Top Largest Empires in History by Peak Land Area

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Top 10 Largest Empires in History by Peak Land Area

1. British Empire (35.5 million sq km)
The British Empire remains the largest empire in recorded history, spanning across every inhabited continent at its height. Known as the “empire on which the sun never sets,” its vast territories included North America, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, exerting influence on global politics, economics, and culture that still echoes today. Its reach stretched into India, Canada, Australia, and numerous other colonies, shaping the modern world’s geopolitical landscape.

2. Mongol Empire (24 million sq km)
The Mongol Empire, under Genghis Khan and his successors, created the largest contiguous land empire in history during the 13th century. With territory from Eastern Europe across Asia to the Middle East, the Mongols were renowned for their military prowess and sweeping conquests, fostering cultural exchanges across Eurasia, including the Silk Road trade routes.

3. Russian Empire (22.8 million sq km)
Spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, the Russian Empire flourished from the 16th century until the early 20th century. Its vast landmass included Siberia, Alaska, and parts of Central Asia, making it the largest contiguous empire in history before the Soviet Union’s formation. The empire played a crucial role in shaping the modern Russian state and regional geopolitics.

4. Qing Dynasty (14.7 million sq km)
China’s last imperial dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, expanded China’s territory to extraordinary proportions during the 17th to early 20th centuries. It incorporated Tibet, Mongolia, Taiwan, and parts of Central Asia, leaving a legacy that continues to influence China’s borders and cultural landscape.

5. Spanish Empire (13.7 million sq km)
At its peak during the Age of Exploration, the Spanish Empire was one of the most extensive colonial empires, including vast territories in the Americas, the Caribbean, the Philippines, and parts of Africa and Europe. It played a pivotal role in global trade, colonization, and cultural exchange.

6. French Colonial Empire (11.5 million sq km)
France built one of the most significant colonial empires, stretching across Africa, Southeast Asia, North America, and the Caribbean. Its influence is still evident in language, culture, and political systems in many former colonies, notably in West Africa and Southeast Asia.

7. Abbasid Caliphate (11.1 million sq km)
From the 8th to 13th centuries, the Abbasid Caliphate was a major Islamic empire centered in Baghdad. It fostered a golden age of scientific, cultural, and economic development, stretching from North Africa across the Middle East to Central Asia.

8. Umayyad Caliphate (11 million sq km)
Before the Abbasids, the Umayyad Caliphate expanded rapidly from Spain through North Africa into the Middle East and Central Asia. Its vast territories laid the foundations for Islamic governance and culture that persisted for centuries.

9. Yuan Dynasty (11 million sq km)
Established by the Mongols in China, the Yuan Dynasty unified a vast territory across Asia and into Eastern Europe during the 13th and 14th centuries, leaving a lasting mark on Chinese and Eurasian history through administration, culture, and trade.

10. Portuguese Empire (10.4 million sq km)
Portugal’s maritime empire was instrumental in global exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries, with colonies spanning Brazil, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. Its navigators opened new trade routes, shaping economic and cultural exchanges that are still evident today.

Additional Noteworthy Empires and Their Impact

The landscape of global empires is complex, with each realm contributing uniquely to world history. The 2025 analysis underscores the enduring influence of these historical giants, whether through language, culture, or geopolitical boundaries. From the Roman and Ottoman empires to the brief but expansive Nazi Germany during World War II, each played a defining role in shaping world affairs.

The list includes empires from diverse regions and eras, reflecting the shifting axes of power through centuries. Today’s geopolitical map is still strongly influenced by historical borders, colonization legacies, and cultural exchanges initiated by these enormous empires.

Empires like the Inca, Maratha, and the Mughal dynasties, though smaller in land area compared to the giants, were crucial in regional development and cultural continuity. Meanwhile, modern states such as the United States and Brazil, owing to their expansive territories in the 20th and 21st centuries, continue this legacy of territorial growth and influence.

Note: Precise measurements and rankings may vary based on sources and definitions of control. The figures provided are based on historical records and scholarly estimates, illustrating the remarkable scale of human civilizations over millennia.

Source: Rein Taagepera, “Size and Duration of Empires,” Social Science History, 1979.