An empire involves the extension of a state's sovereignty over territories all around the world. For example, because of the British Empire's territories around the globe, it was often said in the 19th century that "the sun never sets on the British Empire." This phrase could have been applied before with the Spanish Empire and it was used later to describe the Russian Empire. This article provides a list of the largest empires in world history.

Measurement details

The calculation of the land area of a particular empire is controversial. In general, the list centers on the side of including any land area that was explored and explicitly claimed, even if the areas were populated very sparsely or not at all. For example, a large portion of Northern Siberia is included in the size of the Russian Empire but not the Mongol Empire. The Mongol Empire's northern border was somewhat ill-defined, but in most places it was simply the natural border between the steppe and the taiga. Occupied areas north of this are included at the time the majority of the taiga and tundra were unexplored and uninhabited. This area was only very sparsely populated by the Russian Empire, but it had been explicitly claimed by the Russian Empire by the 1600s, and its extent had been entirely explored by the late 1800s. Similarly, the northernmost Canadian islands such as Ellesmere Island were explored and claimed by the British Empire by the mid 1800s (virtually the entire mainland was at least sparsely populated well before that).

The only claims on mainland Antarctica are included in the area of the British Empire.

Due to the historical trend of increasing population and GDP, the list of largest empires in these categories is highly dependent on which relatively recent political entities are defined as empires. The measures of population and GDP as a percentage of the world total take into account this historical growth, although decent GDP data is only available for the last few centuries, accurate only for the last decades.

Debates regarding definition of imperial domains

Compilations of history’s largest empires (in both geographical size and population) often vary due to differing definitions of imperial borders throughout history and across distinct historical traditions. Imperial domains have been variously defined in terms of direct administrative rule from a common ruling authority, military presence, colonization and settlement, collection of tribute, economic dependence, or even incorporation into a common trading or ideological network. Many imperial domains have therefore enjoyed varying degrees of autonomy, self-rule, or even outright independence (though sometimes with a dependent or protectorate relationship to a stronger power). Some regions claimed by an imperial authority have been large, yet arid and very sparsely populated lands without much administrative control whatsoever. Therefore, empires can vary in size according to these designations, often quite significantly.

For example in India, which experienced varying levels of European contact and imperial forays since Vasco da Gama’s expeditions in 1497-1498, French, Dutch, Portuguese and especially British authorities claimed authority over increasing portions of the Indian Subcontinent. This process culminated in the period of the British Raj (and its smaller French and Portuguese counterparts) after 1857. Nevertheless, even then approximately half of Indian territory consisted of Princely States under de facto and de jure rule of local rajas and maharajas. While the Indian princes often sought protection and mediation from the European maritime powers, they minted their own coins, issued their own edicts, and otherwise ruled of their own accord; furthermore, the Indian independence Act, which ended the British presence by 1948, did not apply to the Princely States, which required separate negotiations with the new Indian nation as independent states in themselves. Thus, although many European maps showed nearly the whole of India as a predominantly British colony in the late 1800’s, close to 50% was essentially independent, and the Indian historical tradition in particular does not consider the large and populous region ruled by these rajas to have been under Western rule.

Another issue is that many of history’s empires have ruled over vast and mostly uninhabited territorial expanses, sparsely populated by largely autonomous tribes, and with little in the way of direct administration or settlement by an imperial power. For example, various Mongol khanates from the 13th century established dominion over arid steppes in Central Asia and Siberia that were difficult to control from a central authority, as was the case with the expansionist Tsardom of Russia empires from the 17th century, which established control in the same regions. In both cases, administrative structures and settlements were gradually introduced into the regions—with Russian settlers, for example, initiating forts and frontier cities in the 19th century in particular—and so the size of each empire in any given decade would depend on how strict one’s criteria are in regard to the presence of true settlement and administration. Likewise, in more recent history, almost half the land expanse that is often regarded as part of the British Empire (and also much of the historical French Empire in North America), consisted of essentially barren and uninhabitable terrain in Canada and the interior of Australia, which was often difficult to even map, let alone settle and administer. Even today, the population of those regions (particularly in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories of Canada) consists largely of sparse settlements of self-governing indigenous peoples, with little in the way of submission to a central ruling authority.

During the Muslim conquests of the 7th and early 8th centuries, Rashidun armies established the Caliphate, or Islamic Empire, one of the largest empires in history. The seventh century saw the introduction of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula, where The Prophet Muhammad established a new unified political polity in the Arabian peninsula which under the subsequent Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates saw a century of rapid expansion of Arab power well beyond the Arabian peninsula in the form of a vast Muslim Arab Empire with an area of influence that stretched from northwest India, across Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, southern Italy, and the Iberian Peninsula, to the Pyrenees. However, internal feuding among ruling figures in the empire led it to fragment into several states under separate administrations, such as the Umayyads (whose rule continued in Spain after it collapsed elsewhere), Abbasids, Ayyubids, Mamluks and many others. These were in addition to a variety of other Muslim states in Sudan, Indonesia and elsewhere that later arose outside of the main Islamic Empires, through trade and other contacts. Thus, the size of these empires vary depending on how “membership” in the empire is defined—as being under a single administration, accepting a particular ruler or following the dictates of the Caliph (which technically, Sunni Muslims in general were expected to do).

Similarly, the Mongol Empire lost its unity upon the death of the Great Khan Möngke during fighting in China in 1259, with the Golden Horde’s Berke Khan and the Il-Khanate’s Hulegu Khan even taking up arms against each other and supporting rival factions for selection of the Great Khan. However, upon the death of Berke—a Muslim—the religious impetus for conflict among the khanates subsided, with the Mongols again supposedly loyal to the new Great Khan Kublai before fragmenting yet again later. If the khanates are considered to have been a unified Mongol Empire under Kublai—stretching from Korea and China in the east through Siberia and Central Asia and into Persia and Eastern Europe in the west—it would easily be the world’s largest in terms of both land area and population (as a percentage of the world total). A related question arises with the granting of dominion and commonwealth statuses among former imperial domains, in which the domains acquire a high degree of self-rule, equivalent to independence in some estimations. For example, Australia attained dominion status in 1901, which may or may not have indicated a departure from the British Empire, depending on interpretation of the status.

Finally, many of history’s empires have had unusual arrangements among multiple powers, such as joint rule by several authorities, layers of rule (with different powers assuming different levels of administrative authority), territorial division with blurred boundaries or other forms of empire without a single obvious central authority. For example, the Manchus, who established the Qing Dynasty in 17th-century China, also conquered nomadic lands to the north, including Mongolia. The Manchus increasingly merged with the Chinese population over the centuries, so that the administration took on both Manchu and Chinese features with no clear division among them. The Mongol chieftains of Outer Mongolia in particular, pledged loyalty to the Manchus but retained substantial autonomy, and when the Qing Dynasty collapsed in the early 1900s, the status of Outer Mongolia relative to the new Chinese state became unclear. Britain had a very complicated arrangement with Egypt and Sudan. Egyptian forces battled the British in the Alexandria Expedition in 1807, but in the wake of this, British officials exerted varying degrees of sway in Egypt especially by the late 1800’s, with the French also assuming a role in the Suez Canal territory. Sudan, in turn, was technically a colony of the Egyptians, but the British exerted de facto sway on Sudan indirectly via Egypt. Thus, accounts vary on the imperial status (or lack thereof) of both Egypt and Sudan. Lastly, in the wake of the Bolshevik Revolution, many nations took on a Communist character and attached themselves to the global Communist center of the Soviet Union. Mongolia, North Korea, and China following Communist victory in the Chinese civil war, all took guidance from the Soviet Union especially in the years just after their Communist transformations. The Soviet Union also exercised varying control over Eastern Europe via the Warsaw Pact even though the Pact countries were formally independent, while Communist nations in Africa and Latin America also sought Soviet guidance. Therefore, the lists of largest empires below represent merely a sample of possible rankings depending on the specific criteria used to define an empire.

Portugal began establishing the first global trade network and empire under the leadership of Henry the Navigator. Portugal would eventually establish colonial domains from Brazil, in South America, to several colonies in Africa (namely Portuguese Guinea, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola and Mozambique), in Portuguese India (most importantly Bombay and Goa), in China (Macau), and Oceania (most importantly Timor, namely East Timor), amongst many other smaller or short-lived possessions (see Evolution of the Portuguese Empire).

