The Map
Watch borders move across five thousand years. Forty-nine dated snapshots of the world, from 3000 BC to today, with the wars, landmarks, trade routes and people that shaped each one.
Every year before 1850 is free, from 3000 BC to 1815. Plus opens the modern era to today, the Wars and UNESCO layers and timeline playback.Join Plus
Territories & Borders
Click any territory to see who held it, when, and what came before. Reconstructed boundaries for 49 points in time.
Wars & Battles
Conflicts placed on the map at the year they were fought, with belligerents, key battles and what changed after.
Landmarks & Heritage
Wonders, archaeological sites, religious architecture and the full UNESCO World Heritage list, plus the trade routes between them.
People & Chronicles
Historical figures tied to the places and years they lived in. Read the chronicle, or open a conversation with them.
Where to start
Eight moments worth opening first
Each one is a written guide to that year on the map — who held what, which wars were running, and which people were alive to see it.
No account needed
Everything before 1850, free
- Every year from 3000 BC to 1815 — 37 of the 49 snapshots
- Territories, natural wonders, archaeological sites, religious architecture and trade routes
- Territory search and the full sidebar
- All 49 written year guides, whatever your plan
With Plus
The modern era
- Every year from 1850 to today — all 49 snapshots
- The Wars layer: every conflict on the map
- The full UNESCO World Heritage layer
- Timeline playback: watch the borders move
Questions
About the atlas
Is the history map free?
Yes, mostly. Every year from 3000 BC to 1815 is free and needs no account, along with territories, natural wonders, archaeological sites, religious architecture and trade routes. Plus opens the modern era from 1850 to today, the Wars and UNESCO World Heritage layers and timeline playback. All 49 written year guides are free to read whatever your plan.
How accurate are the borders?
Boundary geometry is adapted from the open Historical Basemaps project. Historical borders are reconstructions, not records: frontiers were often zones rather than lines, and many are disputed by historians. Treat each snapshot as one careful interpretation of that year, and read the methodology before citing it.
Which years can I look at?
Forty-nine dated snapshots between 3000 BC and today, closer together in periods where borders changed quickly. Each one has its own written guide listing the powers on the map, the wars being fought and the people alive at the time.
What languages is the atlas in?
Sixteen: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Indonesian, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, Polish, Russian and Dutch. Territory names, wars, landmarks and figure biographies are translated, not just the interface.
Is there a mobile app?
Yes. HistorIQly Map is a separate one-time purchase on Google Play, with the atlas bundled for offline use. It is not part of the membership, and the membership does not include it.