Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

NOTEBOOK “ζ”

(“ZETA”)

SUPAN, TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN COLONIES AND HÜBNER’S GEOGRAPHICAL-STATISTICAL TABLES

Professor Dr. Alexander Supan, Territorial Development of European Colonies, 1906 (pp. 256 and 257)[1]

Table 1. Colonial Possessions in 1876 and 1900 (by continents)[2]
From Otto Hüb-
ner’s Statistical
Tables (1914)
1876 1900 Increase (+) and
Decrease (—)
sq. km.
(000)		 population
(000)		 sq. km.
(000)		 population
(000)		 sq. km.
(000)		 population
(000)		 sq. km.
(000)		 population
(000)
Asia 22,772.9  291,495  25,012.7 390,636  + 2,239.8  + 99,141  25,297.1 422,658 
Great Britain 3,765.4  241,835  5,224.4 301,495  + 1,459.0  + 59,660  5,265.3 324,773 
Netherlands 1,520.6  24,170  1,520.6 37,494  — + 13,324  1,520.6 37,717 
France 160.0  2,683  664.2 18,073  + 504.2  + 15,390  803.5 17,272 
Spain 296.3  6,000  — — — 296.3  — 6,000  — —
Portugal 19.9  849  19.9 810  — — 39  22.8 980 
German Empire — — 0.5 84  + 0.5  + 84  0.5 192 
Russia 17,010.7  15,958  17,286.8 25,045  + 276.1  + 9,087  17,388.1 33,164 
United States (evidently
 Philippines)		 — — 296.3 7,635  + 296.3  + 7,635  296.3 8,460 
Africa 3,218.7  11,426  26,950.9 123,349  + 23,732.2  + 111,924  28,583.8 126,614 
Great Britain 706.9  2,331  9,201.2 53,097  2 + 8,494.3  2 + 50,766  9,675.7 52,069 
Belgium, the Congo — — 2,382.8 19,000  + 2,382.8  + 19,000  2,365.0 15,003 
France 700.0  2,875  10,211.2 31,518  + 9,511.2  + 28,643  9,660.3 37,750 
Spain 9.8  319  220.3 673  + 210.5  + 354  560.5 589 
Portugal 1,802.0  5,900  2,073.2 6,865  + 271.2  + 965  2,069.9 8,351 
Italy — — 510.0 731  + 510.0  + 731  1,590.1 1,403 
German Empire — — 2,352.2 11,465  + 2,352.2  + 11,465  2,662.3 11,449 
Australia 7,699.4  1,970  7,699.4 3,983  — + 2,013  (7,699.4) (3,983) 
Great Britain 7,699.4  1,970  7,699.4 3,983  — + 2,013  (7,699.4) (3,983) 
Polynesia 711.9  934  1,238.9 2,440  + 527.0  + 1,506  7,760 
Great Britain 291.9  564  558.7 1,496  + 266.8  + 932  8,261.3 6,588 
Netherlands 394.1  240  394.8 240  + 0.7  — 394.8 240 
France 23.3  93  24.2 88  + 0.9  — 5  22.6 80 
Spain 2.6  37  — — — 2.6  — 37  — —
German Empire — — 243.8 449  + 243.8  — 449  245.1 641 
United States6 — — 17.4 167  + 17.4  — 167  17.4 211 
America 10,599.8  7,740  10,502.6 9,148  — 97.2  + 1,408  9,184.1 10,731 
Great Britain 8,711.4  5,160  8,728.2 7,533  + 16.8  + 2,373  8,962.3 10,114 
Netherlands 130.2  110  130.2 140  — + 30  130.2 140 
France 82.0  346  82.0 428  — + 82  91.2 450 
Spain 123.3  2,025  — — — 123.3  — 2,025  — —
Denmark 0.4  38  0.4 31  — — 7  0.4 27 
Sweden 0.02 1  — — — 0.02 — 1  — —
United States6 1,552.5  60 1,561.8 1,016  + 9.3  + 956  — —
Arctic 1,492.1  82  1,492.1 91  — + 9  15 
Great Britain8 1,301.1  1  1,301.1 1  — — 1,374.0 2 
Denmark9 191.0  81  191.0 90  — + 9 88.1 13 
Antarctic — — 3.5 — + 3.5  — — —
France10 — — 3.5 — + 3.5  — — —
Total 46,494.8  313,646  72,900.1 529,647  + 26,405.3  + 216,001  — —
2 With Egypt and the Sudan....
6 Included among the colonies here are the Hawaiian Islands and Alaska, countries not bordering [on the main territory of the metropolitan country].
8 The Arctic Archipelago of North America....
9 Iceland and Greenland.
10 (The islands St. Paul, New Amsterdam, Kerguelen)....

