Border history · 1886–2023

Russia borders over time

CShapes records 23 changes to the borders of Russia (also recorded as Soviet Union) between 1886 and 2023. It was independent for the whole period. Its territory covers 16,908,397 km², less than the 22,016,251 km² it covered in 1886. The largest single change came on December 21, 1991, when it lost about 2,838,563 km².

Open full mapAll countries
Border changes
23
Area today
16,908,397 km²
Largest change
−2,838,563 km² (1991)
Status
Independent
March 18, 2014 – presentChoose a period to see its borders. The dashed line is the period before.

Timeline of Russia's borders

Each period is one border version in CShapes, with its area and the change from the period before.

  1. January 1, 1886 – September 4, 1905

    22,016,251 km²First recorded versionIndependentWorld map in 1886

  2. September 5, 1905 – April 16, 1914

    21,984,144 km²−32,107 km²IndependentWorld map in 1906

  3. April 17, 1914 – December 5, 1917

    22,149,197 km²+165,053 km²IndependentWorld map in 1914

  4. December 6, 1917 – February 15, 1918

    21,760,440 km²−388,757 km²Independent

  5. February 16, 1918 – March 2, 1918

    21,676,558 km²−83,882 km²Independent

  6. March 3, 1918 – March 10, 1918

    21,650,557 km²−26,001 km²Independent

  7. March 11, 1918 – November 10, 1918

    21,650,557 km²±0 km²IndependentWorld map in 1918

  8. November 11, 1918 – February 1, 1920

    21,405,092 km²−245,465 km²IndependentWorld map in 1919

  9. February 2, 1920 – September 1, 1920

    21,506,692 km²+101,600 km²IndependentWorld map in 1920

  10. September 2, 1920 – October 27, 1920

    21,700,807 km²+194,115 km²Independent

  11. October 28, 1920 – March 17, 1921

    21,656,441 km²−44,366 km²Independent

  12. March 18, 1921 – March 11, 1940

    21,552,661 km²−103,780 km²IndependentWorld map in 1921

  13. March 12, 1940 – June 1, 1940

    21,606,339 km²+53,678 km²Independent

  14. June 2, 1940 – June 27, 1940

    21,777,457 km²+171,118 km²Independent

  15. June 28, 1940 – May 7, 1945

    21,828,477 km²+51,020 km²IndependentWorld map in 1940

  16. May 8, 1945 – August 14, 1945

    22,033,849 km²+205,372 km²IndependentWorld map in 1945

  17. August 15, 1945 – August 24, 1991

    22,065,955 km²+32,106 km²IndependentWorld map in 1946

  18. August 25, 1991 – August 31, 1991

    21,824,561 km²−241,394 km²Independent

  19. September 1, 1991 – September 5, 1991

    21,178,321 km²−646,240 km²Independent

  20. September 6, 1991 – October 26, 1991

    20,790,129 km²−388,192 km²Independent

  21. October 27, 1991 – November 30, 1991

    20,317,882 km²−472,247 km²Independent

  22. December 1, 1991 – December 20, 1991

    19,721,124 km²−596,758 km²Independent

  23. December 21, 1991 – March 17, 2014

    16,882,561 km²−2,838,563 km²IndependentWorld map in 1992

  24. March 18, 2014 – present

    16,908,397 km²+25,836 km²IndependentWorld map in 2014

What changed

Independence, transfers between rulers, and border changes recorded for this country.

  1. Russia loses about 32,106 km² of territory.
  2. Russia gains about 165,053 km² of territory.
  3. Russia loses about 388,757 km² of territory.
  4. Russia loses about 355,347 km² of territory in 3 separate changes during the year.
  5. Russia gains about 251,348 km² of territory in 3 separate changes during the year.
  6. Russia loses about 103,780 km² of territory.
  7. Russia gains about 275,816 km² of territory in 3 separate changes during the year.
  8. Russia gains about 237,478 km² of territory in 2 separate changes during the year.
  9. Russia loses about 5,183,394 km² of territory in 6 separate changes during the year.
  10. Russia gains about 25,836 km² of territory.