User:Xaxafrad/Animated map generator

I'm still trying to come up with the foundational conceptual functions of this program. I think I'll have to spend time moving in the direction of defining a multitude of geographic regions.

Coastlines

First, coastlines need to be defined. That is, what are the series of x,y (or long/lat) coords that coorespond to the coastline of the following islands:

Rank	Name	Area (km²)	Area (sq mi)
1	Africa-Eurasia	84000000	32000000
2	Americas	41000000	16000000
3	Antarctica	13000000	5000000
4	Australia	7600000	2900000
5	Greenland	2130800	822706
6	New Guinea	785753	303381
7	Borneo	748168	288869
8	Madagascar	587713	226917
9	Baffin Island	507451	195928
10	Sumatra	443066	171069
11	Honshu	225800	87182
12	Great Britain	218595	84400
13	Victoria Island (Canada)	217291	83897
14	Ellesmere Island	196236	75767
15	Sulawesi	180681	69761
16	South Island of New Zealand	145836	56308
17	Java	138794	53589
18	North Island of New Zealand	111583	43082
19	Luzon	109965	42458
20	Newfoundland	108860	42031
21	Cuba main island	105806	40852
22	Iceland main island	101826	39315
23	Mindanao	97530	36657
24	Ireland	81638	31521
25	Hokkaido	78719	30394
26	Hispaniola	73929	28544
27	Sakhalin	72493	28376
28	Banks Island	70028	27038
29	Sri Lanka main island	65268	25200
30	Tasmania's Main Island	64519	24911
31	Devon Island	55247	21331
32	Alexander Island	49070	18946
33	Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego	47401	18302
34	Northern Island (Ostrov Severny) of Novaya Zemlya	47079	18177
35	Berkner Island	43873	16939
36	Axel Heiberg Island	43178	16671
37	Melville Island	42149	16274
38	Southampton Island	41214	15913
39	Marajó	40100	15483
40	Spitsbergen	38981	15051
41	Kyushu	37437	14455
42	New Britain	35145	13570
43	Taiwan	34507	13323
44	Prince of Wales Island	33339	12872
45	Southern Island (Ostrov Yuzhny) of Novaya Zemlya	33246	12836
46	Hainan	33210	12822
47	Vancouver Island	31285	12079
48	Timor	28418	10972
49	Sicily	25662	9908
50	Somerset Island	24786	9570
51	Kotelny / Faddeyesky	24000	9266
52	Sardinia	23949	9247
53	Bananal	20000	7722
54	Shikoku	18545	7160
55	Halmahera	18040	6865
56	Ceram	17454	6621
57	Main island of New Caledonia	16648	6467
58	Bathurst Island	16042	6194
59	Prince Patrick Island	15848	6119
60	Thurston Island	15700	6050
61	Sumbawa	14386	5965
62	Nordaustlandet	14247	5486
63	Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii	14204	5471
64	Flores	14154	5520
65	King William Island	13111	5062
66	Negros	13074	4906
67	Samar	12849	5050
68	Palawan	12189	4550
69	Panay	12011	4446
70	Tupinambarana	11850	4550
71	Yos Sudarso	11742	4500
72	Bangka	11413	4375
73	Ellef Ringnes Island	11295	4361
74	Bolshevik	11206	4368
75	Jamaica	11190	4244
76	Bylot Island	11067	4273
77	Sumba	10711	4306
78	Mindoro	10572	3759
79	Viti Levu	10531	4011
80	Big Island of Hawai'i	10434	4021
81	Cape Breton Island	10311	3981
82	Prince Charles Island	9521	3676
83	Bougainville	9318	3880
84	Kodiak Island	9293	3588
85	Cyprus	9234	3572
86	Puerto Rico	9100	3435
87	Komsomolets Island	8812	3477
88	Corsica	8741	3351
89	Qeqertarsuaq (Disko)	8612	3312
90	Carney Island	8500	3300
91	Chiloé	8478	3241
92	Buru	8473	3670
93	Crete	8350	3190
94	Anticosti	7941	3066
95	Roosevelt Island	7910	2900
96	Wrangel (Vrangelya)	7866	3030
97	New Ireland	7404	3344
98	Leyte	7368	2785
99	Sjælland	7180	2715
100	Cornwallis Island	6995	2701
101	Prince of Wales Island	6675	2577
102	Kerguelen main island (Desolation Island)	6617	2577
