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Historical map · 1900

Map of Asia in 1900

In 1900, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 46 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 41.1 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Asia in 1900. 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 1900 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1900
Atlas map: The Raj at High Noon (Jan 1905)
FROM THE ATLAS · INDIAN INDEPENDENCE & PARTITION, CHAPTER 3: THE RAJ AT HIGH NOON (JAN 1905)

States and empires in Asia in 1900

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Russian Empire Wikipedia20.7 million km²23.0 million km²1721–1916
Qing Dynasty Wikipedia10.4 million km²10.4 million km²1645–1911
British Empire Wikipedia10.2 million km²41.1 million km²1706–1999
British Raj Wikipedia4.9 million km²4.9 million km²1859–1947
British Africa Wikipedia4.4 million km²7.6 million km²1885–1960
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia2.1 million km²2.2 million km²1305–1923
Dutch East Indies Wikipedia1.8 million km²1.8 million km²1800–1949
Netherlands Wikipedia1.8 million km²1.9 million km²1811–2024
Qajar Iran Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1788–1923
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia966,000 km²966,000 km²1272–1935
German Africa Wikipedia910,000 km²2.2 million km²1871–1918
Belgian Congo Wikipedia894,000 km²2.3 million km²1890–1962
French Third Republic Wikipedia731,000 km²6.5 million km²1871–1939
Emirate of Jabal Shammar Wikipedia676,000 km²676,000 km²1825–1921
French Indochina Wikipedia666,000 km²702,000 km²1860–1957
Emirate of Afghanistan Wikipedia644,000 km²644,000 km²1828–1925
Siam Wikipedia615,000 km²615,000 km²1783–1931
Italian Africa Wikipedia590,000 km²590,000 km²1890–1943
Empire of Japan Wikipedia464,000 km²469,000 km²1868–1946
United Kingdom Wikipedia399,000 km²740,000 km²1709–2024
United States of America Wikipedia346,000 km²9.9 million km²1776–2024
Korean Empire Wikipedia232,000 km²232,000 km²1898–1910
German Empire Wikipedia210,000 km²815,000 km²1871–1918
Nepal Wikipedia149,000 km²149,000 km²1775–2024
Sultanate of Muscat and Oman Wikipedia127,000 km²127,000 km²1900–1969
Romania Wikipedia95,000 km²130,000 km²1859–1916
French Africa Wikipedia64,000 km²4.5 million km²1846–1957
Principality of Bulgaria Wikipedia58,000 km²100,000 km²1880–1908
Sultanate of Aceh Wikipedia42,000 km²42,000 km²1516–1959
Bhutan Wikipedia40,000 km²40,000 km²1636–2024
Austria-Hungary Wikipedia39,000 km²676,000 km²1868–1918
United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway Wikipedia31,000 km²799,000 km²1815–1904
Portuguese Empire Wikipedia28,000 km²2.0 million km²1502–1910
Sultanate of Jambi Wikipedia27,000 km²27,000 km²1670–1904
Sultanate of Terengganu Wikipedia14,000 km²14,000 km²1727–1904
Sultanate of Kedah Wikipedia9,600 km²9,600 km²1139–1910
Kelantan Wikipedia8,360 km²8,360 km²1762–1904
Qatar Wikipedia5,480 km²5,480 km²1820–2024
Bali Wikipedia3,790 km²3,790 km²1687–1907
Kingdom of Portugal Wikipedia3,340 km²1.9 million km²1147–1911

Also on the map: Kingdom of Italy, Cretan State, Kedah-Perlis District, Greece, Kingdom of Belgium, Ottoman Tripolitania.

"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 1880

New on the map: 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 from the map: 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.

What comes next: 1910

Appear by 1910: Emirate of Nejd, Kingdom of Bulgaria, Kingdom of Norway, Commonwealth of Australia.

Gone by 1910: Principality of Bulgaria, United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, Sultanate of Jambi, Sultanate of Terengganu, Kelantan, Qatar, Bali, Kingdom of Italy, Cretan State.

Read the history of 1900

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 1900?

The map data draws 46 states and other polities in Asia in 1900. The largest by land were the Russian Empire, the Qing Dynasty, the British Empire, the British Raj and the British Africa.

What was the largest empire in Asia in 1900?

Of the states on this map, the British Empire held the most land in total: about 41.1 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Asia in 1900 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1900, 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 1900