Periods of formation of the modern political map of the world. Stages of formation of the political map of the world

Stages of formation political map peace is a very complex and long process, divided into certain periods. It began already when the first states began to appear. The changes never stopped. They will continue as long as there is a person. In order to make it easier to navigate, scientists have divided the formation of the political map of the world into stages.

Classification of changes

Each state has certain criteria. They include political regime, economics, development history, geographical position and other. The stages of formation of the political map of the world depend on many factors. Depending on this, the changes are divided into 2 types.

quantitative. In this case, the territory of the state changes. These changes are associated with different historical events, wars, exchanges of territories, disintegrations and unifications of countries. An unusual example can serve as artificial islands in the United Arab Emirates.

quality. If previous changes are associated with an increase or decrease in area, then these depend more on the political situation. Qualitative changes are cases when a country acquires or loses sovereignty, gets rid of internal conflicts (civil war), leaves or enters into any international alliances, changes political system.

What is a political map

Geography, like any other science, is divided into many sections. Each of them needs their own cards. Political geography studies the borders of all countries, their political system and internal organization. Any changes are the object of her attention: formations and disintegrations, regime change and much more. All these moments are displayed on the political map.

Division into stages

From school course everyone knows that history is divided into certain periods. To date, scientists distinguish only 4 stages of the formation of the political map of the world: ancient, medieval, new and latest.

Each of them has its own characteristics. They are connected with world progress. The faster man and society developed, the shorter the time intervals between them became.

ancient period

The largest in the history of mankind. It begins from the moment when the first states in the world appeared. Its end comes in the 5th century AD. But this is true for the European world. Other cultures have their own classification. For example, the ancient stage in East Asia ends in the 2nd century BC. In America, it is associated with the discovery of the continent by Europeans and the beginning of its development.

The most significant event was the emergence of the first great states. They arose on the territory of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt and ancient india. Most scientists believe that they began to form at the end of the 4th millennium BC. In East Asia, the first state was Ancient China. It arose at the end of the 3rd millennium BC.

It was during this period of history that the foundations of the state were developed. In those days they relied on slavery. Also, the period is famous for its instability, as some wars were constantly fought. Large states seized smaller ones in order to turn them into their provinces.

One of the most significant in that period was the Roman Empire. This is the only state in all periods of history that owned the entire coast mediterranean sea. The boundaries of the Roman Empire stretched from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east.

Middle Ages

One of the darkest periods in human history. Constantly associated with changes on the political map of the world. The beginning of the medieval period is considered to be the era after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire (476). It lasted until the 17th century.

The basis of the medieval state is feudalism. During this era, such states as Byzantium flourished, Kievan Rus, Golden Horde, Arab Caliphate. Almost all of modern Europe was divided among other countries.

Certain processes are characteristic of the Middle Ages. Actively developing Agriculture and crafts. The foundations of market relations are being laid. There is a strengthening of the role of the church in the life of the country.

Due to the weakening of the central government, feudal fragmentation began. Large landowners led an almost autonomous life. They held all branches of government in their hands. The medieval political map consisted of separate small and large territories belonging to specific lords (feudal lords). They were passed down through generations. Traditionally, the center was a castle or estate in which the feudal lord lived.

new period

In the 17th century, humanistic ideas began to strengthen in society. A change in worldview led to the Renaissance. To show such changes, scientists decided to call this period New. The center was no longer God, but man.

One of the important factors that influenced the geography of Europe was the creation of strong centralized states. Spain can serve as an example. Holding power in the hands of a single monarch made it possible for the country to achieve considerable results.

A characteristic feature of this period are the great geographical discoveries. They helped not only the development of navigation, cartography, but also the emergence of a new system - the colonial one. The impetus for the beginning of a new era of great geographical discoveries was the capture of the Eastern Roman Empire by the Turks. After the Muslims blocked the way to India, the Europeans had to look for new ways to get to the riches of the East.

The year 1492 was very significant and led to great changes on the political map of the world. The so-called New World. The development of America lasted several centuries - from the very discovery of the continent until the end of the 18th century. During this time, many blank spots were filled, which then flaunted on the maps.

The processes of reformation and counter-reformation were also important. Large religious masses opposed the moral decay of the church. Protestantism influenced many moments in the life of society. Thanks to him, science began to develop faster. He rendered big influence and on politics.

