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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