During its Siglo de Oro, the Spanish Empire had possession of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Italy, parts of Germany, parts of France, and many colonies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. With the conquest of inland Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines in the 16th century, Spain established overseas dominions on a scale and world distribution that had never been approached by its predecessors (the Mongol Empire had been larger but was restricted to Eurasia). Possessions in Europe, Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, the Americas, the Pacific Ocean, and the Far East qualified the Spanish Empire as attaining a global presence in this sense.

From 1580 to 1640 the Portuguese Empire and the Spanish Empire were conjoined in a personal union of its Habsburg monarchs, during the period of the Iberian Union, though the empires continued to be administered separately.

Subsequent global empires included the French, Dutch, and British empires. The latter, consolidated during the period of British maritime hegemony in the 19th century, became the largest empire in history by virtue of the improved transportation technologies of the time. At its height, the British Empire covered a quarter of the Earth's land area and comprised a quarter of its population. By the 1860s, the Russian Empire — continued as the Soviet Union — became the largest contiguous state in the world, and the latter's main successor, Russia, continues to be so to this day. Despite having "lost" its Soviet periphery, Russia has 12 time zones, stretching slightly over half the world's longitude.Image:Portugal Império total.png|Anachronous map of the Portuguese EmpireImage:Spanish-empire-01.png|Anachronous map of the overseas Spanish Empire in red.Image:Iberian Union Empires.png|Map of the joint Spanish (red) and Portuguese (blue) Empires during the Iberian Union (1580-1640)Image:Dutch Empire35.PNG|Anachronous map of the Dutch EmpireImage:British Empire Anachronous 8.png|Anachronous map of the British EmpireImage:France_colonial_Empire10.png|Anachronous map of the French EmpireImage:Deutsche Kolonien.PNG|Anachronous map of the German EmpireImage:Imperio_Ruso.PNG| A map of the Russian Empire

Largest empires by landmass (maximum extent)

For context, note that the total land area of the Earth is 148.94 million km².

