Timeline of historical geopolitical changes
Year Date Event
1979 25 December The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics occupies the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
1979 12 December The Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia is dissolved as the United Kingdom regains control of Southern Rhodesia
1979 27 October Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gain independence from the United Kingdom . Kingstown remains the capital
1979 1 October The United States of America dissolves the Panama Canal Zone and returns sovereignty to the Republic of Panama . The United States and Panama will jointly operate the Panama Canal until 31 December 1999
1979 20 September The Central African Empire changes its name back to the Central African Republic
1979 13 September The Republic of Venda is given independence by South Africa . Thohoyandou is the capital
1979 12 July The Gilbert Islands gain independence from the United Kingdom as the Independent and Sovereign Republic of Kiribati . South Tarawa remains the capital
1979 1 June The Republic of Zimbabwe Rhodesia ( Southern Rhodesia ) supersedes the Republic of Rhodesia , although neither are recognized
1979 1 April Iran changes its name to the Islamic Republic of Iran
1979 26 March Israel agrees to return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt
1979 22 February Saint Lucia gains independence from the United Kingdom . Castries remains the capital
1979 11 February The Imperial State of Iran changes its name to Iran
1979 10 January The People 's Republic of Kampuchea ( Cambodia ) supersedes Democratic Kampuchea ( Cambodia )
1979 7 January The Socialist Republic of Vietnam occupies Democratic Kampuchea ( Cambodia )
1978 29 December After a transition to democracy , the Spanish State is renamed the Kingdom of Spain
1978 3 November Dominica gains independence from the United Kingdom as the Commonwealth of Dominica . Roseau remains the capital
1978 5 October The State of Comoros changes its name to the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros
1978 1 October Tuvalu gains independence from the United Kingdom . Funafuti remains the capital
1978 7 September The Free , Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka changes its name to the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
1978 7 July The Solomon Islands gain independence from the United Kingdom . Honiara on Guadalcanal remains the capital
20th century
This is a timeline of country and capital changes around the world. It includes dates of declarations of independence, changes in country name, changes of capital city or name, and significant changes in territory such as the annexation, cession, or secession of land. The types of changes listed here usually include (but are not limited to) the alteration of borders, the creation and fall of states, changes of geographical names, as well as a few geographical changes caused by unusually destructive natural disasters. Through the knowledge of such dates and events, the approximate year and age of a world map could be calculated and estimated. Not all maps of the world created during a given age or period will be the same across the globe, as different mapmakersor their employersmay have different views on the sovereignty or territorial integrity of the countries of the world or possess different levels of technological sophistication or geographical insight. The timeline below presents its information in reverse chronological order, beginning in the modern era and working backwards. This article uses the Common Calendar System, which was established as the new Christian Calendar by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. The Common Calendar uses the designation Common Era (CE or AD for Anno Domini) for years starting 1 January 1 CE, and Before Common Era (BCE or BC for Before Christ) for years before that date. The Common Calendar also follows the ordinal numbers rather than the cardinal numbers, so there was no year zero in this format; that is, the date 1 January 1 CE immediately followed the date 31 December 1 BCE. For the same reason, while the 2000s began on Saturday, 1 January 2000 CE, the official Third Millennium began on Monday, 1 January 2001 CE.