Table 2. Colonial Possessions in 1876 and 1900
(by continents)[3]		 (From Hübner’s
tables) 1914
1800 1900 Increase (+) and
Decrease (—)
sq. km.
(000)		 population
(000)		 sq. km.
(000)		 population
(000)		 sq. km.
(000)		 population
(000)		 sq. km.
(000)		 population
(000)
Great Britain 22,476.1 251,861 32,713.0 367,605 + 10,236.9 + 115,744 33,538.6 393,546
Asia 3,765.4 241,835 5,224.4 301,495 + 1,459.0 + 59,660 5,265.3 324,773
Africa 706.9 2,331 9,201.2 53,097 + 8,494.3 + 50,766 9,675.7 52,069
Australia 7,699.4 1,970 7,699.4 } 8,258.1 3,983 — + 2,013 } 8,261.3 6,588
Polynesia 291.9 564 558.7 1,496 + 266.8 + 932
America 8,711.4 5,160 8,728.2 7,533 + 16.8 + 2,373 8,962.3 10,114
Arctic 1,301.1 1 1,301.1 1 — — 1,374.0 2
Netherlands 2,044.9 24,520 2,045.6 37,874 + 0.7 + 13,354 2,045.6 38,097
Asia 1,520.6 24,170 1,520.6 37,494 — + 13,324 1,520.6 37,717
Polynesia 394.1 240 394.8 240 + 0.7 — 394.8 240
America 130.2 110 130.2 140 — + 30 130.2 140
Belgium—The
Congo		 — — 2,382.8 19,000 + 2,382.8 + 19,000 2,365.0 15,003
Africa — — 2,382.8 19,000 + 2,382.8 + 19,000 2,365.0 15,003
France 965.3 5,997 10,985.1 50,107 + 10,019.8 + 44,110 10,581   55,552
Asia 160.0 2,683 664.2 18,073 + 504.2 + 15,390 803.5 17,272
Africa 700.0 2,875 10,211.2 31,518 + 9,511.2 + 28,643 9,660.3 37,750
Polynesia 23.3 93 24.2 88 + 0.9 — 5 22.6 80
America 82.0 346 82.0 428 — + 82 91.2 450
Antarctic — — 3.5 — + 3.5 — (3.5) —
Spain 432.0 8,381 220.3 673 — 211.7 — 7,708 560.5 589
Asia 296.3 6,000 — — — 296.3 — 6,000 — —
Africa 9.8 319 220.3 673 + 210.5 + 354 560.5 589
Polynesia 2.6 37 — — — 2.6 — 37 — —
America 123.3 2,025 — — — 123.3 — 2,025 — —
Portugal 1,821.9 6,749 2,093.1 7,675 + 271.2 + 926 2,092.7 9,331
Asia 19.9 849 19.9 810 — — 39 22.8 980
Africa 1,802.0 5,900 2,073.2 6,865 + 271.2 + 965 2,069.9 8,351
Italy — — 510.0 731 + 510.0 + 731 1,590.1 1,403
Africa — — 510.0 731 + 510.0 + 731 1,590.1 1,403
German Empire — — 2,596.5 11,998 + 2,596.5 + 11,998 2,907.9 12,282
Asia — — 0.5 84 + 0.5 + 84 0.5 192
Africa — — 2,352.2 11,465 + 2,352.2 + 11,465 2,662.3 11,449
Polynesia — — 243.8 449 + 243.8 + 449 245.1 641
Denmark 191.4 119 191.4 121 — + 2 88.5 40
America 0.4 38 0.4 31 — — 7 0.4 27
Arctic 191.0 81 191.0 90 — + 9 88.1 13
Sweden 0.02 1 — — — 0.02 + 1 0.02 —
America 0.02 1 — — — (0.02) + 1 0.02 —
Russia 17,010.7 15,958 17,286.8 25,045 + 276.1 + 9,087 17,388.1 33,164
Asia 17,010.7 15,958 17,286.8 25,045 + 276.1 + 9,087 17,388.1 33,164
United States 1,552.5 60 1,875.5 8,818 + 323.0 + 8,758 (1,875.5) (9,687)
Asia — — 296.3 7,635 + 296.3 + 7,635 296.3 8,460
Polynesia — — 17.4 167 + 17.4 + 167 17.4 211
America 1,552.5 60 1,561.8 1,016 + 9.3 + 956 (1,561.8) (1,016)
Total 46,494.8 313,646 72,900.1 529,647 + 26,405.3 + 216,001 74,963.5 568,694

A. Supan, p. 254:

“Percentage of territory belonging to the European colonial powers (including the United States)[4]

1876 1900 Increase or
Decrease
in Africa . . . . . . . . . . 10.8 90.4 + 79.6
” Polynesia . . . . . . . . . . 56.8 98.9 + 42.1
” Asia . . . . . . . . . . 51.5 56.6 +  5.1
” Australia . . . . . . . . . . 100.0 100.0 —
” America 1) . . . . . . . . . . 27.5 27.2 —  0.3
2) “Alaska is regarded here as a colony of the U.S.A.”

