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History by Date · Africa · 1800 CE

Map of Africa in 1800

In 1800 CE the atlas maps 23 states and empires with territory in Africa. The largest by mapped territory was The Spanish Empire, at about 11.74M km², followed by The Portuguese Empire. The map below is set to 1800 CE; the table lists every state shown, with the modern countries its borders covered.

States Mapped
23
Largest
11.74M km²
The Spanish Empire
Modern Countries Covered
103
At least partly
Longest Established
1272–1800 CE
Ethiopian Empire

Map of Africa in 1800 CE

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3000 BCEDrag timeline:1800 CE2026 CE
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Borders are drawn for 1800 CE. Drag the timeline to move to another year.

The Major Powers of 1800 CE

The Spanish Empire

1516–1931 CE

The 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 1800 CE: 11.74M km²

The Portuguese Empire

1415–1911 CE

The Portuguese Empire was the first and longest lasting of the European colonial empires. Initiated during the Age of Discovery, at one point territories included parts of the Americas and Africa, along with ports and trading posts throughout Asia and Oceania.

Mapped extent in 1800 CE: 7.96M 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 1800 CE: 2.66M 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 1800 CE: 2.40M km²

French Consulate

1800–1804 CE

The Consulate was the top-level government of the First French Republic from the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire on 9 November 1799 until the start of the French Empire on 18 May 1804. During this period, Napoleon Bonaparte, with his appointment as First Consul, established himself as the head of an authoritarian and centralized republican government in France while not yet declaring himself sole ruler.

Mapped extent in 1800 CE: 675,171 km²

Funj Sultanate

1507–1821 CE

The 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 1800 CE: 626,983 km²

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

States and Empires in 1800 CE

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

States and empires in Africa in 1800 CE
#StateMapped area
1The Spanish Empire11.74M km²
2The Portuguese Empire7.96M km²
3The Ottoman Empire2.66M km²
4The British Empire2.40M km²
5French Consulate675,171 km²
6Funj Sultanate626,983 km²
7Morocco387,614 km²
8Bornu Empire338,663 km²
9Sultanate of Darfur294,427 km²
10British Cape Colony282,095 km²
11Wadai Empire279,943 km²
12Ethiopian Empire240,302 km²
13Regency of Algiers211,975 km²
14Ashanti Empire153,390 km²
15Kingdom of Lunda112,401 km²
16Sultanate of Oman105,642 km²
17Oyo Empire87,978 km²
18Beylik of Tunis87,831 km²
19Merina Kingdom85,401 km²
20Karamanli Dynasty76,330 km²
21Bamana Empire34,696 km²
22French India10,137 km²
23Dutch Gold Coast9,081 km²

1800 CE by Region

1800 CE: Quick Answers

What empires and states existed in Africa in 1800 CE?
The atlas maps 23 states in Africa in 1800 CE. The largest by mapped territory were The Spanish Empire, The Portuguese Empire, The Ottoman Empire, The British Empire, French Consulate, Funj Sultanate.
What was the largest empire in Africa in 1800 CE?
The Spanish Empire had the largest mapped territory among states present in Africa in 1800 CE, about 11.74M km², followed by The Portuguese Empire (7.96M km²). Areas are measured from the mapped borders and are approximate.
What did the map of Africa look like in 1800?
In 1800 CE the map of Africa was divided between 23 mapped states and empires. The Spanish Empire held the largest territory, followed by The Portuguese Empire. Their borders covered parts of 103 present-day countries.
How many states are shown on the map for 1800 CE?
23. 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.