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Historical map · 2000 BC

Map of the World in 2000 BC

In 2000 BC, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 4 states, empires and other polities in the world. By the land they held , the largest were Indus Valley Civilization, Elam and the Middle Kingdom of Egypt.

See this map live. The interactive map opens on the World in 2000 BC. 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 2000 BC ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 2000 BC

States and empires in the World in 2000 BC

StateTerritoryWhole stateIn the data
Indus Valley Civilization Wikipedia756,000 km²756,000 km²3000 BC–1701 BC
Elam Wikipedia111,000 km²111,000 km²3200 BC–601 BC
Middle Kingdom of Egypt Wikipedia93,000 km²93,000 km²2000 BC–1601 BC
Sumerian City-States Wikipedia54,000 km²54,000 km²3400 BC–1761 BC

"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 3000 BC

New on the map: Middle Kingdom of Egypt.

Gone from the map: Early Dynastic Period of Egypt.

What comes next: 1500 BC

Appear by 1500 BC: New Kingdom of Egypt, Mitanni, Shang Dynasty, Babylonia, Hyksos, Hittites, Mycenaean Greece, Assyria, First Sealand Dynasty, Minoan civilization.

Gone by 1500 BC: Indus Valley Civilization, Middle Kingdom of Egypt, Sumerian City-States.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in the World in 2000 BC?

The map data draws 4 states and other polities in the World in 2000 BC. The largest by land were Indus Valley Civilization, Elam, the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and the Sumerian City-States.

What was the largest empire in the world in 2000 BC?

Of the states on this map, Indus Valley Civilization held the most land in total: about 756,000 km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore the World in 2000 BC interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 2000 BC, 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 2000 BC