103	East Falkland	6605	2550
104	Siple Island	6390	2500
105	Graham Island	6361	2456
106	Novaya Sibir	6201	2394
107	Melville Island	5765	2234
108	Prince Edward Island	5620	2170
109	Vanua Levu	5587	2137
110	Wellington	5556	2145
111	Coats Island	5498	2123
112	Bali	5416	2147
113	Chichagof Island	5388	2080
114	Guadalcanal	5353	2047
115	Amund Ringnes	5255	2029
116	Bolshoy Lyakhovsky	5157	1776
117	St. Lawrence Island	5135	1983
118	Riesco	5110	1973
119	Mackenzie King Island	5048	1949
120	Trinidad	5009	1864
121	Caviana	5000	1930
122	Kolguyev	4968
123	Edgeøya	4940	1942
124	Gurupá	4864	1878
125	Isabela	4711	1790
126	Vendsyssel-Thy	4685	1809
127	Lombok	4625	2098
128	West Falkland	4531	1750
129	Belitung	4478	1853
130	Cebu	4468	1707
131	Adelaide Island	4463
132	Stefansson Island	4463	1723
133	Madura	4429	2042
134	Butung	4408	1620
135	Kangaroo Island	4374	1705
136	Admiralty Island	4362	1684
137	Nunivak Island	4209	1625
138	Unimak Island	4119	1590
139	Hoste	4117	1590
140	Spaatz Island	4100	1600
141	Baranof Island	4064	1569
142	Nias	4048	1569
143	Espiritu Santo	3956	1420
144	Milne Land	3913	1511
145	Malaita	3836	1572
146	Siberut	3828	1470
147	Bohol	3821	1492
148	South Georgia	3718	1450
149	Euboea	3707	1411
150	Santa Inés	3688	1407
151	Majorca	3667	1405
152	Santa Isabel	3665	1460
153	Long Island of New York	3629	1401
154	Socotra	3607	1382
155	Wetar	3600	1400
156	Traill	3542	1367
157	Bear Island	3500	1300
158	North Andros Island	3439	1328
159	Vaygach	3329	1306
160	Masbate	3268	1262
161	Iturup (Etorofu)	3238	1212
162	San Cristobal	3190	1206
163	Mansel Island	3180	1228
164	Waigeo	3154	1180
165	Yamdena	3100	1200
166	Gotland	3027	1159
167	Fyn	3012	1153
168	Akimiski Island	3001	1159
169	Choiseul	2971	1145
170	Revillagigedo Island	2965	1145
171	Guest Island	2950	1139
172	Taliabu	2913	1120
173	Muna	2889	1124
174	Zemlya Georga	2821	1070
175	Kupreanof Island	2813	1086
176	Borden Island	2794	1079
177	North Andaman Island	2781	1074
178	Manitoulin Island	2766	1068
179	Unalaska Island	2722	1051
180	Saaremaa	2672	1032
181	Moresby Island	2608	1007
182	James Ross Island	2598	1004
183	Obi Island	2542	981
184	Réunion	2535	970
185	Navarino	2473	955
186	Paramushir	2471	954
187	Ross Island	2460	950
188	Ymer Island	2437	941
189	Anvers Island	2432	939
190	Cornwall Island	2358	872
191	Peleng	2345	905
192	Groote Eylandt	2285	882
193	Yapen	2278	880
194	Morotai	2266	875
195	Princess Royal Island	2251	869
196	Juventud	2237	864
197	Hinnøya	2198	849
198	Nelson Island	2183	843
199	Lewis and Harris	2179	841
200	Richards Island	2165	836
201	Margarita Island (Colombia)	2100	811
202	Malakula	2041	788
203	Tenerife	2034	785
204	Magdalena Island	2025	782
205	René-Levasseur	2020	780
206	Bioko	2017	779
207	Kuiu Island	1962	758
208	Biak	1904	735
209	Maui	1888	729
210	Mauritius	1836	709
211	Jeju-do	1825	705
212	Afognak	1809	698
213	Umnak	1793	692
214	Stewart Island/Rakiura	1746	674
215	Air Force Island	1720	664
216	Savaii	1708	659
217	Bathurst Island (Australia)	1693	654
218	Fuerteventura	1660	641
219	Zanzibar	1658	640
220	Skye	1656	639
221	Fraser Island	1653	638
222	Soisalo	1635	631
223	Lesbos	1630	629
224	Oahu	1600	618
225	Senja	1586	612
226	Dakhin Shahbazpur	1585	612
227	Flaherty Island	1585	612
228	Gran Canaria	1560	602
229	Great Inagua	1544	596
230	Eglinton Island	1541	594
231	Middle Andaman Island	1536	593
232	Retea	1480	571
233	South Andros Island	1448	559
234	Kauai	1446	558
235	Rhodes	1398	540
