Map of Africa in 1600
In 1600 CE the atlas maps 8 states and empires with territory in Africa. The largest by mapped territory was The Spanish Empire, at about 7.18M km², followed by The Ottoman Empire. The map below is set to 1600 CE; the table lists every state shown, with the modern countries its borders covered.
- States Mapped
- 8
- Largest
- 7.18M km²
- Modern Countries Covered
- 87
- Longest Established
- 1236–1600 CE
Map of Africa in 1600 CE
Borders are drawn for 1600 CE. Drag the timeline to move to another year.
The Major Powers of 1600 CE
The Spanish Empire
1516–1931 CEThe Spanish Empire, sometimes referred to as the Hispanic Monarchy or the Catholic Monarchy, was a colonial empire that existed between 1492 and 1976. In conjunction with the Portuguese Empire, it ushered in the European Age of Discovery.
Mapped extent in 1600 CE: 7.18M km²
The Ottoman Empire
1305–1923 CEThe Ottoman Empire, also known historically as Turkey or the Turkish Empire, was a state that spanned much of Southeastern Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th century to the early 20th century, centred in modern-day Turkey. It also controlled parts of southeastern Central Europe between the early 16th and early 18th centuries.
Mapped extent in 1600 CE: 4.26M km²
Funj Sultanate
1507–1821 CEThe Funj Sultanate, also known as Funjistan, Sultanate of Sennar or Blue Sultanate was an Islamic kingdom in what is now Sudan, northwestern Eritrea and western Ethiopia. Succeeding the medieval Nubian kingdoms of Makuria and Alodia, it was established in 1504 by Sultan Amara Dunqas, a convert to Islam who founded its capital Sennar on the Blue Nile.
Mapped extent in 1600 CE: 630,140 km²
Saadi Sultanate
1556–1740 CEThe Saadi Sultanate, also known as the Sharifian Sultanate, was a state which ruled present-day Morocco and parts of Northwest Africa in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was led by the Saadi dynasty, an Arab Sharifian dynasty.
Mapped extent in 1600 CE: 577,829 km²
Ethiopian Empire
1272–1935 CEThe Ethiopian Empire, historically known as Abyssinia or simply Ethiopia, was a country that encompassed the present-day territories of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It existed from the establishment of the Solomonic dynasty by Yekuno Amlak around 1270 until the 1974 coup d'état by the Derg, which ended the reign of the final Emperor, Haile Selassie.
Mapped extent in 1600 CE: 523,872 km²
Bornu Empire
1385–1894 CEThe Kanem–Bornu Empire was an empire based around Lake Chad that once ruled areas which are now part of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Libya, Algeria, Sudan, and Chad. The empire was sustained by the prosperous trans-Saharan trade and was one of the oldest and longest-lived empires in world history and especially in African history.
Mapped extent in 1600 CE: 339,371 km²
Descriptions are the opening of each state's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
States and Empires in 1600 CE
8 mapped, largest territory first. Dates are the span of each state's mapped borders.
| # | State | Mapped area | Dates | Modern countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Spanish Empire | 7.18M km² | 1516–1931 CE | India, United States, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines and 40 more |
| 2 | The Ottoman Empire | 4.26M km² | 1305–1923 CE | Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Algeria, Iraq and 26 more |
| 3 | Funj Sultanate | 630,140 km² | 1507–1821 CE | Sudan |
| 4 | Saadi Sultanate | 577,829 km² | 1556–1740 CE | Morocco |
| 5 | Ethiopian Empire | 523,872 km² | 1272–1935 CE | Ethiopia, Eritrea |
| 6 | Bornu Empire | 339,371 km² | 1385–1894 CE | Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Chad |
| 7 | Kingdom of Kongo | 131,583 km² | 1440–1669 CE | DR Congo, Angola |
| 8 | The Mali Empire | 128,538 km² | 1236–1611 CE | Mali, Guinea |
1600 CE by Region
1600 CE: Quick Answers
- What empires and states existed in Africa in 1600 CE?
- The atlas maps 8 states in Africa in 1600 CE. The largest by mapped territory were The Spanish Empire, The Ottoman Empire, Funj Sultanate, Saadi Sultanate, Ethiopian Empire, Bornu Empire.
- What was the largest empire in Africa in 1600 CE?
- The Spanish Empire had the largest mapped territory among states present in Africa in 1600 CE, about 7.18M km², followed by The Ottoman Empire (4.26M km²). Areas are measured from the mapped borders and are approximate.
- What did the map of Africa look like in 1600?
- In 1600 CE the map of Africa was divided between 8 mapped states and empires. The Spanish Empire held the largest territory, followed by The Ottoman Empire. Their borders covered parts of 87 present-day countries.
- How many states are shown on the map for 1600 CE?
- 8. The map shows the states recorded in the atlas's dated border dataset for that year; states and peoples absent from that dataset are not shown.