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Historical map · 800

Map of Africa in 800

In 800, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 13 states, empires and other polities in Africa. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Abbasid Caliphate, Rustamid dynasty and the Aghlabid Dynasty. The Abbasid Caliphate reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 7.9 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 800. 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 800 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 800

States and empires in Africa in 800

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Abbasid Caliphate Wikipedia4.5 million km²7.9 million km²750–1259
Rustamid dynasty Wikipedia470,000 km²470,000 km²778–910
Aghlabid Dynasty Wikipedia246,000 km²246,000 km²800–910
Makuria Wikipedia213,000 km²213,000 km²347–1518
Ghana Empire Wikipedia205,000 km²205,000 km²793–1201
Idrisids Wikipedia195,000 km²195,000 km²793–979
Alliance between Byzantine Empire and Khazaria Wikipedia156,000 km²2.9 million km²633–1474
Alodia Wikipedia124,000 km²124,000 km²347–1506
Kingdom of Axum Wikipedia97,000 km²97,000 km²50 BC–AD 946
Emirate of Córdoba Wikipedia89,000 km²422,000 km²757–935
Barghawata Conference Wikipedia36,000 km²36,000 km²793–1065
Cyprus Condominium11,000 km²11,000 km²692–959
Emirate of Nekor Wikipedia7,040 km²7,040 km²750–1027

"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 700

New on the map: Abbasid Caliphate, Rustamid dynasty, Aghlabid Dynasty, Ghana Empire, Idrisids, Emirate of Córdoba, Barghawata Conference, Emirate of Nekor.

Gone from the map: Umayyad Caliphate, Visigothic Kingdom, Dabuyid Dynasty.

What comes next: 900

Appear by 900: Allegiance of Ziyadid dynasty to Abbasid Caliphate, Tulunids, Alliance between Samanid Empire and Ziyadid dynasty, Qarmatians, Zaydi Alid dynasties, Emirate of Sicily, Sajid Dynasty, Bagratid Armenia, Emirate of Crete.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Africa in 800?

The map data draws 13 states and other polities in Africa in 800. The largest by land were the Abbasid Caliphate, Rustamid dynasty, the Aghlabid Dynasty, Makuria and the Ghana Empire.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 800?

Of the states on this map, the Abbasid Caliphate held the most land in total: about 7.9 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 800 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 800, 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 800