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History by Date · Asia · 1850 CE

Map of Asia in 1850

In 1850 CE the atlas maps 51 states and empires with territory in Asia. The largest by mapped territory was The Russian Empire, at about 21.04M km², followed by The Qing Dynasty. The map below is set to 1850 CE; the table lists every state shown, with the modern countries its borders covered.

States Mapped
51
Largest
21.04M km²
The Russian Empire
Modern Countries Covered
104
At least partly
Longest Established
800–1850 CE
The Khmer Empire

Map of Asia in 1850 CE

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3000 BCEDrag timeline:1850 CE2026 CE
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Borders are drawn for 1850 CE. Drag the timeline to move to another year.

The Major Powers of 1850 CE

The Russian Empire

1721–1916 CE

The Russian Empire was an empire that extended across northern Eurasia from 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in 1917, forming the final era of Tsarist Russia and the wider Russian monarchy. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about 22,800,000 km2 (8,800,000 sq mi), roughly one-sixth of the world's landmass, making it the third-largest empire in history, behind only the British and Mongol empires.

Mapped extent in 1850 CE: 21.04M km²

The Qing Dynasty

1645–1911 CE

The Qing dynasty, officially the Great Qing, also known as the Qing Empire or Qing China, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia which existed from 1636/1644 to 1912. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China.

Mapped extent in 1850 CE: 12.10M km²

The British Empire

1706–1999 CE

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and colonisation attempts by Scotland during the 17th century.

Mapped extent in 1850 CE: 6.48M km²

The Ottoman Empire

1305–1923 CE

The 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 1850 CE: 2.11M km²

Qajar Dynasty

1788–1923 CE

The Qajar dynasty is a formerly aristocratic Iranian dynasty that gained prominence with the rise of Shahverdi Sultan in the early 16th century as heads of the Turkoman Qajar tribe of the Qizilbash confederacy. The dynasty ruled Iran from 1789 until 1925, beginning with the Unification of Iran (1779–1796) by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar.

Mapped extent in 1850 CE: 1.62M km²

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and colonisation attempts by Scotland during the 17th century.

Mapped extent in 1850 CE: 1.31M km²

Descriptions are the opening of each state's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).

States and Empires in 1850 CE

51 mapped, largest territory first. Dates are the span of each state's mapped borders.

States and empires in Asia in 1850 CE
#StateMapped area
1The Russian Empire21.04M km²
2The Qing Dynasty12.10M km²
3The British Empire6.48M km²
4The Ottoman Empire2.11M km²
5Qajar Dynasty1.62M km²
6British Colonial Empire1.31M km²
7The Spanish Empire982,824 km²
8Khanate of Khiva847,836 km²
9Emirate of Afghanistan665,776 km²
10Rattanakosin Kingdom607,027 km²
11Burma552,258 km²
12Netherlands544,590 km²
13Emirate of Nejd532,312 km²
14Dutch East Indies503,891 km²
15Khanate of Kokand475,604 km²
16Kingdom of Great Britain348,970 km²
17Tokugawa Shogunate328,728 km²
18Nguyễn dynasty300,553 km²
19German Confederation282,060 km²
20Emirate of Bukhara268,156 km²
21The Mughal Empire240,777 km²
22Joseon231,658 km²
23The Portuguese Empire216,383 km²
24Sultanate of Oman176,449 km²
25Kashmir and Jammu168,994 km²
26Nepal149,363 km²
27Kingdom of Luang Phrabang148,213 km²
28The Khmer Empire115,123 km²
29Riau-Lingga Sultanate103,825 km²
30Imamate of Yemen95,708 km²
31Trucial States73,358 km²
32Sultanate of Sulu67,910 km²
33Chiangmai64,890 km²
34Sultanate of Johor62,290 km²
35Sultanate of Brunei54,677 km²
36Sultanate of Aceh42,009 km²
37Kingdom of Bhutan40,478 km²
38Sultanate of Malacca39,865 km²
39Sultanate of Banjar39,178 km²
40Kingdom of Champasak36,862 km²
41Caucasian Imamate34,869 km²
42Portuguese Colonies26,991 km²
43Qatar Dynasty24,587 km²
44Sultanate of Perak23,993 km²
45Sultanate of Terengganu14,424 km²
46Sultanate of Selangor11,709 km²
47Sultanate of Bima10,403 km²
48Sultanate of Kedah9,327 km²
49Kuwait5,500 km²
50Bali3,773 km²
51House of Khalifa881 km²

1850 CE by Region

1850 CE: Quick Answers

What empires and states existed in Asia in 1850 CE?
The atlas maps 51 states in Asia in 1850 CE. The largest by mapped territory were The Russian Empire, The Qing Dynasty, The British Empire, The Ottoman Empire, Qajar Dynasty, British Colonial Empire.
What was the largest empire in Asia in 1850 CE?
The Russian Empire had the largest mapped territory among states present in Asia in 1850 CE, about 21.04M km², followed by The Qing Dynasty (12.10M km²). Areas are measured from the mapped borders and are approximate.
What did the map of Asia look like in 1850?
In 1850 CE the map of Asia was divided between 51 mapped states and empires. The Russian Empire held the largest territory, followed by The Qing Dynasty. Their borders covered parts of 104 present-day countries.
How many states are shown on the map for 1850 CE?
51. 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.