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Historical map · 1900

Map of the World in 1900

In 1900, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 82 states, empires and other polities in the world. By the land they held , the largest were the British Empire, the Russian Empire and the Qing Dynasty.

See this map live. The interactive map opens on the World in 1900. 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 1900 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1900
Atlas map: The Raj at High Noon (Jan 1905)
FROM THE ATLAS · INDIAN INDEPENDENCE & PARTITION, CHAPTER 3: THE RAJ AT HIGH NOON (JAN 1905)

States and empires in the World in 1900

StateTerritoryWhole stateIn the data
British Empire Wikipedia41.1 million km²41.1 million km²1706–1999
Russian Empire Wikipedia23.0 million km²23.0 million km²1721–1916
Qing Dynasty Wikipedia10.4 million km²10.4 million km²1645–1911
United States of America Wikipedia9.9 million km²9.9 million km²1776–2024
Brazilian Republic Wikipedia8.4 million km²8.4 million km²1890–2024
British Africa Wikipedia7.6 million km²7.6 million km²1885–1960
French Third Republic Wikipedia6.5 million km²6.5 million km²1871–1939
British Raj Wikipedia4.9 million km²4.9 million km²1859–1947
French Africa Wikipedia4.5 million km²4.5 million km²1846–1957
Argentina Wikipedia2.8 million km²2.8 million km²1834–1929
Belgian Congo Wikipedia2.3 million km²2.3 million km²1890–1962
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia2.2 million km²2.2 million km²1305–1923
German Africa Wikipedia2.2 million km²2.2 million km²1871–1918
Mexico2.0 million km²2.0 million km²1868–2024
Portuguese Empire Wikipedia2.0 million km²2.0 million km²1502–1910
Kingdom of Portugal Wikipedia1.9 million km²1.9 million km²1147–1911
Netherlands Wikipedia1.9 million km²1.9 million km²1811–2024
Dutch East Indies Wikipedia1.8 million km²1.8 million km²1800–1949
Qajar Iran Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1788–1923
Bolivia Wikipedia1.6 million km²1.6 million km²1825–2024
Republic of Peru Wikipedia1.3 million km²1.3 million km²1822–2024
Republic of Colombia Wikipedia1.2 million km²1.2 million km²1866–2024
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia966,000 km²966,000 km²1272–1935
Venezuela Wikipedia941,000 km²941,000 km²1811–2024
Ottoman Tripolitania Wikipedia883,000 km²883,000 km²1840–1911
Spanish Empire Wikipedia841,000 km²841,000 km²1516–1931
Kingdom of Spain Wikipedia841,000 km²841,000 km²1516–2024
German Empire Wikipedia815,000 km²815,000 km²1871–1918
United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway Wikipedia799,000 km²799,000 km²1815–1904
Sokoto Caliphate Wikipedia795,000 km²795,000 km²1805–1904
United Kingdom Wikipedia740,000 km²740,000 km²1709–2024
Republic of Chile Wikipedia731,000 km²731,000 km²1812–2024
French Indochina Wikipedia702,000 km²702,000 km²1860–1957
Emirate of Jabal Shammar Wikipedia676,000 km²676,000 km²1825–1921
Austria-Hungary Wikipedia676,000 km²676,000 km²1868–1918
Emirate of Afghanistan Wikipedia644,000 km²644,000 km²1828–1925
Siam Wikipedia615,000 km²615,000 km²1783–1931
Italian Africa Wikipedia590,000 km²590,000 km²1890–1943
Empire of Japan Wikipedia469,000 km²469,000 km²1868–1946
British Gold Coast Wikipedia416,000 km²416,000 km²1873–1960

Also on the map: Morocco, Wadai Empire, Kingdom of Italy, Republic of Ecuador, Korean Empire, Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Denmark, Paraguay, Surinam (Dutch colony), Nepal, Republic of Nicaragua, Romania, Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, Honduras, Guatemala, Greenland, Republic of Liberia, Principality of Bulgaria, Greece, Colony of Natal (British), Republic of Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Serbia, Sultanate of Aceh, Swiss Confederation, Bhutan, Haiti, Kingdom of Belgium, Sultanate of Jambi, Republic of El Salvador, Swaziland, New Hebrides, Sultanate of Terengganu, Sultanate of Kedah, Montenegro, Kelantan, Cretan State, Qatar, Bali, Luxembourg, Kedah-Perlis District, Principality of Andorra.

"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 1880

New on the map: Brazilian Republic, British Africa, Belgian Congo, Italian Africa, Korean Empire, Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, Serbia, Swaziland, New Hebrides, Cretan State.

Gone from the map: Empire of Brazil, Khedivate of Egypt, British Cape Colony, Burma, Merina Kingdom, Emirate of Nejd, Nguyễn dynasty, Joseon, Bornu Empire, Sultanate of Oman, Kashmir and Jammu, Ashanti Empire, Kingdom of Luang Phrabang, Sultanate of Hobyo, Orange Free State, Kingdom of Lunda, Majeerteen Sultanate, Beylik of Tunis, Kingdom of Sarawak, Trucial States, Chiangmai, Talpur Dynasty, Kingdom of Serbia, Pahang, Kingdom of Champasak, Sultanate of Zanzibar, Zululand, Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, Sultanate of Brunei, Sultanate of Johor and others.

What comes next: 1910

Appear by 1910: Commonwealth of Australia, Kingdom of Sweden, Emirate of Nejd, Kingdom of Norway, Republic of Cuba, Kingdom of Bulgaria, Republic of Panama.

Gone by 1910: United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, Sokoto Caliphate, Principality of Bulgaria, Sultanate of Jambi, Swaziland, Sultanate of Terengganu, Kelantan, Cretan State, Qatar, Bali.

Read the history of 1900

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 1900?

The map data draws 82 states and other polities in the World in 1900. The largest by land were the British Empire, the Russian Empire, the Qing Dynasty, the United States of America and the Brazilian Republic.

What was the largest empire in the world in 1900?

Of the states on this map, the British Empire held the most land in total: about 41.1 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore the World in 1900 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1900, 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 1900