Largest Empires Area Comparison (Million Square KM)
Compare the 10 largest empires by peak controlled area, from the British at 35.5M sq km to Timurid at 4.4M scale. Areas with Taagepera tables and year notes.
Visual comparison
All values
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| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Empire (1920) Largest empire in history. | 35,500,000 square kilometers | Peak 1920, global colonies | Taagepera imperial areas: British 35.5M sq km 1920 |
| Mongol Empire (1279) Largest contiguous land empire. | 24,000,000 square kilometers | Peak 1279, contiguous land | Taagepera imperial areas: Mongol 24.0M sq km 1279 |
| Russian Empire (1895) 1.2M under Mongol. | 22,800,000 square kilometers | Peak 1895, Eurasian land | Taagepera imperial areas: Russian 22.8M sq km 1895 |
| Spanish Empire (1790) 2.8M under Russian. | 20,000,000 square kilometers | Peak 1790, Americas plus Pacific | Taagepera imperial areas: Spanish 20.0M sq km 1790 |
| Umayyad Caliphate (720) Ranks above Qing; see notes on order. | 15,000,000 square kilometers | Peak 720, Iberia to Indus | Taagepera imperial areas: Umayyad 15.0M sq km 720 |
| Qing Dynasty (1790) 5.3M under Spanish. | 14,700,000 square kilometers | Peak 1790, China plus Central Asia | Taagepera imperial areas: Qing 14.7M sq km 1790 |
| French Colonial Empire (1938) 1.5M under Umayyad. | 13,500,000 square kilometers | Peak 1938, Africa plus Asia | Taagepera imperial areas: French 13.5M sq km 1938 |
| Abbasid Caliphate (750) 2.4M under French. | 11,100,000 square kilometers | Peak 750, Middle East plus Central Asia | Taagepera imperial areas: Abbasid 11.1M sq km 750 |
| Portuguese Empire (1820) 700,000 under Abbasid. | 10,400,000 square kilometers | Peak 1820, Brazil plus Africa and Asia | Taagepera imperial areas: Portuguese 10.4M sq km 1820 |
| Timurid Empire (1405) Smallest row here. | 4,400,000 square kilometers | Peak 1405, kept for scale | Taagepera imperial areas: Timurid 4.4M sq km 1405 |
About this converter
The British Empire peaked at 35.5 million square km in 1920, 11.5 million clear of the Mongol Empire at 24.0 in 1279. Russian at 22.8 in 1895, Spanish at 20.0 in 1790, Umayyad at 15.0 in 720, Qing at 14.7 in 1790, French at 13.5 in 1938, Abbasid at 11.1 in 750, Portuguese at 10.4 in 1820 and Timurid at 4.4 in 1405 for scale follow. Areas count peak controlled land per Taagepera tables. Claims versus control splits old totals, so effective rule sets rank here. Boardwalk Empire TV pages rank elsewhere, so history keeps this page.
How to use it
Pick two empires and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try British against Timurid to see the eight times gap. The bars below scale to British so Timurid looks thin next to it. Switch the unit to millions for short figures. Ratios are exact divisions of the peak areas.
Umayyad at 15.0 ranks above Qing at 14.7 despite draft table quirks. Peak years differ per empire as listed. British 35.5 counts 1920 dominions and colonies. Mongol 24.0 counts 1279 contiguous land. Figures follow Taagepera imperial area tables. Spheres of influence stay out beyond effective rule.
FAQ
What is the largest empire?
British at 35.5M sq km in 1920. Mongol follows at 24.0M in 1279.
How big was the Mongol Empire?
24.0M sq km in 1279. Largest contiguous land empire.
Is this about the TV show?
No. Boardwalk Empire TV ranks elsewhere. This page keeps historical empires.
Why do totals differ?
Claims versus control. Effective rule sets rank here per Taagepera.
Sources
- Taagepera imperial area tables peak extent: British 35.5M 1920; Mongol 24.0M 1279; Russian 22.8M 1895; Spanish 20.0M 1790; Umayyad 15.0M 720; Qing 14.7M 1790; French 13.5M 1938; Abbasid 11.1M 750; Portuguese 10.4M 1820; Timurid 4.4M 1405 sq km
Last verified: 2026-10-09 · 10 entries
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