Created by the union of Turkic tribes and headed by rulers from the noble family of Ashins, this state was one of the largest in the history of medieval Asia. During the period of its greatest expansion (at the end of the 6th century), the kaganate controlled the territory of Mongolia, China, Altai, Central Asia, East Turkestan, the North Caucasus and Kazakhstan. In addition, such Chinese states as Northern Zhou and Northern Qi, Sasanian Iran, and since 576 - Crimea depended on the Turkic empire.
It was created in the thirteenth century as a result of the aggressive policy of Genghis Khan, and then of his successors. It has become the largest in world history, occupying an area from Novgorod to Southeast Asia and from the Danube to the Sea of Japan. The area of the state was approximately 38 million km2. During the heyday of the Mongol Empire, it included vast regions of Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Southern Siberia, the Middle East, Tibet and China.
China's first and oldest unified state, Qin, laid a solid foundation for the subsequent Han Empire. She became one of the most powerful state formations of the Ancient World. For more than four centuries of its existence, the Han Empire represented an important era in the development of East Asia. To this day, the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire call themselves Han Chinese - an ethnic self-name that comes from the empire that has sunk into oblivion.
During the era of the Chinese state of Ming, a standing army was created and a navy was built. The total number of soldiers in the empire reached one million. The Ming Dynasty was the last ethnic Chinese ruler. After their fall, the Qing Manchu dynasty came to power in the empire.
The state was formed on the territory of modern Iran and Iraq after the overthrow of the Arshakids - representatives of the Parthian dynasty. Power in the empire passed to the Sassanid Persians. Their empire lasted from the 3rd to the 7th century. It reached its peak during the reign of Khosrov I Anushirvan, and during the reign of Khosrov II Parviz, the borders of the state expanded significantly. At that time, the Sassanid empire included the lands of present-day Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Armenia, the eastern part of present-day Turkey, parts of present-day India, Pakistan and Syria. In addition, the Sassanian state partially captured the Caucasus, the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, Egypt, the lands of modern Israel, Jordan, expanding the borders, albeit not for long, almost to the limits of the ancient Achaemenid state. In the middle of the seventh century, the Sassanian Empire was captured and absorbed by the powerful Arab Caliphate.
The monarchical state, proclaimed on January 3, 1868 and existed until May 3, 1947. After the restoration of the imperial rule in 1868, the new Japanese government began to modernize the country under the slogan "A rich country - a strong army." As a result of the imperial policy, by 1942 Japan had become the largest maritime power on the planet. However, at the end of World War II, this empire ceased to exist.
After Portugal and Spain, France in the 15-17 centuries. was the third European state to colonize overseas territories. The French were equally interested in the development of tropical and temperate latitudes. For example, after exploring the mouth of the St. Lawrence River in 1535, Jacques Cartier founded the colony of New France, which once occupied the central part of the North American continent. In the 18th century, that is, in the era of its heyday, the French colonies occupied an area of 9 million km2.
As a result of Napoleon's occupation of Portugal, the royal family went to Brazil - the most important and largest of the Portuguese colonies. From that time on, the country was ruled by the Bragança dynasty. After Napoleon's troops left Portugal, Brazil became independent from the metropolis, although it continued to remain under the rule of the royal family. This is how the history of the empire began, which existed for more than seventy years and occupied a significant part of South America.
It was the largest continental monarchy. So, in 1914, the Russian Empire occupied a huge area (about 22 million km2). It was the third largest power ever to exist and stretched from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east, from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea in the south. The head of the empire, the king, had unlimited absolute power until 1905.
Her possessions were in Asia, Europe and Africa. The Turkish army has long been considered almost invincible. Power in the state belonged to the sultans, who possessed countless treasures. The Ottoman dynasty ruled for over six centuries: from 1299 to 1922, when the monarchy was overthrown. The area of the Ottoman Empire at the time of its highest prosperity reached 5,200,000 km2.
The abstracts were prepared based on the materials of the German magazine "Illustrierte Wissenschaft".
From the school history course, we know about the emergence of the first states on earth with their peculiar way of life, culture and art. The distant and in many ways mysterious life of people of past times excited and awakened imagination. And, probably, for many it would be interesting to see the maps of the greatest empires of antiquity, placed side by side. Such a comparison makes it possible to feel the size of the once gigantic state formations and the place they occupied on Earth and in the history of mankind.
Egypt. The empire reached its largest size in 1450 BC. e.
Greece. Lands where Greek culture flourished are marked in dark on the map.
Persia. Empire territory in 500 BC e.
India. The country's territory reached its largest size in 250 BC. e.
China occupied such a territory in 221 BC. e.
The Roman Empire at its peak - the beginning of the 2nd century AD.
Byzantium during its heyday - VI century.
Arab Caliphate. It reached its largest size in 632 AD. e. A118 years later, the area of the Caliphate was significantly reduced (dark shading).
The state is an ancient social formation and means the territory occupied by a sedentary population, subject to the same authority. Ancient thinkers already thought about the essence of the state structure. For example, the Greek philosopher Aristotle saw in the state the final natural form of community, important for a person who by nature is a "political being." Moreover, he considered the state "the environment of a completely happy life."
In the Middle Ages and at a later time, contractual principles between a person and the supreme power began to be invested in the concept of "state". In the natural state, a person lacks rights, the 17th century English thinkers John Milton and John Locke believed, but their provision, which he finds in a state approved by treaty for this very purpose.
A true son of the Age of Enlightenment, Jean-Jacques Rousseau saw the meaning of the formation of a state in the observance of the interests of each of its citizens. People need it in order to "find a form of union that would protect and ensure the personality and property of each member of society so that each, uniting with others, would obey only himself and remain as free as before." "Freedom is not alienable" - Rousseau's main position.
