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Historical map · 1850

Map of Africa in 1850

In 1850, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 38 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 Ottoman Tripolitania. The British Empire reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 11.8 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 1850. 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 1850 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1850

States and empires in Africa in 1850

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Muhammad Ali dynasty Wikipedia1.8 million km²1.8 million km²1805–1865
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia1.2 million km²2.1 million km²1305–1923
Ottoman Tripolitania Wikipedia896,000 km²896,000 km²1840–1911
Sokoto Caliphate Wikipedia796,000 km²796,000 km²1805–1904
British Empire Wikipedia779,000 km²11.8 million km²1706–1999
British Cape Colony Wikipedia761,000 km²761,000 km²1796–1884
Qajar Iran Wikipedia548,000 km²1.6 million km²1788–1923
Emirate of Nejd Wikipedia533,000 km²533,000 km²1824–1925
Merina Kingdom Wikipedia428,000 km²428,000 km²1792–1897
Morocco Wikipedia388,000 km²388,000 km²1670–2024
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
French Africa Wikipedia236,000 km²236,000 km²1846–1957
French Second Republic Wikipedia236,000 km²1.5 million km²1848–1852
Bornu Empire Wikipedia228,000 km²228,000 km²1072–1894
Omani East Africa (Swahili coast)186,000 km²186,000 km²1814–1855
Ashanti Empire Wikipedia155,000 km²155,000 km²1702–1897
Kingdom of Lunda Wikipedia113,000 km²113,000 km²1709–1889
Massina Empire Wikipedia105,000 km²105,000 km²1820–1861
Republic of Liberia Wikipedia102,000 km²102,000 km²1848–2024
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
Kingdom of Spain Wikipedia75,000 km²495,000 km²1516–2024
Colony of Natal (British)37,000 km²37,000 km²1844–1910
Zululand Wikipedia26,000 km²26,000 km²1820–1897
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Wikipedia20,000 km²91,000 km²1815–1860
Qatar Wikipedia19,000 km²25,000 km²1820–2024
Greece Wikipedia18,000 km²44,000 km²1822–1940
Trucial States Wikipedia13,000 km²74,000 km²1820–1894
Dutch Gold Coast Wikipedia9,120 km²9,120 km²1653–1872
Kuwait Wikipedia5,510 km²5,510 km²1757–2024
United Kingdom Wikipedia5,350 km²348,000 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 1830

New on the map: Ottoman Tripolitania, French Africa, French Second Republic, Republic of Liberia, Colony of Natal (British).

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

What comes next: 1871

Appear by 1871: Khedivate of Egypt, French Third Republic, South African Republic, Orange Free State, Majeerteen Sultanate, Emirate of Jabal Shammar, Sultanate of Zanzibar, Kingdom of Italy, German Africa.

Gone by 1871: Muhammad Ali dynasty, French Second Republic, Omani East Africa (Swahili coast), Massina Empire, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Danish Gold Coast.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Africa in 1850?

The map data draws 38 states and other polities in Africa in 1850. The largest by land were Muhammad Ali dynasty, the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman Tripolitania, the Sokoto Caliphate and the British Empire.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 1850?

Of the states on this map, the British Empire held the most land in total: about 11.8 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 1850 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1850, 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 1850