Southern Asia 1921: Rise of Reza Khan

Changes to the map 28 November 1920–5 April 1921

Persia: Reza Khan's coup has put a strong leader in power in Tehran. The Russo-Persian Treaty of Friendship has in turn weakened the position of the Gilan Soviet. However there is considerable opposition across the country. Khorasan has effectively become independent and there is unrest in Kurdistan.

Armenia & Georgia: Soviet Russia has conquered Armenia, setting up a Soviet Republic on invasion. Armenian resistance continues in the south in the Republic of Mountainous Armenia. In February, the Soviets have conquered Georgia, declaring a Soviet Republic upon occupying Tblisi.

Greco-Turkish War: Despite two repulses at Inonu, the Greek advance is pushing on to the Eskisehir-Kutahya-Afyonkarahisar line.

Franco-Turkish War: The French have abandoned Zonguldak on the Black Sea, and Kadirli and Feke in Cilicia. By the Cilicia Peace Treaty of March 1921, France has agreed to evacuate the region.

Kuwait: The Ikhwan attacks on Kuwait have intensified, with Mutayr raids on Shammar and Dhafir.

British Protectorates in the Persian Gulf

The British Residency of the Persian Gulf maintains British India influence in a number of Gulf states. These states are nominally independent - and shown as such in most atlases from the period - but have all signed treaties guaranteeing British control over their foreign affairs.

The Sultanate of Muscat and Oman is the only one of these states with significant international relations, having obtained trade agreements with the US and France before it signed its treaty with Britain. Maps of the time often show Trucial Oman and even Qatar as regions of Oman.

Trucial Oman is the region to the west of Oman which collectively signed treaties with Britain. The sheikhdoms of this region are often called the Trucial States, and will become the United Arab Emirates. However at this time they have little unity, with no regional council until 1952.

Indian Empire

The British Indian Empire, also known as the British Raj, is comprised of a complex of presidencies, provinces, protectorates, and agencies. Only the top level subdivisions are shown here.

The area under direct British rule is known as British India and made up of presidencies and provinces - a presidency simply being the name for an older province.

Outside British India, but often included within the sphere of the presidencies/provinces, are the hundreds of protectorates or 'princely states'. These are indirectly ruled states, the largest being Hyderabad, Kashmir, and Mysore. The others are either collected into agencies - which may in turn contain other smaller agencies - or fall under the sway of the provinces.