Even 8-9 thousand years ago, people began to move to a sedentary lifestyle. Agriculture and the first domestic animals appeared. The so-called Neolithic revolution took place, which brought people to new living conditions. Agriculture could already provide people with sufficient food, so hunting and gathering receded into the background. There was a division of labor between members of the same group, led by the leaders who ruled the communities of people. Over time, there was a need for public buildings, and the construction of palaces, temples, fortresses began. Writing and the beginnings of arithmetic, astronomy and medicine arose.
Rivers played a huge role in the formation of early civilizations. A river is not only a waterway, but also a stable harvest, it is no coincidence that in those distant times people began to build canals and dams. But since the scattered tribes could not afford large reclamation buildings, the groups of farmers united. The first state formations arose in Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and the Euphrates, where a flourishing culture developed.
Modern archaeologists and historians identify several conditions that give the right to call ancient communities of people a state. The first of them is no less than five thousand people who worship the same gods. Power is equipped with an apparatus of officials, and writing is indispensable, existing in any form. Large buildings - palaces and temples - are also an obligatory attribute of statehood. The population is divided according to specialties, so that everyone can no longer do everything for himself and his family. Thus, along with the priests and the soldiers, there appeared artists, philosophers, builders, blacksmiths, weavers, potters, reapers, merchants, and so on.
The ancient empires that played their role in the history of mankind possessed all of the above conditions. But in addition, they were characterized by long-term political stability and well-established communications to the most remote outskirts, without which it is impossible to manage vast territories. All great empires had large armies: the passion for conquest was almost manic. And the rulers of such states at times achieved impressive successes, subjugating vast lands on which giant empires arose. But time passed, and the giant left the historical stage.
First empire
Egypt. 3000-30 BC
This empire lasted three millennia - longer than any other. The state arose, according to the latest data, more than 3000 years BC, and when the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt (2686-2181) took place, the so-called Old Kingdom was formed. The whole life of the country was connected with the Nile River, with its fertile valley and delta by the Mediterranean Sea. Pharaoh ruled Egypt (this word means a food warehouse), governors and officials sat on the ground, and in general public life in the country was quite developed (see "Science and Life" No. 1, 1997 - "The Stone Age was not over yet" - and No. 5, 1997 - "Ancient Egypt. The Pyramid of Power"). The elite of the society included officers, scribes, surveyors and local priests. Pharaoh was considered a living deity, and made all the most important sacrifices himself.
The Egyptians fanatically believed in the afterlife, cultural objects and magnificent buildings - pyramids and temples - were dedicated to it. The walls of the burial chambers interspersed with hieroglyphs told more about the life of the ancient state than other archaeological finds.
The history of Egypt falls into two periods. The first - from the foundation until 332 BC, when Alexander the Great conquered the country. And the second period - the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty - the descendants of one of the generals of Alexander the Great. In 30 BC, Egypt was conquered by a younger and more powerful empire - the Roman.
Cradle of Western Culture
Greece. 700-146 BC
People inhabited the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula tens of thousands of years ago. But only from the 7th century BC it is possible to speak of Greece as a large, culturally homogeneous formation, albeit with reservations: the country was a union of city-states united at the time of an external threat, as, for example, to repel Persian aggression.
Culture, religion and, above all, language were the framework within which the history of this country proceeded. In 510 BC, most of the cities were freed from the autocracy of the kings. Democracy soon began to rule in Athens, but only male citizens had the right to vote.
The state structure, culture and science of Greece became a model and an inexhaustible source of wisdom for almost all the later states of Europe. Already Greek scientists asked themselves about life and the Universe. It was in Greece that the foundations of such sciences as medicine, mathematics, astronomy and philosophy were laid. Greek culture stopped developing when the Romans invaded the country. The decisive battle took place in 146 BC near the city of Corinth, when the troops of the Greek Achaean Union were defeated.
Dominion of the "King of Kings"
Persia. 600-331 BC
In the 7th century BC, the nomadic tribes of the Iranian highlands revolted against Assyrian rule. The victors founded the state of Media, which later, together with Babylonia and other neighboring countries, turned into a world power. By the end of the 6th century BC, it, led by Cyrus II, and then by his successors, who belonged to the Achaemenid dynasty, continued their conquests. In the west, the empire's lands reached the Aegean Sea, in the east, its border passed along the Indus River, in the south, in Africa, the possessions reached the first rapids of the Nile. (Most of Greece was occupied during the Greco-Persian War by the troops of the Persian king Xerxes in 480 BC.)
The monarch was called "King of kings", he stood at the head of the army and was the supreme judge. The possessions were divided into 20 satrapies, where the governor of the king ruled in his name. The subjects spoke four languages: Old Persian, Babylonian, Elamite and Aramaic.
In 331 BC, Alexander the Great defeated the hordes of Darius II, the last of the Achaemenid dynasty. Thus ended the history of this great empire.
Peace and love - for everyone
India. 322-185 BC
Traditions about the history of India and its rulers are very fragmentary. Few data refer to the time when the founder of the religious teachings Buddha lived (566-486 BC), the first real person in the history of India.
In the first half of the 1st millennium BC, many small states arose in the northeastern part of India. One of them - Magadha - has risen thanks to the successful wars of conquest. King Ashoka, who belonged to the Maurya dynasty, expanded his possessions so much that they already occupied almost all of today's India, Pakistan and part of Afghanistan. The tsar was obeyed by officials of the administration and a strong army. At first, Ashoka was known as a cruel commander, but after becoming a follower of the Buddha, he preached peace, love and tolerance and received the nickname "Converted". This king built hospitals, fought against deforestation, and pursued a soft policy towards his people. His decrees that have come down to us, carved on rocks, columns, are the oldest, accurately dated epigraphic monuments in India, telling about government, social relations, religion and culture.
