10 Empires with the Largest Territories Throughout History

Kingdoms are a form of government that have existed since ancient times and still persist in several countries today. In ancient times, kingdom governments sought to expand their territories.

According to *World Atlas*, the British Empire was the largest kingdom in world history, controlling 35.5 million km². Former British colonies include the 13 North American colonies that became the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand.

The next largest kingdom was the Mongol Empire, which controlled an area of up to 24 million km². The Mongol Empire spanned Asia and Europe. The empire began with the unification of Mongol tribes under the leadership of Genghis Khan in the early 13th century.

The Russian Empire was the third largest, controlling 22.8 million km². Following this, the Qing Dynasty controlled 14.7 million km², and the Spanish Empire controlled 13.7 million km².

By the mid-to-late 20th century, the era of empires had ended, as most territories belonging to empires had gained their independence. However, kingdoms tend to leave a lasting legacy in the territories they conquered.