Major colonial empires drawn to scale (1800 AD)

January 22, 2017 Alex

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In 1800, the largest colonial empires were the British Empire and the Spanish Empire. The British Empire controlled territories in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, while the Spanish Empire had extensive holdings in the Americas, including most of South America, Central America, and Mexico, as well as the Philippines in Asia.

At its height, the British Empire controlled about a quarter of the world’s land area and population, while the Spanish Empire controlled about 20% of the world’s land area. Other significant colonial powers in 1800 included the French Empire, the Portuguese Empire, and the Dutch Empire, although their holdings were smaller than those of the British and Spanish.

The map below, created by Reddit user PisseGuri82, shows the scaled size of the great European colonial empires in the year 1800.

Table of Contents

Spanish Colonial Empire
Portuguese Colonial Empire
British Colonial Empire
Danish Colonial Empire
Dutch Colonial Empire
French Colonial Empire

Major colonial empires drawn to scale (1800 AD)

All the metropolises and colonial territories on the map are represented at an equivalent size and with the following color code:

Spanish Colonial Empire

In 1800, Spain owned a vast empire with territories in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Some of the most significant territories controlled by Spain at that time included:

The Viceroyalty of New Spain: This included Mexico, Central America, parts of the southwestern United States, and the Philippines.
The Viceroyalty of Peru: This included most of South America, including present-day Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and parts of Colombia, Argentina, and Uruguay.
The Captaincy General of Guatemala: This included present-day Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
The Captaincy General of Cuba: This included the island of Cuba and various other Caribbean islands.
The Captaincy General of Puerto Rico: This included the island of Puerto Rico and other smaller Caribbean islands.
The Spanish East Indies: This included the Philippines and various other islands in Southeast Asia.

Portuguese Colonial Empire

Portugal had a substantial colonial empire with territories in Africa, South America, and Asia. Some of the most significant territories controlled by Portugal at that time included:

Brazil: This was the largest and most important of Portugal’s colonial possessions. Brazil was a major source of wealth for Portugal due to its production of gold, diamonds, and sugar.
Angola and Mozambique: These were Portugal’s two largest colonies in Africa, and were important sources of gold, diamonds, and other natural resources.
Goa, Daman, and Diu: These were Portuguese territories on the west coast of India, which were important trading centers for Portuguese merchants.
Macau: This was a Portuguese trading post on the south coast of China, which was an important center of trade between China and Europe.
Various other territories in Africa, including Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

British Colonial Empire

In 1800, Great Britain had a vast colonial empire with territories in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Some of the most significant territories controlled by Britain at that time included:

India: This was the jewel in the crown of the British Empire, and included present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Canada: This included most of present-day Canada, and was an important source of fur and other natural resources.
Australia: This was a newly-established colony, and included the eastern half of the continent.
New Zealand: This was another newly-established colony, and included both the North and South Islands.
Various territories in Africa, including present-day South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria.
Various territories in the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados.

Danish Colonial Empire

Denmark had a colonial empire consisting of a few territories in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. However, compared to other European colonial powers of the time, Denmark’s empire was relatively small. Some of the most significant territories controlled by Denmark at that time included:

The Danish West Indies: This was a group of islands in the Caribbean, including the present-day U.S. Virgin Islands, which were an important center for the sugar trade.
Tranquebar: This was a small territory on India’s southeast coast, an important center for trade and missionary activity.
Various trading posts and forts along the coast of West Africa, including forts in present-day Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Guinea.

Dutch Colonial Empire

The Netherlands had a significant colonial empire with territories in Asia and the Americas. Some of the most significant territories controlled by the Netherlands at that time included:

Dutch East Indies: This was the most important of the Dutch colonial possessions, comprising present-day Indonesia, and was an important source of spices and other natural resources.
Dutch Guiana: This included present-day Suriname in South America.
Various territories in the Caribbean, including the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba, and Curaçao.
The Cape Colony: This was a territory at the southern tip of Africa, which was an important center for trade and agriculture.

French Colonial Empire

In 1800, France had a significant colonial empire with territories in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Some of the most significant territories controlled by France at that time included:

Saint-Domingue: This was a colony on the island of Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), which was an important source of sugar and other crops.
Louisiana: This was a vast territory in North America, which at the time included present-day Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
Various territories in the Caribbean, including Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint Lucia.
Various territories in West Africa, including Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea.
Various territories in India, including Pondicherry and Chandernagore.

If you would like to know more about European colonialism, the following books may be of interest: