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This is a timeline of country and capital changes around the world. It includes dates of independence, changes in country name, changes in capital city and changes in territory.


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2000s

Year Date Event
2008 August 27 The Russian Federation recognizes the independence of the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of Abkhazia, although Georgia maintains that they remain integral regions of Georgia. Tskhinval and Sukhum are the capitals.
May 28 The State of Nepal changes its name to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Kathmandu remains the capital.
February 17 The Republic of Kosovo declares its independence from the Republic of Serbia, although Serbia does not recognise it. Priština is the capital.
2007 October 22 The Republic of Montenegro changes its name to Montenegro. Podgorica is the capital.
January 15 The Kingdom of Nepal changes its name to the State of Nepal. Kathmandu remains the capital.
2006 October 7 The Republic of Palau moves its capital from Koror to Melekeok.
August 14 The Federal Republic of Nigeria yields sovereignty of Bakassi to the Republic of Cameroon.
June 5 The Republic of Serbia supersedes the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Belgrade remains the capital.
June 3 The Republic of Montenegro secedes from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Podgorica is the capital.
2005 November 6 The Union of Myanmar moves its capital from Yangon to Naypyidaw.
2004 January 4 The Islamic State of Afghanistan changes its name to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Kabul remains the capital.
2003 February 4 The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia changes its name to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Belgrade remains the capital.
2002 May 20 The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste becomes independent from the Portuguese Republic. Timor-Leste was occupied by Indonesia in 1975, and was placed under United Nations administration in 1999. Dili is the capital.
February 14 The State of Bahrain changes its name to the Kingdom of Bahrain. Manama remains the capital.
2001 November 13 The Islamic State of Afghanistan conquers the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Kabul becomes the capital.
January Taloqan, the de facto capital of the Islamic State of Afghanistan government, falls to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The capital moves to Fayzabad.

1990s

Year Date Event
1999 December 31 The United States of America returns sovereignty of the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama.
December 20 The Portuguese Republic transfers its colony of Macau to the People's Republic of China as the Macau Special Administrative Region.
June 10 The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo is formed in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
1998 May 6 The Republic of Kazakhstan changes the name of its capital from Aqmola to Astana.
1997 December 10 The Republic of Kazakhstan moves its capital from Almaty to Aqmola.
July 4 Western Samoa changes its name to the Independent State of Samoa.
July 1 The United Kingdom transfers its colony of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
May 17 The Republic of Zaire changes its name back to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa remains the capital.
1996 The United Republic of Tanzania moves its capital from Dar-es-Salaam to Dodoma.
1994 October 1 The Republic of Palau becomes independent from a United Nations trusteeship. Koror is the capital until 2006.
February 28 The Republic of South Africa transfers sovereignty of Walvis Bay to the Republic of Namibia.
1993 September 24 The restored Kingdom of Cambodia replaces the State of Cambodia. Phnom Penh remains the capital.
The Republic of Kazakhstan changes the name of its capital from Alma-Ata to Almaty.
May 24 The State of Eritrea becomes independent from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Asmara is the capital.
January 9 The Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic (Slovakia) are formed out of the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. Bratislava is the capital of the Slovak Republic. Prague remains the capital of the Czech Republic.
1992 September 12 The Democratic Republic of Madagascar changes its name to the Republic of Madagascar. Antananarivo remains the capital.
August 27 The People's Republic of Angola changes its name to the Republic of Angola. Luanda remains the capital.
April 28 The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is created from the remnants of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Belgrade remains the capital.
April 6 Bosnia and Herzegovina becomes independent from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Sarajevo is the capital.
January 15 The Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia become independent from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia, and Zagreb is the capital of Croatia.
1991 December 26 The Russian Federation (Russia) is created from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Moscow remains the capital.
December 21 The Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan) becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Bishkek is the capital.
December 16 The Republic of Kazakhstan becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Alma-Ata is the capital until 1997.
December 12 The Federal Republic of Nigeria moves its capital from Lagos to Abuja.
December 8 Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan become independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan. Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan.
December 1 The Ukraine becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Kiev is the capital.
September 21 The Republic of Armenia becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Yerevan is the capital.
September 9 The Republic of Tajikistan becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Dushanbe is the capital.
September 8 The Republic of Macedonia becomes independent from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Skopje is the capital.
September 6 The Republic of Lithuania becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Vilnius is the capital.
August 30 The Republic of Azerbaijan becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Baku is the capital.
August 27 The Republic of Moldova becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Chisinau is the capital.
August 25 The Republic of Belarus becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Minsk is the capital.
August 21 The Republic of Latvia becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Riga is the capital.
August 20 The Republic of Estonia becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Tallinn is the capital.
April 30 The Republic of Albania supersedes the Socialist People's Republic of Albania. Tirana remains the capital.
April 9 Georgia becomes independent from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Tbilisi is the capital.
1990 November 15 The People's Republic of Bulgaria changes its name to the Republic of Bulgaria. Sofia remains the capital.
October 3 The Federal Republic of Germany absorbs the German Democratic Republic. Unified Germany regains full sovereignty and Allied occupation ends. Bonn yields to Berlin as the capital.
May 22 The Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) unite to form the Republic of Yemen. Aden yields to San'a' as the capital.
March 21 The Republic of Namibia becomes independent from South Africa. Windhoek is the capital.
March 1 The People's Republic of Benin changes its name to the Republic of Benin. Porto-Novo remains the capital.
The Republic of Chile moves its legislative capital from Santiago to Valparaíso. Santiago remains the administrative capital.

1980s

Year Date Event
1989 December 31 The Polish People's Republic changes its name to the Republic of Poland. Warsaw remains the capital.
October 23 The People's Republic of Hungary changes its name to the Republic of Hungary.
September 26 The Socialist Republic of Vietnam ends its occupation of the State of Cambodia.
June 18 The Union of Burma changes its English language name to the Union of Myanmar. Yangon remains the capital until 2005.
The Federated States of Micronesia moves its capital from Kolonia to Palikir.
May 1 The State of Cambodia supersedes Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia). Phnom Penh remains the capital.
February 15 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ends its occupation of the Republic of Afghanistan.
1988 September 23 The Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma changes its name to the Union of Burma. Yangon remains the capital until 2005.
1987 November 30 The Republic of Afghanistan supersedes the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Kabul remains the capital.
1986 November 3 The Federated States of Micronesia becomes independent from United Nations trusteeship. Kolonia is the capital.
October 21 The Republic of the Marshall Islands becomes independent from United Nations trusteeship. Majuro is the capital.
1984 August 15 Bourkina-Fasso changes its name to Burkina Faso. Ouagadougou remains the capital.
August 4 The Republic of Upper Volta changes its name to Bourkina-Fasso. Ouagadougou remains the capital.
February 4 The Republic of Cameroon supersedes the United Republic of Cameroon. Yaoundé is the capital.
January 1 The State of Brunei, Abode of Peace gains independence from the United Kingdom. Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital.
1983 September 19 The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis gains independence from the United Kingdom. Basseterre is the capital.
March The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire moves its capital from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro.
1982 April 29 The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka moves its capital from Colombo to Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte.
1981 November 1 Antigua and Barbuda gains independence from the United Kingdom. St. John's is the capital.
September 21 Belize gains independence from the United Kingdom. Belmopan is the capital.
1980 July 30 The Republic of Vanuatu gains independence from a British-French condominium. Port Vila is the capital.
April 18 The Republic of Zimbabwe gains independence from the United Kingdom. Harare is the capital.

