Historical map · 1970
Map of India and South Asia in 1970
In 1970, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 13 states, empires and other polities in India and South Asia. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics reached well beyond India and South Asia: its whole territory measured about 21.9 million km².
See this map live. The interactive map opens on India and South 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
States and empires in India and South Asia in 1970
| State | In this region | In the data |
|---|---|---|
| Republic of India Wikipedia | 3.2 million km² | 1947–2024 |
| People's Republic of China Wikipedia | 2.0 million km² | 1950–2024 |
| Islamic Republic of Pakistan Wikipedia | 1.0 million km² | 1947–2024 |
| Kingdom of Afghanistan Wikipedia | 641,000 km² | 1926–1972 |
| Burma Wikipedia | 629,000 km² | 1820–2024 |
| Pahlavi Iran Wikipedia | 327,000 km² | 1924–1978 |
| Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Wikipedia | 168,000 km² | 1922–1991 |
| Nepal Wikipedia | 149,000 km² | 1775–2024 |
| Republic of Indonesia Wikipedia | 103,000 km² | 1946–2024 |
| Dominion of Ceylon Wikipedia | 74,000 km² | 1948–2024 |
| Kingdom of Thailand Wikipedia | 67,000 km² | 1932–2024 |
| Kingdom of Bhutan Wikipedia | 41,000 km² | 1636–2024 |
| Sultanate of Oman Wikipedia | 13,000 km² | 1744–2024 |
"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: Sultanate of Oman.
Gone from the map: Muscat and Oman, Portugal (Estado Novo).
What comes next: 1980
Appear by 1980: Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, Islamic Republic of Iran, People's Republic of Bangladesh.
Gone by 1980: Kingdom of Afghanistan, Pahlavi Iran.
Read the history of 1970
Guided atlas chapters set near this date, each with its own map, causes and consequences:
- Building the RepublicIndian Independence & Partition · chapter 15 · MAY 1964
Questions about this map
Which countries were in India and South Asia in 1970?
The map data draws 13 states and other polities in India and South Asia in 1970. The largest by land were the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Kingdom of Afghanistan and Burma.
What was the largest empire in India and South 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 India and South 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.
India in other years
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