Ukraine Through History: Who Ruled Its Lands
The land of today's Ukraine appears on 39 historical border maps from 500 BC to today. Over that time it was held, in whole or in part, by 48 different states, among them Russian Empire, USSR, Poland-Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland.
UkraineExplore the history of Ukraine in the interactive map
Compare 1000 with today · Ukraine as a state on the map
Who ruled the land of Ukraine, 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 Ukraine
Famous people of Ukraine
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1729 – 1796 | Catherine the Great | Empress of Russia |
Battles and historic sites
| Year | Battle or site |
|---|---|
| 1223 | Battle of the Kalka River |
| 1709 | Battle of Poltava |
| 1986 | Chernobyl |
Landmarks
Saint Sophia Cathedral, KyivStanding · 1037
Questions
Which empires and states ruled the territory of Ukraine?
On the border maps from 500 BC to today, the largest shares of the territory of modern Ukraine belonged to Russian Empire, USSR, Poland-Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, along with 42 other states.
What was Ukraine part of in 1000?
On the border map for 1000, most of the territory of today's Ukraine lay within Kievan Rus'.
What was Ukraine part of in 1500?
On the border map for 1500, most of the territory of today's Ukraine lay within Poland-Lithuania.
What was Ukraine part of in 1900?
On the border map for 1900, most of the territory of today's Ukraine lay within Russian Empire.
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.