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Historical map · 1850

Map of North America in 1850

In 1850, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 18 states, empires and other polities in North America. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the United States of America, the United Mexican States (federal republic) and the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire reached well beyond North America: its whole territory measured about 20.9 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on North America in 1850. 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 1850 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1850
Atlas map: The Railway Age (1850)
FROM THE ATLAS · THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, CHAPTER 4: THE RAILWAY AGE (1850)

States and empires in North America in 1850

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
United States of America Wikipedia3.5 million km²3.5 million km²1776–2024
United Mexican States (federal republic) Wikipedia2.1 million km²2.1 million km²1824–1865
Russian Empire Wikipedia1.6 million km²20.9 million km²1721–1916
British Empire Wikipedia873,000 km²11.8 million km²1706–1999
Venezuela Wikipedia550,000 km²939,000 km²1811–2024
Republic of New Granada Wikipedia293,000 km²1.4 million km²1834–1858
Spanish Empire Wikipedia135,000 km²1.5 million km²1516–1931
Republic of Nicaragua Wikipedia112,000 km²112,000 km²1840–2024
Guatemala Wikipedia109,000 km²109,000 km²1840–2024
Honduras Wikipedia109,000 km²109,000 km²1840–2024
Republic of Costa Rica Wikipedia56,000 km²56,000 km²1840–2024
Greenland Wikipedia55,000 km²103,000 km²1734–1940
Dominican Republic Wikipedia53,000 km²53,000 km²1846–2024
Haiti Wikipedia31,000 km²31,000 km²1792–1915
Kingdom of Hawaiʻi Wikipedia25,000 km²25,000 km²1791–1894
Republic of El Salvador Wikipedia22,000 km²22,000 km²1840–2024
French Second Republic Wikipedia3,820 km²1.5 million km²1848–1852
Surinam (Dutch colony) Wikipedia2,180 km²150,000 km²1820–2024

"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 1830

New on the map: Venezuela, Republic of New Granada, Republic of Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Republic of Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Republic of El Salvador, French Second Republic.

Gone from the map: Gran Colombia, United Provinces of Central America, Kingdom of France (July Monarchy).

What comes next: 1871

Appear by 1871: Mexico, Republic of Colombia, French Third Republic.

Gone by 1871: United Mexican States (federal republic), Russian Empire, Republic of New Granada, French Second Republic.

Read the history of 1850

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 1850?

The map data draws 18 states and other polities in North America in 1850. The largest by land were the United States of America, the United Mexican States (federal republic), the Russian Empire, the British Empire and Venezuela.

What was the largest empire in North America in 1850?

Of the states on this map, the Russian Empire held the most land in total: about 20.9 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore North America in 1850 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1850, 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 1850