What are the GREATEST
Empires in History?

What is an Empire?

An empire is a state that extends dominion over areas and populations that have a different culture and/or ethnicity than its own. Dictionary.com defines an empire as a group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign or government. Examples of empires in history are the Roman Empire, British Empire, the Empire of Alexander the Great, the Egyptian Empire, Babylonian and Assyrian Empires, and the Parthian Empire.

Measuring and comparing world empires

Empires are all individual in character, having been formed in widely different times under widely different political structures.

The calculation of the land area of a particular empire is controversial. In particular, there is the question of whether a particular empire can be considered to have laid claim to an area that is sparsely populated, or not populated at all. The below lists err on the side of including any land area that was explored and explicitly claimed, even if the areas were very sparsely populated or unpopulated. No claims on mainland Antarctica are included in the area of any of the empires.

Due to the historical trend of increasing population and GDP (Gross Domestic Product), 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.

Top 10 Largest Empires
by Total Land

1. British Empire - 36.6 million km² or 14.13 million mi² (under King George V in 1922)

2. Mongol Empire - 33.2 million km² or 12.82 million mi² (under Khublai Khan in 1268)

3. Russian Empire - 22.8 million km² or 8.8 million mi² (under Nicholas II in 1895)

4. Spanish Empire - 19 million km² or 7.33 million mi² (under King Charles III r. 1759-1788)

5. Umayyad Arab Empire - 13.2 million km² or 5.1 million mi² (under Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik r. 723-743)

6. French Empire - 12.5 million km² or 4.82 million mi² (under President Albert Lebrun in 1938)

7. Qing Empire - 12 million km² or 4.63 million mi² (under Emperor Qianlong)

8. Portuguese Empire - 10.4 million km² or 4.02 million mi²

9. American Empire - 10 million km² or 3.86 million mi² (1898-1934)

10. Rashidun Arab Empire - 9 million km² or 3.47 million mi² (under Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan r. 644-656)

    12. Achaemenid Persian Empire - 7.5 million km² or 2.9 million mi² (under Darius the Great)

    13. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² or 2.86 million mi² (during World War II)

    16. Roman Empire - 5.7 million km² or 2.2 million mi² (under Emperor Trajan)

    17. Ottoman Empire - 5.5 million km² or 2.12 million mi² (under Mehmed IV in 1680)

    18. Macedonian Empire - 5.4 million km² or 2.08 million mi² (under Alexander the Great)

    23. Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire - 4.5 million km² or 1.74 million mi²

    30. Nazi German Empire - 3.6 million km² or 1.39 million mi² (during World War II)

    40. Parthian Empire - 2.84 million km² or 1.1 million mi² (under Mithridates II 123–88 B.C.)

    47. Neo-Assyrian Empire - 1.4 million km² or 540,543 mi²

    56. Egyptian Empire - 1 million km² or 386,102 mi²

    65. Neo-Babylonian Empire - 500,000 km² or 193,051 mi²

Top 10 Largest Empires
by Contiguous Area of Land

1. Mongol Empire - 33.2 million km² or 12.82 million mi² (under Khublai Khan in 1268)

2. Russian Empire - 22.8 million km² or 8.8 million mi² (under Nicholas II in 1895)

3. Soviet Union - 22.4 million km² or 8.65 million mi² (in 1989)
   (note: The term Soviet Empire referred to more lands than only those who were officially Soviet Union)

4. Umayyad Arab Empire - 13.2 million km² or 5.1 million mi²

5. Qing Empire - 12 million km² or 4.63 million mi² (under Emperor Qianlong)

6. Rashidun Arab Empire - 9 million km² or 3.47 million mi² (under Caliph Uthman in 654)

7. Brazilian Empire - 8.1 million km² or 3.13 million mi²

8. Achaemenid Persian Empire - 7.5 million km² or 2.9 million mi² (under Darius the Great)

9. Ming Empire - 6.5 million km² or 2.51 million mi²

10. Han Empire - 6 million km² or 2.32 million mi²

    12. Macedonian Empire - 5.4 million km² or 2.08 million mi² (under Alexander the Great)

    16. Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire - 4.5 million km² or 1.74 million mi²

    21. Nazi German Empire - 3.6 million km² or 1.74 million mi² (during World War II)

    30. Parthian Empire - 2.84 million km² or 1.1 million mi² (under Mithridates II 123–88 B.C.)

    34. Neo-Assyrian Empire - 1.4 million km² or 540,543 mi²

    40. Egyptian Empire - 1 million km² or 386,102 mi²

    47. Neo-Babylonian Empire - 500,000 km² or 193,051 mi²

Greatest Maritime
Powers in History

1. British Empire - 36.6 million km² or 14.13 million mi² (under King George V in 1922)

2. Spanish Empire - 19 million km² or 7.36 million mi² (under King Charles III)

3. French Empire - 12.5 million km² or 4.83 million mi²

4. Portuguese Empire - 10.4 million km² or 4.02 million mi²

5. American Empire - 10 million km² or 3.86 million mi² (1898-1902 and 1906-1908)

6. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² or 2.86 million mi² (during World War II)