Even before his rise, Ashoka divided the population into four castes. The first two were privileged - priests and soldiers. The invasion of the Bactrian Greeks and internal strife in the country led the empire to disintegration.
The beginning of more than two thousand years of history
China. 221-210 BC
During the period called Zhanyu in the history of China, the many years of struggle waged by many small kingdoms brought victory to the Qin kingdom. It united the conquered lands and in 221 BC formed the first Chinese empire led by Qin Shi-Huangdi. The emperor carried out reforms that strengthened the young state. The country was divided into districts, military garrisons were established to maintain order and tranquility, a network of roads and canals was built, the same education was introduced for officials, and a single monetary system operated throughout the kingdom. The monarch approved an order in which people were obliged to work where the interests and needs of the state required it. Even such an interesting law was introduced: all carts must have an equal distance between the wheels so that they move along the same tracks. In the same reign, the Great Wall of China was created: it connected the separate sections of defensive structures built earlier by the northern kingdoms.
In 210, Qing Shi-huangdi died. But subsequent dynasties left the foundations of empire building, laid by its founder, intact. In any case, the last dynasty of emperors of China ceased to exist at the beginning of our century, and the borders of the state remain practically unchanged to this day.
An army that protects order
Rome. 509 BC - 330 AD
In 509 BC, the Romans expelled the Etruscan king Tarquinius the Proud from Rome. Rome became a republic. By 264 BC, her troops captured the entire Apennine Peninsula. After that, expansion began in all directions of the world, and by 117 AD, the state stretched its borders from west to east - from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caspian Sea, and from south to north - from the rapids of the Nile and the coast of all North Africa to the borders with Scotland and along the lower course of the Danube.
For 500 years, Rome was ruled by two annually elected consuls and a senate in charge of state property and finance, foreign policy, military affairs and religion.
In 30 BC, Rome becomes an empire led by Caesar, and in essence - a monarch. The first Caesar was Augustus. A large and well-trained army participated in the construction of a huge network of roads, their total length is more than 80,000 kilometers. Excellent roads made the army very mobile and made it possible to quickly reach the most remote corners of the empire. The proconsuls appointed by Rome in the provinces - governors and officials loyal to Caesar also helped to keep the country from disintegration. This was facilitated by the settlements of soldiers who served in the conquered lands.
The Roman state, unlike many other giants of the past, fully corresponded to the concept of "empire". It also became a model for future contenders for world domination. European countries inherited much from the culture of Rome, as well as the principles of building parliaments and political parties.
The uprisings of peasants, slaves and urban plebs, the ever-increasing pressure of the Germanic and other barbarian tribes from the north forced the emperor Constantine I to move the capital of the state to the city of Byzantium, later called Constantinople. This happened in 330 AD. After Constantine, the Roman Empire was actually divided into two - Western and Eastern, which were ruled by two emperors.
Christianity - the stronghold of the empire
Byzantium. 330-1453 AD
Byzantium arose from the eastern remnants of the Roman Empire. The capital was Constantinople, founded by Emperor Constantine I in 324-330 on the site of the colony of Byzantium (hence the name of the state). From that moment on, the isolation of Byzantium began in the bowels of the Roman Empire. The Christian religion, which became the ideological foundation of the empire and the stronghold of Orthodoxy, played an important role in the life of this state.
Byzantium has existed for over a thousand years. It achieved its political and military power during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, in the 6th century AD. It was then, with a strong army, that Byzantium conquered the western and southern lands of the former Roman Empire. But within these limits the empire did not last long. In 1204, under the blows of the crusaders, Constantinople fell, which never rose again, and in 1453 the capital of Byzantium was captured by the Ottoman Turks.
In the name of Allah
Arab Caliphate. 600-1258 AD
The sermons of the Prophet Muhammad laid the foundation for a religious and political movement in Western Arabia. Called "Islam", it contributed to the creation of a centralized state in Arabia. Soon, however, as a result of successful conquests, a vast Muslim empire, the Caliphate, was born. This map shows the largest scale of Arab conquests, who fought under the green banner of Islam. In the East, the western part of India was part of the Caliphate. The Arab world has left indelible traces in the history of mankind, in literature, mathematics and astronomy.
From the beginning of the 9th century, the Caliphate gradually began to fall apart - the weakness of economic ties, the vastness of the territories subordinate to the Arabs, which had their own culture and traditions, did not contribute to unity. In 1258, the Mongols conquered Baghdad and the Caliphate split into several Arab states.
1. British Empire (42.75 million km²)Highest flowering - 1918
The British Empire (English British Empire) - the largest ever existing state in the history of mankind with colonies on all inhabited continents. The empire reached its largest area in the mid-30s of the XX century, then the lands of the United Kingdom extended over 34,650,407 km² (including 8 million km² of uninhabited land), which is about 22% of the earth's land mass. The total population of the empire was approximately 480 million people (approximately one fourth of humanity). It is the legacy of Pax Britannica that explains the role of English as the most widely spoken language in the world in the fields of transport and commerce.
2. Mongol Empire (38.0 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1270-1368.
The Mongol Empire (Mongolian Mongolian ezent geren; middle Mong. ᠶᠡᠺᠡ ᠮᠣᠨᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ, Yeke Mongγol ulus - the Great Mongol state, Mongolian Mongol ulus) is a state that emerged in the XIII century as a result of the conquests of Chinggis Khan and his successors and included the very the largest in world history adjacent territory from the Danube to the Sea of Japan and from Novgorod to Southeast Asia (an area of about 38,000,000 square kilometers). Karakorum became the capital of the state.
