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Historical map · 500

Map of the World in 500

In 500, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 53 states, empires and other polities in the world. By the land they held , the largest were Alliance between Northern Wei and Rouran Khaganate, the Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire and Rouran Khaganate.

See this map live. The interactive map opens on the World in 500. 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 500 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 500
Atlas map: Why Rome Fell — and What Survived (Ad 481)
FROM THE ATLAS · ROME, CHAPTER 12: WHY ROME FELL — AND WHAT SURVIVED (AD 481)

States and empires in the World in 500

StateTerritoryWhole stateIn the data
Alliance between Northern Wei and Rouran Khaganate Wikipedia6.2 million km²6.2 million km²387–533
Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire Wikipedia4.4 million km²4.4 million km²500–560
Rouran Khaganate Wikipedia3.8 million km²3.8 million km²402–554
White Huns Wikipedia3.3 million km²3.3 million km²410–560
Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom Wikipedia2.7 million km²2.7 million km²324–554
Southern Qi Wikipedia2.4 million km²2.4 million km²480–509
Sasanian Empire Wikipedia2.2 million km²2.2 million km²215–643
Eastern Roman Empire Wikipedia2.0 million km²2.0 million km²31 BC–AD 632
Visigothic Kingdom Wikipedia689,000 km²689,000 km²426–723
Vakataka Kingdom Wikipedia673,000 km²673,000 km²260–554
Tuyuhun Wikipedia554,000 km²554,000 km²287–665
Protectorate of the Western Regions Wikipedia437,000 km²437,000 km²117–601
Goguryeo Wikipedia408,000 km²408,000 km²36 BC–AD 681
Mayan City-States Wikipedia380,000 km²380,000 km²247 BC–AD 1546
Scandinavian minor kingdoms Wikipedia376,000 km²376,000 km²500–799
Merovingian Empire Wikipedia362,000 km²362,000 km²462–989
Himyarite Kingdom Wikipedia297,000 km²297,000 km²110 BC–AD 601
Salian Franks Wikipedia277,000 km²277,000 km²358–509
Lakhmid Kingdom Wikipedia259,000 km²259,000 km²270–633
Brythonic Kingdoms Wikipedia258,000 km²258,000 km²439–1284
Vandal Kingdom Wikipedia249,000 km²249,000 km²439–533
Funan Wikipedia246,000 km²246,000 km²51–640
Kadamba Empire Wikipedia203,000 km²203,000 km²353–554
Nobatia Wikipedia148,000 km²148,000 km²347–655
Maitraka Dynasty Wikipedia145,000 km²145,000 km²476–731
Anglo-Saxon England Wikipedia144,000 km²144,000 km²441–935
Kalabhra Dynasty Wikipedia138,000 km²138,000 km²353–601
Kamarupa Kingdom Wikipedia130,000 km²130,000 km²353–1138
Alodia Wikipedia124,000 km²124,000 km²347–1506
Burgundian Kingdom Wikipedia119,000 km²119,000 km²154–660
Pyu City-States Wikipedia117,000 km²117,000 km²84–1045
Kingdom of Axum Wikipedia97,000 km²97,000 km²50 BC–AD 946
Kingdom of the Suebi Wikipedia92,000 km²92,000 km²414–586
Saxons Wikipedia82,000 km²82,000 km²283–799
Caucasian Albania Wikipedia75,000 km²75,000 km²63 BC–AD 509
Anurādhapura Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²291 BC–AD 1017
Chámpa Wikipedia73,000 km²73,000 km²207–1652
Zapotec Civilization Wikipedia70,000 km²70,000 km²500 BC–AD 895
Makuria Wikipedia65,000 km²65,000 km²347–1518
Ripuarian Franks Wikipedia44,000 km²44,000 km²238–509

Also on the map: Kingdom of Thuringia, Late Pallava Empire, Caucasian Iberia, Baekje, Lazica, Silla, Tarumanagara, Lombards, Byeonhan, Teotihuacan, Kingdom of Sussex, Kingdom of Kent, Tamna.

"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 400

New on the map: Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire, Rouran Khaganate, White Huns, Southern Qi, Visigothic Kingdom, Scandinavian minor kingdoms, Merovingian Empire, Brythonic Kingdoms, Vandal Kingdom, Maitraka Dynasty, Anglo-Saxon England, Burgundian Kingdom, Kingdom of the Suebi, Kingdom of Thuringia, Lombards, Kingdom of Sussex, Kingdom of Kent.

Gone from the map: Allegiance of Kidarites to Sasanian Empire, Western Jin, Western Roman Empire, Huns, Western Satraps, Xionites, Later Yan, Later Qin, Northern Liang, Western Qin, Later Liang, Visigoths, Wusun, Vandals, Southern Liang, Norse, Angles.

What comes next: 600

Appear by 600: Western Göktürks, Sui Dynasty, Avar Khaganate, Maukhari Dynasty, Yenisei Kyrgyz, Chenla, Ghassanids, Asuka Japan, Chalukya Dynasty, Kingdom of Italy, Turk Shahis, Karkota Dynasty, Early Lý Dynasty, Bavarians, Pandya Dynasty, Duchy of Thuringia, Breton Kingdoms, Kingdom of Mercia, Dál Riata, Kingdom of Wessex, Kingdom of Deira, Kingdom of East Anglia, Kingdom of Rheged, Kingdom of Bernicia, Kingdom of Gwynedd, Kingdom of Powys, Classic Veracruz Culture, Hwicce, Kingdom of Essex, Kingdom of Lindsey and others.

Gone by 600: Alliance between Northern Wei and Rouran Khaganate, Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire, Rouran Khaganate, White Huns, Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom, Southern Qi, Vakataka Kingdom, Salian Franks, Vandal Kingdom, Kadamba Empire, Burgundian Kingdom, Kingdom of the Suebi, Caucasian Albania, Ripuarian Franks, Kingdom of Thuringia, Caucasian Iberia, Lazica, Lombards, Byeonhan.

Read the history of 500

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 500?

The map data draws 53 states and other polities in the World in 500. The largest by land were Alliance between Northern Wei and Rouran Khaganate, the Allegiance of Ostrogothic Kingdom to Eastern Roman Empire, Rouran Khaganate, White Huns and the Alliance between Gupta Empire and Vakataka Kingdom.

What was the largest empire in the world in 500?

Of the states on this map, Alliance between Northern Wei and Rouran Khaganate held the most land in total: about 6.2 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore the World in 500 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 500, 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 500