๐ŸŒ Major Famines Outside the British Empire (1750–1900)

 Between 1750 and 1900, several significant famines occurred outside British-controlled territories. These were often driven by a combination of climatic shocks, wars, pandemics, poor governance, and natural disasters. Here's a summary of major non-British famines during that period and their main causes:



๐ŸŒ Major Famines Outside the British Empire (1750–1900)

Famine Years Location Estimated Deaths Primary Causes
Great Famine of Japan (Tenmei) 1782–1788 Japan (Tokugawa Shogunate) ~1 million Cold weather, volcanic eruption (Mt. Asama), poor harvests, rigid feudal policies
Kyลhล Famine 1732–1733 (just before 1750) Japan ~1 million Crop failure, locusts, flooding, poor rice distribution
Great Famine of Finland 1866–1868 Finland (under Russian Empire) ~150,000 (15% of population) Crop failures, harsh winters, poor transport infrastructure
Famine in Russia 1891–1892 Russian Empire ~375,000 Drought, poor rail infrastructure, delayed government relief
Northern Chinese Famine 1876–1879 Qing China 9–13 million Drought, failure of local granary system, weak imperial response
Central Chinese Famine 1849 Qing China ~2.5 million Floods, crop failure, bureaucratic inefficiency
Famine in Korea (Chosลn Dynasty) 1862–63 Korea Tens of thousands Heavy taxation, poor harvest, corruption
Vietnam Famines Multiple, esp. 1770s & 1830s Nguyen Dynasty Tens of thousands each Flooding, locusts, conflict, dynastic instability
Dutch East Indies Famines 1840s Java (Indonesia, Dutch colony) Tens of thousands Forced cultivation system, poor crop yields, overexportation

๐Ÿ” Key Common Causes (Non-British Context)

  • Climate and Natural Disasters

    • El Niรฑo events, droughts, floods, and volcanic eruptions were major triggers.

    • Example: The 1876–79 Chinese famine coincided with a global El Niรฑo.

  • Agrarian and Feudal Systems

    • Rigid feudal or imperial structures often prevented effective relief.

    • Example: Tokugawa Japan relied on rice tribute systems that could not adjust quickly to crises.

  • Government Inaction or Mismanagement

    • Many states had inadequate granary systems, or relief was delayed or withheld due to corruption or centralisation.

    • In Qing China, the once-effective “ever-normal granary” system had deteriorated.

  • Transport and Infrastructure Failures

    • In Russia and Finland, lack of railways or roads prevented food from being moved to famine-stricken regions in time.

  • Colonial Extraction or Exploitation

    • In places like Dutch-ruled Indonesia, food scarcity was exacerbated by the forced export of cash crops.


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