During its heyday, it included vast territories of Central Asia, Southern Siberia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, China and Tibet. In the second half of the 13th century, the empire began to disintegrate into uluses, headed by the Chingizids. The largest fragments of Great Mongolia were the Yuan Empire, the Jochi Ulus (Golden Horde), the Hulaguid state and the Chagatai ulus. The Great Khan Khubilai, who (1271) took the title of Emperor Yuan and moved the capital to Khanbalik, claimed supremacy over all uluses. By the beginning of the XIV century, the formal unity of the empire was restored in the form of a federation of virtually independent states.
In the last quarter of the XIV century, the Mongol Empire ceased to exist.
3. Russian Empire (22.8 million km²)
Highest flowering - 1866
The Russian Empire (Russian pre-ref. Russian Empire; also the All-Russian Empire, the Russian state or Russia) is a state that existed from October 22 (2) November 1721 until the February Revolution and the proclamation of the republic in 1917 by the Provisional Government.
The empire was proclaimed on October 22 (2) November 1721 following the results of the Northern War, when, at the request of the senators, the Russian Tsar Peter I the Great accepted the titles of Emperor of All Russia and Father of the Fatherland.
The capital of the Russian Empire from 1721 to 1728 and from 1730 to 1917 was St. Petersburg, and in 1728-1730 Moscow.
The Russian Empire was the third largest state that ever existed (after the British and Mongolian empires) - it stretched to the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Black Sea in the south, to the Baltic Sea in the west and the Pacific Ocean in the east. The head of the empire - the emperor of all Russia, had unlimited, absolute power until 1905.
On September 1 (14), 1917, Alexander Kerensky proclaimed the country a republic (although this issue was within the competence of the Constituent Assembly; on January 5 (18), 1918, the Constituent Assembly also declared Russia a republic). However, the legislative body of the empire - the State Duma - was dissolved only on October 6 (19), 1917.
The geographical position of the Russian Empire: 35 ° 38'17 "- 77 ° 36'40" north latitude and 17 ° 38 "east longitude - 169 ° 44" west longitude. The territory of the Russian Empire by the end of the 19th century - 21.8 million km² (that is, 1/6 of the land) - it ranked second (and third ever) in the world, after the British Empire. The article does not take into account the territory of Alaska, which was part of it from 1744 to 1867 and occupied an area of 1,717,854 km².
The regional reform of Peter I for the first time divides Russia into provinces, streamlining management, supplying the army with provisions and recruits from the localities, and improving tax collection. Initially, the country is divided into 8 provinces, headed by governors, endowed with judicial and administrative powers.
The provincial reform of Catherine II divides the empire into 50 provinces, divided into counties (about 500 in total). State and judicial chambers, other state and social institutions have been created to help the governors. The governors were subordinate to the senate. At the head of the county is a police captain (elected by the county noble assembly).
By 1914, the empire was divided into 78 provinces, 21 regions and 2 independent districts, where 931 cities are located. Russia includes the following territories of modern states: all CIS countries (excluding the Kaliningrad region and the southern part of the Sakhalin region of the Russian Federation; Ivano-Frankovsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi regions of Ukraine); eastern and central Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Lithuania (excluding the Memel region), several Turkish and Chinese regions. Some of the provinces and regions were united into the general governorship (Kiev, Caucasian, Siberian, Turkestan, East Siberian, Amur, Moscow). The Bukhara and Khiva khanates were official vassals, the Uryankhai region is under a protectorate. For 123 years (from 1744 to 1867), the Russian Empire also owned Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, as well as part of the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada.
According to the general census of 1897, the population was 129.2 million. The distribution of the population by territories was as follows: European Russia - 94,244.1 thousand people, Poland - 9456.1 thousand people, the Caucasus - 9354.8 thousand people, Siberia - 5784.5 thousand people, Average Asia - 7747.1 thousand people, Finland - 2555.5 thousand people.
4. Soviet Union (22.4 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1945-1990
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also the USSR, the Soviet Union is a state that existed from 1922 to 1991 on the territory of Eastern Europe, Northern, part of Central and Eastern Asia. The USSR occupied almost 1/6 of the Earth's inhabited land area; at the time of the collapse, it was the largest country in the world in terms of area. It was formed on the territory that by 1917 was occupied by the Russian Empire without Finland, part of the Polish kingdom and some other territories.
According to the 1977 Constitution, the USSR was proclaimed as a single union multinational socialist state.
After World War II, the USSR had land borders with Afghanistan, Hungary, Iran, China, North Korea (since September 9, 1948), Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Finland, Czechoslovakia and sea borders with the USA, Sweden and Japan.
The USSR was created on December 30, 1922 by uniting the RSFSR, the Ukrainian SSR, the Byelorussian SSR and the Transcaucasian SFSR into one state association with a uniform government, the capital in Moscow, executive and judicial authorities, legislative and legal systems. In 1941, the USSR entered World War II, and after it, along with the United States, was a superpower. The Soviet Union dominated the world socialist system and was also a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
The collapse of the USSR was characterized by a sharp confrontation between representatives of the central union government and the newly elected local authorities (Supreme Soviets, presidents of the union republics). In 1989-1990, the "parade of sovereignties" began. On March 17, 1991, an All-Union referendum on the preservation of the USSR was held in 9 out of 15 republics of the USSR, in which more than two-thirds of the citizens who voted spoke in favor of preserving the renewed union. But after the August putsch and the events that followed it, the preservation of the USSR as a state entity became virtually impossible, as stated in the Agreement on the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States, signed on December 8, 1991. The USSR officially ceased to exist on December 26, 1991. At the end of 1991, the Russian Federation was recognized as the successor state of the USSR in international legal relations and took its place in the UN Security Council.
