List of national border changes (1815–1914)

The list of national border changes from 1815 to 1914, refers to the changes in international borders since the end of the Napoleonic Wars until World War I. For border changes from 1914 to present, see List of national border changes since World War I. Internationally, this period saw the fall of Spanish colonial empire to the United States and the steady progression of European colonial efforts. This period saw the reshaping of Europe with the rise of Germany and Italy as unified states while the Ottoman Empire's territory in Europe steadily dissolved. This period was one of continued colonization of Africa during the age of New Imperialism. In Asia, the Mughal Empire of present-day India, Afghanistan and Pakistan fell to the British while the French colonized Indochina. In North America the United States as well as the new nation of Canada expanded their territories to largely what is their present-day boundaries.

Africa

• 1820 – The colony of Liberia is founded by the United States.
• 1854 – The Orange Free State is founded.
• 1856 – The state of Transvaal is founded.
• 1877 – Transvaal is dissolved after the First Boer War.
• 1881 – France creates the colony of Brazzaville. Transvaal is recreated with the agreement at the Pretoria Convention which gives the local Boer population self-rule.
• 1882 – Egypt is occupied by the United Kingdom and becomes a colony.
• 1884 – The colony of British Somaliland is created. Germany creates the colonies of Kamerun and German South-West Africa.
• 1885 – The colony of German East Africa is created. The Belgian Congo is created (then officially called the Congo Free State).
• 1889–1890 – Italy establishes its first two colonies, the colony of Eritrea in 1889 and the colony of Italian Somaliland is created in 1889 and quickly expands until 1890.
• 1894 – Dahomey (now named Benin) is annexed by France as a colony.
• 1899–1902 – The Second Boer War occurs in which both the Orange Free State and Transvaal are occupied by the British and become colonies.
• 1910 – The Orange Free State and Transvaal are annexed by South Africa. French Equatorial Africa is founded, uniting the territories of Gabon, Middle Congo (now the Republic of the Congo), Oubangui-Chari (or Ubangi-Shari, now the Central African Republic)
• 1911 – France cedes territory to German Cameroon.
• 1912 – The Ottoman Empire loses Libya provinces to Italy. Morocco becomes a French colony

Asia

• 1818 – The occupation of Dutch settlements in India by the British is ended, Malabar is annexed to British India while Coromandel is given back to the Netherlands.
• 1825 – Coromandel is ceded to British India.
• 1839 – Serampore is sold from Denmark to British India.
• 1845 – Tranquebar, Frederiksnagore and most other Danish Indian settlements are sold to British India.
• 1853 – Darjeeling district and Morang of Sikkim is annexed to British India.
• 1857 – The remains of the Mughal Empire dissolve and become part of British India.
• 1858 – Parts of Outer Manchuria join Russia.
• 1860 – The remainder of Outer Manchuria joins Russia.
• 1869 – Denmark cedes the Nicobar Islands to the United Kingdom.
• 1895 – After China loses the First Sino-Japanese War, China is forced to concede Korea and Formosa (now called Taiwan) to Japan.
• 1898 – With the end of the Spanish–American War, Spain cedes the Philippines to the United States. The Sultanate of Sulu is annexed.
• 1902 – June 7 – China cedes 46 hectares of land in the city of Tianjin to Italy. This was one of a significant number of territorial concessions to a number of countries in the city of Tianjin for trade and political purposes.
• 1913 – Al Haza is transferred from the Ottoman Empire to the Kingdom of Nejd

Europe

• 1815 – Congress of Vienna: With the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, Europe is substantially reorganized with France losing large amounts of territory, and the reorganization of the German states.
• 1830 – London Protocol: Greece attains independence from the Ottoman Empire.
• 1839 – Treaty of London: Belgium separates from Netherlands; major part of Grand Duchy of Luxembourg becomes Belgian Province of Luxembourg; Duchy of Limburg separates from Netherlands and joins in the German Confederation.
• 1860 – The process of Italian unification begins to take place. Parma, Tuscany, Modena and Romagna vote in referendums to join the Kingdom of Sardinia. France forces the Kingdom of Sardinia to cede Savoy and Nice to their country. Sardinia occupies most of the Papal States with the exception of a narrow strip of land comprising Rome.
• 1861 – The Kingdom of Italy is founded by the unification of the Kingdom of Sardinia, the United Provinces of Central Italy (a Sardinian client state), and the Kingdom of Two Sicilies.
• 1864 – Denmark is forced to concede Schleswig to Prussia and Holstein to Austria
• 1866 – Austria cedes Holstein to Prussia and Lombardy-Venetia to Italy, a Prussian ally, after Austria loses the Austro-Prussian War. Prussia annexes the Kingdom of Hannover.
• 1867 – Prussia and the north German states unite to form the North German Federation.
• 1870 – Rome joins Italy.
• 1871 – The North German Federation and the south German states with the exception of Austria-Hungary join together to form the German Empire, the state which is considered the beginning of modern-day Germany. Alsace-Lorraine ceded by France to Germany.
• 1878 – the Ottoman Empire is forced to concede territory to Serbia and Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes a protectorate of Austria-Hungary.
• 1905 – Norway separates from Sweden.
• 1908 – Austria-Hungary annexes their protectorate of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• 1912–1913 – The two Balkan Wars occur and end with the Ottoman Empire being forced to concede more territory during the Treaty of Bucharest (1913). This included allowing the creation of the state of Albania. Serbia expands to Vardar Macedonia, gaining regions including Ohrid, Bitola, Kosovo, Štip, and Kočani Greece gains Epirus, southern Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Kavala, and parts of the Aegean Littoral. Bulgaria gains Strumica, Western Thrace, and a section of the Aegean Littoral. With these losses, the Ottoman Empire is almost completely cut off from Europe.

