The world in 500

On 1 July 500, IntMap’s historical map draws 136 names across the world. The borders for this date come from Cliopatria, Seshat Global History Databank (by year), then historical-basemaps — each drawn only where the records before it are silent. It also draws 111 outlines whose name the record does not give for this date.

Open 500 on the map All years
World map on 1 July 500: the borders IntMap’s historical map draws on that date, from Cliopatria, Seshat Global History Databank (by year), then historical-basemaps — each drawn only where the records before it are silent.
Drawn when the site is built from the same records and the same code the map uses, on 1 July 500, in the Equal Earth projection. The picture is simplified for display only: each outline is reduced to about one pixel at this size, and outlines smaller than a pixel are left out of the picture — the map itself draws every one of them in full. Grey is land on which no record states a polity on this date (today’s coastline, Natural Earth 1:110m).

Why this year has a page

The historical-basemaps atlas drew a world sheet for this year.

Names on the map

As the map labels them, largest first by the area of the outline drawn. Areas are of the drawn outline, rounded, and approximate. The record column says which record draws the outline; a Wikidata item is given where the record links one.

NameRecordDrawn area (km²)
Khoiasanhistorical-basemaps11,200,000
Australian aboriginal hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps7,600,000
Paleo-Siberian hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps7,170,000
Arctic marine mammal hunters (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps5,910,000
West African cereal farmers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps5,570,000
Savanna hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps4,820,000
Amazon hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps4,280,000
Subarctic forest hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps4,130,000
Rouran KhaganateCliopatria Q1553613,840,000
Finno-Ugric taiga hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps3,530,000
White HunsCliopatria Q265763,300,000
Plain bison hunters (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps2,790,000
Southern QiCliopatria Q624562,370,000
Desert hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps2,350,000
Austronesianhistorical-basemaps2,290,000
Sasanian EmpireCliopatria · historical-basemaps Q838912,210,000
Eastern Roman EmpireCliopatria · historical-basemaps Q125442,150,000
Greenlandhistorical-basemaps1,860,000
Pampas cultures (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps1,830,000
Eastern North Amercian hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps1,650,000
Gupta EmpireCliopatria · historical-basemaps Q117741,220,000
Northern WeiCliopatria Q8753051,170,000
unclaimedhistorical-basemaps1,050,000
Axumhistorical-basemaps853,000
Hopewell Culturehistorical-basemaps776,000
Andean hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps744,000
Plateau fichers and hunter gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps722,000
Visigothic KingdomCliopatria Q126936689,000
Vakataka KingdomCliopatria Q1501306674,000
Saamihistorical-basemaps617,000
Ostrogothic KingdomCliopatria Q583038555,000
TuyuhunCliopatria Q1196201554,000
North American Pacifi foraging, hunting and fishing peopleshistorical-basemaps533,000
Caribbean hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps513,000
Protectorate of the Western RegionsCliopatria Q911440437,000
Himyarite KingdomCliopatria · historical-basemaps Q289577417,000
Ruanruanhistorical-basemaps410,000
GoguryeoCliopatria Q28370409,000
FunanCliopatria · historical-basemaps Q867782400,000
Scandinavian minor kingdomsCliopatria384,000
Mayan City-StatesCliopatria Q28567380,000
Laurel complexhistorical-basemaps368,000
Empire of Ghanahistorical-basemaps335,000
Merovingian EmpireCliopatria Q146246305,000
Salian FranksCliopatria Q939852277,000
Lakhmid KingdomCliopatria Q943191259,000
Patagonian shellfish and marine mammal hunters (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps259,000
Vandal KingdomCliopatria Q10416611250,000
New Zealandhistorical-basemaps250,000
Point Peninsulahistorical-basemaps244,000
All 136 names
NameRecordDrawn area (km²)
Swift Creek Culturehistorical-basemaps222,000
Kadamba EmpireCliopatria Q1479952203,000
Lavohistorical-basemaps194,000
Ainuhistorical-basemaps159,000
Shellfish gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps149,000
Marksville Culturehistorical-basemaps149,000
NobatiaCliopatria Q568523148,000
Maitraka DynastyCliopatria Q6737189145,000
Anglo-Saxon EnglandCliopatria Q784963144,000
Kalabhra DynastyCliopatria Q2572901139,000
Vandalshistorical-basemaps138,000
Kamarupa KingdomCliopatria Q1194765130,000
BrythonsCliopatria129,000
Brythonic KingdomsCliopatria129,000
Kurykanshistorical-basemaps126,000
AlodiaCliopatria Q449639124,000
Burgundian KingdomCliopatria Q13590051119,000
Yamatohistorical-basemaps119,000
Pyu City-StatesCliopatria Q1627675117,000
Dorsethistorical-basemaps112,000
Icelandhistorical-basemaps101,000
SaxonsCliopatria · historical-basemaps Q101985101,000
Mochehistorical-basemaps98,500
Kingdom of AxumCliopatria Q13937797,500
Veracruz civilization (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps92,700
Kingdom of the SuebiCliopatria Q104891891,900
Blemmyeshistorical-basemaps88,900
Makkurahistorical-basemaps87,900
Caucasian AlbaniaCliopatria Q17707674,900
AnurādhapuraCliopatria Q572474,200
ChámpaCliopatria Q21678673,100
Fourche Maline Culturehistorical-basemaps70,700
Zapotec CivilizationCliopatria70,000
MakuriaCliopatria Q82935665,500
Tasmanian hunter-gatherers (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps59,400
Caloosahatchee cultureurehistorical-basemaps59,100
Kingdom of the FranksCliopatria Q14624657,000
Goodall Focushistorical-basemaps52,600
Couture Complexhistorical-basemaps51,800
Porterhistorical-basemaps50,500
Copenahistorical-basemaps46,500
Kushan Principalitieshistorical-basemaps44,800
Ripuarian FranksCliopatria Q31686044,100
Millerhistorical-basemaps43,600
Nazcahistorical-basemaps41,900
Vishnu-Kundinshistorical-basemaps41,700
Kingdom of ThuringiaCliopatria40,400
Teotihuacànhistorical-basemaps38,800
Late Pallava EmpireCliopatria Q46680338,100
Caucasian IberiaCliopatria Q1908335,700
BaekjeCliopatria Q2842834,900
Saugeen Complexhistorical-basemaps32,600
Kadambashistorical-basemaps27,700
Baskshistorical-basemaps27,100
Western Gangashistorical-basemaps25,600
Mill Creek Culturehistorical-basemaps25,400
LazicaCliopatria Q13688424,500
Tuʻi Tonga Empirehistorical-basemaps24,200
SillaCliopatria · historical-basemaps Q2845623,900
Monte Albànhistorical-basemaps23,100
Ostrogothshistorical-basemaps22,500
TarumanagaraCliopatria Q224722517,800
Vakatakahistorical-basemaps16,600
Poverty point culture (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps16,100
Champahistorical-basemaps14,800
LombardsCliopatria Q13090014,400
Maya states (a description by the source, not a name)historical-basemaps8,350
Visigothshistorical-basemaps7,600
TeotihuacanCliopatria Q1726135,690
Kingdom of SussexCliopatria Q6761845,640
Kingdom of KentCliopatria Q3288184,400
Sveveshistorical-basemaps4,330
Pallavashistorical-basemaps3,340
Swedeshistorical-basemaps3,070
Turingianshistorical-basemaps2,380
TamnaCliopatria Q280571,970
Frankshistorical-basemaps1,650
Toba Weihistorical-basemaps931
Paekchehistorical-basemaps855
Pandyashistorical-basemaps683
Anglo-Saxonshistorical-basemaps393
Cherashistorical-basemaps283
Hunnic EmpireCliopatria197
Cholashistorical-basemaps123
Koguryohistorical-basemaps119
Armoricahistorical-basemaps62.1