All empires

1. British Empire - 33.7 million km² (1922)
2. Mongol Empire - 33.0 million km² (1270 or 1309)
3. Russian Empire - 23.7 million km² (1866)
4. Spanish Empire - 20.0 million km² (ca. 1740-1790)
5. Tsardom of Russia - 19.0 million km² (1700)
6. Qing Dynasty - 14.7 million km² (1790)
7. Yuan Dynasty - 14.0 million km² (1310)
8. Umayyad Caliphate - 13.0 million km² (720 or 750)
9. Second French Colonial Empire - 12.3 million km² (1938)
10. Abbasid Caliphate - 11.1 million km² (750)
11. Portuguese Empire - 10.4 million km² (1815)
12. United States of America - 9.8 million km² (1899)
13. Empire of Brazil - 8.5 million km² (1880)
14. Achaemenid Empire - 8.0 million km² (480 BC)
15. Sassanid Empire - 7.4 million km² (620)
16. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² (1942)
17. Rashidun Caliphate - 6.7 million km² (661)
18. Roman Empire - 6.5 million km² (117)
19. Han Dynasty - 6.5 million km² (100)
20. Ming Dynasty - 6.5 million km² (1450)
21. Göktürk Khaganate - 6.0 million km² (557)
22. Golden Horde Khanate - 6.0 million km² (1310)
23. Uyghur Khaganate - 5.5 million km² (800)
24. Tang Dynasty - 5.4 million km² (715)
25. Macedonian Empire - 5.2 million km² (323 BC)
26. Ottoman Empire - 5.2 million km² (1683, 1829 or 1850)
27. Fatimid Caliphate - 5.1 million km² (969)
28. Maurya Empire, India - 5.0 million km² (250 BC)
29. Northern Yuan Dynasty , Mongolia - 5.0 million km² (1550)
30. Xin Dynasty - 4.7 million km² (10)
31. Tufan Empire - 4.6 million km² (800)
32. Pala Empire, India - 4.6 million km² (850)
33. Timurid Empire - 4.6 million km² (1405)
34. Mughal Empire, India - 4.6 million km² (1690)
35. First Mexican Empire - 4.4 million km² (1822)
36. Xiongnu Empire - 4.03 million km² (176 BC)
37. Hunnic Empire - 4.0 million km² (441)
38. Hepthalite Khanate , India - 4.0 million km² (490)
39. Eastern Turks Khanate - 4.0 million km² (624)
40. Afsharid Dynasty, Persia - 4.0 million km² (1747)
41. Western Turks Khanate- 4.0 million km² (630)
42. Rouran Khaganate - 4.0 million km² (AD 405)
43. Seleucid Empire - 3.9 million km² (301 BC)
44. Great Seljuq Empire - 3.9 million km² (1080)
45. Italian Empire - 3.8 million km² (1940)
46. Kushan Empire, India- 3.8 million km² (200)
47. Ilkhanate - 3.75 million km² (1310)
48. Dutch Empire - 3.7 million km²(1940)
49. Chola Dynasty, India - 3.6 million km² (1050)
50. Khwarazmian Empire - 3.6 million km² (1218)
51. Nazi Germany - 3.6 million km² (1942)
52. Gupta Empire, India - 3.5 million km² (400)
53. Chagatai Khanate - 3.5 million km² (1310 or 1350)
54. Safavid Dynasty, Persia - 3.5 million km² (1512)
55. German Empire - 3.5 million km² (1914)
56. Western Jin Dynasty - 3.5 million km² (300)
57. Shaybanid Dynasty - 3.5 million km² (1510)
58. Justinian Dynasty - 3.5 million km² (555)
59. Song Dynasty - 3.5 million km² (1100)
60. Ghaznavid Empire, Persia - 3.4 million km² (1029)
61. First French Colonial Empire - 3.4 million km² (1670)
62. Almoravid Caliphate - 3.3 million km² (1147)
63. Tughlaq Dynasty, India- 3.2 million km² (1320)
64. Ghurids Sultanate, Persia - 3.2 million km2 (1200)
65. Sui Dynasty - 3.1 million km² (610)
66. Khazar Khanate - 3.0 million km² (850)
67. Kalmar Union - 3.0 million km² (1397)
68. Kievan Russian Principality - 3.0 million km² (1050)
69. Kara-Khanid Khanate - 3.0 million km² (1025)
70. Qajar Dynasty, Persia- 3.0 million km² (1796)
71. Danish colonial empire - 3.0 million km² (1800)
72. Grand Duchy of Moscow - 3.0 million km² (1505)
73. Samanid Dynasty, Persia - 2.85 million km² (928)
74. Median Empire - 2.8 million km² (585 BC)
75. Qin Dynasty - 2.8 million km² (206 BC)
76. Parthian Empire - 2.8 million km² (1)
77. Eastern Jin Dynasty - 2.8 million km² (347)
78. Liu Song Dynasty - 2.8 million km² (420)
79. Eastern Roman Empire - 2.8 million km² (450)
80. Khilji Dynasty, India - 2.7 million km² (1312 or 1320)
81. Ayyubid Caliphate - 2.7 million km² (1190)
82. Majapahit Empire (Indonesia) - 2.7 million km² (1389)
83. Liao Dynasty - 2.6 million km² (947)
84. Indo-Greek Kingdom,India - 2.5 million km² (150 BC)
85. Bactrian Empire - 2.5 million km² (184 BC)
86. Later Zhao Dynasty - 2.5 million km² (329)
87. Maratha Empire, India - 2.5 million km² (1760)
88. Belgian Empire - 2.5 million km² (1914)
89. Kara-Khitan Khanate - 2.5 million km² (1210)
90. Jin Dynasty - 2.3 million km² (1126)
91. Southern Qi - 2.3 million km² (502)
92. Southern Song Dynasty - 2.1 million km² (1127)
93. Bahriyya Mamluks, Egypt - 2.1 million km² (1300)
94. Burjiyya Mamluks, Egypt - 2.1 million km² (1400)
95. First French Empire - 2.1 million km² (1813)
96. Wei Dynasty- 2.0 million km² (263)
97. Earlier Zhao Dynasty - 2.0 million km² (316)
98. Former Qin Dynasty - 2.0 million km² (376)
99. Western Roman Empire - 2.0 million km² (395)
100. Northern Wei Dynasty - 2.0 million km² (450)
101. Saffarid Dynasty, Persia - 2.0 million km² (900)
102. Almohad Caliphate - 2.0 million km² (1200)
103. Satavahana Dynasty , India - 2.0 million km² (90 AD)
104. Karkota Dynasty , India - 2.0 million km² (750)
105. Inca Empire - 2.0 million km² (1527)
106. Pratihara Dynasty, India - 1.8 million km² (860)
107. Sibir Khanate - 1.8 million km² (1520)
108. Rashtrakuta Dynasty, India - 1.7 million km² (805)
109. Buyid Sultanate, Persia - 1.6 million km² (980)
110. Mamluk Sultanate, India - 1.6 million km² (1228)
111. Indo-Parthians Kingdom, India - 1.5 million km² (AD 50)
112. Wu Dynasty- 1.5 million km² (221)
113. Northern Zhou Dynasty - 1.5 million km² (577)
114. Nanda Dynasty, India - 1.5 million km² (350 or 321 BC)
115. Indo-Scythians Kingdom, India - 1.5 million km2 (BC 100)
116. Tulunids Emirate - 1.5 million km2 (900)
117. Idrisid Dynasty, Morocco - 1.5 million km² (828)
118. Suri Dynasty, India - 1.5 million km² (1545 AD)
119. Neo-Assyrian Empire - 1.4 million km² (670 BC)
120. Songhai Empire - 1.4 million km² (1500)
121. Macedonian Dynasty - 1.35 million km² (1025)
122. Harsha Empire , India - 1.35 million km² (625 or 648)
123. Liang Dynasty - 1.3 million km² (502 or 549)
124. Western Wei Dynasty - 1.3 million km² (557)
125. Later Liang Dynasty- 1.3 million km² (923)
126. Later Tang Dynasty - 1.3 million km² (923)
127. Mali Empire - 1.29 million km² (1312)
128. Shang Dynasty - 1.25 million km² (1122 BC)
129. Western Zhou Dynasty - 1.25 million km² (1122 BC)
130. Aksumite Empire - 1.25 million km² (350)
131. Carolingian Dynasty, Francia - 1.2 million km² (814)
132. Polish-Lithuanian Empire - 1.2 million km² (1650)
133. Srivijaya Empire - 1.2 million km² (1200)
134. Sunga Empire, India - 1.2 million km² (BC 150)
135. Kingdom of Kush , Sudan - 1.2 million km² (BC 700)
136. Thai Empire (Siam Empire) - 1.12 million km² (1782)
137. Chalukya Dynasty, India - 1.1 million km² (636)
138. Swedish Empire - 1.1 million km² (1658)
139. Lodhi Dynasty, India - 1.1 million km² (1517)
140. 18th Dynasty, Egypt - 1.0 million km² (1450 BC)
141. New Kingdom in Egypt - 1.0 million km² (1300 BC)
142. Ptolemaic Dynasty, Egypt - 1.0 million km² (301 BC)
143. Eastern Wei Dynasty - 1.0 million km² (550)
144. Northern Qi Dynasty - 1.0 million km² (550)
145. Tahirid Dynasty, Persia - 1.0 million km² (800)
146. Kalachuri Dynasty, India - 1.0 million km^{2 (1050)}
147. Holy Roman Empire - 1.0 million km² (1050)
148. Western Xia Dynasty- 1.0 million km² (1100)
149. Western Chalukya Empire, India - 1.0 million km² (1121)
150. Khmer Empire - 1.0 million km² (1290)
151. Avars Empire - 1.0 million km² (600)
152. Kanem Empire, Chad - 1.0 million km² (1200)
153. Maha-Meghavahana Dynasty, India- 0.9 million km² (10 BC)
154. Konbaung Dynasty, Burma - 0.9 million km² (1800 AD)
155. Volga Bulgars Khanate - 0.9 million km² (1100)
156. Akkadian Empire - 0.8 million km² (2250 BC)
157. Later Jin Dynasty - 0.8 million km² (936)
158. Ghana Empire - 0.8 million km² (1067)
159. Pagan Kingdom , Burma - 0.8 million km² (1200)
160. Western Satraps Dynasty, India - 0.8 million km² (100)
161. Himyarite Kingdom, Yemen - 0.8 million km² (400 AD)
162. Balhae Kingdom, Korea - 0.8 million km² (830)
163. Khanate of Kazan - 0.7 million km² (1540)
164. Merovingian Dynasty, Francia - 0.7 million km² (558)
165. Bulgarian Empire - 0.7 million km² (900)
166. Shu Dynasty- 0.7 million km² (221)
167. Yadava Kingdom, India- 0.7 million km² (1250)
168. Paramara Dynasty , India - 0.7 million km² (1050)
169. Kingdom of Dali , China - 0.7 million km² (1200)
170. Vijayanagara Empire, India- 0.7 million km² (1529)
171. Kingdom of Nanzhao, China - 0.7 million km² (830)
172. Austro-Hungarian Empire - 0.676615 million km²
173. 15th Dynasty , Egypt - 0.65 million km² (1650 BC)
174. 26th Dynasty, Egypt- 0.65 million km² (550 BC)
175. Vakataka Kingdom, India - 0.65 million km2 (450 AD)
176. Visigoths Kingdom - 0.6 million km² (580)
177. Caliphate of Córdoba - 0.6 million km² (1000)
178. Rai Dynasty ,India - 0.6 million km² (675 AD)
179. Maukhari Dynasty, India - 0.6 million km² (600 AD)
180. Bahmani Sultanate, India - 0.6 million km² (1470 AD)
181. Nizams Dynasty, India - 0.6 million km² (1740 AD)
182. Sikh Empire, India - 0.5609 million km² (1845)
183. Middle Kingdom, Egypt - 0.5 million km² (1850 BC)
184. Lydian Empire - 0.5 million km² (585 BC)
185. Neo-Babylonian Empire - 0.5 million km² (562 BC)
186. Kosala Dynasty, India - 0.5 million km² (543 BC)
187. Shishunaga Dynasty,India- 0.5 million km² (510 BC)
188. Chu Dynasty - 0.5 million km² (350 BC)
189. Pandyan Dynasty, India - 0.5 million km² (1251)
190. Later Han Dynasty - 0.5 million km² (947)
191. Kangju Empire - 0.5 million km² (100 BC)
192. Ostrogothic Kingdom- 0.5 million km² (510 AD)
193. Goguryeo Kingdom, Korea - 0.45 million km² (476)
194. Xia Dynasty (based on the hypothesis that prehistorical cities of Erlitou culture were once united) - 0.45 million km² (1800 BC)
195. New Kingdom, Hittite - 0.45 million km² (1250 or 1220 BC)
196. Crimean Khanate - 0.4 million km² (1500)
197. Armenian Empire - 0.4 million km² (83 BC)
198. Old Kingdom, Egypt - 0.4 million km² (2400 BC)
199. Middle Kingdom, Assyria (under Tiglath-Pileser I) - 0.4 million km² (1080 BC)
200. Latin Empire - 0.35 million km² (1204)
201. Harappan Empire, India- 0.3 million km² (1800 BC)
202. Mitanni Empire - 0.3 million km² (1450 BC)
203. Carthaginian Empire - 0.3 million km² (220 BC)
204. Palailogan Dynasty - 0.3 million km² (1300)
205. 1st Dynasty, Babylon - 0.25 million km² (1690 BC)
206. Serbian Empire - 0.25 million km² (1350)
207. Aztec Empire - 0.22 million km² (1520)
208. Middle Elamite - 0.2 million km² (1160 BC)
209. 2nd Dynasty, Isin - 0.2 million km² (1130 BC)
210. Urartu Empire - 0.2 million km² (800 BC)
211. Phrygian Dynasty - 0.2 million km² (750 BC)
212. Old Kingdom, Assyria - 0.15 million km² (1730 BC)
213. Eastern Zhou Dynasty - 0.15 million km² (770 BC)

Record-breaking empires

These are empires that reached record-breaking sizes in their time, each one having a larger landmass than (or equal to) the previous record-holding empire before it.