A significant event for England and all of Europe was the famous English revolution 17th century. She changed the political system of this country. After its completion, a constitutional monarchy was established, which replaced the absolute one. Now the rights of the king were more limited. Parliament regulated them. This event served as the basis for the start of the industrial revolution and the emergence of capitalist relations.

Newest period

One of the most interesting, since humanity still lives in it. This period began at the end of the First World War. It continues to this day. The 20th century is filled with many changes that have affected the political map of the whole world. The latest period can be divided into 3 stages.

First

A characteristic feature of it was the collapse of centuries-old empires - the Russian and Austro-Hungarian. Thanks to their disintegration, many enslaved nations up to that time got a chance to create their own state. Therefore, soon Poland, Estonia, Finland, Czechoslovakia appeared on the maps. Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan declared their independence. But it did not last long, as the communists established their power there with the help of military occupation. On the ruins of the old Russian Empire a new state was created - the USSR.

Second

This stage is associated with the Second World War. After the defeat of Germany, her colonial possessions passed to other countries. Trying to impose their vision, the US and the USSR occupied some states. The world was divided into 2 rival camps - communist and capitalist. Many colonial countries proclaimed their independence.

The third

Associated with the destruction of the communist system. Germany was reunited, and the countries of the socialist camp disintegrated. an important step was the end cold war and the transition to the commonwealth.

The political map of the world has gone through a long historical path of its development, which covers millennia, starting with the social division of labor, the emergence of private property and the division of society into social classes.

Changing over many centuries, the political map reflected the emergence and collapse of states, changes in their borders, the discovery and colonization of new lands, territorial division and redivision of the world.

Stages of formation of the political map of the world.

1. Ancient period (until the 5th century AD). Covers the era of the slave system, characterized by the development and collapse of the first states on Earth: Ancient Egypt, Carthage, Ancient Greece, ancient rome and others. The main means of territorial change is war, the threat of the use of force.

2. Medieval period (V-VI centuries). Associated with the era of feudalism. Political functions the feudal state turned out to be richer and more complex than the organization political power under the slave system. An internal market is taking shape, and the isolation of farms and regions is being overcome. The desire of feudal states for territorial conquest is clearly manifested. Large land masses were completely divided between different states. Kievan Rus, Byzantium, Muscovy (Russian) state, "Holy Roman Empire", Portugal, England, Spain and others.

3. The new period in the formation of the political map of the world (from the turn of the 15th-16th centuries until the end of the First World War) corresponds to a whole historical era of the birth, rise, and establishment of capitalism. The era of the Greats changed the map geographical discoveries lying at the junction of feudal and capitalist socio-economic formations. The impetus for territorial changes was given by "mature" capitalism, when a large-scale factory industry, which was in dire need of raw materials, developed and new means of transport appeared. The political map of the world became especially unstable at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, when the struggle for the territorial division of the world sharply intensified between the leading countries. By the beginning of the 20th century, such a division was completely completed, and from that time only its forcible redistribution became possible.

4. The newest period in the formation of the political map of the world began after the end of the First World War and the victory of the October Revolution in Russia. This period is divided into 3 stages, the boundary between the first two is the end of the Second World War (1945).

a) the first stage was marked not only by socio-economic changes. The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, the borders of many states changed, independent national states were formed: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and others. The colonial empires of Great Britain, France, Belgium, and Japan expanded.

b) the second stage begins counting from the end of the Second World War. A number of states in Europe and Asia have embarked on the path of socialism. Among the most important changes in the post-war period is also the collapse of colonial empires and the emergence in their place of more than 100 independent states Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania.

in) the third stage in the formation of the political map of the world is that as a result of turning points in the socialist camp of the world, one of the most powerful states of the world and the first socialist state - the USSR (1991) collapsed, subsequently many small states were formed from it. This stage in the formation of new sovereign states on the basis of the former socialist republics, as well as socialist states, was marked by conflict situations, often taking on an armed character, on national, ethnic, economic and political issues. As a result of the impact of changes taking place in the world, the number socialist countries has decreased significantly to date.

Quantitative ones include: accession of newly discovered lands; territorial gains or losses during wars; unification or disintegration of states; concessions or exchanges between countries of land areas. Other changes are qualitative. They consist in the historical change of socio-economic formations; the country's acquisition of political sovereignty; the introduction of new forms of government; the formation of interstate political unions, the appearance and disappearance of "hot spots" on the planet. Quantitative changes are often accompanied by qualitative ones.

