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Historical map · 1942

Map of North America in 1942

In 1942, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 17 states, empires and other polities in North America. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. The British Empire reached well beyond North America: its whole territory measured about 17.5 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on North America in 1942. 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 1942 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1942
Atlas map: War, Land and the Oath (1950)
FROM THE ATLAS · TWO ROADS TO INDEPENDENCE, CHAPTER 8: WAR, LAND AND THE OATH (1950)

States and empires in North America in 1942

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
United States of America Wikipedia9.6 million km²11.6 million km²1776–2024
Canada Wikipedia9.1 million km²9.6 million km²1932–2024
Mexico2.0 million km²2.0 million km²1868–2024
Venezuela Wikipedia553,000 km²941,000 km²1811–2024
British Empire Wikipedia486,000 km²17.5 million km²1706–1999
Republic of Colombia Wikipedia209,000 km²1.2 million km²1866–2024
Republic of Nicaragua Wikipedia133,000 km²133,000 km²1840–2024
Republic of Cuba Wikipedia124,000 km²124,000 km²1902–2024
Honduras Wikipedia115,000 km²115,000 km²1840–2024
Guatemala Wikipedia109,000 km²109,000 km²1840–2024
Republic of Panama Wikipedia83,000 km²83,000 km²1905–2024
Republic of Costa Rica Wikipedia56,000 km²56,000 km²1840–2024
Dominican Republic Wikipedia53,000 km²53,000 km²1846–2024
Haiti Wikipedia31,000 km²31,000 km²1936–2024
Republic of El Salvador Wikipedia22,000 km²22,000 km²1840–2024
Vichy France Wikipedia4,040 km²10.2 million km²1940–1944
Surinam (Dutch colony) Wikipedia2,180 km²150,000 km²1820–2024

"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 1940

Gone from the map: Greenland.

What comes next: 1945

Appear by 1945: French Fourth Republic.

Gone by 1945: Vichy France.

Read the history of 1942

Guided atlas chapters set near this date, each with its own map, causes and consequences:

Questions about this map

Which countries were in North America in 1942?

The map data draws 17 states and other polities in North America in 1942. The largest by land were the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela and the British Empire.

What was the largest empire in North America in 1942?

Of the states on this map, the British Empire held the most land in total: about 17.5 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore North America in 1942 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1942, 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.

North America in other years

Other regions in 1942