Year by year · 20th century

1931

1931 in world history: 12 events, 17 births, 15 deaths, 4 works, 3 states founded and 2 that came to an end. 718 recorded states existed that year.

Events

14 April
Second Spanish Republic is proclaimed
After republicans swept the cities in municipal elections, the Republic was declared and Alfonso XIII left Spain. The new democracy was overthrown by the civil war that began in 1936.
1 May
Empire State Building opens in New York
President Hoover pressed a button in Washington to switch on the lights of the newly finished skyscraper. At 381 metres it remained the world's tallest building for nearly forty years.
New York
Event
Statute of Westminster 1931
The Statute of Westminster 1931 was an Act of the British Parliament that recognised the legislative independence of the self-governing dominions.
Crisis
Mukden Incident
The Mukden Incident was a staged explosion on a Japanese-owned railway near Mukden in Manchuria in 1931.

ProfileState661 states with a known seat in 1931Open the atlas at 1931 →

In the profiles

Empire of JapanArmy officers stage the Mukden Incident, launching independent action in Manchuria
Italian EmpireLibyan resistance leader Omar Mukhtar is executed
CanadaThe Statute of Westminster confirms Canada’s legislative independence
Kingdom of RwandaBelgium deposes Musinga and installs Mutara III Rudahigwa
Union of South AfricaThe Statute of Westminster confirms the Union’s legislative independence

Wars and longer events

Born in 1931 17

Died in 1931 15

Works 4

States founded 3

States that came to an end 2

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). 1931. In The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1931
MLA: “1931.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1931. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “1931.” The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1931.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘1931’, The Epoch Institute, Year by Year. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/years/1931 (Accessed: ).