“The characteristic feature of this period is, therefore, the partition of Africa and Polynesia”... (p. 254).

The plunder of the natives by the European countries is especially clearly revealed in the account of the division of Farther India (Siam with British “Burma” or Burmania from the West, and French Indo-China from the East)—in Supan, p. 299 et seq. The result (in rounded area figures) (000 sq. km.):

1876 1900
British Malacca. . . . . . 32 92 + 60
British Burma. . . . . . 228 696 + 468
French possession. . . . . . 160 663 + 503
Independent area. . . . . . 1,665 634 — 1,031
Farther India, in the polit-
 ical sense. . . . . . . .		 2,085 2,085

“It should also be borne in mind that Siam is guaranteed only 239,000 sq. km.”....

((Hübner (1914) shows Siam as having 600,000 sq. km.!! Not yet completely plundered!!))

Supan states: “There should be no doubt that this process [the division of Farther India] is not yet completed.”

Summarising the results of colonisation, Supan says that it has been carried out mainly in the last fifty years (1850–1900)—p. 306 et seq.—He distinguishes three types of colonies: 1) native (no whites or almost none. British India belongs in this category); 2) mixed (whites in a minority; a mixture); 3) migrational colonies (marked preponderance of whites).

He gives detailed figures for America (38,331,200 sq. km.; 144.2 million inhabitants, including 88.3 million whites); Africa (26,950,900 sq. km.; 123.3 million inhabitants); Asia (24,506,200 sq. km.; 390.6 million inhabitants); South Seas colonies (8,938,300 sq. km.; 6.4 million inhabitants). Supan sums up as follows (p. 313):

sq. km.
(million)		 population
(million)		 den-
sity		 number of
whites
1) Native colonies 35.6 477.0 13  —
2) Mixed   ” 33.9  79.7  2.3  11.5 mill.
3) Migrational ” 29.4 108.9  4  93.9
Colonised area 98.9 665.6  7 105.4

(In the first group is mainly India—with 365 million—in Asia, and 105 million in Africa.—In the third group are mainly North America—78.7 million, and Siberia and Central Asia—7.6 million).

N.B. Supan, Population of the World. No. X
to XII. Supplementary issues to Petermann’s
Reports. Gotha, 1912. 		N.B.

What is imperialism?
“Great” Powers
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏		 Colonies Metropolis Total
1876 1914 1914 1914
(million)
sq. km popu-
la-
tion		 sq. km popu-
la-
tion		 sq. km popu-
la-
tion		 sq. km popu-
la-
tion
Great Britain 22.5 251.9 33.5 393.5  0.3  46.5 33.8 440.0
Russia 17.0  15.9 17.4  33.2  5.4 136.2 22.8 169.4
France  0.9  6.0 10.6  55.5  0.5  39.6 11.1  95.1
Germany — —  2.9  12.3  0.5  64.9 3.4  77.2
Japan — —  0.3  19.2  0.4  53.0 0.7  72.2
U.S.A. — —  0.3  9.7  9.4  97.0 9.7 106.7
 
 
Total for six
“Great”
Powers		 40.4 273.8 65.0 523.4 16.5 437.2 81.5 960.6
 

Three countries, whose partition has been particularly vigorous
(Turkey, China, Persia). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  14.5  361.2
The whole globe (without Polar regions). . . . . 133 1,657

All colonies: 46.5 313.6 74.9 568.7
Colonies not belonging
    to the Great Powers		  9.9  45.3

N.B. Russia 169 X 0.57 = 96.33 N.B.
96 million oppressed or without equal rights

sq. km. population
(million)
All Europe  9.97 452.4
Great Britain + France + Russia + Ger-
 many. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		 —  6.70 — 287.2
Other countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  3.27 165.2
All America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39.98 189.5
— —
United States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9.40  97.0
— —
All colonies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9.20  10.7
Other countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.38  81.8
All Asia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44.45 871.2
— —
All colonies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.3 422.5
19.1 448.7
Three semi-colonies (Turkey + China
 + Persia). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .		 — 14.5 — 361.2
remainder =  4.6  87.5
All Africa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.9 136.2
— —
All colonies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28.6 126.6
remainder =  1.3  9.6
All Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8.9  7.8
All colonies =. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  7.7  3.4 (?)
(+ Polynesia?)

