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This is a list of the largest empires in world history.

Contents 1 Definition 2 Characteristics of an empire 3 Largest empires by landmass 3.1 All empires 3.2 Contiguous empires 3.3 Overseas empires 3.4 Ancient empires 3.5 Medieval empires 3.6 Modern empires 4 Largest empires by population 4.1 Population size 4.2 Percentage of world population 5 Largest empires by economy 5.1 GDP size 5.2 Percentage of world GDP 6 Notes and references 7 Bibliography 8 See also 9 External links

[edit] Definition

An empire is a political unit composed of a number of territories, peoples, or nations which is ruled by a single supreme authority.

[edit] Characteristics of an empire

Image:Unbalanced scales.svg

The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.

Empires are all individual in character, having been formed in widely different times under widely different political structures. They are so differentiated that the term Empire is more an abstract idea of an accumulation of nations under a single authority than it is a concrete form of government. For example, the Mongol Empire was an expanse of sparsely populated nations, tribes and empires that were discovered and conquered by force, whereas the British Empire was a dispersed and diverse collection of nations that were discovered, conquered, coerced, bought, or simply administered by the British crown.

The calculation of the land area of a particular empire is controversial: The area of Northern Siberia is not included in the size of the Mongol Empire because it was largely unpopulated, but is included in Russian Empire in the map. But the area of Northern Canada, which was only very sparsely populated, is included in the land area calculation of the British Empire, and so is the case with Russian Empire including Northern Siberia in the map even though it was unpopulated.

[edit] Largest empires by landmass

[edit] All empires

1. British Empire - 36.6 million km² <ref name=Gordon>Gordon (2005).</ref> (under King George V in 1921)
2. Mongol Empire - 33.2 million km² <ref name=Gordon/> (under Khublai Khan in 1279)
3. Russian Empire - 22.8 million km² <ref name=uconn>Turchin, Adams and Hall (2004).</ref> (under Alexander III in 1895)
4. Spanish Empire - 19 million km² <ref name=Gordon/> (under King Phillip II)
5. Arab Empire - 13.2 million km² <ref name=Gordon/> (under the Umayyad Caliphate)
6. Qing Empire - 12 million km² <ref>Wudi (2005) at All Empires estimates 12 million km². Wood (2006) at the Royal Academy also estimates 12 million km². Turchin, Adams and Hall (2004) estimate 14.7 million km². Gordon (2005) estimates 11.1 million km².</ref> (under Emperor Qianlong).
7. French Empire - 12 million km² <ref name=Gordon/>
8. Portuguese Empire - 10 million km² <ref name=Gordon/>
9. Brazilian Empire - 8 million km² <ref name=Gordon/>
10. Achaemenid Persian Empire - 7.5 million km² <ref>British Museum (2005). Forgotten Empire: the world of Ancient Persia.</ref> (under Darius the Great)
11. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² <ref name=Gordon/> (during World War II)
12. Ming Empire - 6.5 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
13. Han Empire - 6 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
14. Ottoman Empire - 5.6 million km² <ref name=Gordon/>
15. Roman Empire - 5.6 million km² <ref name=Gordon/> (under Emperor Trajan)
16. Tang Empire - 5.4 million km² <ref name=uconn/> (under Emperor Gaozong of Tang <ref>Chinese History - Tang Dynasty 唐 (618-907) and The Exoticism in Tang (618-907).</ref>)
17. Macedonian Empire - 5.4 million km² <ref name=Gordon/> (under Alexander the Great)
18. Maurya Empire - 5 million km² <ref name=uconn/> (under Ashoka the Great)
19. Mexican Empire - 4.7 millon km² <ref name=Gordon/>
20. Timurid Empire - 4.4 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
21. Mughal Empire - 4 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
22. Hunnic Empire - 4 million km² <ref name=uconn/> (under Attila the Hun)
23. Seljuq Empire - 3.9 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
24. Seleucid Empire - 3.9 million km² <ref name=Gordon/>
25. Italian Empire - 3.8 million km² (during World War II)
26. Dutch Empire - 3.7 million km² <ref name=Gordon/>
27. Nazi German Empire - 3.6 million km² <ref name=Gordon/> (during World War II)
28. Gupta Empire - 3.5 million km² <ref name=uconn/> (under Chandragupta II)
29. Sassanid Persian Empire - 3.5 million km² <ref name=uconn/> (under Khosrau I)
30. Ghaznavid Empire - 3.4 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
31. Delhi Sultanate - 3.2 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
32. Khazar Empire - 3 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
33. Median Empire - 2.8 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
34. Byzantine Empire - 2.7 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
35. Chola Empire - 2.5 million km² <ref>This estimate for the Chola Empire is derived from the combined area of the Srivijaya Empire, Pala Empire, South India, Sri Lanka, Lakshadweep, the Maldives, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.</ref> (under Rajendra Chola I)
36. Majapahit Empire - 1.5 million km² <ref>This estimate for the Majapahit Empire is derived from the combined area of Borneo, Sumatra, Bali, and the Philippines.</ref>
37. Neo-Assyrian Empire - 1.4 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
38. Aksumite Empire - 1.3 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
39. Srivijaya Empire - 1.2 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
40. Frankish Empire - 1.2 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
41. Harsha Empire - 1 million km² <ref name=uconn/> (under Harsha)
42. Egyptian Empire - 1 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
43. Almoravid Empire - 1 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
44. Khmer Empire - 1 million km² <ref name=uconn/>
45. Akkadian Empire - 650,000 km² <ref name=irows>Chase-Dunn, Álvarez and Pasciuti (2002, p. 8-9).</ref>
46. Pala Empire - 600,000 km² <ref name=Magadha>These estimates are derived from the combined area of East India and Bangladesh, which were almost equivalent to the kingdom of Magadha.</ref>
47. Nanda Empire - 600,000 km² <ref name=Magadha/>
48. Neo-Babylonian Empire - 500,000 km² <ref name=irows/>
49. Vijayanagara Empire - 360,000 km² <ref name=Sinopoli>Sinopoli (2003, p. 82)</ref>

