The world in…

One year, every continent. Each snapshot describes what was happening across the world at a single moment, with links to the articles that go deeper.

Before 1000 BC

1. 3000 BC The world in 3000 BC

   The world in 3000 BC, region by region, with sources: clay tablets at Uruk and Susa, one king over Egypt, stone houses on Orkney, the first mounds at Caral.

2. 2500 BC The world in 2500 BC

   The world in 2500 BC, region by region, with sources: Khafre building at Giza, Sumerian cities at war, Mohenjo-daro's drains, Stonehenge's sarsens, Caral.

3. 2000 BC The world in 2000 BC

   The world in 2000 BC, region by region, with sources: Ur falling to Elam, Egypt before its Middle Kingdom, the temple at Kotosh, Sintashta's first chariots.

4. 1900 BC The world in 1900 BC

   Amenemhat II ruled Egypt, silk cocoons lay at Sapalli Tepe in Uzbekistan, El Argar held southeast Spain and Georgia's shell ring villages were emptying.

5. 1800 BC The world in 1800 BC

   Shamshi-Adad I called himself king of the universe, Crete's first palaces stood, stone-walled Shimao neared its end and Saqqaq people lived in Greenland.

6. 1700 BC The world in 1700 BC

   Crete rebuilt its palaces, sukkalmah rulers held Susa, Erlitou cast bronze, Avaris drew newcomers and the Chinchorro still fished Atacama coasts.

7. 1600 BC The world in 1600 BC

   Kings of Kush ruled from Kerma, the Nebra sky disc went into the ground, Tarim Basin herders were buried with cheese and rice may have been reaching Korea.

8. 1500 BC The world in 1500 BC

   The world in 1500 BC, region by region, with sources: Egypt reunited under Ahmose I, Mitanni at Aleppo, Shang bronze at Zhengzhou, a canoe crossing to Guam.

9. 1400 BC The world in 1400 BC

   Thutmose IV followed Amenhotep II in Egypt, Mycenaeans held Knossos, Elamite kings ruled Susa and Titicaca villages began to farm around 1400 BC.

10. 1300 BC The world in 1300 BC

    Horemheb ruled Egypt, a ship with a ton of tin sank at Uluburun, rice had not yet reached Japan and Belize fishers worked dug channels around 1300 BC.

11. 1200 BC The world in 1200 BC

    Ugarit burned, Hattusa emptied, Egypt fought over its throne, Shang kings divined at Anyang and Lapita potters sailed toward Vanuatu around 1200 BC.

12. 1100 BC The world in 1100 BC

    Tiglath-pileser I chased Aramaeans across the Euphrates, tomb robbers faced inquests at Thebes, and the date of the Shang's fall is still argued: 1100 BC.

1000 BC to AD 1

1. 1000 BC The world in 1000 BC

   The world in 1000 BC, region by region, with sources: Egypt split between Tanis and Thebes, Assyria in retreat, the Zhou in China, Olmec San Lorenzo fading.

2. 900 BC The world in 900 BC

   Hasanlu's columned hall near Lake Urmia, Seddin's King's Grave, rice reaching Kyushu and a color cache at Aguada Fénix: the world in 900 BC.

3. 800 BC The world in 800 BC

   Assyria sent armies into Media, Urartu took the plain below Ararat, Carthage was a young Phoenician town and Zhou kilns burned at Xi'an: 800 BC.

4. 700 BC The world in 700 BC

   Sennacherib's Assyria besieged Lachish, Kushite kings held Egypt, Greeks had settled Sicily and Chavín pottery spread in the Andes: 700 BC.

5. 600 BC The world in 600 BC

   Necho II ruled Egypt, Babylonia and Media had outlasted Assyria, Athens was nearing Solon's reforms and Palau had been settled for centuries: 600 BC.

6. 500 BC The world in 500 BC

   The world in 500 BC, region by region, with sources: Darius I's Persia from the Nile to the Indus, a new democracy at Athens, Confucius in Lu, Monte Albán.