1970s

Year Date Event
1979 December 25 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics occupies the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
October 27 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Kingstown is the capital.
September 20 The Central African Empire changes its name back to the Central African Republic. Bangui remains the capital.
July 12 The Republic of Kiribati becomes independent from the United Kingdom. South Tarawa is the capital.
February 22 Saint Lucia becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Castries is the capital.
January 7 The Socialist Republic of Vietnam occupies Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia).
1978 November 3 The Commonwealth of Dominica becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Roseau is the capital.
October 1 Tuvalu becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Funafuti is the capital.
July 7 The Solomon Islands become independent from the United Kingdom. Honiara is the capital.
September 7 The Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka changes its name to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Colombo remains the capital until 1982.
April 30 The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan supersedes the Republic of Afghanistan. Kabul remains the capital.
1977 June 27 The Republic of Djibouti becomes independent from the French Republic. The city of Djibouti is the capital.
March 2 The Libyan Arab Republic changes its name to the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Tripoli remains the capital.
1976 December 28 The Socialist People's Republic of Albania supersedes the People's Republic of Albania. Tirana remains the capital.
December 4 The Central African Republic changes its name to the Central African Empire. Bangui remains the capital.
July 2 The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and the Republic of South Vietnam unite to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City yields to Hanoi as the capital.
June 29 The Republic of Seychelles become independent from the United Kingdom. Victoria is the capital.
June 24 The Republic of the Philippines reinstates Manila as the capital. The former capital, Quezon City, was merged with Manila in 1948 to form Metro Manila. Baguio City is no longer a summer capital.
January 5 Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia) supersedes the Khmer Republic. Phnom Penh remains the capital.
1975 December 30 The Malagasy Republic changes its name to the Democratic Republic of Madagascar. Antananarivo remains the capital.
November 30 The Republic of Dahomey changes its name to the People's Republic of Benin. Porto-Novo remains the capital.
November 25 The Republic of Suriname becomes independent from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Paramaribo is the capital.
November 22 The Spanish State is superseded by the restored Kingdom of Spain. Madrid remains the capital.
November 11 The People's Republic of Angola becomes independent from the Portuguese Republic. Luanda is the capital.
September 16 The Independent State of Papua New Guinea becomes independent from Australia. Port Moresby is the capital.
July 12 The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe becomes independent from the Portuguese Republic. The city of São Tomé is the capital.
July 6 The Union of the Comoros becomes independent from the French Republic. Moroni is the capital.
July 5 The Republic of Cape Verde becomes independent from the Portuguese Republic. Praia is the capital.
June 25 The Republic of Mozambique becomes independent from the Portuguese Republic. Maputo is the capital.
April 30 The Republic of South Vietnam supersedes the Republic of Vietnam. The name of the capital is changed from Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City.
1974 September 10 The Republic of Guinea changes its name to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and moves its capital from Madina do Boe to Bissau. The Portuguese Republic recognizes the independence of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
February 22 The Islamic Republic of Pakistan recognizes the independence of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
February 7 Grenada becomes independent from the United Kingdom. St. George's is the capital.
January 4 The Union of Burma changes its name to the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma. Yangon remains the capital until 2005.
1973 September 24 The Republic of Guinea declares its independence from the Portuguese Republic; recognition is limited. Madina do Boe is the temporary capital.
July 17 The Republic of Afghanistan supersedes the Kingdom of Afghanistan. Kabul remains the capital.
July 10 The Commonwealth of The Bahamas becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Nassau is the capital.
1972 June 2 The United Republic of Cameroon supersedes the Federal Republic of Cameroon. Yaoundé remains the capital until 1982.
May 22 Ceylon changes its name to the Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka. Colombo remains the capital until 1982.
1971 December 2 The United Arab Emirates becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Abu Dhabi is the capital.
September 27 The Democratic Republic of the Congo changes its name to the Republic of Zaire. Kinshasa remains the capital.
September 3 The State of Qatar becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Doha is the capital.
September 1 The Arab Republic of Egypt supersedes the United Arab Republic. Cairo remains the capital.
August 16 The State of Bahrain becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Manama is the capital.
March 26 The People's Republic of Bangladesh declares its independence from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Dhaka is the capital.
1970 December 1 The People's Republic of South Yemen changes its name to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. Aden remains the capital.
October 9 The Khmer Republic (Cambodia) supersedes the Kingdom of Cambodia. Phnom Penh is the capital.
October 10 The Republic of the Fiji Islands becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Suva is the capital.
July 4 The Kingdom of Tonga becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Nukuʻalofa is the capital.

