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Historical map · 400

Map of India and South Asia in 400

In 400, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 13 states, empires and other polities in India and South Asia. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom, the Allegiance of Kidarites to Sasanian Empire and the Sasanian Empire. The Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom reached well beyond India and South Asia: its whole territory measured about 4.4 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on India and South Asia in 400. 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.

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States and empires in India and South Asia in 400

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom Wikipedia2.4 million km²4.4 million km²324–554
Allegiance of Kidarites to Sasanian Empire Wikipedia1.4 million km²3.9 million km²358–450
Sasanian Empire Wikipedia1.1 million km²3.0 million km²215–643
Western Satraps Wikipedia506,000 km²506,000 km²43–489
Vakataka Kingdom Wikipedia379,000 km²379,000 km²260–554
Kadamba Empire Wikipedia202,000 km²202,000 km²353–554
Kalabhra Dynasty Wikipedia138,000 km²138,000 km²353–601
Kamarupa Kingdom Wikipedia131,000 km²131,000 km²353–1138
Pyu City-States Wikipedia117,000 km²117,000 km²84–1045
Tuyuhun Wikipedia81,000 km²278,000 km²287–665
Anurādhapura Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²291 BC–AD 1017
Protectorate of the Western Regions Wikipedia64,000 km²597,000 km²117–601
Late Pallava Empire Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²283–805

"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 300

New on the map: Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom, Allegiance of Kidarites to Sasanian Empire, Kadamba Empire, Kalabhra Dynasty, Kamarupa Kingdom, Protectorate of the Western Regions.

Gone from the map: Eastern Kushans, Western Jin, Early Pandyas, Early Cholas, Early Cheras.

What comes next: 500

Appear by 500: White Huns, Maitraka Dynasty.

Gone by 500: Allegiance of Kidarites to Sasanian Empire, Western Satraps.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in India and South Asia in 400?

The map data draws 13 states and other polities in India and South Asia in 400. The largest by land were the Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom, the Allegiance of Kidarites to Sasanian Empire, the Sasanian Empire, Western Satraps and the Vakataka Kingdom.

What was the largest empire in India and South Asia in 400?

Of the states on this map, the Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom held the most land in total: about 4.4 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore India and South Asia in 400 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 400, 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.

India in other years

Other regions in 400