5. Spanish Empire (20.0 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1790
The Spanish Empire (Spanish Imperio Español) - a set of territories and colonies that were under the direct control of Spain in Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. The Spanish Empire, at the height of its power, was one of the largest empires in world history. Its creation is associated with the beginning of the era of the great geographical discoveries, during which it became one of the first colonial empires. The Spanish Empire existed from the 15th century until (in the case of African possessions) the end of the 20th century. The Spanish territories united in the late 1480s with a union of Catholic kings: King of Aragon and Queen of Castile. Despite the fact that the monarchs continued to rule each of their lands, their foreign policy was common. In 1492, they captured Granada and completed the Reconquista in the Iberian Peninsula against the Moors. The entry of Granada into the Kingdom of Castile completed the unification of the Spanish lands, despite the fact that Spain was still divided into two kingdoms. In the same year, Christopher Columbus carried out the first Spanish exploration expedition westward across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the New World to Europeans and creating the first overseas colonies of Spain there. From that moment on, the Western Hemisphere became the main target of Spanish exploration and colonization.
In the 16th century, the Spaniards created settlements on the islands of the Caribbean Sea, and the conquistadors destroyed such states as the empires of the Aztecs and Incas on the mainland, respectively, of the Americas, taking advantage of the contradictions between local peoples and applying higher military technologies. Subsequent expeditions expanded the empire from present-day Canada to the southern tip of South America, including the Falkland Islands or the Malvinas Islands. In 1519, the First Round the World Journey began, which began by Fernand Magellan in 1519 and completed by Juan Sebastian Elcano in 1522, with the aim of achieving what Columbus had failed, namely the western route to Asia, and as a result included the Far East in Spain's sphere of influence. ... Colonies were established in Guam, the Philippines and nearby islands. During its Siglo de Oro, the Spanish Empire included the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, a significant part of Italy, lands in Germany and France, colonies in Africa, Asia and Oceania, as well as large territories in the Americas. In the 17th century, Spain controlled an empire of this magnitude, and its parts were so far removed from each other that no one had been able to achieve before.
In the late 16th - early 17th centuries, expeditions were undertaken in search of Terra Australis, during which a number of archipelagos and islands in the South Pacific were discovered, including the Pitcairn Islands, the Marquesas Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, which were declared the property of the Spanish crown, but were not successfully colonized by it. Many of Spain's European possessions were lost after the War of Spanish Succession in 1713, but Spain retained its overseas territories. In 1741, an important victory over Great Britain at Cartagena (present-day Colombia) extended Spanish hegemony in America into the 19th century. In the late 18th century, Spanish expeditions in the northwestern Pacific reached the coasts of Canada and Alaska, establishing a settlement on Vancouver Island and discovering several archipelagos and glaciers.
The French occupation of Spain by the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1808 led to the fact that the colonies of Spain became cut off from the metropolis, and the subsequent movement for independence in 1810-1825 led to the creation of a number of new independent Spanish-American republics in South and Central America. Remnants of the Spanish, 400-year-old empire, including Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Spanish East Indies, remained under Spanish control until the late 19th century, when most of these territories were annexed by the United States following the Spanish-American War. The remaining Pacific Islands were sold to Germany in 1899.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Spain still continued to hold only territories in Africa, Spanish Guinea, Spanish Sahara and Spanish Morocco. Spain left Morocco in 1956 and granted independence to Equatorial Guinea in 1968. When Spain left the Spanish Sahara in 1976, this colony was immediately annexed by Morocco and Mauritania, and then in 1980 - completely Morocco, although technically, by the decision of the UN, this territory remains under control of the Spanish administration. Today, Spain has only the Canary Islands and two enclaves on the North African coast, Ceuta and Melilla, which are administratively parts of Spain.
6. Qing Dynasty (14.7 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1790
The Great Qing State (Daicing gurun.svg daqing gurun, Chinese trad. 大 清 國, pall .: Da Qing Guo) is a multinational empire created and ruled by the Manchus, which later included China. According to traditional Chinese historiography - the last dynasty of monarchical China. It was founded in 1616 by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro in the territory of Manchuria, now called northeastern China. Less than 30 years later, the whole of China, part of Mongolia and part of Central Asia came under its rule.
Initially, the dynasty was called "Jin" (金 - gold), in traditional Chinese historiography "Hou Jin" (後 金 - Late Jin), after the Jin empire - the former state of the Jurchen, from which the Manchus derived themselves. In 1636 the name was changed to "Qing" (清 - "pure"). In the first half of the 18th century. The Qing government managed to establish effective governance of the country, one of the results of which was that in this century, the fastest growing population was observed in China. The Qing court pursued a policy of self-isolation, which ultimately led to the fact that in the 19th century. China, which was part of the Qing empire, was forcibly opened by the Western powers.
Subsequent cooperation with the Western powers allowed the dynasty to avoid collapse during the Taiping uprising, to carry out relatively successful modernization, etc. existed until the beginning of the 20th century, but it also served as the reason for the growing nationalist (anti-Manchurian) sentiments.
As a result of the Xinhai Revolution, which began in 1911, the Qing Empire was destroyed, the Republic of China was proclaimed - the national state of the Han people. Empress Dowager Longyu abdicated the throne on behalf of the then-young last emperor, Pu Yi, on February 12, 1912.
7. Russian kingdom (14.5 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1721
The Russian kingdom or in the Byzantine version the Russian kingdom is a Russian state that existed between 1547 and 1721. The name "Russian kingdom" was the official name of Russia in this historical period. The name was also official.
In 1547, the sovereign of all Russia and the great prince of Moscow Ivan IV the Terrible was crowned tsar and took the full title: “Great sovereign, by God's grace, the king and grand duke of all Russia, Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, Pskov, Ryazan, Tver, Yugorsky, Perm, Vyattsky, Bulgarian and others ", later, with the expansion of the borders of the Russian state, to the title was added" Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Siberia "," and the sovereign of all Northern countries. "
By title, the Russian kingdom was preceded by the Grand Duchy of Moscow, and the Russian Empire became its successor. In historiography, there is also a tradition of periodization of Russian history, according to which it is customary to talk about the emergence of a single and independent centralized Russian state during the reign of Ivan III the Great. The idea of uniting the Russian lands (including those that ended up in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland after the Mongol invasion) and restoring the Old Russian state was traced throughout the entire existence of the Russian state and was inherited by the Russian Empire.