North America

• 1815 – With the end of the War of 1812, the borders between British North America and the United States of America return to their pre-war borders.
• 1818 – The borders between British North America and the United States during the Treaty of 1818 establishing the 49th parallel north west of the Lake of the Woods. The Oregon Country is established by both the United States and Britain which hold it in union.
• 1821 – July 10 – The borders between Oregon Country and Mexico are changed as well as Spain ceding Florida after Spain ratifies the Adams-Onís Treaty which was drafted in 1819.
• 1836 – March 2 – The Republic of Texas is declared after it separates from Mexico, but its western territory remains disputed with Mexico.
• 1845 – December 29 – Texas is annexed by the United States
• 1846 – June 18 – The Oregon Treaty ends the sharing of the Oregon Country, with the territory north of the 49th parallel going to British Columbia and the territory south of the 49th parallel becoming an unorganized territory of the United States.
• 1846–1848 – Mexican–American War occurs and ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in which Mexico cedes territories consisting of all of present-day California, Nevada, Utah, most of Arizona and portions of Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
• 1853 – December 30 – The Gadsden Purchase gives territory from Mexico to the United States, establishing the present-day border with Mexico.
• 1861–1865 – American Civil War. After the Confederate States of America (CSA) is founded in February of the year, war breaks out in April, between the Unionists and the Confederates of the CSA, as well as rebel CSA-supporting governments in some southern states. The war ends with the CSA being defeated and annexed by the United States.
• 1867 – July 1 – Canada is created after the British North American provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia join during the Canadian Confederation. October 11 – The United States annexes Alaska after it is sold from Russia in the Alaska purchase.
• 1870 – July 15 – The United Kingdom formal cedes the North-Western Territory and Rupert's Land and its interests there to Canada, and the province of Manitoba joins Canada.
• 1871 – July 20 – the British colony of British Columbia joins Canada.
• 1873 – July 1 – Prince Edward Island joins Canada.
• 1880 – September 1 – The United Kingdom cedes its remaining Arctic Islands to Canada.
• 1903 – October 20 – The Hay-Herbert Treaty is signed by Britain and the United States which settles the Alaska boundary dispute between Canada and the United States, which gives the United States more territory.

South America

• 1819 – Gran Colombia (Greater Colombia) is created from New Granada, the Royal Audience of Quito, and former Spanish territories, composed of modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela and other territories.
• 1831 – Gran Colombia is dissolved and the following states are created: the Republic of the New Granada (Colombia), Ecuador, and Venezuela.
• 1836–1839 – The War of the Confederation which is fought between the recently formed Peru-Bolivian Confederation versus Chile and its ally Argentina as well as anti-confederate Peruvians. The war ends with Chile winning the war and the re-creation of the separate states of Peru and Bolivia.
• 1899–1900 – the breakaway state of the Republic of Acre is formed after Acre (state) separates from Bolivia; annexed by Brazil three years later.
• 1903 – Panama separates from Colombia.

Oceania

• 1857 – Baker Island is annexed by the United States
• 1860 – February 8 – Kingman Reef is informally taken by the United States (it would not be formally annexed until May 10, 1922).
• 1867 – August 28 – Midway Atoll is annexed by the United States.
• 1856 – September 28 – Howland Island is annexed by the United States.
• 1858 – the modern-day Cook Islands unite to form the Kingdom of Rarotonga. February 27 – Jarvis Island is annexed by the United States.
• 1888 – The United Kingdom annexes the Kingdom of Rarotonga which territory later becomes known as the Cook Islands. Nauru is annexed by Germany.
• 1889 – June 3 – Jarvis Island is annexed by the United Kingdom after the United States abandons it.
• 1898 – August 12 – The Republic of Hawaii is annexed by the United States. Guam is ceded from Spain to the United States.
• 1899 – January 17 – Wake Island is annexed by the United States. September 16 – Johnston Atoll is annexed by the United States. The Treaty of Berlin divides the Samoan archipelago between Germany and the United States, respectively creating American Samoa and German Samoa. With the end of the Spanish–American War, Spanish colonies in Oceania are divided; Germany gains the Mariana Islands (except Guam) and the Caroline Islands; Spain cedes Guam to the United States.
• 1901 – January 1 – The state of Australia is formed from six British colonies.
• 1912 – February 21 – Palmyra Atoll is annexed by the United States.