Recent events in the world show that quantitative shifts on the political map are increasingly giving way to qualitative ones, and this leads to the understanding that instead of war - the usual means of resolving interstate disputes - the path of dialogues, peaceful settlement of territorial disputes and international conflicts comes to the fore.

The definition of a political map can be twofold. In a broad sense - is a branch of political geography, studying the political and territorial organization of the world and its change over time, the division of society into states and dependent territories, features of their distribution by regions of the world, the formation of regional political associations.

In a narrow sense, it is a special geographic map, which, together with general geographical information (outlines of continents and oceans, seas and rivers), shows states, their borders, capitals, as well as dependent territories.

The political map has gone through several periods in its development. These periods coincide with the periodization world history. It is possible to allocate the ancient, medieval, new and newest periods.

AT ancient period history (before the 5th century AD), the formation and collapse of ancient empires took place: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire. Greek civilization began on about. Crete. The core of the Roman Empire was the region of Lazio (middle Italy). The Greek and Roman empires played a powerful regional-forming role in Europe.

medieval period (V-XIV centuries) is characterized by the formation of the internal market, the expansion of external relations. The most important area international trade was the Mediterranean. With the mediation of the Arabs, communications were carried out between Southern Europe and the countries of South and Southeast Asia. This period ends with the formation of the first centralized states in Europe (Portugal, Spain, France).

new period (XV century - until the end of the First World War) is characterized by fundamental changes on the political map of the world. This is the period of the formation of vast colonial possessions, wars for the division and redivision of the world, the formation of the first independent states in America.

The most significant transformations on the political map of the world took place in era of the great geographical discoveries(XIV-XVII centuries).

The first major colonial empires are formed - Spain and Portugal. The vast possessions of Spain were located mainly in Latin America. The possessions of Portugal were significantly smaller and limited to the Atlantic coast of Latin America and small territories in South and Southeast Asia. By the middle of the XVII century. The Netherlands becomes the largest colonial power.

In the XVIII century. there is a process of further colonization of the "new lands", the vast possessions of Great Britain and France are being formed, wars for the division and redistribution of the already divided world are escalating. The possessions of Great Britain and France were located mainly within South and Southeast Asia and North America.

The political map of America was formed in late XVIII – early XIX in. As a result of the war with Great Britain in 1776-1783. on the site of the former 13 British colonies, the United States was formed, expanding to late XIX in. its territory up to its present borders. During the first 25 years of the XIX century. in the struggle against the Spanish and Portuguese colonialists, most of the countries of Latin America achieved independence.

Newest period formation of the political map of the world, which can be divided into four stages, begins with the XX century.

First stage covers the first quarter of the 20th century. and reflects the changes on the political map associated with the First World War. Particularly significant changes occurred during this time in Europe. They were connected, first of all, with the territorial losses of the countries that were defeated in the war. Germany's borders have changed significantly. In Europe alone, it lost 13% of its territory and 10% of its population. The most significant of these losses were Alsace and Lorraine, transferred under the Treaty of Versailles to France. Poznan, part of West and East Prussia, part of Upper Silesia were returned to Poland. In addition, Germany lost all of its few colonies in Africa and Asia. They were transferred by the League of Nations under a mandate (mandate - the right to own) to the victorious countries (in Africa - Great Britain, France, Belgium; in Asia - Japan, Australia and New Zealand).

Germany's ally, Austria-Hungary, ceased to exist, formed in 1867. Austria and Hungary became independent states. Approximately 2 million Hungarians remained outside the new borders of Hungary (for example, the autonomous region of Vojvodina inhabited by Hungarians in Serbia). The area of ​​Austria decreased by 3.5 times. The southern regions of the former Austria-Hungary (Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia) went to the formed Yugoslavia.

As part of the restored Poland, which was liquidated at the end of the 18th century. as a result of the three divisions of the Commonwealth, the territory of Western Belarus and Western Ukraine, as well as part of the territory of modern Lithuania, departed. The first stage of the newest period led to the formation in 1922 of the USSR.

AT Asian region fell apart Ottoman Empire, the core of which was Turkey. Not only the lands of Europe departed from it (excluding a small area with Istanbul, which is now part of Turkey), but also all the Arab lands in the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East. Syria and Lebanon became mandated territories of France, Transjordan, Palestine and Iraq - of Great Britain. Significant transformations took place in Turkey itself, which in 1923 proclaimed itself a republic. The Mongolian People's Republic, formed in 1924, embarked on the path of socialist development.