236	Graham Island Nunavut	1378	532
237	Pitt Island (Canada)	1375	531
238	Nottingham Island	1372	530
239	Flinders Island	1359	525
240	Ramree Island	1350	521
241	Öland	1342	518
242	Qeshm	1336	516
243	Lougheed Island	1308	505
244	Barents Island	1288	497
245	Morfil	1250	483
246	Lolland	1243	480
247	Okinawa Island	1206	466
248	Tiburón Island	1200	464
249	Njazidja (Grande Comore)	1158	447
250	Byam Martin Island	1150	444
251	Great Abaco	1146	442
252	Wales Island	1137	439
253	Île Vanier	1126	435
254	Martinique	1101	425
255	Grand Bahama	1096	423
256	King Island	1091	421
257	Rowley Island	1090	421
258	Isla Margarita	1072	414
259	Atka Island	1061	410
260	Cameron Island	1059	409
261	Great Nicobar	1045	403
262	Tahiti	1042	402
263	Chongming	1041	402
264	Resolution Island (Nunavut)	1015	392
265	Åland Main Island	1010	394
266	Mornington Island	1002	387
267	Santiago	991	383
268	Hiiumaa	989	382
269	Pemba	982	379
270	Shetland Mainland	969	374
271	Rügen	926	358
272	Isla Ángel de la Guarda	931	360
273	Efate	900	347
274	Attu Island	896	346
275	Erromango	888	343
276	Isle of Mull	875	338
277	Etolin Island	870	336
278	Jolo	869	335
279	Sado Island	857	331
280	Basse-Terre de la Guadeloupe	847	327
281	Lanzarote	846	327
282	São Tomé	845	326
283	Chios	842	324
284	Montague Island	815	315
285	Ambon	806	311
286	Santo Antão	787	304
287	Kefalonia	781	301
288	São Miguel Island	754	291
289	Dominica	749	289
290	Madeira Island	741	286
291	Little Andaman	739	285
292	Olkhon	730	282
293	Adak Island	725	280
294	Anglesey	714	276
295	La Palma	706	273
296	Gonâve	700	270
297	Singapore	697	269
298	Minorca	694	268
299	Bubiyan	683	264
300	Ambrym	678	262
301	Molokai	676	261
302	Dall Island	655	253
303	Boa Vista	634	245
304	Pulau Samosir	630	243
305	Saint Lucia	622	240
306	Islay	620	239
307	Dirk Hartog Island	620	239
308	Awaji Island	593	229
309	Corfu	592	229
310	Grande-Terre	591	228
311	Bahrain Main Island	572	221
312	Isle of Man	572	221
313	Ibiza	571	220
314	Wrangell Island	560	216
315	Tanna	555	214
316	Mitkof Island	546	211
317	Phuket	543	210
318	Isla de los Estados	541	209
319	Guam	541	209
320	Isle Royale	541	209
321	Long Island	538	208
322	Isla del Coco	532	205
323	Santa Catarina	523	202
324	Orkney Mainland	523	202
325	Phu Quoc	515	199
326	Djerba	510	197
327	Acklins	508	196
328	Sumba	500	193
329	Pentecost Island	491	190
330	Cozumel	490	189
331	Komodo	479	185
332	Samos	476	184
333	Lemnos	476	184
334	Fogo	475	183
335	Sebatik	452	174
336	Epi	445	172
337	Curaçao	444	171
338	Banggi	441	170
339	Whidbey Island	437	169
340	Pico Island	433	167
341	Isle of Arran	432	167
342	Barbados	430	166
343	Naxos	428	168
344	Zakynthos	406	158
345	Cres	405	158
346	Krk	405	158
347	Terceira	396	153
348	Kiritimati	388	150
349	Cat Island	386	149
350	Isle of Wight	381	147
351	Jan Mayen	380	147
352	Andros	380	147
353	Thasos	378	146
354	Heard Island	378	146
355	Streymoy	374	144
356	Hinchinbrook Island	374	144
357	Babeldaob	370	143
358	Jura	367	142
359	Lanai	366	141
360	Island of Montreal	±366	±140
361	Langkawi	363	140
362	Mayotte	355	137
363	São Nicolau	352	136
364	Saint Vincent	345	133
365	Pohnpei	334	129
366	Nosy Be	321	125
367	South Uist	320	124
368	Grenada	311	120
369	Lefkada	303	117
370	North Uist	303	117
371	Karpathos	301	116
372	Tobago	300	116
373	Penang	295	113
374	Mayaguana	293	113
375	Kos	290	112
376	Gökçeada	289	111
377	Eysturoy	286	110
378	Bonaire	283	109
379	Crooked Island	282	109
380	Antigua	280	108
381	Maio	279	108
382	El Hierro	278	107