7. 400 BC The world in 400 BC

   Athens had lost to Sparta, Egypt had revolted from Persia, Greek mercenaries were retreating from Cunaxa and Socrates would face trial in 399 BC.

8. 300 BC The world in 300 BC

   Seleucus I was founding Antioch, Ptolemy I ruled Egypt, Mauryan India held the Indus, Qin was rising in China and Maya walls bore a calendar date: 300 BC.

9. 200 BC The world in 200 BC

   Carthage had made peace, Rome voted for war on Philip V, Antiochus III won at Panion, the Han ruled China and Paracas was ending: 200 BC.

10. 100 BC The world in 100 BC

    Marius held a sixth consulship, Caesar was born by one count, Mithridates II ruled Parthia and Han armies had brought Ferghana horses east: 100 BC.

AD 1 to 500

1. AD 1 The world in AD 1

   Rome, Parthia, the Kushans, the Xiongnu and Han China stood in a row across Eurasia in AD 1; Teotihuacan was filling up and East Polynesia lay empty.

2. AD 100 The world in AD 100

   Trajan was consul in Rome, Xu Shen finished the Shuowen jiezi, Ban Chao held the Tarim for the Han and a Kushan king struck gold coins in AD 100.

3. AD 150 The world in AD 150

   In AD 150 Antoninus Pius ruled Rome, Liang Ji ran the Han court, Vologases IV held Parthia and Tonga had gone over five centuries without pottery.

4. AD 200 The world in AD 200

   Rome's Septimius Severus had just taken the Parthian capital Ctesiphon, Cao Cao won at Guandu in China, and Teotihuacan's Pyramid of the Sun stood built.

5. AD 250 The world in AD 250

   Shapur I of Persia broke off invading Rome to fight in Khorasan, Rome's Decius battled the Goths, and Sima Yi ruled Wei China for a child emperor.

6. AD 300 The world in AD 300

   Rome's four rulers had forced a hard peace on Persia, Goguryeo's chief minister crowned a new king, and princes in Jin China turned on Empress Jia.

7. AD 350 The world in AD 350

   Magnentius seized the Roman West, Shapur II laid siege to Nisibis again, and Ran Min took power in north China as the Later Zhao state fell apart.

8. AD 400 The world in AD 400

   Arcadius and Honorius split Rome, Yazdegerd I ruled Persia, Goguryeo sent 50,000 troops to aid Silla, and the monk Faxian was crossing Asia to India.

9. AD 450 The world in AD 450

   Theodosius II died and Marcian ruled the East, Yazdegerd II ordered Armenia to convert, Wei armies reached the Huai, and Silla clashed with Goguryeo.

AD 500 to 1000

1. AD 500 The world in AD 500

   Kavad I had retaken the Sasanian throne with Hephthalite help, Theoderic ruled from Ravenna, the Wei court sat in Luoyang and Silla had no fixed name.

2. AD 550 The world in AD 550

   Gao Yang proclaimed the Northern Qi, Silla took two forts from worn-out rivals, Teotihuacan's main avenue burned and Procopius published his Wars.

3. AD 600 The world in AD 600

   Khosrow II owed his throne to Maurice, Sui China had been whole since 589, Goguryeo condensed its history and the Avars lost a battle on the Tisza.

4. AD 650 The world in AD 650

   Yazdegerd III lost Fars and fled east, Silla sent the Tang emperor an ode, Constans II faced the Arabs and Samarkand's king was recognized by the Tang.

5. AD 700 The world in AD 700

   Wu Zetian ruled China in her own name, all-Arabic coins spread across the caliphate, Tikal had beaten Calakmul and Panjikant was at its height.

6. AD 750 The world in AD 750

   Abbasid armies from Khorasan ended Umayyad rule, Xuanzong's court drifted toward revolt, Nara housed a new bronze statue and Pippin waited to be king.

