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Historical map · 1815

Map of North America in 1815

In 1815, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 12 states, empires and other polities in North America. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Spanish Empire, the United States of America and Company rule in India (British East India Company). The Spanish Empire reached well beyond North America: its whole territory measured about 17.6 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on North America in 1815. 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 1815 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1815
Atlas map: The Fall (Jun 1815)
FROM THE ATLAS · THE AGE OF REVOLUTIONS, CHAPTER 9: THE FALL (JUN 1815)

States and empires in North America in 1815

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Spanish Empire Wikipedia3.4 million km²17.6 million km²1516–1931
United States of America Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1776–2024
Company rule in India (British East India Company)793,000 km²3.4 million km²1811–1819
British Empire Wikipedia768,000 km²6.2 million km²1706–1999
Mexican insurgents (War of Independence)312,000 km²312,000 km²1811–1819
New Granada Wikipedia115,000 km²605,000 km²1811–1821
Greenland Wikipedia54,000 km²102,000 km²1734–1940
Russian Empire Wikipedia42,000 km²17.3 million km²1721–1916
Haiti Wikipedia31,000 km²31,000 km²1792–1915
Kingdom of Hawaiʻi Wikipedia25,000 km²25,000 km²1791–1894
Kingdom of France (Bourbon Restoration) Wikipedia4,180 km²1.3 million km²990–1848
Netherlands Antilles Wikipedia2,180 km²2,180 km²1815–2024

"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 1800

New on the map: Company rule in India (British East India Company), Mexican insurgents (War of Independence), New Granada, Kingdom of France (Bourbon Restoration), Netherlands Antilles.

Gone from the map: French Louisiana, New Netherland.

What comes next: 1830

Appear by 1830: United Mexican States (federal republic), Gran Colombia, United Provinces of Central America, Surinam (Dutch colony).

Gone by 1830: Company rule in India (British East India Company), Mexican insurgents (War of Independence), New Granada, Netherlands Antilles.

Read the history of 1815

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

Questions about this map

Which countries were in North America in 1815?

The map data draws 12 states and other polities in North America in 1815. The largest by land were the Spanish Empire, the United States of America, Company rule in India (British East India Company), the British Empire and Mexican insurgents (War of Independence).

What was the largest empire in North America in 1815?

Of the states on this map, the Spanish Empire held the most land in total: about 17.6 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore North America in 1815 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1815, 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.

North America in other years

Other regions in 1815