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Historical map · 1789

Map of Europe in 1789

In 1789, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 42 states, empires and other polities in Europe. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire and the Swedish Empire. The Spanish Empire reached well beyond Europe: its whole territory measured about 23.1 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Europe in 1789. 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 1789 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1789
Atlas map: The French Revolution (Jul 1789)
FROM THE ATLAS · THE AGE OF REVOLUTIONS, CHAPTER 3: THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (JUL 1789)

States and empires in Europe in 1789

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Russian Empire Wikipedia2.3 million km²16.2 million km²1721–1916
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia1.6 million km²2.9 million km²1305–1923
Swedish Empire Wikipedia785,000 km²785,000 km²1612–1814
Habsburg Monarchy Wikipedia665,000 km²1.3 million km²1459–1805
Kingdom of France Wikipedia532,000 km²1.1 million km²990–1848
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Wikipedia531,000 km²531,000 km²1572–1793
Denmark Wikipedia522,000 km²523,000 km²1046–1940
Kingdom of Spain Wikipedia504,000 km²504,000 km²1516–2024
Spanish Empire Wikipedia504,000 km²23.1 million km²1516–1931
British Empire Wikipedia340,000 km²2.8 million km²1706–1999
United Kingdom Wikipedia340,000 km²340,000 km²1709–2024
Regency of Algiers Wikipedia211,000 km²211,000 km²1706–1845
Kingdom of Prussia Wikipedia205,000 km²205,000 km²1702–1863
Holy Roman Empire Minor States Wikipedia178,000 km²355,000 km²922–1806
Morocco Wikipedia124,000 km²388,000 km²1670–2024
Kingdom of Naples (Napoleonic) Wikipedia92,000 km²92,000 km²1762–1814
Portuguese Empire Wikipedia92,000 km²15.9 million km²1502–1910
Kingdom of Portugal Wikipedia92,000 km²96,000 km²1147–1911
Beylik of Tunis Wikipedia79,000 km²79,000 km²1706–1884
Kingdom of Sardinia Wikipedia78,000 km²78,000 km²1721–1861
Principality of Wallachia Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²1314–1858
Principality of Moldavia Wikipedia70,000 km²70,000 km²1363–1858
Duchy of Bavaria Wikipedia55,000 km²55,000 km²1260–1805
Republic of Venice Wikipedia45,000 km²45,000 km²705–1796
Swiss Confederation Wikipedia44,000 km²44,000 km²1294–2024
Papal States Wikipedia42,000 km²42,000 km²755–1870
Dutch Republic Wikipedia37,000 km²970,000 km²1582–1795
Electorate of Saxony Wikipedia33,000 km²33,000 km²1363–1805
Electorate of Hanover Wikipedia32,000 km²32,000 km²1709–1802
Kingdom of Georgia Wikipedia28,000 km²55,000 km²1010–1802
Duchy of Courland Wikipedia28,000 km²28,000 km²1734–1793
Khanates of the Caucasus Wikipedia25,000 km²194,000 km²1748–1796
Republic of Genoa Wikipedia14,000 km²14,000 km²1010–1795
Kingdom of Imereti Wikipedia11,000 km²11,000 km²1468–1810
Principality of Abkhazia Wikipedia10,000 km²10,000 km²1468–1829
Karamanli Dynasty Wikipedia6,480 km²86,000 km²1713–1839
Principality of Mingrelia Wikipedia5,030 km²5,030 km²1468–1810
Principality of Guria Wikipedia3,720 km²3,720 km²1468–1829
Principality of Svaneti Wikipedia2,500 km²2,500 km²1721–1833
Comtat Venaissin Wikipedia2,130 km²2,130 km²1272–1790

Also on the map: Republic of Ragusa, County of Urgell.

"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 1776

Gone from the map: Crimean Khanate, Zand Dynasty.

What comes next: 1800

Appear by 1800: French Consulate, Helvetic Republic, Batavian Republic, Qajar Iran, Cispadane Republic, Septinsular Republic, Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

Gone by 1800: Kingdom of France, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Republic of Venice, Swiss Confederation, Dutch Republic, Duchy of Courland, Khanates of the Caucasus, Republic of Genoa, Karamanli Dynasty, Comtat Venaissin.

Read the history of 1789

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

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Europe in 1789?

The map data draws 42 states and other polities in Europe in 1789. The largest by land were the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Swedish Empire, Habsburg Monarchy and the Kingdom of France.

What was the largest empire in Europe in 1789?

Of the states on this map, the Spanish Empire held the most land in total: about 23.1 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Europe in 1789 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1789, 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.

Europe in other years

Other regions in 1789