[edit] Contiguous empires

1. Mongol Empire - 33.2 million km² (under Khublai Khan in 1279)
2. Russian Empire - 22.8 million km² (under Alexander III in 1895)
3. Arab Empire - 13.2 million km² (under the Umayyad Caliphate)
4. Qing Empire - 12 million km² (under Emperor Qianlong)
5. Brazilian Empire - 8 million km²
6. Achaemenid Persian Empire - 7.5 million km² (under Darius the Great)
7. Ming Empire - 6.5 million km²
8. Han Empire - 6 million km²
9. Ottoman Empire - 5.6 million km²
10. Roman Empire - 5.6 million km² (under Emperor Trajan)
11. Tang Empire - 5.4 million km²
12. Macedonian Empire - 5.4 million km² (under Alexander the Great)
13. Maurya Empire - 5 million km² (under Ashoka the Great)
14. Mughal Empire - 4 million km²
15. Hunnic Empire - 4 million km² (under Attila the Hun)
16. Seljuq Empire - 3.9 million km²
17. Seleucid Empire - 3.9 million km²
18. Nazi German Empire - 3.6 million km² (during World War II)
19. Gupta Empire - 3.5 million km² (under Chandragupta II)
20. Sassanid Persian Empire - 3.5 million km² (under Khosrau I)
21. Ghaznavid Empire - 3.4 million km²
22. Delhi Sultanate - 3.2 million km²
23. Khazar Empire - 3 million km²
24. Median Empire - 2.8 million km²
25. Byzantine Empire - 2.7 million km²
26. Neo-Assyrian Empire - 1.4 million km²
27. Aksumite Empire - 1.3 million km²
28. Frankish Empire - 1.2 million km²
29. Harsha Empire - 1 million km² (under Harsha)
30. Egyptian Empire - 1 million km²
31. Almoravid Empire - 1 million km²
32. Khmer Empire - 1 million km²
33. Akkadian Empire - 650,000 km²
34. Pala Empire - 600,000 km²
35. Nanda Empire - 600,000 km²
36. Neo-Babylonian Empire - 500,000 km²
37. Vijayanagara Empire - 360,000 km²

[edit] Overseas empires

1. British Empire - 36.6 million km² (under King George V in 1921)
2. Spanish Empire - 19 million km² (under King Phillip II)
3. French Empire - 12 million km²
4. Portuguese Empire - 10 million km²
5. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² (during World War II)
6. Italian Empire - 3.8 million km² (during World War II)
7. Dutch Empire - 3.7 million km²
8. Chola Empire - 2.5 million km² (under Rajendra Chola I)
9. Majapahit Empire - 1.5 million km²
10. Srivijaya Empire - 1.2 million km²

