Nepal Through History: Who Ruled Its Lands
The land of today's Nepal appears on 39 historical border maps from 500 BC to today. Over that time it was held, in whole or in part, by 17 different states, among them Nepal, Zhangzhung Kingdom, Tibet, Kanauj, Tibetan Empire.
NepalExplore the history of Nepal in the interactive map
Who ruled the land of Nepal, map by map
Share of sample points inside today's borders held by each state on each map. Areas with no organised state on the map are left out.
Historic cities in Nepal
Famous people of Nepal
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| c. 563 BC – 483 BC | Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha | Founder of Buddhism |
Questions
Which empires and states ruled the territory of Nepal?
On the border maps from 500 BC to today, the largest shares of the territory of modern Nepal belonged to Nepal, Zhangzhung Kingdom, Tibet, Kanauj, Tibetan Empire, Mughal Empire, along with 11 other states.
What was Nepal part of in 1000?
On the border map for 1000, most of the territory of today's Nepal lay within Tibet.
What was Nepal part of in 1500?
On the border map for 1500, most of the territory of today's Nepal lay within Tibet.
What was Nepal part of in 1900?
On the border map for 1900, most of the territory of today's Nepal lay within Nepal.
Further reading
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.