Fundamental changes on the political map of the world took place on second stage. They are connected with the events preceding the Second World War and its consequences. On the eve of the Second World War, a number of conflicts took place in the world. Some of them were connected with the desire of Germany to revise the results of the First World War. On the Far East Japan pursued an aggressive policy.

After the Second World War, significant quantitative and qualitative changes took place on the political map. The territory of Germany has significantly decreased. The Kaliningrad region (former East Prussia) was ceded to the USSR. The border with Poland was established. Within Germany, three political entities were created: the FRG, the GDR and West Berlin.

The territory of the USSR has undergone significant changes. In addition to East Prussia, it included Western Belarus and Western Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina, 10% of the territory of Finland, South Sakhalin and Kurile Islands. Czechoslovakia later handed over Soviet Union Transcarpathian region.

In Asia, Japan lost Korea, part of the territory of China, as well as South Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and the former mandated territories (Caroline, Marshall, Mariana Islands).

An important qualitative change was the formation of the world socialist system. Initially, it included Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Albania, Yugoslavia, East Germany and Mongolia. At the end of the 40s. it was replenished by the DPRK (the northern part of the peninsula of Korea), the DRV (the northern part of Vietnam) and the PRC. The political map of the world has acquired a new content. Two antagonistic systems emerged, two hostile political camps with separate markets and separate types of culture and ideology.

The second qualitative change is associated with the independence of a number of countries. In Asia, before the Second World War, only 11 states were independent: Japan, China, Nepal, Thailand, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mongolia, Turkey, Yemen. In 1943, Syria and Lebanon gained independence. In 1945, the state of Indonesia was proclaimed instead of the Netherlands Indies. In 1947, the British colony of India gained independence. On religious grounds, it was divided into two parts - Hindu (India) and Muslim (Pakistan). Pakistan, in turn, was divided into West and East. In 1971, East Pakistan seceded and the Republic of Bangladesh was formed in its place. In 1948, by decision of the UN, the British mandated territory of Palestine was divided into Arab and Jewish parts. The state of Israel was formed on the Jewish part, and the Arab part became known as the "territory of the Arab state of Palestine." In the future, armed conflicts repeatedly arose between these entities, and the issue of their peaceful coexistence has not been resolved to this day.

Third stage formation of the political map of the world falls on the 60-80s. 20th century and associated with the final disintegration colonial system. More than 70 new states were formed in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania on the site of former colonies. In Asia, in 1953, Laos and Cambodia (former colonies of France) gained independence, in 1957 - Malaysia (a former colony of Great Britain). In the 60s. Cyprus, Kuwait, Maldives, Singapore became sovereign, in the 70s. – Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Bangladesh.

In Africa, before the Second World War, only Ethiopia, Egypt (formally independent), Liberia and South Africa were independent. Libya was the first to gain independence from Italy in 1951. In 1954, Morocco and Tunisia (former colonies of France) became sovereign. It went down in history as the "Year of Africa" ​​in 1960, when 17 African countries gained independence. Basically it was the possession of France. Nigeria, Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Madagascar, both modern Congo, Chad, and others became sovereign.

After World War II, most of the colonies in Latin America achieved independence. A number of independent states emerged in the basin caribbean- Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Grenada, etc. In 1959, the people's democratic revolution won in Cuba. New states emerged in Oceania - Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Vanuatu, etc.

Fourth stage associated with democratic transformations in Eastern Europe and Asia in the late 80s - early 90s. 20th century Disappeared world system socialism and structures corresponding to it: the world socialist economic system, CMEA, the Warsaw military-political bloc.

Changes on the political map also occur as a result of the unification and disintegration of individual countries. The reunification of the German nation into a single state - the FRG. As a result of the collapse of the USSR, 15 sovereign states were formed, 12 of which created the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Two states - the Czech Republic and Slovakia - were formed on the site of the former Czechoslovakia. A number of sovereign states emerged as a result of the collapse of Yugoslavia. Initially, five new states were created - Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) as part of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro seceded from the FRY.

