Yuezhi: Map & History
The Yuezhi were an ancient people first described in Chinese histories as nomadic pastoralists living in an arid grassland area in the western part of the modern Chinese province of Gansu, during the 1st millennium BC.
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The Yuezhi were an ancient people first described in Chinese histories as nomadic pastoralists living in an arid grassland area in the western part of the modern Chinese province of Gansu, during the 1st millennium BC. After a major defeat at the hands of the Xiongnu in 176 BC, the Yuezhi split into two groups migrating in different directions: the Greater Yuezhi and Lesser Yuezhi. This started a complex domino effect that radiated in all directions and, in the process, set the course of history for much of Asia for centuries to come.
Modern Countries Once Part of Yuezhi
At its mapped extent, Yuezhi covered territory in 6 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Tajikistan126 BCE – 42 CE · nearly all
- Kyrgyzstan404–111 BCE · most
- Uzbekistan144 BCE – 42 CE · most
- Afghanistan126 BCE – 42 CE · a large part
- Kazakhstan404–111 BCE · a small part
- China404–171 BCE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Yuezhi'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.
Yuezhi Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Yuezhi appears, with the other states of the time.
Yuezhi Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 916,154 km² in 268 BCE.
Yuezhi: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Yuezhi exist?
Yuezhi is dated to 404 BCE – 42 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
How large was Yuezhi at its peak?
At its peak in 268 BC Yuezhi covered about 916,154 km².
How did the map of Yuezhi change over time?
Yuezhi appears on 4 dated world maps in the atlas, from 323 BCE to 1 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.