8. Yuan Dynasty (14.0 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1310
Empire (in the Chinese tradition - dynasty) Yuan (Their Yuan ul.PNG Mong. Their Yuan Uls, Great Yuan State, Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus.PNG Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus; Chinese simpl. 元朝, pinyin: Yuáncháo; Vietn. Nhà Nguyên (Nguyên triều), House (Dynasty) Nguyen) is a Mongol state, the main part of which was China (1271-1368). Founded by the grandson of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Khan Kublai, who completed the conquest of China in 1279. The dynasty fell as a result of the Red Armbands revolt in 1351-68. The official Chinese history of this dynasty was recorded during the subsequent Ming dynasty and is called "Yuan shi".
9. Umayyad Caliphate (13.0 million km²)
The highest flowering - 720-750 years.
The Umayyads (Arabic: الأمويون) or Banu Umayyah (Arabic: بنو أمية) were a dynasty of caliphs founded by Muawiyah in 661. The Umayyads of the Sufyanid and Marwanid branches ruled in the Damascus Caliphate until the middle of the 8th century. In 750, as a result of the uprising of Abu Muslim, their dynasty was overthrown by the Abbasids, and all the Umayyads were destroyed, except for the grandson of the caliph Hisham Abd al-Rahman, who founded the dynasty in Spain (the Kordovsky Caliphate). The ancestor of the dynasty was Omaya ibn Abdshams, the son of Abdshams ibn Abdmanaf and a cousin of Abdulmuttalib. Abdshams and Hashim were twin brothers.
10. Second French colonial empire (13.0 million km²)
Highest flowering - 1938
Evolution of the French Colonial Empire (year indicated in the upper left corner):
The French colonial empire (fr. L'Empire colonial français) - the totality of the colonial possessions of France in the period between 1546-1962. Like the British Empire, France had colonial territories in all regions of the world, but its colonial policy was significantly different from that of Britain. Remnants of the once vast colonial empire are the modern overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, etc.) and a special sui generis territory (the island of New Caledonia). The modern legacy of the French colonial era is also the union of the French-speaking countries (Francophonie).
The area of our planet is about 510.073 million km². An area of 361.132 million km ² is occupied by water, that is, 71.8% of the total area of the planet. Land occupies 148.94 million km², that is, 29.2% of the planet's area. Almost half of all land is occupied by the 12 largest countries in the world. In our rating, we will briefly tell you about these countries, what area they occupy, and what role they play on the geographical map of the world.
12
The twelfth place in the list of the largest countries in the world is occupied by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - the largest state on the Arabian Peninsula. This country covers an area equal to 2.218 million km², which is approximately 1.4% of the total land area on the planet. Administratively it is divided into 13 provinces (103 districts). Saudi Arabia shares borders with many countries: Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen. It is washed by the Persian Gulf in the northeast and the Red Sea in the west. Saudi Arabia's economy is based on oil exports, as it has 25% of the world's reserves.
11
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second largest country on the African continent with an area of approximately 2.345 million kilometers km², which is approximately 1.57% of the total land mass on earth. In the southwest, it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, bordered by Angola, Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia. The country is divided into 26 provinces. The country has the world's largest reserves of cobalt, germanium, tantalum, diamonds, Africa's largest reserves of uranium, tungsten, copper, zinc, tin, significant deposits of oil, coal, ores, iron, manganese, gold and silver. Large resources of hydropower and forests.
10
The Algerian People's Democratic Republic is the largest state on the African continent, with an area of about 2.381 million km², which is about 1.59% of the total land area. Algeria shares borders with Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya and Tunisia. About 80% of the country's territory is occupied by the Sahara Desert, which consists of separate sandy and rocky deserts. Algeria possesses such natural resources as ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores, manganese and phosphorite. The backbone of the Algerian economy is gas and oil. They account for 30% of GDP, 60% of the state budget revenue and 95% of export earnings. In terms of gas reserves, Algeria ranks 8th in the world and 4th in the world in terms of gas exports. Algeria ranks 15th in the world in terms of oil reserves and 11th in terms of its exports.
9
On the ninth line of the list of the largest countries is the Republic of Kazakhstan - a state located in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. The country's territory has an area of about 2.725 million km², which is approximately 1.82% of the total land area on the planet. Kazakhstan is the largest country in the world that does not have access to the World Ocean. It shares borders with the Russian Federation, China, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Washed by the waters of the Caspian and Aral seas. It is divided into 14 regions according to the administrative-territorial basis. Kazakhstan ranks first in the world in terms of proven reserves of zinc, tungsten and barite, second - silver, lead and chromite, third - copper and fluorite, fourth - molybdenum, sixth - gold.
8
The Argentine Republic is the second largest state in South America with an area of about 2.767 million km², which is approximately 1.85% of the entire land area of our planet. It shares borders with Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay. In the east it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Argentina is a federal republic divided into 23 provinces and 1 federal metropolitan area. The country is distinguished by reserves of uranium, manganese, copper ores, beryllium; there are lead-zinc, tungsten and iron ores. In terms of uranium ore reserves, Argentina is one of the ten leading countries in the world.
7
The Republic of India is a state in South Asia with a territory of about 3.287 million km², which is approximately 2.2% of the total land area. India shares borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The country consists of 25 states and 7 union territories. The Indian subcontinent is home to many ancient civilizations and religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. India's main natural resources are arable land, bauxite, coal, diamonds, iron ore, limestone, manganese, gas, oil and titanium ores. The main exports are textiles, jewelry, engineering products and software. The main imports are oil, machinery, fertilizers and chemicals.
