I have always been fascinated to know which was the largest empire in history. The answer depends on how you measure it, but there are some that definitely stand out.

The British Empire reached its maximum extent with 35.5 million km², making it the largest empire that has ever existed. When you think about the magnitude of that, it’s simply overwhelming. To put it into perspective, the Mongol Empire covered 24 million km², which is still impressive considering it was mainly built through military conquests in just over a century.

Then there is the Russian Empire with 22.8 million km², which expanded gradually over centuries. But here’s where it gets interesting: if you look eastward, the Qing Dynasty at its peak covered 14.7 million km², and the Spanish Empire at its height reached 13.7 million km².

What many don’t know is that Asian empires were also enormous. The Abbasid Caliphate reached 11.1 million km², the Yuan Dynasty had 11 million km², and the French Colonial Empire at its maximum expansion covered 11.5 million km². Even the Portuguese Empire, though often underestimated, reached 10.4 million km².

If you want a more complete list, there are other fascinating empires: the Ottoman Empire with 5.2 million km², the Roman Empire with 5 million km², the Dutch Empire also with 5 million km², and several Chinese empires like the Tang Dynasty which reached 5 million km².

In more recent times, the Japanese Empire during World War II reached 8.5 million km², while Nazi Germany in 1942 covered 4.8 million km². There are also ancient empires like the Achaemenid Persian Empire with 5.5 million km² and the Mauryan Empire with 5 million km².

The truth is, if you compare all these numbers, the largest empire in history was undoubtedly the British. But what’s fascinating is seeing how different civilizations managed to control massive territories at different times, each leaving their mark on world history.