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Historical map · 1830

Map of Africa in 1830

In 1830, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 40 states, empires and other polities in Africa. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were Muhammad Ali dynasty, the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire. The British Empire reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 9.4 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 1830. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.

OPEN 1830 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1830
Atlas map: The Price of Recognition (1825)
FROM THE ATLAS · TWO ROADS TO INDEPENDENCE, CHAPTER 6: THE PRICE OF RECOGNITION (1825)

States and empires in Africa in 1830

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Muhammad Ali dynasty Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1805–1865
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia1.2 million km²2.1 million km²1305–1923
British Empire Wikipedia685,000 km²9.4 million km²1706–1999
British Cape Colony Wikipedia670,000 km²670,000 km²1796–1884
Sokoto Caliphate Wikipedia633,000 km²633,000 km²1805–1904
Emirate of Nejd Wikipedia564,000 km²564,000 km²1824–1925
Qajar Iran Wikipedia548,000 km²1.6 million km²1788–1923
Morocco Wikipedia388,000 km²388,000 km²1670–2024
Merina Kingdom Wikipedia376,000 km²376,000 km²1792–1897
Sultanate of Darfur Wikipedia295,000 km²295,000 km²1609–1876
Wadai Empire Wikipedia281,000 km²281,000 km²1636–1910
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia241,000 km²241,000 km²1272–1935
Bornu Empire Wikipedia229,000 km²229,000 km²1072–1894
Regency of Algiers Wikipedia208,000 km²208,000 km²1706–1845
Ashanti Empire Wikipedia154,000 km²154,000 km²1702–1897
Kingdom of Lunda Wikipedia113,000 km²113,000 km²1709–1889
Massina Empire Wikipedia105,000 km²105,000 km²1820–1861
Kingdom of Portugal Wikipedia102,000 km²190,000 km²1147–1911
Portuguese Empire Wikipedia102,000 km²244,000 km²1502–1910
Imamate of Yemen Wikipedia96,000 km²96,000 km²1814–1872
Spanish Empire Wikipedia89,000 km²1.5 million km²1516–1931
Beylik of Tunis Wikipedia88,000 km²88,000 km²1706–1884
Karamanli Dynasty Wikipedia76,000 km²76,000 km²1713–1839
Kingdom of Spain Wikipedia75,000 km²495,000 km²1516–2024
Oyo Empire Wikipedia67,000 km²67,000 km²1609–1835
Omani East Africa (Swahili coast)65,000 km²65,000 km²1814–1855
United States of America Wikipedia40,000 km²2.5 million km²1776–2024
Zululand Wikipedia26,000 km²26,000 km²1820–1897
Greece Wikipedia23,000 km²45,000 km²1822–1940
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Wikipedia20,000 km²91,000 km²1815–1860
Qatar Wikipedia19,000 km²25,000 km²1820–2024
Trucial States Wikipedia13,000 km²74,000 km²1820–1894
Dutch Gold Coast Wikipedia9,120 km²9,120 km²1653–1872
Kingdom of France (July Monarchy) Wikipedia7,690 km²1.3 million km²990–1848
Kuwait Wikipedia5,510 km²5,510 km²1757–2024
French Algeria Wikipedia4,230 km²4,230 km²1830–1847
French India Wikipedia3,300 km²7,870 km²1673–1847
United Kingdom Wikipedia1,890 km²382,000 km²1709–2024
House of Khalifa Wikipedia880 km²880 km²1783–1894
Danish Gold Coast Wikipedia720 km²720 km²1659–1852

"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.

What changed since 1815

New on the map: Emirate of Nejd, Massina Empire, United States of America, Zululand, Greece, Qatar, Trucial States, French Algeria.

Gone from the map: Emirate of Diriyah, Funj Sultanate, Company rule in India (British East India Company), Bamana Empire, Septinsular Republic.

What comes next: 1850

Appear by 1850: Ottoman Tripolitania, French Africa, French Second Republic, Republic of Liberia, Colony of Natal (British).

Gone by 1850: Regency of Algiers, Karamanli Dynasty, Oyo Empire, United States of America, Kingdom of France (July Monarchy), French Algeria, French India.

Read the history of 1830

Guided atlas chapters set near this date, each with its own map, causes and consequences:

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Africa in 1830?

The map data draws 40 states and other polities in Africa in 1830. The largest by land were Muhammad Ali dynasty, the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire, the British Cape Colony and the Sokoto Caliphate.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 1830?

Of the states on this map, the British Empire held the most land in total: about 9.4 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 1830 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1830, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.

About these borders

The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.

Africa in other years

Other regions in 1830