The map above is one of my all time favourites. It shows Pangaea, a supercontinent that existed from 300 million to 175 million years ago, with modern international borders.
Needless to say it would make international relations a little bit more complicated. Major changes include:
- The United States now borders a few new countries including Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and Cuba.
- Spain now has a land border with Algeria.
- Italy now borders Tunisia.
- Greece borders Libya.
- Brazil borders a whole bunch of new states from Namibia in the south to Liberia in the north.
- India now finds itself in the southern hemisphere, right next to Antarctica.
- You could walk from Australia to Tibet (which is no longer attached to China).
- While China has lost Tibet it has gained a massive amount of new coast line.
Notice anything else that might complicate international politics? Then please, leave a comment in the comment section below.
Update: You can now play around with a fully Interactive Pangaea Map With Modern International Borders here.
To learn more about the history of the earth have a look at the following books:
- A Short History of Nearly Everything
- The Origin of Continents and Oceans
- The Story of Earth: The First 4.5 Billion Years, from Stardust to Living Planet
- Earth: Portrait of a Planet (Fifth Edition)
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LuisPauloLohmann says
Brazil would rise to a whole new level in international affairs, but lose all of its beaches. =)
Patriotic COOLGUY says
where is the north pole in relation to the land mass?
A says
This map is incorrect. Most of Washington State (along with some other parts of the PNW) was under water until around the beginning of the Cretaceous, which was long after Pangaea.
Tim Townsend says
Part of India is way north (or at the top) and part is next to Antarctica. Would love to see an animation showing how they came together.
Roshan Koirala says
Brazil, a country with largest water resource, is landlocked and may be a desert.