The Khmer Empire: Map & History
The grand hydraulic civilization of mainland Southeast Asia that constructed Angkor Wat, the largest religious temple monument on Earth.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Khmer Empire was an empire in mainland Southeast Asia, centred on hydraulic cities in what is now northern Cambodia. Known as Kambuja by its inhabitants, it grew out of the former civilisation of Chenla and lasted from 802 to 1431 AD. Historians call this period of Cambodian history the Angkor period, after the empire's most well-known capital, Angkor. The Khmer Empire ruled or vassalised most of Mainland Southeast Asia and stretched as far north as southern China.
Modern Countries Once Part of The Khmer Empire
At its mapped extent, The Khmer Empire covered territory in 4 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Cambodia806–1867 CE · nearly all
- Laos806–1362 CE · most
- Thailand806–1374 CE · most
- Vietnam806–1699 CE · a large part
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside The Khmer Empire's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
The Khmer Empire in Depth
History
According to an Sdok Kok Thom temple inscription, around 781 the Khmer prince Jayavarman II established Indrapura as the capital of his domain. It was located in Banteay Prey Nokor, near today's Kampong Cham. After returning to his home in the former kingdom of Chenla, he quickly built up his influence and defeated a series of competing kings. In 790 he became king of an empire called Kambuja by the Khmer. He then moved his court northwest to Mahendraparvata, far inland north from the great lake of Tonlé Sap.
Jayavarman II (reigned 802–835) is widely regarded as the king who set the foundations of the Angkor period. According to the Baksei Chamkrong inscription, dated to 947, he was born in the lineage of Rudravarman.
Culture and society
Much of what is known about Kambuja comes from the bas-reliefs of Angkor's temples and the first-hand accounts of Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan (The Customs of Cambodia), which provide information on 13th-century Cambodia and earlier. The bas-reliefs, such as those in the Bayon, describe everyday life in the ancient Khmer kingdom, including scenes of palace life, naval battles on the river and lakes, and common scenes of the marketplace.
The ancient Khmers were a traditional agricultural community, relying heavily on rice farming. The farmers, who formed the majority of the kingdom's population, planted rice near the banks of the lake or river, in the irrigated plains surrounding their villages, or in the hills when the lowlands were flooded.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Khmer Empire (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Khmer Empire Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which The Khmer Empire appears, with the other states of the time.
Imperial History & Territorial Expansion
Founded in 802 CE by Jayavarman II on Phnom Kulen through the ritual declaration of the Devaraja (God-King), the Khmer Empire ruled across modern Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and southern Vietnam. The genius of Angkor lay in its mastery of water: an intricate hydraulic network of massive reservoirs (Barays), moats, and canals capable of harvesting monsoon rains and irrigating multiple rice harvests annually. This wealth enabled Suryavarman II to build Angkor Wat and Jayavarman VII to construct the Bayon and hundreds of hospitals.
Khmer Empire Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Ritual on Mount Mahendra marks the birth of the unified Khmer Empire.
Construction begins on Angkor Wat dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu.
Expulsion of the Cham invaders and transformation of Angkor into a Buddhist capital.
Khmer court relocates south to Phnom Penh following prolonged siege.
Key Monarchs, Architects & Strategists
Enduring Planetary Legacy
- ✓Angkor Wat, recognized by UNESCO as the largest religious structure in world history
- ✓The vast hydraulic engineering grid of the East and West Barays, holding tens of millions of cubic meters of water
- ✓The Bayon temple and its 216 giant smiling stone faces of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
- ✓The network of 102 imperial resthouses (Firehouses) and hospital infirmaries connected by stone-paved highways
Khmer Empire: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Khmer Empire exist?
The Khmer Empire is dated to 802 CE – 1431 CE (Peak: 1150 CE), in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Khmer Empire?
The capital of the Khmer Empire was Yasodharapura (Angkor), Hariharalaya, Koh Ker.
How large was the Khmer Empire at its peak?
At its peak in 1150 AD the Khmer Empire covered about 1,000,000 km².
How did the map of the Khmer Empire change over time?
The Khmer Empire appears on 11 dated world maps in the atlas, from 900 CE to 1850 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Geographic Lifelines
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Cusco
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Niani, Kangaba