383	Cythera	278	107
384	Ometepe	276	106
385	Tongatapu	259	100
386	Icaria	255	98
387	Malta	246	95
388	Martha's Vineyard	236	91
389	São Vicente	232	90
390	Elba	224	86
391	Sal	222	86
392	New Providence	215	83
393	Miquelon	215	83
394	Saint Croix	212	82
395	Yell	212	82
396	Scyros	209	81
397	Muhu	206	80
398	Great Exuma Island	204	79
399	Barrow Island	202	78
400	Grand Cayman	197	76
401	Tinos	195	75
402	Paros	194	74
403	Santa Catalina Island	194	75
404	Aruba	193	75
405	Niihau	186	72
406	Fehmarn	185	71
407	Saltspring Island	182	70
408	Mbamu	180	69.5
409	Saipan	180	69
410	Prince of Wales Island (Muralag)	180	69
411	Samothrace	178	69
412	Vágar	176	68
413	Saint Kitts	168	68
414	Easter Island	164	63
415	Suðuroy	163	63
416	San Salvador Island	162	63
417	Barbuda	161	62
418	Staten Island	153	59
419	Melos	151	58
420	Nantucket	148	57
421	Lantau Island	146.4	56.5
422	Quemoy	145	56
423	Mahé	145	56
424	Beaver Island	144.6	55.8
425	Principe	136	52.5
426	Christmas Island	135	52
427	Tutuila	135	52
428	Tioman	134	52
429	Kea	131	52
430	Aldabra	129	50
431	Little Inagua	126	49
432	Sandoy	125	48
433	Montserrat	124	48
434	Saint Helena	122	47
435	Amorgos	121	47
436	Marmara Adasi	117	45
437	Kahoolawe	117	45
438	Jersey	116	45
439	Kalimnos	111	43
440	Ios	108	41
441	Vava'u	104	40
442	Anguilla	102	39.4
443	Aquidneck Island	101	39
444	Kithnos	99	38
445	St. Martin	98	38
446	Astypalaia	97	38
447	Borðoy	95	37
448	Salamis	95	37
449	Skopelos	94	37
450	Sheppey	94	36
451	Ithaki	93	36
452	Vormsi	92	36
453	Nevis	92	36
454	Myconos	86	34
455	Sauvie Island	85	33
456	Aegina	84	33
457	Syros	84	33
458	Santorini	83	32
459	Hong Kong Island	80.4	31
460	Labuan	75	30
461	Serifos	73	29
462	Sifnos	73	29
463	Saint Thomas	69.7	26.9
464	Formentera	69	27
465	Leros	68	27
466	Kassos	66	26
467	Alonnisos	64	25
468	Tilos	63	25
469	Manhattan	60	23
470	Symi	54	21
471	Bermuda	53	21
472	Hydra	51	20
473	Saint John	50	19
474	Skiathos	48	18
475	Psara	45	17
476	Agios Efstratios	43	16
477	Nisyros	43	16
478	Bozcaada	42	16.2
479	Sikinos	41	16
480	Viðoy	40.4	15.6
481	Anafi	38	15
482	Kimolos	36	14
483	Kunoy	35.1	13.5
484	Antiparos	35	13
485	Norfolk Island	34.6	13.4
486	Patmos	34	13
487	Carriacou	34	13
488	Folegandros	32	12
489	Fournoi	31	12
490	Kalsoy	30.4	11.7
491	Tromøy	29	11.2
492	Halki	28	11
493	Svínoy	27.1	10.5
494	Hayling Island	27	10
495	Foulness Island	26	10
496	Saint-Pierre	25	9.6
497	Kyra Panagia	25	9.6
498	Portsea Island	24	9.5
499	Spetses	22	8.5
500	Nauru	21	8.1
501	Poros	21	8.1
502	Saria	21	8.1
503	St. Barths	21	8.1
504	Statia (Sint Eustatius)	21	8.1
505	Antikythera	20	8
506	Chouteau	20	8
507	Paxi	20	8
508	Bequia	18	7
509	Iraklia	18	7
510	Makronissos	18	7
511	Gyaros	17	7
512	Polyaigos	17	7
513	Kihnu	16.4	6.3
514	Keros	15	6
515	Pserimos	15	6
516	Agathonissi	14	6
517	Oinousses	14	6
518	Peristera	14	6
519	Rhineia	14	6
520	Donoussa	13	5
521	Heimaey	13	5
522	Leipsoi	13	5
523	Saba	13	5
524	Ruhnu	11.9	4.59
525	Fugloy	11	4
526	Gioura	11	4
527	Nólsoy	10.3	4
528	Mykines	10	4
529	Othonoi	10	4
530	Thymaina	10	4
531	Skúvoy	9.8	3.8
532	Thirasia	9.3	4
533	Mackinac Island	9.8	3.8
534	Union Island	9	3.5
535	Kastellorizo	9	3.5
536	Hrísey	8	3
537	Levitha	8	3
538	Arkoi	8	3
539	Schoinoussa	8	3
540	Canouan	7.5	3
541	Alimia	7	3
542	Hestur	5.9	2.3
543	Büyükada	5.4	2
544	Grímsey	5.3	2
545	Mustique	5	1.9
546	Delos	3.4	1
547	Stóra Dímun	2.7	1
548	Funafuti	2.3	0.9
549	Valentia Island	33	12
550	Koltur	2.3	0.9
551	Malé	1.81	0.7
552	Lítla Dímun	0.8	0.3