There have been changes in other regions of the world as well. Namibia gained independence. Eritrea seceded from Ethiopia and became the sovereign state of Eritrea. The unification of Yemen took place. Hong Kong (Xianggang) of Great Britain and Macao (Macao) of Portugal became part of China on the rights of special administrative regions. The UN Trust Territory (the Mariana, Marshall and Caroline Islands transferred under US custody) disappeared from the political map. In their place, sovereign states were formed - the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. In 2002, Timor became sovereign, which for 400 years was a colony of Portugal, and since 1976, the eastern part of Timor has been the 27th province of Indonesia.

Thus, the modern political map of the world is exceptionally dynamic. The world is constantly changing both economically and politically.

In the formation of a political map, ancient, medieval, modern and recent periods are usually distinguished.

ancient period covers the era of the slave system from the time of the emergence of the first forms of statehood and approximately up to V century. n e. In that a long period many states were formed, developed and disintegrated. The most famous of them: Ancient Egypt, Carthage, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, states on the territory modern China and India, etc. They made a great contribution to the development of world civilization. Wars were the main means of territorial change on the political map of that time.

medieval period (approximately V-XV centuries) is associated in our minds with the era of feudalism. The political functions of the feudal state were more complex and varied than those of the states under the slave system. The internal and external markets were formed, the isolation of the regions was overcome. The desire and possibilities of more powerful states for distant territorial conquests appeared. Sea routes to distant countries were studied and mastered.

At that time, there were such states known to us from history textbooks as Byzantium, the Holy Roman Empire, England, Spain, Portugal, Kievan Rus, Persia, the Arab Caliphate, China, the Delhi Sultanate, etc. Some states are no longer on the modern political map, but others even retained their former names.

Very serious changes on the political map of the world of that time appeared in the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries. To restore the picture of this era will help some of the information presented in chronological order. In the 20s of the XV century. Portugal carried out the first colonial seizures of territories on the African continent: Madeira, the Azores, the Slave Coast. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Europeans were forced to look for new ways (in addition to land routes) to the East - to India. A new part of the world was discovered - America (1492-1502 - 4 trips of Christopher Columbus to Central America and the northern part South America) and began the Spanish colonization of America. The first voyage around Africa, which Vasco da Gama was able to carry out in 1498, opened a new sea route from Europe to India. In 1519-1522. Magellan and his companions carried out the first trip around the world etc.

Thus, it was during the medieval period that the first round-the-world travels, the first colonial conquests, were undertaken. According to the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), the whole world was divided between the strongest states at that time - Spain and Portugal.

From the turn of the XV-XVI centuries began new period of history, which continued, according to historians, until the end of the XIX century. or, in fact, until the First World War at the beginning of the 20th century. This was the era of the birth and establishment of capitalist relations in the world. It expanded European colonial expansion, extended international economic relations to the entire inhabited, or rather known at that time, world.

During the Age of Discovery, the largest colonial powers were Spain and Portugal. But with the development of manufactory production, new states come to the forefront of history: England, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and later the USA.

This period of history was characterized by large colonial conquests of Europeans in America, Asia and Africa.

The political map of the world became especially unstable at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when the struggle for the territorial redistribution of the world sharply intensified between the leading countries. So, for example, in 1876, only 10% of the territory of Africa was divided between Western European countries (colonized by them), and by 1900 - already 90% of this continent. Thus, by the beginning of the XX century. in fact, the division of the world was completely completed. Only its forcible redistribution was possible.

Start The latest period of history in the formation of the political map of the world, it is associated with the First World War and serious territorial changes that occurred as a result of actions. Historians consider the Second World War, as well as the turn of the 1990s, to be the next milestones of this period, which were also marked by new major qualitative and quantitative changes on the political map.

First stage(between the First and Second World Wars) was marked by the appearance on the world map of the first socialist state (the RSFSR, and later the USSR) and noticeable territorial changes on the political map, and not only in Europe. The borders of many states have changed (some of them have increased their territory - France, Denmark, Romania, Poland, in other states it has decreased). So, Germany, having lost the war, lost part of the territory (including Alsace-Lorraine and many others) and all the colonies in Africa and Oceania. A large empire - Austria-Hungary - collapsed and new sovereign countries were formed: Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The independence of Poland and Finland was proclaimed. The division of the Ottoman Empire took place. Due to the territories transferred under the control of the League of Nations (former colonies of Germany and territories that were previously part of the Ottoman Empire), the colonial possessions of Great Britain, France, Belgium, and Japan expanded.

