16 - Europe fits in Brazil
At 8.511.965 km², Brazil is the 5th largest country on earth, the larger ones being Russia, Canada, the US and China (in that order). The country conjures up mostly images of leasurely beach life, or crime-ridden slums. However, Brazil is slowly emerging as an industrial giant and might soon have an economic punch matching its surface (almost half of South America) and population (exceeding 188 million).
Although Brazil covers an area equal to 88% of the US and therefore is almost as large, its vastness holds less sway over the imagination of non-Americans. An interesting way of visualising its size is presented with this map: all of non-Russian Europe fits into Brazil…
The date for this map is given as 1957?, but it most probably is older: the Polish-German border is the one from 1918 to 1939.
Interesting. I don’t believe the US recognized the post-WWII borders until the Helsinki Accords (because until the promised democratic elections, the regimes were supposed to be temporary), so it could be a de jure map from the ’50s.
Comment by Dan tdaxp — October 22, 2006 @
Actually, I’ve seen Europe maps that are definitely dated after 1945, still showing the pre-1939 German-Polish border, but most often just as a dotted line.
Another way of dating this map would be to cross-check US population data, referred to here as 130 million. Wikipedia lists the US population in 1940 as 132 million (and 123 million in 1930), so it probably is pre-World War Two.
Comment by strangemaps — October 23, 2006 @
I would guess the date to be before Hitler annexed Austria (1937?)but after the Chaco war between Paraguay and Bolivia (mid 1920s?)All the European borders seem to be post WW1, but before Hitler’s changes.
Jeremy Parker
Comment by Jeremy Parker — October 23, 2006 @
@Jeremy Parker:
The Anschluss occurred on March 12, 1938; and Austria is indeed still independent on this map. Well spotted, that pre-Chaco War border between Paraguay and Bolivia. That war took place between 1932 and 1935, with Paraguay’s territorial gains recognised only at the truce of 1938. So we can probably safely put the date as 1938 or earlier…
Comment by strangemaps — October 25, 2006 @
And the map of Europe gets “England” and “Great Britain” mixed up. The nations of Wales and Scotland are missing. Someone else can point out the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland matter, which also would have been deliniated on or after the 1920s.
Comment by Alan — November 8, 2006 @
Rio de Janeiro was the federal district of Brazil from 1763 until 1960. After this period, it was transfered to Brasilia.
Comment by Fred — August 31, 2007 @
What does the Kalingradskaya part of the map suggest about the date?
I agree that this appears to be drawn based on a Europe before 1939. However, I might suggest that the person drawing it was looking at a map from their 28 year old dictionary. The population data may have come from the same book.
Also, what about the Metric System? The map reminds me that the only things about the Metric System we have adopted in the US are the 9mm pistol and the Kilo of pot.
Comment by Komowkwa — November 19, 2007 @
That’s a very interesting observation. It’s always cool to see different perspectives of different continents and places in the world.
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Comment by AlugueCel — December 27, 2007 @
that’s a very interesting view of the way the world could be if we could move the countries around.
Comment by whataboutbrazil — April 20, 2008 @
Here in Brazil Editora Abril’s encyclopedia “Conhecer Universal/Conhecer Brasil” in the 80’s published a similar map, with the Cold-War era European borders.
Comment by MaGioZal — May 25, 2008 @