Rivers

With one land/water boundary defined, the second definition should be the land between any two rivers. To add complexity and ensure evolutive potential, mountains, or deserts, or other landform will be another secondary boundary, overlapping with the rivers' source "point". For this, a list of rivers following the compass directions seems desirable.

List of empires

Visions of cities throughout history and across the globe, pulsating with the projection of power towards each other, are dancing in my head. These visions must be digitally captured, programmatically generated. Let's start with a definition: the settlement of a people. Choosing some arbitrarily long date, 12,007 years ago, or, if not mathematically accurate, then by definition 10,000 BC(E) will be our starting point, the new year 0. Future program references will be in this absolute (and arbitrary) timeframe. So for the first 7,000-8,000 years under consideration, walled settlements (the first type more advanced than tents, perhaps) began to be experimented with, while they fell under the occassional, and inevitable, raids from neighboring unsettled peoples. I've tried to make that as abstract as possible, as it roughly mirrors the definition of civilized and barbarian. I can't imagine all the neighbors were on violent terms; surely some cities had some neighbors who traded peacefully while retained a semi-nomadic/hunting-gathering lifestyle.

But, one by one, cities sprouted up for various lengths of time, until they finally invented reading and writing. Now, for the next 4,007-5,007 years, we have an incredibly dirty reflection (in the forms of historical texts and archaeological evidence) of the events of the days. So, let the cities project power over their countrysides, and each other....

This is a list of 110 states, nations, or empires that jumped out at me as I did a preliminary survey of the history of human civilization (or what I like to call: domesticated humans). They're roughly organized by region and date of founding, although my subjective definitions of any particular regions were made mostly on whims, and my demarcation years will certainly be debatable.

North Africa (Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Morocco) (6):

Egyptian Empire (3150 BC - 525 BC) (Nile river valley, Levant)
Kushite Kingdom (800 BC - 350) (Sudan)
Carthaginian Empire (575 BC - 272 BC) (Levant, north Africa, Spain)
Garamantian Kingdom (500 BC - 500) (central Libya)
Aksumite Empire (100 BC - 800) (southern Red Sea)
Makurian Kingdom (651 - 1397) (Sudan)

West Africa (Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and coastal countries) (12):

Ghana Empire (300 - 1240) (southeastern Mauritania, Mali)
Almoravid dynasty (1050 - 1147) (northwestern Africa, Spain)
Mali Empire (1235 - 1645) (Niger river area, Atlantic coast)
Oyo Kingdom (1400 - 1888) (Nigeria?)
Songhai Empire (1464 - 1591) (greater Niger river area)
Benin Empire (1470 - 1897) (greater Nigeria)
Kénédougou Kingdom (1650 - 1898) (southern Mali)
Ashanti Kingdom (1675 - 1896) (Ghana area)
Aro Confederacy (1690 - 1902) (greater western Nigeria)
Bambara Empire (1712 - 1861) (Niger river area)
Fulani Empire (1804 - 1903) (greater Nigeria)
Massina Empire (1818 - 1862) (Niger river delta area)

Central Africa (Chad, Cameroon, Congo) (7):

Kanem-Bornu Empire (1068 - 1846) (greater Chad)
Kingdom of Kongo (1400 - 1888) (greater Congo river valley)
Kingdom of Baguirmi (1480 - 1897) (Chad area)
Luba Empire (1585 - 1889) (southern DR Congo)
Ouaddai Kingdom (1635 - 1912) (Lake Chad area)
Lunda Empire (1760 - 1884) (DR Congo)
Belgian Congo (1885 - 1960) (DR Congo)

Southern Africa (Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa) (2):

Munhumutapa Empire (1450 - 1629) (Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
Zulu Kingdom (1709 - 1883) (eastern South Africa)

East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania) (0)

Western Europe (15):

Merovingian dynasty (450 - 751) (France)
Carolingian Empire (718 - 888) (France, Germany, northern Italy)
Republic of Venice (726 - 1797) (northeast Italian coast
Holy Roman Empire (912 - 1806) (greater Germany, northern Italy)
Capetian dynasty (987 - 1792) (France)
Republic of Genoa (1000 - 1797) (northwest Italian coast, Middle Eastern colonies, Aegean islands, Black Sea, Corsica)
Portuguese Empire (1415 - 1999) (Portugal, Brazil, coasts of Africa and India)
Spanish Empire (1469 - 1806) (Caribbean, North and South American continents, east Indies?)
Dutch Empire (1602 - 1940) (Indonesia, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil, South Africa, Ceylon, Taiwan)
First French colonial empire (1605 - 1815) (St. Lawrence river valley, Mississippi river basin, Carribean, Senegal, French India)
British Empire (1604 - 1947) (British Isles, Canada, African colonies, India, Australia)
Second French colonial empire (1830 - 1962) (north, west, and central Africa, southeast Asia, French Polynesia)
Belgian colonial empire (1867 - 1962) (Belgian Congo)
Italian Empire (1889 - 1943) (Italy, Libya, east Africa)
Nazi Germany (1933 - 1945) (Germany, France, eastern Europe)