6
Australia is a state in the Southern Hemisphere, occupying the mainland Australia, the island of Tasmania and several other islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, which in total is about 7.692 million km² or 5.16% of the entire land area. The country is bordered by Timor Leste, Indonesia, Guinea, Vanuatu, Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Zealand. Australia consists of six states, three mainland territories and other smaller territories. Australia's natural resource potential is 20 times higher than the global average. The country ranks 1st in the world in terms of bauxite, zirconium and uranium reserves, and 6th in coal reserves. It has significant reserves of manganese, gold, diamonds and minor deposits of oil and natural gas.
5
The Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest state in South America in terms of area and covers approximately 8.514 million km², which is about 5.71% of the total land area. It shares borders with all states of South America, except Chile and Ecuador: French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. From the east, the shores are washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Brazil also includes several archipelagos. Brazil is divided into 26 states and 1 federal district. More than 40 types of minerals are mined in Brazil. The most significant are iron and manganese ores. Brazil is a supplier of strategic raw materials: tungsten, niobium, zirconium, etc. The Amazon has significant reserves of gold.
4
The United States of America is in fourth place in the list of the largest countries in the world with approximately 9.519 million km² of occupied area, which is about 6.39% of all land on earth. The United States shares borders with Canada and Mexico, and also has a maritime border with Russia. They are washed by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Administratively, the country is divided into 50 states and the District of Columbia; a number of island territories are also subordinate to the United States. On the territory of the uninhabited atoll of Palmyra, the US Constitution is in force. The rest of the territories have their own basic legislation. The largest such area is Puerto Rico. The United States is the largest economy in the world with many natural resources, including energy and raw materials.
3
The three largest countries in the world are closed by the People's Republic of China with approximately 9.597 million km² or 6.44% of all land on the planet. China is the largest country in terms of population (1.3 billion), and the Chinese civilization is one of the oldest in the world. The country borders on the DPRK, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Washed by the waters of the western seas of the Pacific Ocean. The People's Republic of China is divided into 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2 special administrative regions. China is rich in fuel and raw materials. The reserves of oil, coal, metal ores and precious metals are of great importance.
2
The second place is occupied by the northern neighbor of the United States, Canada, with an area of 9.985 million km², or 6.7% of the total land area. The country has borders with the USA, Denmark (Greenland) and France (Saint-Pierre and Miquelon). Canada's border with the United States is the longest common border in the world. It is washed by the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. Canada is divided into 10 provinces and 3 territories. Canada is one of the richest and one of the ten most trading countries in the world. The country is a net exporter of energy, with huge deposits of natural gas and oil in Alberta and the Athabasca region, making Canada the second largest oil reserves country in the world after Saudi Arabia.
1
The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world and with 17.152 million km², or about 11.5% of the world's land mass, is almost twice the size of Canada. It is subdivided into 87 administrative-territorial units, 46 of which are regions, 23 - republics, 9 - territories, 4 - federal cities, 4 - autonomous districts and 1 - autonomous region. Russia shares borders with 18 countries: Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Abkhazia, Georgia, South Ossetia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, North Korea. Russia possesses the world's largest proven natural gas reserves and is also the largest producer of it. The country is in the top three in terms of the volume of oil produced, and in terms of its export it takes the second place. There are large deposits of coal, iron ore, nickel, tin, gold, diamonds, platinum, lead and zinc.
The history of mankind is a continuous struggle for territorial domination. Great empires appeared on the political map of the world, then disappeared from it. Some of them were destined to leave an indelible mark after themselves.
Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire, 550 - 330 BC)
Cyrus II is considered the creator of the Persian Empire. He began his conquests in 550 BC. e. from the submission of Media, after which Armenia, Parthia, Cappadocia and the Lydian kingdom were conquered. Did not become an obstacle to the expansion of the empire of Cyrus and Babylon, whose powerful walls fell in 539 BC. e.
Conquering neighboring territories, the Persians tried not to destroy the conquered cities, but, if possible, to preserve them. Cyrus restored captured Jerusalem, like many Phoenician cities, facilitating the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity.
The Persian Empire under Cyrus spread its possessions from Central Asia to the Aegean Sea. Only Egypt remained unconquered. The land of the pharaohs submitted to the heir of Cyrus Kambiz II. However, the empire reached its heyday under Darius I, who switched from conquests to domestic politics. In particular, the king divided the empire into 20 satrapies, which completely coincided with the territories of the captured states.
In 330 BC. e. The weakening Persian Empire fell under the onslaught of the troops of Alexander the Great.
Roman Empire (27 BC - 476)
Ancient Rome was the first state in which the ruler received the title of emperor. Beginning with Octavian Augustus, the 500-year history of the Roman Empire had the most direct impact on European civilization, and also left a cultural mark in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East.
The uniqueness of Ancient Rome is that it was the only state whose possession included the entire Mediterranean coast.
During the heyday of the Roman Empire, its territories stretched from the British Isles to the Persian Gulf. According to historians, by 117 AD the population of the empire reached 88 million people, which was approximately 25% of the total population of the planet.
Architecture, construction, art, law, economics, military affairs, the principles of the state structure of Ancient Rome - this is what the foundation of the entire European civilization is based on. It was in imperial Rome that Christianity assumed the status of a state religion and began to spread throughout the world.
Byzantine Empire (395 - 1453)
The Byzantine Empire has no equal in the duration of its history. Born at the end of antiquity, it lasted until the end of the European Middle Ages. For more than a thousand years, Byzantium was a kind of connecting link between the civilizations of the East and West, influencing both the states of Europe and Asia Minor.
