User blog:The Testcardiologist/Gapia Rewind Map Edition

(I know it's not the end of the year, but still)

We start off with Geia, the predecessor of Gapia. It did not start until 2013 at best. The oldest maps were on Minus and were removed from the internet due to instabilities the site had (Minus shut down sometime in 2015). Beforehand, Geia didn't even have Hokusei and was added in later revisions. This is the oldest surviving map, where countries were labelled with three-letter abbreviations and dots where their capitals were located. Lettered territories are disputed territories. A is Arandia and E is Deiwan. Later they were rearranged under lowercase letters. Just don't ask. They might have taken the older revisions of the maps to the recycling bin on their computers (that is, if they kept copies).

https://i.imgur.com/4O8Ywko.png

The continents were West Rainsaw, Surtiasa, Eurcasia and Nortolunia. The first three were mixed continents while Nortolunia was divided into sectors representing Asia, Africa and Oceania. There were already some unclaimed countries (I guess) in Nortolunia.

https://i.imgur.com/ZSLobJM.png

Still in 2014, Britania moved to the insular region of Rainsaw and Neurcasia's size reduced a little and moved to the east.

https://i.imgur.com/tVfhyhb.png

Novalia claimed two islands under New Westerland, the "grandfather" of New Eusland.

https://i.imgur.com/JqzwOoO.png

A little sorting out in Surtiasa.

https://i.imgur.com/QwsrVB0.png

An archipelago is claimed under number 40. It was likely Pacifilavia.

https://i.imgur.com/1KjGmgP.png

A part of South Nortolunia is given to North Nortolunia, Pacifilavia moves to the area between Xi'Ang and Istia.

https://i.imgur.com/hEmIGxL.png

Lands in the northern hemisphere move west, what we now call Arabsia in Gapia grew a little, and Sucrenia was now a country.

Eventually, during the second half of 2015, Geian members lost their marbles. Some members left Geia at all and others went to join Gapia. During this period, DonaldoC1997 was expelled (DonOnce called him a traitor, but when he went to Gapia the relationship stabilized somewhat). His countries were not present in Gapia, at least when it started.

https://i.imgur.com/AT5YtSt.png

The first Gapian map. About fifty countries were claimed. Continents were reorganized: the Atlansias for the Americas, Eurdecia for Europe, Meridecia for Africa and the Middle East, Asikai for Asia and Transania for Oceania. A number of CMAs (countries managed by all) were created, the rest consisted of countries owned by Facebook users. A seemingly familiar combination of colors began to appear. Vera Cruz was the only territory and it was, at the time, under the same typeface as administed countries.

https://i.imgur.com/80ZUyLK.png

Not much of a change, Mayagia (at the time Gapia's Colombia) lost some land to Sudatlánsia, and the continent lost some of its land to the south when Dovaly (the new Novalia) was claimed.

https://i.imgur.com/cffA1aR.png

Gapia's structure changed a lot. Meridecia was now divided into two subcontinents: Arabsia (West Meridecia) and Afronia (East Meridecia). Territories and oceans were now labelled. Lots of new CMAs like Udreine, Nagmolia and Makistan were created. GIneki's countries (Hisqaida, Neurcasia) already made the switch.

https://i.imgur.com/HS3vWNj.png

By October 2015, DonaldoC1997 had switched between worlds. His countries (South Matamah, New Rhumb, Liberty) all moved to Gapia, and later took control of Palesia from its former owner and turned the old New Westerland into New Eusland. Other names from Geia like Pacifilavia (former Istolasia) and Cazbekistan returned.

https://i.imgur.com/maQ8L3z.png

Vengatio1, later to become the fifth admin, registers with Quemurilla, a Meridecian de facto dictatorship, and the Vradivan Islands, a pseudo-Singapore with traits and qualities of Vietnam and Cuba.

https://i.imgur.com/QO6kNJb.png

By December, Vengatio1 claims New Alacania in South Atlansia and Karistia in North Atlansia. Burfhana (Gapia's Botswana) is added. Vera Cruz moves to the Neptunic Ocean.

https://i.imgur.com/mOCBZU0.png

A few changes in Eurdecia, with Nouvelle Baie moving near Roterlaine and Cazbekistan revived as Gapia's Belarus. Afronia's size grew a little so that Meridecia wouldn't be a horizontal continent. Rivland is added, initially in Asikai, north of Istia. Sudraica moves near Arabsia. Also new are non-Facebook countries where administration is made in wikis (thanks, TK). Centlands was the first.

https://i.imgur.com/mWaEScA.png

Around the end of the year, Olho Negro returns in Gapia, Burfhana moves a little south and Deiwan and the Yengish peninsula switch places.

https://i.imgur.com/VSoaKKS.png

In 2016, Meridecia was restructured and the location of Eurdecia and Asikai had to change slightly. Adisinia (Ethiopia) was added.

https://i.imgur.com/hj8wyxa.png

There were many changes in August 2016. Seilan became an Istian state. Great Gritain moved back to Asikai. Meridecia was restructured by making it closer to Africa. Centralia left and its territory was given to other countries.

https://i.imgur.com/WUtIxG2.png

In January 2017, Centralia (and Maurodx) returned, this time in Transalia.

https://i.imgur.com/5d4Q8tP.png Arguably the biggest change of 2017 (if the return of Centralia doesn't count) was the switch of the Lusophone regions of the Atlansias. Palesia and its associated countries switched places with Azorita and New Rhumb. Now Palesia has the same climate patterns of its IRL counterpart. Its shape makes it feel more like Hungary.

https://i.imgur.com/Evrupr6.png

In September 2017, Transalia was restructured due to the arrival of Cenfestaro.

https://i.imgur.com/99H2isp.png

The Gapian map changed significantly in February 2018. Nordesia (the country) was split into four, the Iperidan peninsula was created, by aggregating all Hispanic countries (except Rialmany) and South Matamah in order to create it. Ibergia collapsed into Arnelia and Azeria into Turkistan. New Eusland was now to the south-west of Neurcasia.

https://i.imgur.com/jjh9vGE.png

Further changes in June, with Olho Negro becoming Gapia's Mozambique, Perporania becoming the Gapian DRC (as a Francophone country) and a few new countries as well. Disputed territories and countries with limited recognition are now marked.

https://i.imgur.com/FCJjeVt.png

The latest map (still mentioning Gwanda, removed from Gapia shortly after this map was made, and, more recently, Gladekia). The maps are steadily improving and they're looking better than ever.