population (million) 300 privileged
6 Great Powers 437.2 150 oppressed
All colonies 568.7 } 929.9 1,000 {colonies and booty}
3 “booty”
countries 361.2 1,450
150 small states and
1,367.1   candidates
1,600

   Approximately:
 population (millions)
300 — “Great Powers” and privileged oppressors and plunderers
300 — dependent, unequal, plundered and small peoples
1,000 — colonies and “booty
1,600

China
Nationality of foreigners in the Treaty Ports
1912
Firms Individuals
Japanese   733  75,210
Russian   323  45,908
British   592  8,690
American   133  3,869
French   107  3,133
German   276  2,817
Portuguese   44  2,785
Italian   40    537
Austrian   17    328
Danish   11    279
Norwegian    8    250
Belgian   15    245
Spanish    6    224
Swedish    2    189
Dutch   13    157
Hungarian    3    27
Brazilian    1     9
Others    4    97
Total 2,328 144,754

Colonies (million)
Metropolis Colonies Total 1876 1914
sq. km. popu-
lation		 sq. km. popu-
lation		 sq. km. popu-
lation		 sq. km. popu-
lation		 sq. km. popu-
lation
(mill.) (mill.) (mill.)
(α) Russia (Europe+Asia) 5.4 136.2 16.9  33.2 22.3 169.4 17.0  15.9 17.4  33.2
(β) Great Britain 0.3  46.5 30.0 378.5 30.3 425.0 22.5 251.9 33.5 393.5
(α) France 0.5  39.6 10.6  55.5 11.1  95.1  0.9  6.0 10.6  55.5
(Σ) = 6.2 222.3 57.5 467.2 63.7 689.5
1) Belgium  0.03  7.5  2.4  15.0  2.4  22.5
Serbia  0.09  4.5 — —  0.1  4.5
(δ) Germany 0.5  64.9  2.9  12.3  3.4  77.2 — —  2.9  12.3
Austria-Hungary 0.7  51.4 — —  0.7  51.4
Turkey 1.8  21.6 — —  1.8  21.6
3.0 137.9  2.9  12.3  5.9 150.2
(ε) Japan 0.4  53.0  0.3  19.2  0.7  72.2 — —  0.3  19.2
China 11.1  329.6 — — 11.1 329.6
(ζ) U.S.A. 9.4  97.0  0.3  9.7  9.7 106.7 — —  0.3  9.7
 
 
6 “Great” Powers (α-ζ) 16.5  437.2 61.0 508.4 77.5 945.6 40.4 273.8 65.0 523.4
 
 1) Belgium 29,452 sq. km. and 7.5 mill. population +2,400,000 sq. km. of
colonies with 15 mill. population. Σ = 2.4 mill. sq. km. and 22.5 mill.
population. 		Turkey  1.8  21.6
China 11.1 329.6
Σ= 12.9 351.2
 Serbia 87,303 sq. km. and 4.5 mill. population. Persia=  1.6  10.0
 Σ= 0.1 mill. sq. km. and 4.5 mill. population. Σ= 14.5 361.2

Balkan states before and after 1912–13[5] war
Total area (sq. km.) Population (000)
Previous
territory		 Newly
acquired		 Present
territory		 Previous
territory		 Newly
acquired		 Present
territory
Rumania 131,353 8,340 139,693 7,248 354 7,602
Bulgaria 96,345 17,660 114,005 4,337 429 4,766
Serbia 48,303 39,000 87,303 2,912 1,533 4,445
Montenegro 9,080 5,100 14,180 285 150 435
Albania — 28,000 28,000 — 800 800
Greece 64,657 51,318 } 115,975 2,632 1,624 } 4,256
Crete 8,618 } —149,755 344 } —4,583
Turkey 169,317 28,180 6,130 1,891
Balkan countries 527,673 —337 1) 527,336 23,888 307 24,195
1) The difference is due to inaccurate measurement, Albania, inparticular, being shown smaller than she is.

