CChronica Maps

The Largest Empires in History

The 50 largest states before 1950, each measured at its peak on the historical border maps from 500 BC onward. Modern states are left out so the list shows historical empires.

RankEmpire or statePeak areaMap year
1Russian Empire21.55 million km²1900
2Tsardom of Muscovy13.23 million km²1700
3Qing Empire12.21 million km²1800
4Manchu Empire11.02 million km²1815
5Great Khanate10.55 million km²1300
6Saharan Nomadic Tribes9.09 million km²AD 700
7Abbasid Caliphate8.40 million km²AD 800
8Chagatai Khanate8.37 million km²1492
9Viceroyalty of Brazil8.10 million km²1783
10Rupert's Land7.85 million km²1783
11French West Africa6.39 million km²1914
12Northern Yuan6.27 million km²1400
13Cuman-Kipchak confederation6.20 million km²1100
14Ming Chinese Empire6.03 million km²1600
15Achaemenid Empire6.02 million km²400 BC
16Tuareg Nomadic Tribes5.80 million km²1200
17Mongol Empire5.52 million km²1200
18Ottoman Empire5.48 million km²1650
19Chinese Warlords5.45 million km²1920
20Chinese warlords5.45 million km²1938
21Khanate of the Golden Horde5.25 million km²1300
22Timurid Empire5.09 million km²1400
23Empire of Alexander4.98 million km²323 BC
24Roman Empire4.87 million km²AD 200
25British Raj4.81 million km²1914
26Mongols4.67 million km²1100
27Viceroyalty of New Spain4.61 million km²1815
28Tibetan Empire4.48 million km²AD 800
29Umayyad Caliphate4.46 million km²AD 700
30Kara Khitai Khaganate4.29 million km²1200
31Ming Empire4.28 million km²1400
32Han4.08 million km²AD 200
33Mughal Empire3.95 million km²1700
34Sui Empire3.93 million km²AD 600
35Tang Empire3.90 million km²AD 700
36Xiongnu3.89 million km²400 BC
37New South Wales3.83 million km²1815
38Uyghurs3.83 million km²AD 800
39Göktürks3.80 million km²AD 700
40Viceroyalty of Peru3.78 million km²1650
41Ilkhanate3.77 million km²1300
42White Horde3.72 million km²1400
43Jin3.71 million km²AD 300
44Sasanian Empire3.49 million km²AD 500
45Seleucid Kingdom3.46 million km²300 BC
46Luisiana3.14 million km²1783
47Viceroyalty of New Granada3.09 million km²1800
48Kalmar Union3.07 million km²1500
49Kimek-Kipchak khaganate3.02 million km²1000
50Song Empire3.00 million km²1200

Overseas colonial empires, such as the British and French, are drawn on these maps as separate colonies and therefore do not appear as single entries. Areas come from the border polygons and are approximate. Ranking by area at a single map date can differ from figures quoted elsewhere, which may use a different peak year or include claimed territory.

Largest states by year

Questions

What was the largest empire in history?

On these maps, the largest state before 1950 is Russian Empire, with about 21.55 million km² on the map for 1900. Area figures in history books differ because they count claimed land and dependencies differently; overseas empires such as the British appear on these maps as separate colonies, so they do not show as one state.

What were the largest empires in history?

1. Russian Empire (21.55 million km², 1900); 2. Tsardom of Muscovy (13.23 million km², 1700); 3. Qing Empire (12.21 million km², 1800); 4. Manchu Empire (11.02 million km², 1815); 5. Great Khanate (10.55 million km², 1300); 6. Saharan Nomadic Tribes (9.09 million km², AD 700); 7. Abbasid Caliphate (8.40 million km², AD 800); 8. Chagatai Khanate (8.37 million km², 1492); 9. Viceroyalty of Brazil (8.10 million km², 1783); 10. Rupert's Land (7.85 million km², 1783).

Compare the true size of empires

Last updated 10 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.