• Akkadian Empire - 0.8 million km² (2250 BC)
• Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt - 1.0 million km² (1450 BC)
• New Kingdom of Egypt - 1.0 million km² (1300 BC)
• Shang Dynasty of China - 1.25 million km² (1122 BC)
• Western Zhou Dynasty of China - 1.25 million km² (1122 BC)
• Neo-Assyrian Empire - 1.4 million km² (670 BC)
• Median Empire - 2.8 million km² (585 BC)
• Achaemenid Empire - 8.0 million km² (480 BC)
• Umayyad Caliphate - 13.0 million km² (720 or 750 AD)
• Mongol Empire - 33.0 million km² (1270 or 1309)
• British Empire - 33.67 million km² (1922)

By era

Ancient empires

1. Achaemenid Empire - 8.0 million km² (480 BC)
2. Roman Empire - 6.5 million km² (AD 117)
3. Han Empire, China - 6.5 million km² (AD 100)
4. Macedonian Empire - 5.2 million km² (323 BC)
5. Maurya Empire, India - 5.0 million km² (250 BC)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1979) is 3.4 million km² in 261 BC.
6. Xin Dynasty, China - 4.7 million km² (AD 10)
7. Xiongnu Empire - 4.03 million km² (176 BC)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1979) and Turchin et al (2006) is 9.0 million km² in 176 BC. As it should be noted, historians are divided on whether the Xiongnu was an empire, and modern consensus in the majority of reputable sources is that the Xiongnu did not exceed 5 million km² at their greatest extent.
8. Hunnic Empire - 4.0 million km² (AD 441)
9. Hapthalite Khanate , India - 4.0 million km² (AD 490)
10. Rouran Khaganate - 4.0 million km² (AD 405)
11. Seleucid Empire - 3.9 million km² (301 BC)
12. Kushan Empire, India - 3.8 million km² (AD 200)Peak area estimated by Turchin et al (2006) is 2.0 million km² in AD 140.
13. Sassanid Empire - 3.5 million km² (AD 450)
14. Gupta Empire, India - 3.5 million km² (AD 400)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1979) is 1.7 million km² in AD 440.
15. Western Jin Dynasty, China - 3.5 million km² (AD 300)
16. Median Empire - 2.8 million km² (585 BC)
17. Qin Dynasty, China - 2.8 million km² (206 BC)
18. Parthian Empire - 2.8 million km² (AD 1)
19. Eastern Jin Dynasty, China - 2.8 million km² (AD 347)
20. Liu Song Dynasty, China - 2.8 million km² (AD 420)
21. Eastern Roman Empire - 2.8 million km² (AD 450)
22. Indo-Greek Kingdom, India - 2.5 million km² (150 BC)
23. Bactrian Empire - 2.5 million km² (184 BC)
24. Later Zhao Dynasty, China - 2.5 million km² (329)
25. Northern Wei Dynasty, China - 2.2 million km² (AD 450)
26. Wei Dynasty, China - 2.0 million km² (AD 263)
27. Former Qin Dynasty, China - 2.0 million km² (AD 376)
28. Western Roman Empire - 2.0 million km² (AD 395)
29. Earlier Zhao Dynasty, China - 2.0 million km² (316)
30. Satavahana Empire , India - 2.0 million km² (AD 90)
31. Indo-Parthians Kingdom , India - 1.5 million km² (AD 50)
32. Wu Dynasty, China - 1.5 million km² (AD 221)
33. Indo-Scythians Kingdom, India - 1.5 million km² (BC 100)
34. Nanda Dynasty, India - 1.5 million km² (350 or 321 BC)
35. Neo-Assyrian Empire - 1.4 million km² (670 BC)
36. Shang Dynasty, China - 1.25 million km² (1122 BC)
37. Western Zhou Dynasty, China - 1.25 million km² (1122 BC)
38. Aksumite Empire - 1.25 million km² (AD 350)
39. Sunga Empire, India - 1.2 million km² (BC 150)
40. Kingdom of Kush , Sudan - 1.2 million km² (BC 700)
41. 18th Dynasty, Egypt - 1.0 million km² (1450 BC)
42. New Kingdom in Egypt - 1.0 million km² (1300 BC)
43. Ptolemaic Empire, Egypt - 1.0 million km² (301 BC)
44. Maha-Meghavahana Dynasty, India - 0.9 million km² (10 BC)
45. Akkadian Empire - 0.8 million km² (2250 BC)
46. Western Satraps Dynasty, India - 0.8 million km² (AD 100)
47. Himyarite Kingdom, Yemen - 0.8 million km² (400 AD)
48. Shu Dynasty, China - 0.7 million km² (221)
49. 15th Dynasty , Egypt - 0.65 million km² (1650 BC)
50. Vakataka Kingdom, India - 0.65 million km² (450 AD)
51. 26th Dynasty, Egypt - 0.65 million km² (550 BC)
52. Middle Kingdom, Egypt - 0.5 million km² (1850 BC)
53. Lydian Empire - 0.5 million km² (585 BC)
54. Neo-Babylonian Empire - 0.5 million km² (562 BC)
55. Kosala Dynasty, India - 0.5 million km² (543 BC)
56. Shishunaga Dynasty, India - 0.5 million km² (510 BC)
57. Chu Dynasty, China - 0.5 million km² (350 BC)
58. Kangju Empire - 0.5 million km² (100 BC)
59. Goguryeo Kingdom, Korea - 0.45 million km² (476)
60. Xia Dynasty, China (bassed on the hypothesis that prehistorical cities of Erlitou culture were once united) - 0.45 million km² (1800 BC)
61. New Kingdom, Hittite - 0.45 million km² (1250 or 1220 BC)
62. Armenian Empire - 0.4 million km² (83 BC)
63. Old Kingdom, Egypt - 0.4 million km² (2400 BC)
64. Middle Kingdom, Assyria - 0.4 million km² (1080 BC)
65. Harappan Empire, India (based on the hypothesis that Indus Valley was once united) - 0.3 million km² (1800 BC)
66. Mitanni Dynasty - 0.3 million km² (1450 BC)
67. Carthaginian Empire - 0.3 million km² (220 BC)
68. 1st Dynasty, Babylon - 0.25 million km² (1690 BC)
69. Middle Elamite - 0.2 million km² (1160 BC)
70. 2nd Dynasty, Isin - 0.2 million km² (1130 BC)
71. Urartu Empire - 0.2 million km² (800 BC)
72. Phrygian Dynasty - 0.2 million km² (750 BC)
73. Old Kingdom, Assyria - 0.15 million km² (1730 BC)
74. Eastern Zhou Dynasty, China - 0.15 million km² (770 BC)