Eastern Europe (7):

Macedonian Empire (700 BC - 168 BC) (Balkans, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia)
Roman Empire (31 BC - 450) (western Europe, Balkans, Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, north Africa)
Byzantine Empire (330 - 1453) (Balkans, Anatolia, Levant, Egypt, Italy, north Africa)
First Bulgarian Empire (630 - 1018) (Balkans and north of the Black Sea)
Kingdom of Hungary (1000 - 1526) (Pannonia)
Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 - 1396) (Balkans)
Russian Empire (1303 - 1917) (northeastern Europe, central Asia, Siberia)

Greater Southwest Asia (25):

Sumerian Empire (5300 BC - 2004 BC) (southern Mesopotamia, Euphrates/Tigris delta)
Elamite dynasties (2700 BC - 539 BC) (southeastern Mesopotamia)
Hurrian kingdoms (2500 BC - 1300 BC) (northern Mesopotamia, Khabur river valley, Syria)
Akkadian Empire (2350 BC - 2150 BC) (central Mesopotamia, north of Sumer)
Early and Middle Assyrian periods (2000 BC - 1075 BC) (northern Mesopotamia)
Old Babylonian Empire (2000 BC - 1595 BC) (southern Mesopotamia)
Hittite Empire (1800 BC - 1000 BC) (Anatolia)
Kassite Empire (1595 BC - 1155 BC) (southern Mesopotamia)
Neo-Assyrian Empire (911 BC - 609 BC) (northern Mesopotamia)
Median Empire (750 BC - 559 BC) (roughly northwestern Iran, plus territory into Afghanistan)
Neo-Babylonian Empire (626 BC - 539 BC) (Mesopotamia)
Achaemenid Empire (559 BC - 338 BC) (Persia, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt)
Seleucid Empire (323 BC - 60 BC) (Persia, Mesopotamia)
Parthian Empire (200 BC - 224) (greater Persia)
Sassanid Empire (226 - 651) (Persia, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt)
Rashidun Caliphate (622 - 661) (Arabia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia)
Umayyad Caliphate (661 - 750) (Arabia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, North Africa, Spain)
Abbasid Caliphate (750 - 1258) (Arabia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, North Africa, Spain)
Fatmide Caliphate (910 - 1171) (Egypt, Levant)
Ghaznavid Empire (962 - 1187) (Eastern Persia, Northern India)
Seljuq dynasty (1037 - 1307) (Greater Persia, Mesopotamia)
Khwarezmian Empire (1150 - 1220) (Persia)
Ilkhanate (1250 - 1353) (Persia, Mesopotamia, Eastern Anatolia)
Ottoman Empire (1299 - 1922) (Anatolia, Balkans, Pannonia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, north Africa)
Timurid dynasty (1370 - 1522) (Persia, Mesopotamia)

Central Asia (7):

Scythia (800 BC - 200) (north of the Black Sea, and eastward to the Himalayas)
Hunnic Empire (360 - 469) (central Asian steppes, beyond the Volga River, northwest of the Caspian)
Gokturk Empire (552 - 745) (north of the Black Sea, and eastward to the Pacific north of Korea)
Khazar Empire (650 - 960) (north of the Black and Caspian Seas)
Mongol Empire (1206 - 1294) (northern China, the Black and Caspian Seas, Persia, Anatolia)
Golden Horde (1245 - 1502) (north of the Black, Caspian, and Aral Seas)
Chagatai Khanate (1294 - 1370) (truly central Asia, Aral Sea to Mongolia to Himalayas)

South Asia (12):

Magadha Empire (684 BC - 321 BC) (lower Ganges river valley)
Maurya Empire (322 BC - 185 BC) (Ganges and Indus river valleys, Bactria)
Satavahana dynasty (230 BC - 220) (central and southern India)
Sunga Empire (185 BC - 73 BC) (greater Ganges river valley)
Kushan Empire (1 - 225) (Bactria and Ganges river valley)
Gupta Empire (240 - 550) (greater Ganges river valley)
Harsha Empire (606 - 647) (Ganges and Indus river valleys)
Pala Empire (750 - 1174) (Ganges and Indus river valleys, Bactria)
Chola Dynasty (848 - 1279) (southeast India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia)
Hoysala Empire (1026 - 1343) (western Deccan plateau)
Delhi Sultanate (1206 - 1526) (Ganges river valley)
Vijayanagara Empire (1336 - 1565) (southern India, Sri Lanka)
Mughal Empire (1504 - 1857) (Ganges and Indus river valleys)

Southeast Asia (17):

