List of largest empires in India
 | This article duplicates the scope of other articles, specifically List of largest empires. (April 2021) |
This is a historical list of the largest empires in India with an area covering more than 1 million square kilometers. An empire involves the extension of a state's sovereignty over external territories. The values given here should generally be interpreted as being only indicative, and not as determining a precise ranking. The calculation of the land area of a particular empire is controversial.
| Empire | Approximate maximum extent (Area in km²) |
Size as percentage of area of Republic of India |
Approximate date of maximum extent |
Estimate by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maurya Empire | 5,000,000 | 152% | 250 BC | Rein Taagepera (low)
Peter Turchin et al. (high) |
| British Raj | 4,574,000 | 139% | 1911 | |
| Mughal Empire | 4,000,000 | 122% | 1690 | |
| Republic of India (for comparison) | 3,287,263 | 100% | - | Government of India[1] |
| Delhi Sultanate | 3,200,000 | 97% | 1312 | Peter Turchin et al.[2] Rein Taagepera[3] |
| Maratha Empire | 2,500,000 | 76% | 1760 | Peter Turchin et al.[2] |
| Kushan Empire | 2,000,000–2,500,000 | 61%–76% | 200 | Peter Turchin et al. (low)[2] Rein Taagepera (high)[4] |
| Gupta Empire | 1,700,000–3,500,000 | 52%–106% | 440 or 400 | Rein Taagepera (low)[4] Peter Turchin et al. (high)[2] |
| Empire of Harsha | 1,000,000 | 30% | 625 or 648 | Rein Taagepera (early)[5] Peter Turchin et al. (late)[2] |
See also
References
- ^ "India: Profile". National Portal of India. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Turchin, Peter; Adams, Jonathan M.; Hall, Thomas D (December 2006). "East-West Orientation of Historical Empires". Journal of World-Systems Research. 12 (2): 223. ISSN 1076-156X. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ Rein Taagepera (September 1997). "Expansion and Contraction Patterns of Large Polities: Context for Russia". International Studies Quarterly. 41 (3): 499. doi:10.1111/0020-8833.00053. JSTOR 2600793. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ a b Taagepera, Rein (1979). "Size and Duration of Empires: Growth-Decline Curves, 600 B.C. to 600 A.D.". Social Science History. 3 (3/4): 132. doi:10.2307/1170959. JSTOR 1170959.
- ^ Rein Taagepera (September 1997). "Expansion and Contraction Patterns of Large Polities: Context for Russia". International Studies Quarterly. 41 (3): 493. doi:10.1111/0020-8833.00053. JSTOR 2600793. Retrieved 22 April 2021.