Medieval empires

1. Mongol Empire - 33.0 million km² (1270 or 1309)
2. Yuan Khanate - 14.0 million km² (1310)
3. Umayyad Caliphate - 13.0 million km² (720 or 750)
4. Abbasid Caliphate - 11.1 million km² (750)
5. Sassanid Empire - 7.4 million km² (620)
6. Rashidun Caliphate - 6.7 million km² (661)
7. Ming Empire, China - 6.5 million km² (1450)
8. Göktürk Khaganate - 6.0 million km² (557)
9. Golden Horde Khanate - 6.0 million km² (1310)
10. Uyghur Khaganate - 5.5 million km² (800)
11. Tang Empire, China - 5.4 million km² (715)
12. Fatimid Caliphate - 5.1 million km² (969)
13. Tufan Empire - 4.6 million km² (800)
14. Pala Empire, India - 4.6 million km² (850)
15. Timurid Empire - 4.6 million km² (1405)
16. Eastern Turks Khanate - 4.0 million km² (624)
17. Western Turks Khanate - 4.0 million km² (600)
18. Great Seljuq Empire - 3.9 million km² (1080)
19. Ilkhanate - 3.75 million km² (1310)
20. Chola Dynasty, India - 3.6 million km² (1050)
21. Khwarazmian Empire - 3.6 million km² (1218)Peak area estimated by Turchin et al (2006) is 2.3 million km² in 1210.
22. Chagatai Khanate - 3.5 million km² (1310 or 1350)
23. Justinian Dynasty - 3.5 million km² (555)
24. Northern Yuan Empire, Mongolia - 3.5 million km² (1400)
25. Song Dynasty , China- 3.5 million km² (1100)
26. Ghaznavid Empire, Persia - 3.4 million km² (1029)
27. Almoravid Caliphate - 3.3 million km² (1147)Peak area estimated by Turchin et al (2006) is 1.0 million km² in 1120.
28. Tughlaq Dynasty, India - 3.2 million km² (1320)
29. Ghurids Sultanate, Persia - 3.2 million km² (1200)
30. Sui Dynasty, China - 3.1 million km² (610)
31. Khazar Khanate - 3.0 million km² (850)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 1.0 million km² in 900.
32. Kalmar Union - 3.0 million km² (1397)
33. Kievan Russian Principality - 3.0 million km² (1050)
34. Kara-Khanid Khanate - 3.0 million km² (1025)
35. Samanid Dynasty, Persia - 2.85 million km² (928)
36. Ayyubid Caliphate - 2.7 million km² (1190)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 1.7 million km² in 1200.
37. Majapahit Empire - 2.7 million km² (1389)
38. Khilji Dynasty, India - 2.7 million km² (1312 or 1320)
39. Liao Dynasty, China - 2.6 million km² (947)
40. Kara-Khitan Khanate - 2.5 million km² (1210)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 1.0 million km² in 1130.
41. Jin Dynasty, China) - 2.3 million km² (1126)
42. Southern Qi Dynasty, China - 2.3 million km² (502)
43. Southern Song Dynasty, China - 2.1 million km² (1127)
44. Bahriyya Mamluks, Egypt - 2.1 million km² (1300)
45. Burjiyya Mamluks, Egypt - 2.1 million km² (1400)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 1.6 million km² in 1400.
46. Saffarid Dynasty, Persia - 2.0 million km² (900)
47. Ottoman Empire - 2.0 million km² (1480)
48. Almohad Caliphate - 2.0 million km² (1200)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 1.5 million km² in 1163.
49. Karkota Dynasty, India - 2.0 million km² (750)
50. Pratihara Dynasty, India - 1.8 million km² (860)
51. Rashtrakuta Dynasty, India - 1.7 million km² (805)
52. Buyid Sultanate, Persia - 1.6 million km² (980)
53. Mamluk Sultanate, India - 1.6 million km² (1228)
54. Northern Zhou Dynasty, China - 1.5 million km² (577)
55. Tulunids Emirate - 1.5 million km² (900)
56. Idrisid Dynasty, Morocco - 1.5 million km² (828)
57. Songhai Empire - 1.4 million km² (1500)
58. Macedonian Dynasty - 1.35 million km² (1025)
59. Harsha Empire , India - 1.35 million km² (625 or 648)
60. Liang Dynasty, China - 1.3 million km² (502 or 549)
61. Western Wei Dynasty, China - 1.3 million km² (557)
62. Later Liang Dynasty, China - 1.3 million km² (923)
63. Later Tang Dynasty, China - 1.3 million km² (923)
64. Mali Empire - 1.29 million km² (1312)
65. Carolingian Dynasty, Francia - 1.2 million km² (814)
66. Srivijaya Empire - 1.2 million km² (1200)
67. Chalukya Dynasty, India - 1.1 million km² (636)
68. Eastern Wei Dynasty, China - 1.0 million km² (550)
69. Northern Qi Dynasty, China - 1.0 million km² (550)
70. Tahirid Dynasty, Persia - 1.0 million km² (800)
71. Holy Roman Empire - 1.0 million km² (1050)
72. Western Xia Dynasty , China - 1.0 million km² (1100)
73. Western Chalukya Empire, India - 1.0 million km² (1121)
74. Khmer Empire - 1.0 million km² (1290)
75. Kalachuri Dynasty, India - 1.0 million km² (1050)
76. Avars Empire - 1.0 million km² (600)
77. Kanem Empire, Chad - 1.0 million km² (1200)
78. Volga Bulgars Khanate - 0.9 million km² (1100)
79. Later Jin Dynasty, China - 0.8 million km² (936)
80. Ghana Empire - 0.8 million km² (1067)
81. Pagan Kingdom , Burma - 0.8 million km² (1200)
82. Balhae Kingdom, Korea - 0.8 million km² (830)
83. Merovingian Dynasty, Francia - 0.7 million km² (558)
84. Yadava Kingdom, India - 0.7 million km² (1250)
85. Bulgarian Empire - 0.7 million km² (900)
86. Paramara Dynasty, India - 0.7 million km² (1050)
87. Kingdom of Dali , China - 0.7 million km² (1200)
88. Kingdom of Nanzhao, China - 0.7 million km² (830)
89. Visigoths Kingdom - 0.6 million km² (580)
90. Caliphate of Córdoba - 0.6 million km² (1000)
91. Rai Dynasty , India - 0.6 million km² (675 AD)
92. Maukhari Dynasty, India - 0.6 million km² (600 AD)
93. Bahmani Sultanate, India - 0.6 million km² (1470 AD)
94. Later Han Dynasty, China - 0.5 million km² (947)
95. Pandyan Dynasty, India - 0.5 million km² (1251)
96. Ostrogothic Kingdom - 0.5 million km² (510 AD)
97. Latin Empire - 0.35 million km² (1204)
98. Palailogan Dynasty - 0.3 million km² (1300)
99. Serbian Empire - 0.25 million km² (1350)

Modern empires

1. British Empire - 33.67 million km² (1922)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 35.5 million km² in 1920.
2. Russian Empire - 23.7 million km² (1866)

1. Spanish Empire - 20.0 million km² (ca. 1740-1790)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 13.7 million km² in 1780 or 1810.
2. Tsardom of Russia - 19.0 million km² (1700)
3. Qing Empire, China - 14.7 million km² (1790)
4. Second French Colonial Empire - 12.3 million km² (1938)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 11.5 million km² in 1920.
5. Portuguese Empire - 10.4 million km² (1815)Peak area estimated by Taagepera (1997) is 5.5 million km² in 1820.
6. United States of America - 9.67 million km² (1899)
7. Empire of Brazil - 8.5 million km² (1880)
8. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² (1942)
9. Ottoman Empire - 5.2 million km² (1683, 1829 or 1850)
10. Northern Yuan Empire , Mongolia - 5.0 million km² (1550)
11. Ming Empire, China - 5.0 million km² (1540)
12. Mughal Empire, India - 4.6 million km² (1690)
13. First Mexican Empire - 4.4 million km² (1822)
14. Afsharid Dynasty, Persia - 4.0 million km² (1747)
15. Italian Empire - 3.8 million km² (1940)
16. Dutch Empire - 3.7 million km²(1940)
17. Nazi German Empire - 3.6 million km² (1942)
18. German Empire - 3.5 million km² (1914)
19. Safavid Dynasty, Persia - 3.5 million km² (1512)
20. Shaybanid Dynasty - 3.5 million km² (1510)
21. First French Colonial Empire - 3.4 million km² (1670)
22. Danish colonial empire - 3.0 million km² (1800)
23. Qajar Dynasty, Persia - 3.0 million km² (1796)
24. Grand Duchy of Moscow - 3.0 million km² (1505)
25. Belgian Empire - 2.5 million km² (1914)
26. Maratha Empire, India - 2.5 million km² (1760)
27. First French Empire - 2.1 million km² (1813)
28. Inca Empire - 2.0 million km² (1527)
29. Sibir Khanate - 1.8 million km² (1520)
30. Suri Dynasty ,India - 1.5 million km² (1545 AD)
31. Polish-Lithuanian Empire - 1.2 million km² (1650)
32. Thai Empire (Siam Empire) - 1.12 million km² (1782)
33. Lodhi Dynasty, India - 1.1 million km² (1517 AD)
34. Swedish Empire - 1.1 million km² (1658)
35. Konbaung Dynasty, Burma - 0.9 million km² (1800 AD)
36. Khanate of Kazan - 0.7 million km² (1540)
37. Vijayanagara Empire, India - 0.7 million km² (1529)
38. Austro-Hungarian Empire - 0.676615 million km²
39. Nizams Dynasty, India - 0.6 million km² (1740 AD)
40. Sikh Empire, India - 0.5609 million km² (1845)
41. Crimean Khanate - 0.4 million km² (1500)
42. Aztec Empire - 0.22 million km² (1520)