1960s

Year Date Event
1969 September 1 The Libyan Arab Republic supersedes the Kingdom of Libya. Tripoli remains the capital.
1968 October 12 The Republic of Equatorial Guinea becomes independent from the Kingdom of Spain. Malabo is the capital.
September 6 The Kingdom of Swaziland becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Mbabane is the capital.
March 12 The Republic of Mauritius becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Port Louis is the capital.
January 31 The Republic of Nauru becomes independent from a United Nations trusteeship. It does not designate a capital.
1967 November 7 The People's Republic of South Yemen becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Aden is the capital.
The Dominion of Canada changes its name to Canada. Ottawa remains the capital.
January 24 The Republic of the United States of Brazil changes its name to the Federative Republic of Brazil. Brasilia remains the capital.
1966 November 30 Barbados becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Bridgetown is the capital.
November 28 The Republic of Burundi supersedes the Kingdom of Burundi. Bujumbura remains the capital.
October 4 The Kingdom of Lesotho becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Maseru is the capital.
September 30 The Republic of Botswana becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Gaborone is the capital.
July 6 Malawi becomes the Republic of Malawi. Lilongwe remains the capital.
July 1 The Republic of Congo (Congo-Léopoldville) changes its name to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and changes the name of its capital from Léopoldville to Kinshasa.
May 26 The Co-operative Republic of Guyana becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Georgetown is the capital.
1965 August 9 The Republic of Singapore secedes from Malaysia. Singapore is the capital.
July 26 The Republic of Maldives becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Male is the capital.
February 18 The Republic of The Gambia becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Banjul is the capital.
1964 November 1 The United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar changes its name to the United Republic of Tanzania. Dar-es-Salaam remains the capital.
October 24 The Republic of Zambia becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Lusaka is the capital.
September 21 The Republic of Malta becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Valletta is the capital.
August 1 The Republic of Congo changes its name to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa remains the capital.
July 6 Malawi becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Lilongwe is the capital.
April 26 The Republic of Tanganyika and the Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba unite to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Zanzibar City yields to Dar-es-Salaam as the capital.
1963 December 12 The Republic of Kenya becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Nairobi is the capital.
September 16 The Federation of Malaya unites with the British colonies of Singapore, Sarawak, and British North Borneo (Sabah) to form Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur remains the capital.
April 25 The Kingdom of Libya supersedes the United Kingdom of Libya. Tripoli remains the capital.
April 7 Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia changes the name to Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Belgrade remains the capital.
The Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Zanzibar City is the capital.
1962 October 9 The Republic of Uganda becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Kampala is the capital.
September 26 The Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) moves its capital from Ta'izz to San'a'.
September 25 Algeria becomes the People's Democratic Algerian Republic. Algiers remains the capital.
August 31 The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Port of Spain is the capital.
August 6 Jamaica becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Kingston is the capital.
July 3 Algeria becomes independent from the French Republic. Algiers is the capital.
July 1 The Kingdom of Burundi and the Republic of Rwanda become independent from the Kingdom of Belgium. Bujumbura and Kigali are the respective capitals.
January 1 Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. Apia is the capital.
1961 December 28 The Syrian Arab Republic secedes from the United Arab Republic, leaving Egypt as the sole member of the federation. Cairo remains the capital of the UAR. Damascus is the capital of Syria.
December 9 The Republic of Tanganyika becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Dar-es-Salaam is the capital.
October 1 The southern portion of British Cameroon becomes independent from the United Kingdom and unites with the Republic of Cameroun to form the Republic of Cameroon. Yaoundé is the capital.
June 19 The State of Kuwait becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Kuwait City is the capital.
April 27 The Republic of Sierra Leone becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Freetown is the capital.
1960 November 28 The Islamic Republic of Mauritania becomes independent from the French Republic. Nouakchott is the capital.
October 1 The Federal Republic of Nigeria becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Lagos is the capital.
September 22 The Republic of Mali becomes independent from the French Republic. Bamako is the capital.
August 20 The Republic of Senegal becomes independent from the French Republic. Dakar is the capital.
August 17 The Gabonese Republic {Gabon) becomes independent from the French Republic. Libreville is the capital.
August 16 The Republic of Cyprus becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Lefkosia is the capital.
August 15 The Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) becomes independent from the French Republic. Brazzaville is the capital.
August 13 The Central African Republic becomes independent from the French Republic. Bangui is the capital.
August 11 The Republic of Chad becomes independent from the French Republic. N'Djamena is the capital.
August 7 The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire becomes independent from the French Republic. Abidjan is the capital.
August 5 The Republic of Upper Volta becomes independent from the French Republic. Ouagadougou is the capital.
August 3 The Republic of Niger becomes independent from the French Republic. Niamey is the capital.
August 1 The Republic of Dahomey becomes independent from the French Republic. Porto-Novo is the capital.
July 1 The Somali Republic (Somalia) is created from a merger of the former colonies of British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland. Mogadishu is the capital.
June 30 The Republic of Congo (Congo-Léopoldville) becomes independent from the Kingdom of Belgium. Léopoldville is the capital.
June 26 The Malagasy Republic (Madagascar) becomes independent from the French Republic. Antananarivo is the capital.
April 27 The Togolese Republic (Togo) becomes independent from the French Republic. Lomé is the capital.
April 21 The Republic of the United States of Brazil moves its capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília.
January 1 The Republic of Cameroun becomes independent from the French Republic. Yaoundé is the capital.