What changed since 400

Names counted are those the records date to the year or the day (CShapes, OpenHistoricalMap, Cliopatria). Outlines filled from the nearest historical-basemaps sheet are counted only when both years are years that sheet was drawn for — otherwise the change would be the switch between two sheets, not a change in the world. Names are compared as written, so a polity a record names differently in the two years (Carthaginian Empire, then Carthage) is in both lists.

Now drawn (53)

Rouran Khaganate, White Huns, Southern Qi, Austronesian, Greenland, Eastern North Amercian hunter-gatherers, unclaimed, Visigothic Kingdom, Ostrogothic Kingdom, Scandinavian minor kingdoms, Merovingian Empire, Vandal Kingdom, New Zealand, Lavo, Maitraka Dynasty, Anglo-Saxon England, Brythons, Brythonic Kingdoms, Kurykans, Burgundian Kingdom, Yamato, Dorset, Iceland, Veracruz civilization, Kingdom of the Suebi, Makkura, Caloosahatchee cultureure, Kingdom of the Franks, Kushan Principalities, Vishnu-Kundins, Kingdom of Thuringia, Teotihuacàn, Kadambas, Basks, Western Gangas, Tuʻi Tonga Empire, Monte Albàn, Vakataka, Poverty point culture, Champa, Lombards, Maya states, Kingdom of Sussex, Kingdom of Kent, Sveves, Pallavas, Turingians, Toba Wei, Pandyas, Anglo-Saxons, Cheras, Cholas, Armorica

No longer drawn (37)

Western Jin, Western Roman Empire, Huns, Western Satraps, Xionites, Kidarites, Later Yan, Later Qin, Meroe, Sixteen Kingdoms, Jin, Northern Liang, Western Qin, Paleo-Inuit, Later Liang, Yueban, Hadramaut, Caucasian Alans, Hindu kingdoms, Glades Culture, Persia, Wusun, Teotihuacán, Southern Liang, Geats, Monte Albán, Norse, Alamans, Byeonhan, Dumonii, Guanches, Maya chiefdoms and states, Burgunds, Angles, Hainan, Gaya, Akatziri

Events dated to 500

The index of dated events holds no event for 500.

Sources and method

Borders and names: Cliopatria v0.2.1 (Seshat Global History Databank, github.com/Seshat-Global-History-Databank/cliopatria) · CC BY 4.0 · adapted by IntMap: simplified, BC years made astronomical, and the ground OpenHistoricalMap (1689–1885, and from 1886 where CShapes is silent) and CShapes (1886–2019) state removed on their own dates + aourednik/historical-basemaps (github.com/aourednik/historical-basemaps) · GPL-3.0 · adapted by IntMap: each sheet before 1886 less the ground OpenHistoricalMap and Cliopatria state at that sheet's year.

Which years have a page is worked out when the site is built, from three rules applied to the records themselves: every year the historical-basemaps atlas drew a world sheet for; every year whose change from the year before (names the dated records begin or stop drawing) is in the top 5% of all such year-to-year changes since the dated records begin, leaving out the years where one record hands over to another; and every year of a geopolitical, war or revolution event in the dated events index, up to the last year the border records cover (2019).

On each year the map is read on 1 July, the instant the app’s own year links open on. Names are the source’s own, translated where the source or IntMap’s name table has a translation. A name is what a record draws there, not a verdict of history.

World map in 500 — the map, with the years it stays the same Historical maps by region Countries On this day

All data sources →

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