7. Italian Empire - 3.8 million km² or 1.47 million mi² (during World War II)

8. Dutch Empire - 3.7 million km² or 1.43 million mi²

9. German Empire - 3.5 million km² or 1.35 million mi² (under Wilhelm II before WWI)

Top 10 Largest,
Most Powerful Ancient Empires

1. Achaemenid Persian Empire - 7.5 million km² or 2.9 million mi² (under Darius the Great)

2. Han Empire - 6 million km² or 2.32 million mi²

3. Roman Empire - 5.7 million km² or 2.2 million mi² (under Emperor Trajan)

4. Macedonian Empire - 5.4 million km² or 2.08 million mi² (under Alexander the Great)

5. Maurya Empire - 5 million km² or 1.93 million mi² (under Ashoka the Great)

6. Hunnic Empire - 4 million km² or 1.54 million mi² (under Attila the Hun in 441)

7. Seleucid Empire - 3.9 million km² or 1.51 million mi²

8. Gupta Empire - 3.5 million km² or 1.35 million mi² (under Chandragupta II in 400)

9. Sassanid Persian Empire - 3.5 million km² or 1.35 million mi² (under Khosrau II in 626)

10. Parthian Empire - 2.84 million km² or 1.1 million mi² (under Mithridates II 123–88 B.C.)

Top 10
Largest Modern Empires

1. British Empire - 36.6 million km² or 14.13 million mi² (under King George V in 1922)

2. Russian Empire - 22.8 million km² or 8.8 million mi² (under Alexander II in 1867)

3. Soviet Union - 22.4 million km² or 8.65 million mi² (in 1989)
   (note: The term Soviet Empire referred to more lands than only those who were officially Soviet Union)

4. Spanish Empire - 19 million km² or 7.34 million mi² (under Charles III)

5. French Empire - 12.5 million km² or 4.83 million mi²

6. Qing Empire - 12 million km² or 4.63 million mi² (under Emperor Qianlong)

7. Portuguese Empire - 10.4 million km² or 4.02 million mi²

8. American Empire - 10 million km² or 3.86 million mi² (1898-1902 and 1906-1908)

9. Brazilian Empire - 8.1 million km² or 3.13 million mi²

10. Japanese Empire - 7.4 million km² or 2.86 million mi² (during World War II)

    13. Italian Empire - 3.8 million km² or 1.47 million mi² (during World War II)

    15. Nazi German Empire - 3.6 million km² or 1.39 million mi² (during World War II)

Largest Empires in History by Population

1. British Empire - 531.3 million (in 1938)

2. Qing Empire - 432 million (in 1912)

3. Soviet Union - 286,717,000 (in 1989)

4. Russian Empire - 176.4 million (in 1913)

5. Mughal Empire - 175 million (in 1700)

6. Ming Empire - 160 million (in 1600)

7. American Empire - 146.4 million (in 1942)

8. Japanese Empire - 134.8 million (in 1938)

9. French Empire - 112.9 million (in 1938)

10. Mongol Empire - 110 million (in the 13th century)

11. Dutch Empire - 80 million (1940)

12. Nazi German Empire - 75.4 million (in 1938)

    16. Roman Empire - 60 million (in 1st century A.D.)

    23. Ottoman Empire - 39 million (in the 17th century)

    25. Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire - 34 million (5th-6th centuries)

Top 10 Largest Empires in History
by Percentage of World Population

1. Qing Empire - 36.6% (381 million out of 1.041 billion in 1820)

2. Maurya Empire - 33.3% (50 million out of 150 million in the 2nd century B.C.)

3. Umayyad Arab Empire - 29.5% (62 million out of 210 million in the 7th century)

4. Mughal Empire - 29.2% (175 million out of 600 million in 1700)

5. Ming Empire - 28.8% (160 million out of 556.2 million in 1600)

6. Achaemenid Persian Empire - 27.6% (42 million out of 152 million in the 4th century B.C.)

7. Han Empire - 26.5% (59.6 million out of 226 million in 2 A.D.)

8. Roman Empire - 26.5% (60 million out of 226 million in the 1st century A.D.)

9. Mongol Empire - 25.6% (110 million out of 429 million in the 13th century)

10. British Empire - 23.15% (531.3 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)

    14. Russian Empire - 9.8% (176.4 million out of 1.791 billion in 1913)

    15. Ottoman Empire - 7.1% (39 million out of 556 million in the 17th century)

    16. American Empire - 6.4% (146.4 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)

    17. Japanese Empire - 5.9% (134.8 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)

    19. Soviet Union - 5.5% (286,717,000 out of 5.175 billion in 1989)

    21. Nazi German Empire - 3.3% (75.4 million out of 2.295 billion in 1938)

Top 10 Wealthiest Empires
by size of GDP*

1. American Empire - $1,713.6 billion (in 1944)

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 - $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. Austro-Hungarian Empire - $100.5 billion (in 1913)

10. Mughal Empire - $90.8 billion (GDP decline in 1700)

Top 10 Wealthiest Empires
by percentage of world GDP*

1. American Empire - 35% ($1,644.8 billion out of $4,699 billion in 1945)

2. Qing Empire - 32.9% ($228.6 billion out of $694.4 billion in 1820)

3. Mughal Empire - 24.5% ($90.8 billion out of $371 billion in 1700)

4. British Empire - 23.8% ($265 billion out of $1,111 billion in 1870)

5. Russian Empire - 9.4% ($257.7 billion out of $2,733 billion in 1913)

6. Nazi German Empire - 8.3% ($375.6 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)

7. Japanese Empire - 5.8% ($260.7 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)

8. French Empire - 5.2% ($234.1 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)

9. Austro-Hungarian Empire - 3.7% ($100.5 billion out of $2,733 billion in 1913)

10. Italian Empire - 3.2% ($143.4 billion out of $4,502 billion in 1938)