1950s

Year Date Event
1958 October 15 The Malagasy Republic (Madagascar) gains autonomy within the French Community. Antananarivo is the capital.
October 2 The Republic of Guinea becomes independent from the French Republic. Conakry is the capital.
July 14 The Republic of Iraq and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan are created from the dissolution of the Arab Federation of Iraq and Jordan. Baghdad remains the capital of Iraq. Amman is again the capital of Jordan.
February 14 The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan unite to form the Arab Federation of Iraq and Jordan. Amman yields to Baghdad as the capital.
February 1 The Egyptian Republic and the Syrian Arab Republic unite to form the United Arab Republic. Damascus yields to Cairo as the capital.
1957 August 31 The Federation of Malaya becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Kuala Lumpur is the capital.
March 6 The Republic of Ghana becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Accra is the capital.
1956 June 18 The Egyptian Republic declares its complete independence from the United Kingdom. Cairo remains the capital.
March 23 The Dominion of Pakistan declares its complete independence from the United Kingdom and declare Islamic republic. And changes its name to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Karachi remains the capital.
March 20 The Tunisian Republic becomes independent from the French Republic. Tunis is the capital.
March 2 The Kingdom of Morocco becomes independent from the French Republic. Rabat is the capital.
January 1 The Republic of Sudan becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Khartoum is the capital. Egypt relinquishes its claim over Sudan.
1955 The Kingdom of Bhutan makes Thimphu the sole capital.
May 15 The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) regains its independence. Allied occupation ends. Vienna (German: Wien) is the capital.
1954 December 20 The French Republic recognizes the independence of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Phnom Penh remains the capital.
July 20 The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) become independent from the French Republic. Hanoi and Saigon are the respective capitals.
1953 November 9 The Kingdom of Cambodia declares its independence from the French Republic. Phnom Penh is the capital.
June 13 The Egyptian Republic supersedes the Kingdom of Egypt. Cairo remains the capital.
1952 July 22 The Republic of Poland changes its name to the Polish People's Republic. Warsaw remains the capital.
1951 December 24 The United Kingdom of Libya becomes independent from a United Nations trusteeship, having been jointly administered by the French Republic and the United Kingdom. Tripoli is the capital.
May 23 The People's Republic of China annexes Tibet.
February 15 The Republic of Poland and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics exchange territory along their common border.
1950 August 17 the Republic of the United States of Indonesia becomes a unitary states and changes its name back to Republic of Indonesia. Jakarta remains the capital
January 26 The Union of India declares its complete independence from the United Kingdom and declare Republic. And changes its name to the Republic of India. New Delhi remains the capital.

1940s

Year Date Event
1949 December 8 The government of the Republic of China leaves Mainland China for Taiwan where Taipei becomes the de facto capital.
December 27 The Republic of Indonesia becomes a federation as Republic of the United States of Indonesia and its independence is formally recognised by the Netherlands. The capital returns to Jakarta from Yogyakarta.
October 7 The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) is established in occupied eastern Germany. Berlin is the capital.
October 1 The People's Republic of China is established. Beijing is the capital.
September 7 The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) is established in occupied western Germany. Bonn is the capital.
July 9 The Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) becomes independent from the French Republic. Vientiane is the capital.
March 31 The Dominion of Newfoundland joins Canada following the questionable Newfoundland referendums, 1948. The capital is St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
1948 September 9 The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Republic of Korea are created from the Japanese-occupied state of Korea. Pyongyang and Seoul are the respective capitals.
July 17 The Republic of the Philippines moves its capital from Manila to Quezon City.
February 4 Ceylon (Sri Lanka) becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Colombo is the capital until 1982.
January 4 The Union of Burma becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Yangon is the capital until 2005.
1947 August 15 The Union of India becomes independent from the United Kingdom. New Delhi is the capital.
August 14 The Dominion of Pakistan becomes independent from the United Kingdom. Karachi is the capital.
1946 September 15 The People's Republic of Bulgaria supersedes the Tsardom of Bulgaria. Sofia is the capital.
July 4 The Republic of the Philippines becomes independent from the United States of America. Manila is the capital until 1948.
May 25 The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan becomes independent from a British League of Nations Mandate. Amman is the capital.
January 11 The People's Republic of Albania supersedes the Kingdom of Albania. Tirana remains the capital.
January 4 The Republic of Indonesia moves its capital from Jakarta to Yogyakarta.
1945 December 2 The Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia supersedes the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Belgrade remains the capital.
August 17 The Republic of Indonesia becomes independent from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Jakarta is the capital.
September 2 The Empire of Greater Japan surrenders to Allied Forces.
May 8 The Greater German Empire surrenders to Allied Forces.
April 27 The second Republic of Austria is established in occupied Austria. Vienna is the capital. The independence is recognised by the Allied Forces.
1944 June 17 The Republic of Iceland becomes independent from the Kingdom of Denmark. Reykjavik is the capital.
1943 November 22 The Lebanese Republic (Lebanon) becomes independent from the French Republic. Beirut is the capital.

1930s

Year Date Event
1939 July 10 The third German Empire changes its name to the Greater German Empire. Berlin remains as the capital.
April 1 The second Spanish Republic is superseded by the Spanish State. Madrid remains the capital.
1938 March 13 The third German Empire absorbs the Federal State of Austria in Anschluss. Vienna yields to Berlin as the capital.
1937 The Irish Free State changes its name to Ireland. Dublin remains the capital.
1934 The third German Empire supersedes the second German Empire.