By type

Contiguous empires

1. Mongol Empire - 33.0 million km² (1270 or 1309)
2. Russian Empire - 23.7 million km² (1866)
3. Tsardom of Russia - 19.0 million km² (1700)
4. Qing Empire, China - 14.7 million km² (1790)
5. Yuan Khanate - 14.0 million km² (1310)
6. Umayyad Caliphate - 13.0 million km² (720 or 750)
7. Abbasid Caliphate - 11.1 million km² (750)
8. Empire of Brazil - 8.5 million km² (1880)
9. Achaemenid Empire - 8.0 million km² (480 BC)
10. Sassanid Empire - 7.4 million km² (620)
11. Rashidun Caliphate - 6.7 million km² (661)
12. Han Empire, China - 6.5 million km² (100)
13. Ming Empire, China - 6.5 million km² (1450)
14. Göktürk Khaganate - 6.0 million km² (557)
15. Golden Horde Khanate - 6.0 million km² (1310)
16. Uyghur Khaganate - 5.5 million km² (800)
17. Tang Empire, China - 5.4 million km² (715)
18. Macedonian Empire - 5.2 million km² (323 BC)
19. Fatimid Caliphate - 5.1 million km² (969)
20. Maurya Empire, India - 5.0 million km² (250 BC)
21. Northern Yuan Empire (Oirats), Mongolia - 5.0 million km² (1550)
22. Xin Dynasty, China - 4.7 million km² (10)
23. Tufan (Tibet) Empire - 4.6 million km² (800)
24. Pala Empire, India - 4.6 million km² (850)
25. Timurid Empire - 4.6 million km² (1405)
26. Mughal Empire, India - 4.6 million km² (1690)
27. First Mexican Empire - 4.4 million km² (1822)
28. Xiongnu Empire - 4.03 million km² (176 BC)
29. Hunnic Empire - 4.0 million km² (441)
30. Hepthalite Khanate (White Huns), India - 4.0 million km² (490)
31. Eastern Turks Khanate - 4.0 million km² (624)
32. Afsharid Dynasty, Persia - 4.0 million km² (1747)
33. Western Turks Khanate - 4.0 million km² (630)
34. Rouran Khaganate (Juan-juan) - 4.0 million km² (405)
35. Seleucid Empire - 3.9 million km² (301 BC)
36. Great Seljuq Empire - 3.9 million km² (1080)
37. Kushan Empire, India - 3.8 million km² (200)
38. Ilkhanate - 3.75 million km² (1310)
39. Khwarazmian Empire - 3.6 million km² (1218)
40. Nazi German Empire - 3.6 million km² (1942)
41. Gupta Empire, India - 3.5 million km² (400)
42. Chagatai Khanate - 3.5 million km² (1310 or 1350)
43. Safavid Dynasty , Persia - 3.5 million km² (1512)
44. Western Jin Dynasty, China - 3.5 million km² (300)
45. Shaybanid (Uzbek) Dynasty - 3.5 million km² (1510)
46. Song Dynasty (Northern Song), China- 3.5 million km² (1100)
47. Ghaznavid Empire, Persia - 3.4 million km² (1029)
48. Almoravid Caliphate - 3.3 million km² (1147)
49. Tughlaq Dynasty, India - 3.2 million km² (1320)
50. Ghurids Sultanate, Persia - 3.2 million km² (1200)
51. Sui Dynasty, China - 3.1 million km² (610)
52. Khazar Khanate - 3.0 million km² (850)
53. Kievan Russian Principality - 3.0 million km² (1050)
54. Kara-Khanid Khanate - 3.0 million km² (1025)
55. Grand Duchy of Moscow - 3.0 million km² (1505)
56. Qajar Dynasty, Persia - 3.0 million km² (1796)
57. Samanid Dynasty, Persia - 2.85 million km² (928)
58. Median Empire - 2.8 million km² (585 BC)
59. Qin Dynasty, China - 2.8 million km² (206 BC)
60. Parthian Empire - 2.8 million km² (1)
61. Eastern Jin Dynasty, China - 2.8 million km² (347)
62. Liu Song Dynasty, China - 2.8 million km² (420)
63. Khilji Dynasty, India - 2.7 million km² (1312 or 1320)
64. Ayyubid Caliphate - 2.7 million km² (1190)
65. Liao Dynasty, China - 2.6 million km² (947)
66. Indo-Greek (Yavana) Kingdom, India - 2.5 million km² (150 BC)
67. Bactrian Empire - 2.5 million km² (184 BC)
68. Later Zhao Dynasty, China - 2.5 million km² (329)
69. Maratha Empire, India - 2.5 million km² (1760)
70. Kara-Khitan Khanate (Western Liao) - 2.5 million km² (1210)
71. Jin Dynasty (Jurchen) China - 2.3 million km² (1126)
72. Southern Qi Dynasty, China - 2.3 million km2 (502)
73. Southern Song Dynasty, China - 2.1 million km² (1127)
74. Bahriyya Mamluks, Egypt - 2.1 million km² (1300)
75. Burjiyya Mamluks, Egypt - 2.1 million km² (1400)
76. Wei Dynasty, China - 2.0 million km² (263)
77. Earlier Zhao Dynasty, China - 2.0 million km² (316)
78. Former Qin Dynasty, China - 2.0 million km² (376)
79. Western Roman Empire - 2.0 million km² (395)
80. Northern Wei Dynasty, China - 2.0 million km² (450)
81. Saffarid Dynasty, Persia - 2.0 million km² (900)
82. Almohad Caliphate - 2.0 million km² (1200)
83. Inca Empire - 2.0 million km² (1527)
84. Karkota Dynasty (Kashmir), India - 2.0 million km² (750)
85. Satavahana Empire (Salivahana), India - 2.0 million km² (90 AD)
86. Pratihara Dynasty, India - 1.8 million km² (860)
87. Sibir Khanate - 1.8 million km2 (1520)
88. Rashtrakuta Dynasty, India - 1.7 million km² (805)
89. Buyid Sultanate, Persia - 1.6 million km² (980)
90. Mamluk Sultanate, India - 1.6 million km² (1228)
91. Indo- Parthians (Pahalvas) Kingdom , India - 1.5 million km² (AD 50)
92. Wu Dynasty, China - 1.5 million km² (221)
93. Northern Zhou Dynasty, China - 1.5 million km² (577)
94. Nanda Dynasty, India - 1.5 million km² (350 or 321 BC)
95. Indo-Scythians (Shaka) Kingdom, India- 1.5 million km² (BC 100)
96. Tulunids Emirate - 1.5 million km² (900)
97. Idrisid Dynasty, Morocco - 1.5 million km² (828)
98. Suri Dynasty, India - 1.5 million km² (1545 AD)
99. Neo-Assyria - 1.4 million km² (670 BC)
100. Songhai Empire - 1.4 million km² (1500)
101. Macedonian Dynasty, Byzantine Empire - 1.35 million km² (1025)
102. Harsha Empire (Pusyabhutis), India - 1.35 million km² (625 or 648)
103. Liang Dynasty, China - 1.3 million km² (502 or 549)
104. Western Wei Dynasty, China - 1.3 million km² (557)
105. Later Liang Dynasty, China - 1.3 million km² (923)
106. Later Tang Dynasty, China - 1.3 million km² (923)
107. Shang Dynasty, China - 1.25 million km² (1122 BC)
108. Western Zhou Dynasty, China - 1.25 million km² (1122 BC)
109. Axumite Empire - 1.25 million km² (350)
110. Polish-Lithuanian Empire - 1.2 million km² (1650)
111. Carolingian Dynasty, Francia - 1.2 million km² (814)
112. Sunga Empire, India - 1.2 million km² (BC 150)
113. Kingdom of Kush (Meroë) (25th Dynasty), Sudan - 1.2 million km² (BC 700)
114. Mali Empire - 1.2 million km² (1312)
115. Thai Empire (Siam Empire) - 1.12 million km² (1782)
116. Chalukya Dynasty, India - 1.1 million km² (636)
117. Lodhi Dynasty, India - 1.1 million km² (1517 AD)
118. 18th Dynasty, Egypt - 1.0 million km² (1450 BC)
119. 19th Dynasty, Egypt - 1.0 million km² (1300 BC)
120. Eastern Wei Dynasty, China - 1.0 million km² (550)
121. Northern Qi Dynasty, China - 1.0 million km² (550)
122. Tahirid Dynasty, Persia - 1.0 million km² (800)
123. Holy Roman Empire - 1.0 million km² (1050)
124. Kalachuri Dynasty, India - 1.0 million km² (1050)
125. Western Xia Dynasty (Tangut), China - 1.0 million km² (1100)
126. Western Chalukya Dynasty, India - 1.0 million km² (1121)
127. Khmer Empire - 1.0 million km² (1290)
128. Avars Empire- 1.0 million km² (600)
129. Kanem Empire, Chad - 1.0 million km² (1200)
130. Volga Bulgars Khanate - 0.9 million km² (1100)
131. Maha-Meghavahana Dynasty, India- 0.9 million km² (10 BC)
132. Konbaung Dynasty, Burma - 0.9 million km² (1800 AD)
133. Akkadian Empire - 0.8 million km² (2250 BC)
134. Later Jin Dynasty, China - 0.8 million km² (936)
135. Ghana Empire - 0.8 million km2 (1067)
136. Pagan Kingdom (Bagan), Burma - 0.8 million km² (1200)
137. Western Satraps Dynasty, India - 0.8 million km² (100)
138. Himyarite Kingdom, Yemen - 0.8 million km² (400 AD)
139. Balhae Kingdom, Korea - 0.8 million km² (830)
140. Khanate of Kazan - 0.7 million km² (1540)
141. Merovingian Dynasty, Francia - 0.7 million km² (558)
142. Bulgarian Empire - 0.7 million km² (900)
143. Shu Dynasty, China- 0.7 million km² (221)
144. Yadava (Gauli) Kingdom, India - 0.7 million km² (1250)
145. Paramara Dynasty ,India - 0.7 million km² (1050)
146. Kingdom of Dali (Hou li), China - 0.7 million km² (1200)
147. Vijayanagara (Tuluvas) Empire, India - 0.7 million km² (1529)
148. Kingdom of Nanzhao, China - 0.7 million km² (830)
149. Austro-Hungarian Empire - 0.676615 million km² (1910)
150. 15th Dynasty (Hyksos), Egypt - 0.65 million km² (1650 BC)
151. 26th Dynasty, Egypt - 0.65 million km² (550 BC)
152. Vakataka Kingdom, India - 0.65 million km2 (450 AD)
153. Visigoths Kingdom - 0.6 million km² (580)
154. Caliphate of Córdoba - 0.6 million km² (1000)
155. Rai Dynasty (Chachas) (Sindh), India - 0.6 million km² (675 AD)
156. Maukhari (Kannauj) Dynasty ,India - 0.6 million km² (600 AD)
157. Bahmani Sultanate, India - 0.6 million km² (1470 AD)
158. Nizams Dynasty, India - 0.6 million km² (1740 AD)
159. Sikh Empire, India - 0.5609 million km² (1845)
160. Middle Kingdom, Egypt - 0.5 million km² (1850 BC)
161. Lydian Empire - 0.5 million km² (585 BC)
162. Neo-Babylonian Empire - 0.5 million km² (562 BC)
163. Kosala Dynasty, India - 0.5 million km² (543 BC)
164. Shishunaga Dynasty, India - 0.5 million km² (510 BC)
165. Chu Dynasty, China - 0.5 million km² (350 BC)
166. Pandyan Dynasty, India - 0.5 million km² (1251)
167. Later Han Dynasty, China - 0.5 million km² (947)
168. Kangju Empire (Transoxiana) - 0.5 million km² (100 BC)
169. Ostrogothic Kingdom - 0.5 million km² (510 AD)
170. Goguryeo Kingdom, Korea - 0.45 million km² (476)
171. Xia Dynasty, China (bassed on the hypothesis that prehistorical cities of Erlitou culture were once united) - 0.45 million km² (1800 BC)
172. New Kingdom, Hittite - 0.45 million km² (1250 or 1220 BC)
173. Crimean Khanate - 0.4 million km² (1500)
174. Old Kingdom, Egypt - 0.4 million km² (2400 BC)
175. Middle Kingdom, Assyria (under Tiglath-Pileser I) - 0.4 million km² (1080 BC)
176. Armenian Empire - 0.4 million km² (83 BC)
177. Latin Empire - 0.35 million km² (1204)
178. Harappan Empire, India - 0.3 million km² (1800 BC)
179. Mitanni Empire - 0.3 million km² (1450 BC)
180. Palailogan Dynasty (Byzantine Empire) - 0.3 million km² (1300)
181. 1st Dynasty, Babylon - 0.25 million km² (1690 BC)
182. Serbian Empire - 0.25 million km² (1350)
183. Aztec Empire - 0.22 million km² (1520)
184. Middle Elamite - 0.2 million km² (1160 BC)
185. 2nd Dynasty, Isin - 0.2 million km² (1130 BC)
186. Urartu Empire - 0.2 million km² (800 BC)
187. Phrygian Dynasty - 0.2 million km² (750 BC)
188. Old Kingdom, Assyria - 0.15 million km² (1730 BC)
189. Eastern Zhou Dynasty, China - 0.15 million km² (770 BC)

