A century ago, around half of today’s independent countries were European colonies

Just a century ago, many of today’s independent countries weren’t self-governing at all. They were colonies controlled by European countries from far away.

Modern European colonialism began in the 15th century, when Spain and Portugal established overseas empires. By the early 20th century, it had peaked: the United Kingdom and France dominated, and nearly 100 modern-day countries were under European control, mostly in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.

As the chart shows, this changed rapidly after World War II. A wave of decolonization spread across the world, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. Colonies became independent countries, formed their own governments, joined international institutions, and started having their own voice in global decisions.

The decline of colonialism marked one of the biggest political shifts in modern history, from external rule to national sovereignty.