Borders fixed by international law
The Year of Africa: 17 African countries become independent. The Cold War divides Europe.
Explore 1960 on the mapAreas calculated from the map outlines (≈). Share of Earth's land area including Antarctica.
| # | State or people | Area | Share of land |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USSR | 21,741,673 km² (8,394,507 sq mi) | 14.6% |
| 2 | Antarctica | 12,196,819 km² (4,709,218 sq mi) | 8.2% |
| 3 | Canada | 9,508,823 km² (3,671,377 sq mi) | 6.4% |
| 4 | United States | 9,254,118 km² (3,573,035 sq mi) | 6.2% |
| 5 | Brazil | 8,420,242 km² (3,251,074 sq mi) | 5.7% |
| 6 | China | 8,198,508 km² (3,165,462 sq mi) | 5.5% |
| 7 | Australia | 7,661,590 km² (2,958,157 sq mi) | 5.1% |
| 8 | India | 3,204,714 km² (1,237,347 sq mi) | 2.2% |
| 9 | Argentina | 2,769,119 km² (1,069,163 sq mi) | 1.9% |
| 10 | Sudan | 2,508,088 km² (968,378 sq mi) | 1.7% |
| 11 | Congo-Léopoldville | 2,346,328 km² (905,922 sq mi) | 1.6% |
| 12 | Algeria | 2,309,544 km² (891,720 sq mi) | 1.6% |
Comparing the two snapshots. Some differences reflect improved mapping rather than real events, especially before 1500.
Formalized the same year · Indian Independence Act 1947
India and Pakistan become independent in August 1947. Partition displaces an estimated 10–20 million people.
See it on the 1960 mapNever formally settled
The 1947–48 war leaves a UN ceasefire line (1949), renamed the Line of Control in 1972. India, Pakistan and China each administer part of the region, and none of the claims is resolved.
See it on the 1960 map1 year from control to formal recognition · Armistice agreements and UN membership
The 1949 armistice lines (the 'Green Line') were ceasefire lines, not agreed borders. Most of Israel's final borders remain unsettled.
See it on the 1960 mapNever formally settled
Mao proclaims the PRC on 1 October 1949. The Republic of China government retreats to Taiwan, and both sides' claims remain unresolved.
See it on the 1960 map1 year from control to formal recognition · Seventeen Point Agreement
PLA forces take Chamdo in October 1950, and Tibetan delegates sign the agreement under pressure in 1951. The Dalai Lama repudiated it after fleeing in 1959, but Tibet is internationally recognized as part of China.
See it on the 1960 mapFormalized the same year · Independence of 17 African states
Seventeen African countries, mostly former French colonies, become independent in a single year.
See it on the 1960 map