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Historical map · AD 1

Map of the World in AD 1

In AD 1, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 45 states, empires and other polities in the world. By the land they held , the largest were the Alliance between Han Dynasty and Xiongnu, the Roman Empire and the Parthian Empire.

See this map live. The interactive map opens on the World in AD 1. 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 AD 1 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about AD 1
Atlas map: Augustus (30 Bc)
FROM THE ATLAS · ROME, CHAPTER 6: AUGUSTUS (30 BC)

States and empires in the World in AD 1

StateTerritoryWhole stateIn the data
Alliance between Han Dynasty and Xiongnu Wikipedia11.3 million km²11.3 million km²202 BC–AD 1201
Roman Empire Wikipedia3.5 million km²3.5 million km²31 BC–AD 632
Parthian Empire Wikipedia2.7 million km²2.7 million km²239 BC–AD 237
Xiongnu Wikipedia2.4 million km²2.4 million km²208 BC–AD 153
Satavahana Dynasty Wikipedia893,000 km²893,000 km²225 BC–AD 223
Indo-Scythians Wikipedia833,000 km²833,000 km²144 BC–AD 282
Indo-Parthians Wikipedia488,000 km²488,000 km²AD 1–90
Yuezhi Wikipedia458,000 km²458,000 km²404 BC–AD 42
Kingdom of Kush Wikipedia337,000 km²337,000 km²1000 BC–AD 346
Himyarite Kingdom Wikipedia336,000 km²336,000 km²110 BC–AD 601
Kingdom of Armenia Wikipedia217,000 km²217,000 km²326 BC–AD 646
Mauretania Wikipedia215,000 km²215,000 km²212 BC–AD 42
Mayan City-States Wikipedia199,000 km²199,000 km²247 BC–AD 1546
Wusun Wikipedia194,000 km²194,000 km²170 BC–AD 450
Kingdom of Axum Wikipedia97,000 km²97,000 km²50 BC–AD 946
Goguryeo Wikipedia94,000 km²94,000 km²36 BC–AD 681
Thracian Kingdom Wikipedia90,000 km²90,000 km²87 BC–AD 50
Nabataeans Wikipedia90,000 km²90,000 km²164 BC–AD 105
Kingdom of Cappadocia Wikipedia87,000 km²87,000 km²239 BC–AD 22
Hadhramaut Wikipedia86,000 km²86,000 km²700 BC–AD 305
Kingdom of Pontus Wikipedia80,000 km²80,000 km²281 BC–AD 67
Anurādhapura Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²291 BC–AD 1017
Indo-Greeks Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²126 BC–AD 13
Zapotec Civilization Wikipedia70,000 km²70,000 km²500 BC–AD 895
Dayuan (Ferghana)51,000 km²51,000 km²110 BC–AD 50
Kingdom of Osroene Wikipedia50,000 km²50,000 km²63 BC–AD 214
Caucasian Albania Wikipedia50,000 km²50,000 km²63 BC–AD 509
Mahan Wikipedia50,000 km²50,000 km²91 BC–AD 346
Caucasian Iberia Wikipedia36,000 km²36,000 km²63 BC–AD 533
Early Pandyas Wikipedia33,000 km²33,000 km²291 BC–AD 305
Dong-okjeo Wikipedia32,000 km²32,000 km²36 BC–AD 153
Judea Wikipedia32,000 km²32,000 km²144 BC–AD 5
Dongye Wikipedia29,000 km²29,000 km²91 BC–AD 391
Early Cholas Wikipedia29,000 km²29,000 km²291 BC–AD 305
Lazica Wikipedia28,000 km²28,000 km²63 BC–AD 777
Early Cheras25,000 km²25,000 km²291 BC–AD 305
Cimmerian Bosporus Wikipedia25,000 km²25,000 km²404 BC–AD 372
Greek City-States Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²800 BC–AD 83
Kingdom of Sophene Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²256 BC–AD 113
Jinhan Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²91 BC–AD 377

Also on the map: Kingdom of Gordyene, Kingdom of Adiabene, Byeonhan, Kingdom of Commagene, Teotihuacan.

"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 100 BC

New on the map: Roman Empire, Indo-Parthians, Wusun, Kingdom of Axum, Goguryeo, Thracian Kingdom, Kingdom of Osroene, Caucasian Albania, Mahan, Caucasian Iberia, Dong-okjeo, Dongye, Lazica, Jinhan, Kingdom of Gordyene, Kingdom of Adiabene, Byeonhan, Kingdom of Commagene, Teotihuacan.

Gone from the map: Roman Republic, Shunga Empire, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Kingdom of Numidia, Minaeans, Cyrenaica, Korean Jin, Seleucid Empire, Gojoseon, Sabaeans, Kingdom of Bithynia, Qataban.

What comes next: 100

Appear by 100: Kushan Empire, Xianbei, Western Satraps, Funan, Goths, Pyu City-States.

Gone by 100: Indo-Parthians, Yuezhi, Mauretania, Thracian Kingdom, Kingdom of Cappadocia, Kingdom of Pontus, Indo-Greeks, Dayuan (Ferghana), Judea, Greek City-States, Kingdom of Commagene.

Read the history of AD 1

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

Questions about this map

Which countries were in the World in AD 1?

The map data draws 45 states and other polities in the World in AD 1. The largest by land were the Alliance between Han Dynasty and Xiongnu, the Roman Empire, the Parthian Empire, Xiongnu and the Satavahana Dynasty.

What was the largest empire in the world in AD 1?

Of the states on this map, the Alliance between Han Dynasty and Xiongnu held the most land in total: about 11.3 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore the World in AD 1 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at AD 1, 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.

World in other years

Other regions in AD 1