[edit] Ancient empires

1. Achaemenid Persian Empire - 7.5 million km² (under Darius the Great)
2. Han Empire - 6 million km²
3. Roman Empire - 5.6 million km² (under Emperor Trajan)
4. Macedonian Empire - 5.4 million km² (under Alexander the Great)
5. Maurya Empire - 5 million km² (under Ashoka the Great)
6. Hunnic Empire - 4 million km² (under Attila the Hun)
7. Seleucid Empire - 3.9 million km²
8. Gupta Empire - 3.5 million km² (under Chandragupta II)
9. Sassanid Persian Empire - 3.5 million km² (under Khosrau I)
10. Median Empire - 2.8 million km²
11. Neo-Assyrian Empire - 1.4 million km²
12. Aksumite Empire - 1.3 million km²
13. Egyptian Empire - 1 million km²
14. Akkadian Empire - 650,000 km²
15. Nanda Empire - 600,000 km²
16. Neo-Babylonian Empire - 500,000 km²

[edit] Medieval empires

1. Mongol Empire - 33.2 million km² (under Khublai Khan in 1279)
2. Arab Empire - 13.2 million km² (under the Umayyad Caliphate)
3. Ming Empire - 6.5 million km²
4. Ottoman Empire - 5.6 million km²
5. Tang Empire - 5.4 million km²
6. Mughal Empire - 4 million km²
7. Seljuq Empire - 3.9 million km²
8. Sassanid Persian Empire - 3.5 million km² (under Khosrau I)
9. Ghaznavid Empire - 3.4 million km²
10. Delhi Sultanate - 3.2 million km²
11. Khazar Empire - 3 million km²
12. Byzantine Empire - 2.7 million km²
13. Chola Empire - 2.5 million km² (under Rajendra Chola I in 1030)
14. Majapahit Empire - 1.5 million km²
15. Srivijaya Empire - 1.2 million km²
16. Frankish Empire - 1.2 million km²
17. Harsha Empire - 1 million km² (under Harsha)
18. Almoravid Empire - 1 million km²
19. Khmer Empire - 1 million km²
20. Pala Empire - 600,000 km²
21. Vijayanagara Empire - 360,000 km²

[edit] Modern empires

1. British Empire - 36 million km² (under King George V in 1921)
2. Russian Empire - 22.8 million km² (under Alexander III in 1895)
3. Spanish Empire - 19 million km² (under Phillip II)
4. Qing Empire - 12 million km² (under Emperor Qianlong)
5. French Empire - 12 million km²
6. Portuguese Empire - 10 million km²
7. Brazilian Empire - 8 million km²
8. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² (during World War II)
9. Mughal Empire - 4 million km²
10. Italian Empire - 3.8 million km² (during World War II)
11. Dutch Empire - 3.7 million km²
12. Nazi German Empire - 3.6 million km² (during World War II)

[edit] Largest empires by population

Note: Population estimates are unknown for ancient empires not listed here.

[edit] Population size

1. British Empire - 531.3 million (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison>Harrison (1998, p. 3).</ref>
2. Qing Empire - 432 million (in 1912) <ref name=Maddison>Maddison (2006).</ref>
3. Mughal Empire - 175 million (in 1700) <ref name=Biraben>Biraben (2003).</ref>
4. Ming Empire - 160 million (in 1600) <ref name=Maddison/>
5. Russian Empire - 156.2 million (in 1913) <ref name=Maddison/>
6. Japanese Empire - 134.8 million (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
7. French Empire - 112.9 million (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
8. Mongol Empire - 110 million (in the 13th century) <ref>The combined population of China and Korea in the 13th century was 83 million in Biraben (2003). The combined population of Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Iran, Iraq and Turkey was about 27 million in Maddison (2006).</ref>
9. Nazi German Empire - 75.4 million (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
10. Spanish Empire - 68.2 million <ref>The combined population of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, United States and the Philippines was 29.2 million in Maddison (2006). The population of Latin America was 39 million in Biraben (2003).</ref>
11. Arab Empire - 62 million (in the 7th century) <ref>The combined population of Southwest Asia and North Africa was about 57 million in Biraben (2003). The combined population of Spain and Portugal was about 5 million in Maddison (2006).</ref>
12. Song Empire - 59 million (in 1000) <ref name=Maddison/>
13. Han Empire - 57.5 million (in 2 CE) <ref>Han Dynasty Census, 2 CE.</ref>
14. Roman Empire - 55 million (in the 1st century CE) <ref>There are several different estimates for the Roman Empire. Goldsmith (1984, p. 263) estimates 55 million, Beloch (1886, p. 507) estimates 54 million, Maddison (2006, p. 51, 120) estimates 48 million, while Roman Empire Population estimates 65 million (but also gives several other estimates between 45 million and 130 million).</ref>
15. Italian Empire - 51.9 million (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
16. Maurya Empire - 50 million (in the 2nd century BCE) <ref>Boesche (2003, p. 12)</ref>
17. Persian Empire - 42 million (in the 4th century BCE) <ref name=Biraben/>
18. Ottoman Empire - 39 million (in the 17th century) <ref>Quataert (2005, p. 112).</ref>
19. Vijayanagara Empire - 25 million (in the 16th century) <ref name=Sinopoli/>

