malawi, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Republic, United States of America, Commonwealth of Australia, Republic of Singapore.

"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 1960

New on the map: Tanzania, Republic of Kenya, Malaysia, Sultanate of Oman, People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, Republic of Uganda, Syrian Arab Republic, Khmer Republic, Zambia, Central African Republic, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Burundi, Greek junta, State of Kuwait, Republic of Cyprus, Malawi, Libyan Arab Republic, Republic of Singapore.

Gone from the map: British Africa, Muscat and Oman, Kingdom of Cambodia, Federation of Malaya, Belgian Congo, Kingdom of Greece, Kingdom of Libya.

What comes next: 1980

Appear by 1980: Islamic Republic of Iran, Arab Republic of Egypt, Zaire, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Lao People's Democratic Republic, People's Republic of Kampuchea, People's Republic of Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Republic of Djibouti, Third Hellenic Republic, State of Qatar, Turkish Federated State of Kıbrıs, Mozambique, State of Bahrain.

Gone by 1980: Pahlavi Iran, United Arab Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kingdom of Afghanistan, Territory of Papua and New Guinea (Australian), Kingdom of Laos, Republic of Vietnam, Khmer Republic, Democratic Republic of Vietnam, French Fifth Republic, Greek junta.

Read the history of 1970

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 1970?

The map data draws 62 states and other polities in Asia in 1970. The largest by land were the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of India, the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of Indonesia.

What was the largest empire in Asia in 1970?

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 1970 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1970, 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 1970