But if the Western European and Middle Eastern countries inherited the richest material culture of Byzantium, then the Old Russian state turned out to be the successor of its spirituality. Constantinople fell, but the Orthodox world found its new capital in Moscow.
Located at the crossroads of trade routes, wealthy Byzantium was a coveted land for neighboring states. Having reached its maximum borders in the first centuries after the collapse of the Roman Empire, then it was forced to defend its possessions. In 1453, Byzantium could not resist a more powerful enemy - the Ottoman Empire. With the capture of Constantinople, the road to Europe was opened for the Turks.
Arab Caliphate (632-1258)
As a result of Muslim conquests in the 7th-9th centuries, the theocratic Islamic state of the Arab Caliphate arose on the territory of the entire Middle East region, as well as individual regions of the Caucasus, Central Asia, North Africa and Spain. The period of the Caliphate went down in history as the "Golden Age of Islam" as the time of the highest flowering of Islamic science and culture.
One of the caliphs of the Arab state, Umar I, purposefully consolidated the character of a militant church for the Caliphate, encouraging religious zeal in his subordinates and forbidding them to own land property in the conquered countries. Umar motivated this by the fact that "the interests of the landowner are more attracting him to peaceful activities than to war."
In 1036, the invasion of the Seljuk Turks turned out to be disastrous for the Caliphate, but the Mongols completed the defeat of the Islamic state.
Caliph An-Nasir, wishing to expand his possessions, turned to Genghis Khan for help, and unknowingly opened the way for the ruin of the Muslim East of the Mongol horde of many thousands.
Mongol Empire (1206-1368)
The Mongol Empire is the largest state entity in history in terms of territory.
During the period of its power - by the end of the XIII century, the empire stretched from the Sea of Japan to the banks of the Danube. The total area of the Mongols' possessions reached 38 million square meters. km.
Given the immense size of the empire, it was almost impossible to rule from the capital - Karakorum. It is no coincidence that after the death of Genghis Khan in 1227, the process of gradual division of the conquered territories into separate uluses began, the most significant of which was the Golden Horde.
The economic policy of the Mongols in the occupied lands was primitive: its essence boiled down to imposing tribute on the conquered peoples. All that was collected went to support the needs of a huge army, according to some sources, reaching half a million people. The Mongol cavalry was the most deadly weapon of the Chingizids, before which few armies could resist.
The empire was destroyed by inter-dynastic strife - it was they who stopped the expansion of the Mongols to the West. This was soon followed by the loss of the conquered territories and the seizure by the troops of the Ming dynasty of Karakorum.
Holy Roman Empire (962-1806)
The Holy Roman Empire is an interstate entity that existed in Europe from 962 to 1806. The core of the empire was Germany, which was joined by the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, as well as some regions of France during the period of the highest prosperity of the state.
Almost the entire period of the empire's existence, its structure had the character of a theocratic feudal state, in which the emperors claimed supreme power in the Christian world. However, the struggle with the papal throne and the desire to control Italy significantly weakened the central authority of the empire.
In the 17th century, Austria and Prussia came to the fore in the Holy Roman Empire. But very soon the antagonism of the two influential members of the empire, resulting in a policy of conquest, threatened the integrity of their common home. The end of the empire in 1806 was laid by the growing France led by Napoleon.
Ottoman Empire (1299-1922)
In 1299, a Turkic state was created in the Middle East by Osman I, which was destined to exist for more than 600 years and radically influence the fate of the countries of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 was the date when the Ottoman Empire finally took root in Europe.
The period of the greatest power of the Ottoman Empire falls on the 16th-17th centuries, but the state achieved the greatest conquests under the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
The borders of the empire of Suleiman I stretched from Eritrea in the south to the Commonwealth in the north, from Algeria in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east.
The period from the end of the 16th to the beginning of the 20th century was marked by bloody military conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. Territorial disputes between the two states mainly developed around the Crimea and Transcaucasia. They were put to an end by the First World War, as a result of which the Ottoman Empire, divided between the Entente countries, ceased to exist.
British Empire (1497-1949)
The British Empire is the largest colonial power in terms of both territory and population.
The empire reached its largest scale by the 30s of the XX century: the land area of the United Kingdom, together with the colonies, totaled 34 million 650 thousand square meters. km., which was approximately 22% of the earth's land. The total population of the empire reached 480 million people - every fourth inhabitant of the Earth was a subject of the British crown.
Many factors contributed to the success of British colonial policy: a strong army and navy, developed industry, and the art of diplomacy. The expansion of the empire had a significant impact on world geopolitics. First of all, this is the spread throughout the world of British technology, trade, language, as well as forms of government.
Decolonization of Britain took place after the end of World War II. Although the country was among the winning states, it was on the verge of bankruptcy. Thanks to an American loan of 3.5 billion dollars alone, Great Britain was able to overcome the crisis, but at the same time it lost its world domination and all its colonies.
Russian Empire (1721-1917)
The history of the Russian Empire dates back to October 22, 1721 after Peter I accepted the title of All-Russian Emperor. From that time until 1905, the monarch who became the head of the state was endowed with absolute power.
In terms of area, the Russian Empire was second only to the Mongol and British empires - 21,799,825 sq. km, and was the second (after the British) in terms of population - about 178 million people.
Constant expansion of the territory is a characteristic feature of the Russian Empire. But if the advance to the east was mostly peaceful, then in the west and south Russia had to prove its territorial claims through numerous wars - with Sweden, the Commonwealth, the Ottoman Empire, Persia, the British Empire.
The growth of the Russian Empire has always been perceived with particular caution by the West. The negative perception of Russia was promoted by the appearance of the so-called "Testament of Peter the Great" - a document fabricated in 1812 by French political circles. "The Russian state must establish power over all of Europe" - this is one of the key phrases of the Testament, which will excite the minds of Europeans for a long time to come.