Maritime empires

1. British Empire - 33.67 million km² (1922)
2. Spanish Empire - 20.0 million km² (ca. 1740-1790)
3. Second French Colonial Empire - 12.3 million km² (1938)
4. Portuguese Empire - 10.4 million km² (1815)
5. United States of America - 9.67 million km² (1899)
6. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² (1942)
7. Roman Empire - 6.5 million km² (117)
8. Ottoman Empire - 5.2 million km² (1683, 1829 or 1850)
9. Italian Empire - 3.8 million km² (1940)
10. Dutch Empire - 3.7 million km²(1940)
11. Chola Dynasty, India - 3.6 million km² (1050)
12. German Empire - 3.5 million km² (1914)
13. Justinian Dynasty (Byzantine Empire) - 3.5 million km² (555)
14. First French Colonial Empire - 3.4 million km² (1670)
15. Kalmar Union - 3.0 million km² (1397)
16. Danish Colonial empire - 3.0 million km² (1800)
17. Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) - 2.8 million km² (450)
18. Majapahit Empire (Malaya) - 2.7 million km² (1389)
19. Belgian Empire - 2.5 million km² (1914)
20. First French Empire - 2.1 million km² (1813)
21. Srivijaya Empire - 1.2 million km² (1200)
22. Swedish Empire - 1.1 million km² (1658)
23. Ptolemaic Dynasty, Egypt - 1.0 million km² (301 BC)
24. Carthaginian Empire - 0.3 million km² (220 BC)

Largest empires by population

Population estimates are unknown for many other ancient empires not listed here.

Population size

1. British Empire - 531.3 million (in 1938)
2. Qing Empire, China - 432.2 million in 1851.
3. Russian Empire - 176.4 million in 1913
4. Mughal Empire, India - 175.0 million in 1700
5. Japanese Empire - 134.8 million in 1938
6. Northern Song Dynasty, China - 123.0 million in 1103
7. French Empire - 112.9 million in 1938
8. Ming Empire, China - 110.0 million in 1600.
9. Mongol Empire - 110.0 million (in the 13th century)
10. Yuan Khanate - 86.0 million in 1290.
11. Roman Empire - 80.0 million (in 2nd century AD)
12. Sassanid Empire, Persia - 78.0 million (in the 7th century AD)
13. Nazi German Empire - 75.4 million (in 1938)
14. Han Empire, China - 74.0 million in 2
15. Southern Song Dynasty, China - 73.0 million in 1193.
16. Spanish Empire - 68.2 million
17. German Empire - 64.9 million in 1914
18. Eastern Han Empire, China - 64 million in 156
19. Umayyad Caliphate - 62.0 million (in the 7th century)
20. Dutch Empire - 60.0 million in 1940.
21. Sui Dynasty, China - 53.0 million in 606
22. Tang Empire, China - 53.0 million in 755
23. Austro-Hungarian Empire - 52.8 million in 1914
24. Italian Empire - 51.9 million in 1938
25. Maurya Empire, India - 50.0 million in the 2nd century BC
26. Achaemenid Empire - 49.4 million (in the 5th century BC)
27. Jin Dynasty, China - 48.0 million in 1195.