The whole world Population Special trade
(1912)
mill.
sq. km.		 mill. % per
sq. km.		 Imports Exports
(mill. marks)
Asia 44.45 871.2  52.6 19.6 9,278 10,162
Europe 9.97 452.4  27.3 45.4 56,655 44,224
Africa 29.89 136.2  8.2 4.5 3,149 3,584
America 39.98 189.5  11.4 4.7 15,738 18,286
Australia 8.96 7.8  0.5 0.9 2,199 2,269
Polar countries 12.67 0.01 0.0 — — —
Total 145.92 1,657.1  100.0 11.4 87,019 78,525

Otto Hübner’s Geographical - Statistical
Tables
1914 edition (63rd year)[6]
Great Britain Railways
(km.)
(1912) Egypt 4,241
(1912) Egyptian Sudan 1,725
(1912) Malta 13
(1911-12) Cyprus 98
(1911-12) India 55,875  
⎫
⎪
⎪

⎬
⎪
⎪
⎭
(1911) Ceylon 971
(1911) Straits Settlements 34
— — 16
(1912) Malay Protectorate 1,180
(1912) Hong Kong 15
(1912) North Borneo 211
(1912) Union of South Africa 12,626  
⎫
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪

⎬
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
⎭
(1910) Basutoland 26
(1912) Rhodesia 3,872
(1912) Nyasaland 182
(1912) East Africa 943
(1912) Zanzibar 10
(1912) Nigeria 1,467
(1912) Sierra Leone 365
(1912) Gold Coast 270
(1912) Mauritius 207
(1912) Newfoundland 1,238  
⎫
⎪
⎪

⎬
⎪
⎪
⎭
(1912) Canada 47,150
(1912) Jamaica 313
(1912) Windward Isles 45
(1912) Trinidad 135
(1912) Honduras 40
(1912) Guiana 152
(1912-13) Commonwealth of Australia 1,238 }
(1912-13) New Zealand 4,588
168,149
France (km.)
(1919) Algeria 3,491  
⎫
⎪
⎪

⎬
⎪
⎪
⎭
(1912) Tunisia 1,656
(1913) West Africa 2,400
(1913) Somali Coast 130
(1913) Madagascar 368
(1913) Réunion 126
(1913) India 30  
⎫
⎪

⎬
⎪
⎭
(1912) Indo-China 1,374
(1908) Martinique 224
(1913) Guiana 16
(1913) New Caledonia 17
9,832
(1912) Belgian Congo 1,235
Italy
(1912) Libya 87
(1912) Eritrea 120
207
German Empire
(1913) East Africa 1,602
(1913) Cameroon 443
(1913) Togoland 327
(1913) South-West Africa 2,104
4,476
Netherlands
(1912) East Indies 2,355
2,683
Other possessions 337
5,375
Russia
(1913) Caucasus  
⎫

⎬
⎭
 		17,036
Central Asia
Siberia
(1911) Turkey 6,660
of which in
1. Europe 1,994  
⎫

⎬
⎭
2. Asia Minor 2,372
3. Syria and Arabia 2,294
(1909) Persia 54
in use 12
[MIA EDITOR’S NOTE:
Table ends here,
even though totals are
absent after "in use 12".]

Total area
(sq. km.)		 Population
Turkey, constitutional state since
     1909		 1,794,980 21,600,000 (1910)
Turkey in Europe 28,180 1,891,090 (1910)
Asia Minor 501,400 10,940,765 (1910)
Armenia and Kurdistan 186,500 2,357,436 (1900)
Syria and Mesopotamia 637,800 5,361,203 (1940) 7
Arabia 441,100 1,050,000 (1910)
China, republic since
    March 1912		 11,138,900 329,617,760
China proper 6,242,300 325,817,760 (1910)
Mongolia 2,787,600 1,800,000
Tibet 2,109,000 2,000,000
Japan, constitutional empire 673,681 72,200,475
Japan proper 382,415 52,985,423 (1912)
Formosa 35,997 3,512,607 (1913)
Karafuto (Japanese Sakhalin) 34,069 42,612 (1913)
Kwantung 3,374 501,767 (1913)
Korea 217,826 15,164,066 (1913)
N.B. In thousand sq. km. (total area)
PERSIA is about 1,645 (total population of Persia
in 1907: 9 ½ million)
Under 1907 agreement:
British sphere of influence is about 355
Russian ”  ”  ”  ”  ” 790

Notes

[1] See present edition, Vol. 22, p. 254.—Ed.

[2] The text of this table in the notebook was written by N. K. Krupskaya except in places set in heavy type.—Ed.

[3] The text of this table in the notebook was written by N. K. Krupskaya; words in heavy type were written by Lenin.—Ed.

[4] See present edition, Vol. 22, p. 254.—Ed.

[5] The text of this table was written in the notebook by N. K. Krupskaya.—Ed.

[6] The text of page 10 in the notebook (pp. 305–07 of this volume) was Written by N. K. Krupskaya; words in heavy type were written by Lenin.—Ed.

[7] [MIA NOTE] The date here is an error present in the PDF version of Volume 39.

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