Second phase(after the Second World War), was characterized by confrontation in the world of two political systems(socialist and capitalist), significant territorial changes on the political map of the world:

on the site of the former Germany, two sovereign states were formed - the FRG and the GDR;

a group of socialist states appeared in Eastern Europe, in Asia, and even in Latin America (Cuba);

the world colonial system was rapidly disintegrating, a large number of independent states were formed in Asia, Africa, Oceania, Latin America (for example, in 1960, 17 colonies in Africa gained independence and this year was declared the “Year of Africa”);

An important event in international life was at that time the creation of the United Nations (UN). The founding conference took place in April 1945 in San Francisco. According to the Charter, the governing bodies of the UN are the General Assembly and the Security Council. In addition, the UN has a number of international specialized organizations (UNEP, UNESCO, etc.). Gradually, the UN became the most authoritative international organization, playing a significant role in maintaining peace, preventing nuclear war, the fight against colonialism, the protection of man.

In political life modern world An important place has been occupied and is occupied by the military organization of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO), created in 1949. Currently, it includes 19 states.

Among countries Western Europe it is important to highlight the neutral states that are not members of NATO - Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Malta, as well as the member states of the bloc, on whose territory there are currently no NATO military bases (France, Spain, Denmark, Norway). Brussels and its environs are the headquarters of NATO. The activities of this military bloc are an important factor in US influence on political life Europe.

In 1949 (as opposed to NATO), another military bloc was created and operated until 1991 - the Warsaw Treaty Organization, which united the socialist states of Eastern Europe(including the USSR).

Since the early 1990s, there have been the third stage of modern history. Qualitatively new changes on the political map of the world, which had a great impact on the socio-economic and socio-political life of the entire world community during this period, can, first of all, include the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Later, most of the republics of the former Soviet Union (with the exception of the three Baltic States) united to form the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The perestroika process in the countries of Eastern Europe led to the implementation of predominantly peaceful ("velvet") people's democratic revolutions of 1989-1990. In the former socialist states, there was a change in the socio-economic formation. These states embarked on the path of market transformations (“from plan to market”).

There were other events as well. In October 1990, the two German states of the GDR and the FRG united. On the other hand, the former federal republic of Czechoslovakia broke up into two independent states - the Czech Republic and Slovakia (1993). The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) collapsed. Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia proclaimed their independence (the FRY changed its name from 2002 to the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro). The most acute political crisis in the SFRY resulted in civil war and ethnic conflicts continuing up to the present. At the end of the 1990s, NATO countries carried out military aggression against the FRY.

In 1991, the Warsaw Treaty Organization (OVD) and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), which previously united the Eastern European countries of the socialist camp (countries with a centrally planned economy), ceased their activities.

The process of decolonization continued. Namibia was the last of the former colonial possessions in Africa to gain independence. New sovereign states were formed in Oceania: the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (the former "trust" territories of the United States, which received the status of states freely associated with the United States in the early 90s). In 1993, the independence of the state of Eritrea was proclaimed (a territory that was one of the provinces of Ethiopia on the Red Sea, and even earlier, until 1945, a former colony of Italy).

In 1999 under the jurisdiction of the Chinese People's Republic(PRC) was returned to Hong Kong (Xianggang), the former possession of Great Britain, and in 2000 the former Portuguese colony - Macau (Aomyn). There are very few non-self-governing territories (possessions of other states) left on the modern political map of the world. These are mainly islands in the Pacific and in Atlantic Ocean. There are also areas in different regions of the world, which are disputable - two or more states (Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, etc.) claim the right to own them.

The scale of future changes on the political map of the world will be determined by the further course of ethno-cultural processes in multinational countries, the nature of economic, political and cultural relations between countries and peoples.

The process of forming the political map of the world has several millennia. Many historical eras have passed, so we can talk about the existence of periods in the formation of the political map of the world. It is possible to allocate: ancient, medieval, new and newest periods.

The ancient period (from the era of the emergence of the first forms of the state to the 5th century AD) covers the era of the slave system. It is characterized by the development and collapse of the first states on Earth: Ancient Egypt, Carthage, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, etc. These states have made a great contribution to the development of world civilization. At the same time, even then the main means of territorial changes were military actions.

The medieval period (V-XV centuries) is associated with the era of feudalism. The political functions of the feudal state were more complex and varied than those of the states under the slave system. The internal market was formed, the isolation of the regions was overcome. The desire of states to distant territorial conquests was manifested, since Europe, for example, was already completely divided between them. During this period, there were states: Byzantium, the Holy Roman Empire, England, Spain, Portugal, Kievan Rus, etc. The map of the world was greatly changed by the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries at the junction of feudal and capitalist socio-economic formations. There was a need for markets and new rich lands and, in connection with this, the idea of ​​circumnavigating the world.

