I’ve just reviewed a pretty interesting ranking of the largest empires the history books have ever known. I’ve always been fascinated by this topic because it truly shows how territorial power has been distributed in completely different ways throughout the centuries.

The British Empire tops the list with 35.5 million km², which makes a lot of sense considering its global reach during the height of colonial rule. But what really surprises me is how the Mongol Empire came to dominate 24 million km² without the technology the British had centuries later. That says a lot about an impressive military strategy.

If we look at Asian empires, we can see a fascinating pattern. The Qing Dynasty with 14.7 million km² and the Yuan Dynasty with 11 million show that Asia was the epicenter of some of the largest territories. The Russian Empire also makes the conversation with 22.8 million km², expanding its influence mainly to the east.

Then we have the classic European empires. The Spanish Empire reached 13.7 million km², the French 11.5 million, and the Portuguese 10.4 million. What’s curious is that although they were colonial powers at the same time, their territories were quite different in terms of total extent.

What’s interesting is that when you look up which was the largest empire in the world, the answer depends on the historical period. If we’re talking about pure territorial size, the British come out on top by a wide margin. But if we consider impact and duration, others like the Mongol or the Roman deserve special mention.

I can’t help but mention a few that are often overlooked. The Abbasid Caliphate with 11.1 million km² was colossal, just like the Achaemenid Persian Empire with 5.5 million. The Ottoman Empire reached 5.2 million km² and was a power for centuries.

There’s something poetic about seeing how empires that once ruled millions of square kilometers are now merely historical references. The Inca Empire with 2 million km², the Gupta Empire with 2 million, or Ancient Egypt with 1 million during the New Kingdom—all of them left legacies that go beyond their territorial limits.

It’s really a reminder that size isn’t everything. Some of these empires had cultural and political influence that extended far beyond their geographical borders. The story of which was the largest empire in the world is also the story of how power has manifested in different ways in different eras.