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Historical map · 2000

Map of Asia in 2000

In 2000, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 87 states, empires and other polities in Asia. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India. The Russian Federation reached well beyond Asia: its whole territory measured about 33.6 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Asia in 2000. 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 2000 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 2000
Atlas map: Two Transitions Compared (2000)
FROM THE ATLAS · REMAKING THE STATE, CHAPTER 12: TWO TRANSITIONS COMPARED (2000)

States and empires in Asia in 2000

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Russian Federation Wikipedia14.8 million km²33.6 million km²1992–2024
People's Republic of China Wikipedia9.4 million km²9.4 million km²1950–2024
Republic of India Wikipedia3.2 million km²3.2 million km²1947–2024
Kazakhstan Wikipedia2.6 million km²2.6 million km²1992–2024
Republic of Sudan Wikipedia2.3 million km²2.5 million km²1956–2024
Republic of Indonesia Wikipedia2.0 million km²2.0 million km²1946–2024
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Wikipedia1.9 million km²1.9 million km²1936–2024
Islamic Republic of Iran Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1979–2024
Mongolia Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1992–2024
Ethiopia Wikipedia1.1 million km²1.1 million km²1942–2024
Arab Republic of Egypt Wikipedia1.0 million km²1.0 million km²1953–2024
Democratic Republic of the Congo Wikipedia894,000 km²2.3 million km²1960–2024
Islamic Republic of Pakistan Wikipedia877,000 km²877,000 km²1947–2024
Tanzania Wikipedia862,000 km²890,000 km²1964–2024
Republic of Turkey Wikipedia768,000 km²768,000 km²1924–2024
Union of Myanmar Wikipedia678,000 km²678,000 km²1820–2024
Somalia Wikipedia649,000 km²649,000 km²1960–2024
Republic of Kenya Wikipedia588,000 km²588,000 km²1963–2024
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban)561,000 km²561,000 km²1996–2001
Ukraine530,000 km²588,000 km²1992–2024
Kingdom of Thailand Wikipedia524,000 km²524,000 km²1932–2024
Turkmenistan Wikipedia468,000 km²468,000 km²1992–2024
Republic of Yemen465,000 km²465,000 km²1990–2024
Iraqi Republic Wikipedia439,000 km²439,000 km²1959–2024
Papua New Guinea Wikipedia430,000 km²486,000 km²1975–2024
Republic of Uzbekistan Wikipedia414,000 km²414,000 km²1992–2024
Japan413,000 km²413,000 km²1947–2024
Malaysia Wikipedia349,000 km²349,000 km²1963–2024
Republic of the Philippines Wikipedia345,000 km²345,000 km²1947–2024
Socialist Republic of Vietnam Wikipedia339,000 km²339,000 km²1976–2024
Sultanate of Oman Wikipedia315,000 km²315,000 km²1744–2024
Lao People's Democratic Republic Wikipedia230,000 km²230,000 km²1976–2024
Republic of Finland Wikipedia228,000 km²335,000 km²1918–2024
Republic of Uganda Wikipedia211,000 km²211,000 km²1963–2024
Kyrgyzstan Wikipedia193,000 km²193,000 km²1992–2024
Syria Wikipedia187,000 km²187,000 km²1961–2024
Kingdom of Cambodia Wikipedia185,000 km²185,000 km²1540–2024
Republic of Belarus Wikipedia185,000 km²208,000 km²1992–2024
Nepal Wikipedia149,000 km²149,000 km²1775–2024
People's Republic of Bangladesh Wikipedia145,000 km²145,000 km²1972–2024

Also on the map: Republic of Tajikistan, Zambia, State of Eritrea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Romania, Republic of Korea, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Islamic State of Afghanistan (Northern Alliance), United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Bulgaria, Central African Republic, Republic of Armenia, Republic of China, Kingdom of Bhutan, Republic of Latvia, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Estonia, Republic of Moldova, State of Israel, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Burundi, Republic of Djibouti, East Timor (UN administration), Third Hellenic Republic, Kuwait, Chechnya (Second Chechen War), Republic of Lithuania, State of Qatar, Malawi, Lebanon, Sultanate of Brunei, Republic of Cyprus, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (recognised only by Turkey), Transnistria (unrecognised breakaway state), Mozambique, United States of America, South Ossetia (unrecognised breakaway state), Commonwealth of Australia, State of Bahrain, Republic of Singapore, United Kingdom, Palau, French Fifth Republic.

"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 1990

New on the map: Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban), Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Republic of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kingdom of Cambodia, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Tajikistan, State of Eritrea, Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Latvia, Republic of Estonia, Republic of Moldova, East Timor (UN administration), Kuwait, Chechnya (Second Chechen War), Transnistria (unrecognised breakaway state), South Ossetia (unrecognised breakaway state), Palau, French Fifth Republic.

Gone from the map: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Mongolian People's Republic, Zaire, State of Cambodia, People's Republic of Bulgaria, British Empire, Portugal.

What comes next: 2010

Appear by 2010: Timor-Leste.

Gone by 2010: Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban), East Timor (UN administration), Chechnya (Second Chechen War).

Read the history of 2000

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 2000?

The map data draws 87 states and other polities in Asia in 2000. The largest by land were the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of India, Kazakhstan and the Republic of Sudan.

What was the largest empire in Asia in 2000?

Of the states on this map, the Russian Federation held the most land in total: about 33.6 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Asia in 2000 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 2000, 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 2000