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Historical map · 1880

Map of Asia in 1880

In 1880, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 57 states, empires and other polities in Asia. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Russian Empire, the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire. The British Empire reached well beyond Asia: its whole territory measured about 25.2 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Asia in 1880. 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 1880 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1880
Atlas map: The Great Reforms (Jul 1878)
FROM THE ATLAS · THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION, CHAPTER 1: THE GREAT REFORMS (JUL 1878)

States and empires in Asia in 1880

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Russian Empire Wikipedia20.0 million km²22.2 million km²1721–1916
Qing Dynasty Wikipedia11.1 million km²11.1 million km²1645–1911
British Empire Wikipedia4.7 million km²25.2 million km²1706–1999
British Raj Wikipedia4.2 million km²4.2 million km²1859–1947
Khedivate of Egypt Wikipedia2.8 million km²3.0 million km²1866–1884
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia2.1 million km²2.2 million km²1305–1923
Qajar Iran Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1788–1923
Netherlands Wikipedia1.3 million km²1.3 million km²1811–2024
Dutch East Indies Wikipedia1.3 million km²1.3 million km²1800–1949
Emirate of Afghanistan Wikipedia644,000 km²644,000 km²1828–1925
Siam Wikipedia609,000 km²609,000 km²1783–1931
Burma Wikipedia438,000 km²438,000 km²1820–2024
Empire of Japan Wikipedia422,000 km²427,000 km²1868–1946
Kingdom of Spain Wikipedia344,000 km²990,000 km²1516–2024
Spanish Empire Wikipedia344,000 km²990,000 km²1516–1931
Emirate of Nejd Wikipedia325,000 km²325,000 km²1824–1925
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia241,000 km²241,000 km²1272–1935
Nguyễn dynasty Wikipedia235,000 km²235,000 km²1791–1884
Joseon232,000 km²232,000 km²1395–1897
Sultanate of Oman Wikipedia193,000 km²193,000 km²1744–2024
French Indochina Wikipedia183,000 km²209,000 km²1860–1957
French Third Republic Wikipedia183,000 km²2.3 million km²1871–1939
Kashmir and Jammu Wikipedia169,000 km²169,000 km²1846–1947
Nepal Wikipedia149,000 km²149,000 km²1775–2024
Kingdom of Luang Phrabang Wikipedia149,000 km²149,000 km²1709–1894
Emirate of Jabal Shammar Wikipedia136,000 km²136,000 km²1825–1921
Sultanate of Hobyo Wikipedia135,000 km²135,000 km²1880–1894
Romania Wikipedia95,000 km²130,000 km²1859–1916
Majeerteen Sultanate Wikipedia92,000 km²92,000 km²1856–1889
Kingdom of Sarawak Wikipedia81,000 km²81,000 km²1842–1946
Trucial States Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²1820–1894
Chiangmai Wikipedia66,000 km²66,000 km²1775–1884
Talpur Dynasty Wikipedia50,000 km²50,000 km²1820–1894
Sultanate of Aceh Wikipedia42,000 km²42,000 km²1516–1959
Pahang41,000 km²41,000 km²1853–1889
Bhutan Wikipedia41,000 km²41,000 km²1636–2024
Austria-Hungary Wikipedia39,000 km²676,000 km²1868–1918
Kingdom of Champasak Wikipedia37,000 km²37,000 km²1709–1894
United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway Wikipedia31,000 km²799,000 km²1815–1904
Principality of Bulgaria Wikipedia31,000 km²63,000 km²1880–1908

Also on the map: Sultanate of Zanzibar, Sultanate of Jambi, Portuguese Empire, Sultanate of Brunei, Sultanate of Johor, United Kingdom, Sultanate of Terengganu, Qatar, Ottoman Tripolitania, Sultanate of Kedah, Kelantan, Sultanate of Bima, Bali, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah-Perlis District, House of Khalifa, Greece.

"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 1871

New on the map: Kingdom of Spain, Sultanate of Hobyo, Principality of Bulgaria.

Gone from the map: Khanate of Khiva, Panthay Rebellion, Sultanate of Darfur, Imamate of Yemen, Khanate of Kokand, Sultanate of Sulu, Sultanate of Perak, Sultanate of Selangor, Kuwait.

What comes next: 1900

Appear by 1900: British Africa, German Africa, Belgian Congo, Italian Africa, United States of America, Korean Empire, German Empire, Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, French Africa, Kingdom of Portugal, Kingdom of Italy, Cretan State, Kingdom of Belgium.

Gone by 1900: Khedivate of Egypt, Burma, Kingdom of Spain, Spanish Empire, Emirate of Nejd, Nguyễn dynasty, Joseon, Sultanate of Oman, Kashmir and Jammu, Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, Sultanate of Hobyo, Majeerteen Sultanate, Kingdom of Sarawak, Trucial States, Chiangmai, Talpur Dynasty, Pahang, Kingdom of Champasak, Sultanate of Zanzibar, Sultanate of Brunei, Sultanate of Johor, Sultanate of Bima, Negeri Sembilan, House of Khalifa.

Read the history of 1880

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

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Asia in 1880?

The map data draws 57 states and other polities in Asia in 1880. The largest by land were the Russian Empire, the Qing Dynasty, the British Empire, the British Raj and Khedivate of Egypt.

What was the largest empire in Asia in 1880?

Of the states on this map, the British Empire held the most land in total: about 25.2 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Asia in 1880 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1880, 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.

Asia in other years

Other regions in 1880