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Historical map · 1600

Map of China and East Asia in 1600

In 1600, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 23 states, empires and other polities in China and East Asia. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Ming Dynasty, the Golden Horde and Tibet. The Spanish Empire reached well beyond China and East Asia: its whole territory measured about 13.6 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on China and East Asia in 1600. 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 1600 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1600

States and empires in China and East Asia in 1600

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Ming Dynasty Wikipedia3.9 million km²3.9 million km²1375–1644
Golden Horde Wikipedia3.6 million km²3.9 million km²1294–1695
Tibet Wikipedia966,000 km²1.5 million km²1363–1952
Mongol Khanate Wikipedia498,000 km²498,000 km²1468–1635
Tümed Wikipedia414,000 km²414,000 km²1547–1699
First Toungoo Empire Wikipedia401,000 km²401,000 km²1502–1756
Lan Xang Wikipedia377,000 km²377,000 km²1363–1708
Ayutthaya Kingdom Wikipedia294,000 km²452,000 km²1352–1768
Khoshut Khanate Wikipedia291,000 km²291,000 km²1582–1695
Joseon235,000 km²235,000 km²1395–1897
Eastern Moghulistan Wikipedia177,000 km²1.1 million km²1463–1686
Warring States Japan Wikipedia165,000 km²165,000 km²1468–1601
Tokugawa Shogunate Wikipedia164,000 km²164,000 km²1600–1869
Mughal Empire Wikipedia131,000 km²2.8 million km²1529–1858
Trịnh lords Wikipedia103,000 km²103,000 km²1572–1787
Alliance between Papal States and Spanish Empire Wikipedia100,000 km²7.3 million km²755–1870
Spanish Empire Wikipedia100,000 km²13.6 million km²1516–1931
Kingdom of Mrauk U Wikipedia77,000 km²77,000 km²1429–1787
Nguyễn lords Wikipedia56,000 km²90,000 km²1572–1775
Lan Na Wikipedia53,000 km²53,000 km²1294–1761
Kingdom of Cambodia Wikipedia18,000 km²275,000 km²1540–2024
Đại Việt Wikipedia10,000 km²10,000 km²1529–1833
Gorkha Kingdom Wikipedia2,150 km²148,000 km²1588–1787

"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 1550

New on the map: Khoshut Khanate, Tokugawa Shogunate, Mughal Empire, Trịnh lords, Alliance between Papal States and Spanish Empire, Spanish Empire, Nguyễn lords, Gorkha Kingdom.

Gone from the map: Shan States, Sur Empire, Lê Dynasty, Tondo, Maynila, Namayan, Khanate of Sibir, Ashikaga Shogunate, Sultanate of Brunei.

What comes next: 1648

Appear by 1648: Qing Dynasty, Southern Ming, Tsardom of Russia, Oirat Confederation, Bhutan, Dutch Republic, Portuguese Empire.

Gone by 1648: Ming Dynasty, Mongol Khanate, Warring States Japan, Alliance between Papal States and Spanish Empire, Lan Na.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in China and East Asia in 1600?

The map data draws 23 states and other polities in China and East Asia in 1600. The largest by land were the Ming Dynasty, the Golden Horde, Tibet, the Mongol Khanate and Tümed.

What was the largest empire in China and East Asia in 1600?

Of the states on this map, the Spanish Empire held the most land in total: about 13.6 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore China and East Asia in 1600 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1600, 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.

China in other years

Other regions in 1600