Saudi Arabia Through History: Who Ruled Its Lands
The land of today's Saudi Arabia appears on 39 historical border maps from 500 BC to today. Over that time it was held, in whole or in part, by 23 different states, among them Saudi Arabia, Ottoman Empire, Abbasid Caliphate, Arabia, Hejaz.
Saudi ArabiaExplore the history of Saudi Arabia in the interactive map
Compare 1000 with today · Saudi Arabia as a state on the map
Who ruled the land of Saudi Arabia, 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 Saudi Arabia
Famous people of Saudi Arabia
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| c. AD 570 – AD 632 | Muhammad | Prophet of Islam |
| c. 1280 – 1337 | Mansa Musa | Emperor of Mali |
Questions
Which empires and states ruled the territory of Saudi Arabia?
On the border maps from 500 BC to today, the largest shares of the territory of modern Saudi Arabia belonged to Saudi Arabia, Ottoman Empire, Abbasid Caliphate, Arabia, Hejaz, Himyarite Kingdom, along with 17 other states.
What was Saudi Arabia part of in 1000?
On the border map for 1000, most of the territory of today's Saudi Arabia lay within Fatimid Caliphate.
What was Saudi Arabia part of in 1500?
On the border map for 1500, most of the territory of today's Saudi Arabia lay within Mamluk Sultanate.
What was Saudi Arabia part of in 1900?
On the border map for 1900, most of the territory of today's Saudi Arabia lay within Arabia.
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.