Pakistan Through History: Who Ruled Its Lands
The land of today's Pakistan appears on 39 historical border maps from 500 BC to today. Over that time it was held, in whole or in part, by 58 different states, among them British Raj, Pakistan, Suren Kingdom, Saka Kingdom, Mughal Empire.
PakistanExplore the history of Pakistan in the interactive map
Compare 1000 with today · Pakistan as a state on the map
Who ruled the land of Pakistan, 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 Pakistan
Famous people of Pakistan
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| c. 340 BC – 297 BC | Chandragupta Maurya | Founder of the Maurya Empire |
| AD 602 – AD 664 | Xuanzang | Buddhist monk and translator |
| 1542 – 1605 | Akbar | Mughal emperor |
| 1592 – 1666 | Shah Jahan | Mughal emperor |
| 1780 – 1839 | Ranjit Singh | Maharaja of the Sikh Empire |
| 1876 – 1948 | Muhammad Ali Jinnah | Founder of Pakistan |
Battles and historic sites
| Year | Battle or site |
|---|---|
| 326 BC | Battle of Hydaspes |
Questions
Which empires and states ruled the territory of Pakistan?
On the border maps from 500 BC to today, the largest shares of the territory of modern Pakistan belonged to British Raj, Pakistan, Suren Kingdom, Saka Kingdom, Mughal Empire, Achaemenid Empire, along with 52 other states.
What was Pakistan part of in 1000?
On the border map for 1000, most of the territory of today's Pakistan lay within Buyid Emirate.
What was Pakistan part of in 1500?
On the border map for 1500, most of the territory of today's Pakistan lay within Islamic states.
What was Pakistan part of in 1900?
On the border map for 1900, most of the territory of today's Pakistan lay within British Raj.
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.