Funan Empire (1 - 630) (greater Thailand)
Srivijaya Empire (500 - 1374) (Indonesia/Malaysia)
Chenla Kingdom (630 - 802) (greater Thailand)
Khmer Empire (802 - 1432) (greater Thailand)
Pagan Kingdom (849 - 1287) (Myanmar)
Sukhothai Kingdom (1238 - 1438) (greater Thailand)
Lanna Kingdom (1259 - 1558) (northern Thailand)
Majapahit Empire (1293 - 1527) (Indonesia/Malaysia)
Ayutthaya Kingdom (1350 - 1767) (greater Thailand)
Ava dynasty (1364 - 1555) (Myanmar)
Malacca Sultanate (1402 - 1511) (Malay peninsula, parts of Sumatra)
Sulu Sultanate (1450 - 1882) (southern Philippines)
Toungoo Dynasty (1486 - 1752) (Myanmar)
Johor Sultanate (1528 - 1824) (Malay peninsula, parts of Sumatra)
Konbaung dynasty (1752 - 1885) (Myanmar)
Siam (1768 - 1932) (greater Thailand)
British Burma (1885 - 1948) (Myanmar)

East Asia (14):

Erlitou culture (2070 BC - 1600 BC) (Yellow river valley)
Erligang culture (1600 BC - 1400 BC) (Yellow river valley)
Shang Dynasty (1766 BC - 1050 BC) (Yellow river valley)
Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC) (Yellow river valley)
Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC) (Yellow river valley, and northeastern China)
Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220) (Yellow and Yangtze river valleys, and northeastern China)
1st Jin Dynasty (265 - 420) (here and there)
Tang Empire (619 - 907) (greater Yellow and Yangtze river valleys)
Liao Dynasty (907 - 1125) (northern China)
Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) (greater Yangtze and Yellow river valleys)
Yuan dynasty (1271 - 1368) (greater China)
Ming Empire (1368 - 1662) (greater Yellow and Yangtze river valleys)
Qing Empire (1644 - 1912) (China)
Japanese Empire (1869 - 1945) (Japan, Manchuria, northeastern China, greater Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines)

North and Central Americas (8):

Mayan Empire (1800 BC - 1050) (greater southern Mexico)
Olmec (1200 BC - 400 BC) (southern Mexico)
Woodland period (1000 BC - 400) (eastern United States
American Southwest cultures (150 - 1350) (American southwest)
Mississippian culture (1000 - 1500) (Mississippi river valley)
Aztec Empire (1248 - 1521) (valley of Mexico)
New Spain (1535 - 1821) (central America, western United States)
American Empire (1776 - present) (United States, Pacific islands, military colonies)

South America (9):

Norte Chico (3000 BC - 1800 BC) (northern coastal Peru)
Chavín culture (900 BC - 200 BC) (coastal Peru)
Nazca culture (300 BC - 800) (southern coastal Peru)
Moche (100 BC - 700) (Chicama, Moche and Viru river valleys)
Tiwanaku (200 BC - 1000) (western Bolivia, to the Pacific coast)
Huari Culture (500 - 1200) (greater coastal Peru)
Inca Empire (1200 - 1533) (greater southern Andes)
Colonial Brazil (1530 - 1822) (Brazil)
Brazilian Empire (1822 - 1889) (Brazil)

List of natural boundaries commonly recognized as political boundaries

Volga River
Danube River
Don River
Syr Darya
Indus River (West Asia/South Asia,
Ural River (Europe/Asia, from the Caspian Sea northwards))

Caucasus Mountains (Europe/Asia, between the Black and Caspian Seas)
Ural Mountains (Europe/Asia, northeast of the Caspian Sea)
Zagros Mountains (Mesopotamia/Persia)