From the turn of the XV-XVI centuries. allocate a New period of history (up to World War I in the 20th century). This is the era of the birth, rise and assertion of capitalist relations. It marked the beginning of European colonial expansion and the spread of international economic relations throughout the world.

1420s - the first colonial conquests of Portugal: Madeira, Azores. Slave Coast (Africa).

1453 - the fall of Constantinople (the dominance of the Turks in the southeast direction. The Ottoman Empire controls the land routes to Asia).

1492-1502 - discovery of America for Europeans (4 travels of Columbus to Central America and the northern part of South America). The beginning of the Spanish colonization of America.

1494 - Treaty of Tordesillas - division of the world between Portugal and Spain.

1498 - voyage of Vasco da Gama (a journey around Africa).

1499-1504 - Amerigo Vespucci travels to South America.

1519-1522 - circumnavigation of the world by Magellan and his companions.

1648 - the journey of Semyon Dezhnev (Russia - Siberia). 1740s - travels of V. Bering and P. Chirikov (Siberia). 1771-1773 - J-Cook's travels (Australia, Oceania).

During the Age of Discovery, the largest colonial powers were Spain and Portugal. With the development of manufacturing capitalism, England, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and later the United States came to the forefront of history. This period of history was also characterized by colonial conquests. The political map of the world became especially unstable at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, when the struggle for the territorial division of the world sharply intensified between the leading countries. So, in 1876, only 10% of the territory of Africa belonged to Western European countries, while in 1900 - already 90%. And by the beginning of the 20th century, in fact, the division of the world turned out to be completely completed, i.e. only its forcible redistribution became possible. Whole Earth turned out to be involved in the sphere of influence of one or another imperialist power (see Tables 1 and 2).

In total, in 1900, the colonial possessions of all the imperialist powers covered an area of ​​73 million km2 (55% of the land area) with a population of 530 million people (35% of the world's population). The beginning of the newest period in the formation of the political map of the world is associated with the end of World War I. The next milestones were II World War and the turn of the 80-90s, which is characterized by major changes on the political map of Eastern Europe (the collapse of the USSR, Yugoslavia, etc.).

The first stage was marked by the appearance on the world map of the first socialist state (USSR) and noticeable territorial shifts, and not only in Europe. Austria-Hungary collapsed, the borders of many states changed, sovereign countries were formed: Poland, Finland, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, etc. The colonial possessions of Great Britain, France, Belgium, and Japan expanded.

The second stage (after World War II), in addition to changes in the political map of Europe, is associated primarily with the collapse of the colonial system and the formation a large number independent states in Asia, Africa, Oceania, Latin America (in the Caribbean region).

The third stage continues to this day. Qualitatively new changes on the political map of the world and having a great impact on the socio-economic and socio-political life of the entire world community include the following:

The collapse in 1991 of the USSR, the assertion of political independence first of the three former Soviet republics of the Baltic States, and then the rest, incl. Russia.

Formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS);

Mostly peaceful, people's democratic revolutions of 1989-90. (“velvet”) in the countries of Eastern Europe.

The termination in 1991 of the activities of the Warsaw Pact Organization (WTO) and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), which seriously affected the political and economic situation not only in Europe, but throughout the world;

The collapse of the SFRY, the proclamation of the political independence of Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (as part of Serbia and Montenegro). Acute political crisis former federation resulted in a civil war and ethnic conflicts that continue to this day;

May 1990 - the unification of the Arab states of the PAR and the PDRY on a national-ethnic basis (Republic of Yemen, capital - Sana'a);

1990-91 - the process of decolonization continues: Namibia gained independence - the last colony in Africa; new states were formed in Oceania: the Federated States of Micronesia (Caroline Islands). Republic of the Marshall Islands;

January 1, 1993 - the formation of two independent states (the collapse of Czechoslovakia) - the Czech Republic and Slovakia;

1993 - the independence of the state of Eritrea (a former province of Ethiopia on the Red Sea) was proclaimed. The scale of future changes on the political map of the world will be determined by the further course of ethno-cultural processes in multinational countries, the nature of economic, political and cultural relations between countries and peoples.