[edit] Percentage of world population

1. Qing Empire - 34% (330 million out of 968 million in 1800) <ref name=Biraben/>
2. Maurya Empire - 33.3% (50 million out of 150 million<ref name=McEvedy>McEvedy and Jones (1978).</ref> in the 2nd century BCE)
3. Arab Empire - 29.5% (62 million out of 210 million<ref name=McEvedy/> in the 7th century)
4. Mughal Empire - 29.2% (175 million out of 600 million<ref name=Thomlinson>Thomlinson (1975, Table 1).</ref> in 1700)
5. Ming Empire - 28.8% (160 million out of 556.2 million in 1600) <ref name=Maddison/>
6. Persian Empire - 27.6% (42 million out of 152 million in the 4th century BCE) <ref name=Biraben/>
7. Mongol Empire - 25.6% (110 million out of 429 million<ref name=Biraben/> in the 13th century)
8. British Empire - 25.6% (458 million<ref>Maddison (2001, p. 98 & 242).</ref> out of 1,791 million<ref name=Maddison/> in 1913)
9. Han Empire - 25.4% (57.5 million out of 226 million<ref name=Maddison/> in 2 CE)
10. Roman Empire - 24.4% (55 million out of 226 million<ref name=Maddison/> in the 1st century CE)
11. Song Empire - 22% (59 million out of 268 million in 1000) <ref name=Maddison/>
12. Spanish Empire - 12.3% (68.2 million out of 556 million<ref name=Maddison/> in the 17th century)
13. Russian Empire - 8.7% (156.2 million out of 1,791 million in 1913) <ref name=Maddison/>
14. Ottoman Empire - 7.1% (39 million out of 556 million<ref name=Maddison/> in the 17th century)
15. Japanese Empire - 5.9% (134.8 million out of 2,295 million<ref name=Maddison/> in 1938)
16. Vijayanagara Empire - 5.7% (25 million out of 438 million<ref name=Maddison/> in the 16th century)
17. French Empire - 4.9% (112.9 million out 2,295 million of in 1938)
18. Nazi German Empire - 3.3% (75.4 million out of 2,295 million in 1938)
19. Italian Empire - 2.3% (51.9 million out of 2,295 million in 1938)

[edit] Largest empires by economy

Note: GDP estimates in the following list are only given for empires in modern times, from the 18th to 20th centuries.

[edit] GDP size

1. British Empire - $683.3 billion (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
2. Nazi German Empire - $375.6 billion (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
3. Japanese Empire - $260.7 billion (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
4. Qing Empire - $241.3 billion (in 1912) <ref name=Maddison/>
5. French Empire - $234.1 billion (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
6. Russian Empire - $232.4 billion (in 1913) <ref name=Maddison/>
7. Italian Empire - $143.4 billion (in 1938) <ref name=Harrison/>
8. Mughal Empire - $90.8 billion (in 1700) <ref name=Maddison/>

[edit] Percentage of world GDP

1. Qing Empire - 32.8% ($228 billion out of $694.4 billion in 1820) <ref name=Maddison/>
2. Mughal Empire - 24.5% ($90.8 billion out of $371 billion in 1700) <ref name=Maddison/>
3. British Empire - 23.8% ($265 billion<ref>The combined GDP of the United Kingdom, British India, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa in 1870 is about $265 billion in Maddison (2006).</ref> out of $1,111 billion<ref name=Maddison/> in 1870)
4. Russian Empire - 8.5% ($232.4 billion out of $2,733 billion<ref name=Maddison/> in 1913)
5. Nazi German Empire - 8.3% ($375.6 billion out of $4,502 billion<ref name=Maddison/> in 1938)
6. Japanese Empire - 5.8% ($260.7 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)
7. French Empire - 5.2% ($234.1 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)
8. Italian Empire - 3.2% ($143.4 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] Bibliography

• 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).
• 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.
• Donald Quataert (2005). The Ottoman Empire, 1700-1922.
• 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.
• Peter Turchin, Jonathan M. Adams, and Thomas D. Hall (2004). East-West Orientation of Historical Empires. University of Connecticut.
• Dr Frances Wood (2006). China: The Three Emperors. Royal Academy.
• Han Wudi (2005). The Qing Empire. All Empires.

[edit] See also

• Empire
• Global empire
• List of countries by area
• List of countries by GDP
• List of countries by population
• List of extinct states

[edit] External links

• Flash animation: Imperial History of the Middle East