Table of regional control by years

Year	Northeast Africa	Mesopo- tamia	Greater Iran	East Europe
5300 BC		Sumer
5200 BC		Sumer
5100 BC		Sumer
5000 BC		Sumer
4900 BC		Sumer
4800 BC		Sumer
4700 BC		Sumer
4600 BC		Sumer
4500 BC		Sumer
4400 BC		Sumer
4300 BC		Sumer
4200 BC		Sumer
4100 BC		Sumer
4000 BC		Sumer
3900 BC		Sumer
3800 BC		Sumer
3700 BC		Sumer
3600 BC		Sumer
3500 BC		Sumer
3400 BC		Sumer
3300 BC		Sumer
3200 BC		Sumer
3100 BC		Sumer
3000 BC		Sumer
2900 BC		Sumer
2800 BC		Sumer
2700 BC		Sumer	Elam
2600 BC		Sumer	Elam
2500 BC		Sumer, Hurrians	Elam
2400 BC		Sumer, Hurrians	Elam
2300 BC		Sumer, Hurrians, Akkadian Empire	Elam
2200 BC		Sumer, Hurrians, Akkadian Empire	Elam
2100 BC		Sumer, Hurrians, Akkadian Empire	Elam
2000 BC		Sumer, Assyria, Hurrians	Elam
1900 BC		Babylonia, Assyria, Hurrians	Elam
1800 BC		Babylonia, Assyria, Hurrians, Hittites	Elam
1700 BC		Babylonia, Assyria, Hurrians, Hittites	Elam
1600 BC		Babylonia, Assyria, Hurrians, Hittites	Elam
1500 BC		Kassites, Assyria, Hurrians, Hittites	Elam
1400 BC		Kassites, Assyria, Hurrians, Hittites	Elam
1300 BC		Kassites, Assyria, Hurrians, Hittites	Elam
1200 BC		Kassites, Assyria, Hittites	Elam
1100 BC		Assyria, Hittites	Elam
1000 BC		Assyria, Hittites	Elam
900 BC		Neo-Assyria	Elam
800 BC		Neo-Assyria	Elam
700 BC		Neo-Assyria	Elam, Median Empire
600 BC		Neo-Assyria	Elam, Median Empire
500 BC	Achaemenid Empire	Neo-Babylonia	Achaemenid Empire, Elam, Median Empire
475 BC	Achaemenid Empire		Achaemenid Empire
450 BC	Achaemenid Empire		Achaemenid Empire
425 BC	Achaemenid Empire		Achaemenid Empire
400 BC	Achaemenid Empire		Achaemenid Empire
375 BC	Achaemenid Empire		Achaemenid Empire
350 BC	Achaemenid Empire		Achaemenid Empire
325 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire
300 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire
275 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire
250 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire
225 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire
200 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire, Parthian Empire
175 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire, Parthian Empire
150 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire, Parthian Empire
125 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire, Parthian Empire
100 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire, Parthian Empire
75 BC		Seleucid Empire	Seleucid Empire, Parthian Empire
50 BC			Parthian Empire
25 BC			Parthian Empire
1				Parthian Empire
25				Parthian Empire
50				Parthian Empire
75				Parthian Empire
00				Parthian Empire
125				Parthian Empire
150				Parthian Empire
175				Parthian Empire
200				Parthian Empire
225	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
250	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
275	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
300	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
325	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
350	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
375	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
400	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
425	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
450	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
475	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
500	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
525	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
550	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
575	Sassanid Empire		Sassanid Empire	Sassanid Empire
600	Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate		Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate	Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate
625	Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate		Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate	Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate
650	Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate		Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate	Sassanid Empire, Rashidun Caliphate
675	Umayyad Caliphate	Umayyad Caliphate	Umayyad Caliphate
700	Umayyad Caliphate	Umayyad Caliphate	Umayyad Caliphate
725	Umayyad Caliphate	Umayyad Caliphate	Umayyad Caliphate
750	Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate	Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate	Umayyad Caliphate, Abbasid Caliphate
775	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate		Abbasid Caliphate
800	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate
825	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate
850	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate
875	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate
900	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate
925	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate
950	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate
975	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire
1000	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire
1025	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire
1050	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire, Seljuq dynasty
1075	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire, Seljuq dynasty
1100	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire, Seljuq dynasty
1125	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire, Seljuq dynasty
1150	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire, Seljuq dynasty, Khwarezmian Empire
1175	Abbasid Caliphate, Fatmide Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty	Abbasid Caliphate, Ghaznavid Empire, Seljuq dynasty, Khwarezmian Empire
1200	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty, Khwarezmian Empire
1225	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty, Khwarezmian Empire
1250	Abbasid Caliphate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty, Ilkhanate	Abbasid Caliphate, Seljuq dynasty, Ilkhanate
1275		Seljuq dynasty, Ilkhanate	Seljuq dynasty, Ilkhanate
1300	Ottoman Empire	Seljuq dynasty, Ilkhanate, Ottoman Empire	Seljuq dynasty, Ilkhanate	Ottoman Empire
1325	Ottoman Empire	Ilkhanate, Ottoman Empire	Ilkhanate	Ottoman Empire
1350	Ottoman Empire	Ilkhanate, Ottoman Empire	Ilkhanate	Ottoman Empire
1375	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire, Timurid dynasty	Timurid dynasty	Ottoman Empire
1400	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire, Timurid dynasty	Timurid dynasty	Ottoman Empire
1425	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire, Timurid dynasty	Timurid dynasty	Ottoman Empire
1450	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire, Timurid dynasty	Timurid dynasty	Ottoman Empire
1475	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire, Timurid dynasty	Timurid dynasty	Ottoman Empire
1500	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire, Timurid dynasty	Timurid dynasty	Ottoman Empire
1525	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire, Timurid dynasty	Timurid dynasty	Ottoman Empire
1550	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1575	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1600	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1625	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1650	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1675	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1700	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1725	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1750	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1775	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1800	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1825	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1850	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1875	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1900	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1925	Ottoman Empire	Ottoman Empire		Ottoman Empire
1950
1975
2000