Percentage of world population

1. Achaemenid Empire, Persia - 44.0% (49.4 million out of 112.4 million in the 5th century BC/480 BC)
2. Sassanid Empire, Persia - 37.1% (78.0 million out of 210 million in the 7th century AD)
3. Qing Empire, China - 36.6% (381.0 million out of 1.041 billion in 1820)
4. Roman Empire - 35.9% (80.0 million out of 223 million in the 2nd century AD)
5. Maurya Empire, India - 33.3% (50.0 million out of 150 million in the 2nd century BC)
6. Mongol Empire -29.72% (110.0 million out of 370 million in the 13th century)
7. Umayyad Caliphate - 29.5% (62.0 million out of 210 million in the 7th century AD)
8. Mughal Empire, India - 29.2% (175.0 million out of 600 million in 1700)
9. Ming Empire, China - 28.8% (160.0 million out of 556.2 million in 1600)
10. Tang Empire, China - 28.0% (70.0 million out of 250 million in 850 AD)
11. Gupta Empire, India - 26.36% (58.0 million out of 220 million in 400 AD)
12. Han Empire, China - 26.0% (59.6 million out of 230 million in 2 AD)
13. Pala Empire, India - 24.0% (60.0 million out of 250 million in 850)
14. British Empire - 23.1% (531.3 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)
15. Song Dynasty, China - 22.0% (59.0 million out of 268 million in 1000)
16. Abbasid Caliphate - 20.0% (50.0 million out of 250 million in 850)
17. Rashidun Caliphate - 19.1% (40.3 million out of 210 million in 7th century)
18. Kushan Empire, India - 19.0% (42.37 million out of 223 million in 140)
19. Tughlaq Dynasty, India - 18.42% (70.0 million out of 380 million in 1330)
20. Spanish Empire - 12.3% (68.2 million out of 556 million in the 17th century)
21. Mali Empire - 10.0% (45.0 million out of 450 million in the mid 15th century)
22. Russian Empire - 9.8% (176.4 million out of 1.791 billion in 1913)
23. Ottoman Empire - 7.1% (39.0 million out of 556 million in the 17th century)
24. Japanese Empire - 5.9% (134.8 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)
25. Vijayanagara Empire, India - 5.0% (25.0 million out of 500 million in the 16th century)
26. French Empire - 4.9% (112.9 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)
27. German Empire - 3.7% (64.9 million out of 1.753 billion in 1910)
28. Dutch Empire - 3.5% (60.0 million out of 1.700 billion in 1907)
29. Nazi German Empire - 3.3% (75.4 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)
30. Austro-Hungarian Empire - 2.9% (51.3 million out of 1.753 billion in 1910)
31. Italian Empire - 2.3% (51.9 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)

Largest empires by economy

GDP estimates in the following list are mostly given for empires in modern times, from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries. All dollar amounts are in 1990 USD.

GDP size

1. United States - $1,644.8 billion (in 1945)
2. British Empire - $683.3 billion (in 1938)
3. Nazi German Empire - $375.6 billion (in 1938)
4. Japanese Empire - $260.7 billion (in 1938)
5. Russian Empire - $257.7 billion (in 1913)
6. Qing Empire, China - $241.3 billion (GDP decline to 1912, immediately before its downfall)
7. French Empire - $234.1 billion (in 1938)
8. Italian Empire - $143.4 billion (in 1938)
9. British India - $134.9 billion (in 1870)
10. Afsharid Empire, Persia - $119.85 billion (in 1740)
11. Austro-Hungarian Empire - $100.5 billion (in 1913)
12. Mughal Empire, India - $90.8 billion (GDP decline in 1700)
13. Ottoman Empire - $26.4 billion (in 1913)
14. Portuguese Empire - $12.6 billion (in 1913)

Percentage of world GDP

1. Song Empire, China - 50.0% in the year 1250 AD.
2. British Empire - 35.9% ($399 billion out of $1,111 billion in 1870)
3. United States - 35.03% ($1,644.8 billion out of $4,699 billion in 1945)
4. Maurya Empire, India - 33.3% in 225 BC.(Maurya Dynasty comprised 1/3 world's entire population, ancient India accounted for a third of world GDP according to Maddison)
5. Qing Empire, China - 32.9% ($228.6 billion out of $694.4 billion in 1820)
6. Ming Empire, China - 29.2% in the year 1600 AD.
7. Gupta Empire, India - 28.0% in 400 AD.
8. Mongol Empire- 28.0% in 1310 AD.
9. Mughal Empire, India - 24.5% ($90.8 billion out of $371 billion in 1700)
10. Afsharid Empire, Persia - 24.24% ($119.85 billion out of $494.4 billion in 1740)
11. Han Empire, China - 24.0% in 2 AD.
12. Pala Empire, India - 24.0% in 850 AD.
13. Tang Empire, China - 24.0% in 750 AD.
14. Achaemenid Empire, Persia - 22.0% in 480 BC.
15. Roman Empire - 20.0% in 150 AD.(The second century came to be known as the period of the "Five Good Emperors", in Roman history )
16. Kushan Empire, India - 20.0% in 140 AD.
17. Tughlaq Dynasty, India - 19.0% in 1330 AD.
18. Sassanid Empire, Persia - 14.0% in the year 575 AD.
19. Abbasid Caliphate - 14.0% in 850 AD.
20. Russian Empire - 9.4% ($257.7 billion out of $2,733 billion in 1913)
21. Nazi German Empire - 8.3% ($375.6 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)
22. Byzantine Empire - 7.0% in 1025 AD.
23. Ottoman Empire - 6.0% in 1560 AD.
24. Japanese Empire - 5.8% ($260.7 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)
25. French Empire - 5.2% ($234.1 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)
26. Austro-Hungarian Empire - 3.7% ($100.5 billion out of $2,733 billion in 1913)
27. Italian Empire - 3.2% ($143.4 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)
28. Portuguese Empire - 0.5% ($12.6 billion out of $2,733 billion in 1913)

See also

• Empire
• Global empire
• List of empires
• List of longest-lasting empires
• List of countries by area
• List of countries by GDP
• List of regions by past GDP
• List of countries by population
• List of extinct states
• List of political and geographic subdivisions by total area
• European empires
• African empires
• The World Economy: Historical Statistics

Notes and references

Bibliography

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• J. Beloch (1886), Die Bevölkerung der griechisch–römischen Welt, Duncker and Humblot, Leipzig.
• Jean-Noël Biraben (2003). "The rising numbers of humankind", Populations & Societies 394.
• Roger Boesche (2003). "Kautilya’s Arthashastra on War and Diplomacy in Ancient India", The Journal of Military History 67 (p. 9–38).
• Stephen Broadberry and Mark Harrison (2005). The Economics of World War I. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-8521 2-9.
• Christopher Chase-Dunn, Alexis Álvarez, and Daniel Pasciuti (2002). Power and Size: Urbanization and Empire Formation in World-Systems Since the Bronze Age. University of California, Riverside.
• Raymond W. Goldsmith (1984), "An estimate of the size and structure of the national product of the Early Roman Empire", Journal of the International Association for Research in Income and Wealth 30
• Bruce R. Gordon (2005). To Rule the Earth... (See Bibliography for sources used.)
• Mark Harrison (1998). The Economics of World War II: Six Great Powers in International Comparison.
• Angus Maddison (2001). The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective. OECD, Paris.
• Angus Maddison (2006). The Contours of the World Economy 1-2030 AD. Oxford University Press.
• Colin McEvedy and Richard Jones (1978), "Atlas of World Population History", Facts on File (p. 342-351). New York.
• Sevket Pamuk (2005), "The Ottoman Empire in World War I". In Stephen Broadberry and Mark Harrison (2005), The Economics of World War I, p. 112-136. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-8521 2-9.
• Donald Quataert (2005). The Ottoman Empire, 1700-1922.
• Walter Scheidel (2005). The monetary systems of the Han and Roman empires. Stanford University.
• Walter Scheidel (2006). Imperial state formation in Rome and China. Stanford University.
• Carla M. Sinopoli (2003). The Political Economy of Craft Production: Crafting Empire in South India, C. 1350-1650.
• Ralph Thomlinson (1975), Demographic Problems, Controversy Over Population Control, Second Edition.
• Dr Frances Wood (2006). China: The Three Emperors. Royal Academy.
• H. Yoon (1985). "An early Chinese idea of a dynamic environmental cycle", GeoJournal 10 (2), p. 211-212.

External links

• Flash animation: Imperial History of the Middle East