7. AD 800 The world in AD 800

   Charlemagne took the imperial title in Rome, Irene ruled Byzantium alone, Harun al-Rashid ruled from Baghdad and Tibet held the oasis kingdom of Khotan.

8. AD 850 The world in AD 850

   The caliph ruled from Samarra, Theodora governed Byzantium for her son, raiders first wintered in England and Chaco Canyon's first great houses rose.

9. AD 900 The world in AD 900

   Ismail the Samanid ruled from Bukhara, Leo VI from Constantinople, the Tulunids from Egypt; warlords held Tang China and Yasovarman founded Angkor.

10. AD 950 The world in AD 950

    Buyid amirs held Baghdad, Constantine VII ruled Byzantium alone, northern China's Later Han was ending, and the Chandellas were building at Khajuraho.

AD 1000 to 1500

1. 1000 The world in AD 1000

   Song China ruled from Kaifeng, Fatimids from Cairo, Basil II from Constantinople; Ghana sold gold, Turkish generals split Persia, Norse ships sailed west.

2. 1050 The world in AD 1050

   In 1050 the Seljuk Toghril Beg besieged Isfahan, Nasir-i Khusraw studied in Fatimid Cairo, Bi Sheng had made clay type, and Cahokia was becoming a city.

3. 1100 The world in AD 1100

   In 1100 crusaders held Jerusalem, Seljuk brothers fought over Iran, Huizong took the Song throne, Cahokia grew and Tiwanaku had no year-round residents.

4. 1150 The world in AD 1150

   In 1150 Sanjar still ruled the Seljuks, the Second Crusade had failed at Damascus, Ghur fought Ghazna and Mimbres villagers had bred scarlet macaws.

5. 1200 The world in AD 1200

   In 1200 Tekish of Khwarazm and the scholar Zhu Xi died, French counts took the cross, Aybak held Delhi and Mesa Verde's cliff dwellings were going up.

6. 1250 The world in AD 1250

   The world in AD 1250, region by region, with sources: Mongol rule from China to the steppe, Mamluks seizing Egypt, Louis IX a prisoner, Mali a new empire.

7. 1300 The world in AD 1300

   In 1300 the Ilkhan Ghazan pulled out of Syria, Rome held a jubilee year, Khubilai's grandson ruled China and Mesa Verde's farmers had moved south.

8. 1350 The world in AD 1350

   In 1350 plague had just crossed Florence and Damascus, Muhammad bin Tughluq ruled Delhi, macaws were bred at Paquimé and New Zealand's moa were vanishing.

9. 1400 The world in AD 1400

   Timur ruled from Samarkand, Bayezid I was two years from capture at Ankara, Richard II had just been deposed and Great Zimbabwe still stood near its height.

10. 1450 The world in AD 1450

    In 1450 Kentish rebels listed their grievances, Samarqand changed rulers, Sejong's reign in Korea ended and Mayapan, the last great Maya capital, fell.

AD 1500 to today

1. 1500 The world in AD 1500

   The world in AD 1500, region by region, with sources: Portuguese ships in India and Brazil, Bayezid II in Constantinople, Ahuitzotl in Tenochtitlan.

2. 1550 The world in AD 1550

   In 1550 Potosí's silver mountain was five years old, Valladolid debated the conquest of the Americas, and the Mughal emperor Humayun held court at Kabul.

3. 1600 The world in AD 1600

   In 1600 Tokugawa Ieyasu won at Sekigahara, Shah Abbas I retook Herat, Akbar campaigned in the Deccan, and Moroccan rule over Timbuktu was collapsing.

4. 1650 The world in AD 1650

   In 1650 Cromwell routed the Scots at Dunbar, Descartes died in Stockholm, Persia held Kandahar against the Mughals, and Hartford fixed a colonial border.

5. 1700 The world in AD 1700

   The world in AD 1700, region by region, with sources: Aurangzeb at Satara, Charles XII at Narva, a Bourbon heir for Spain, Asante's victory over Denkyira.

6. 1750 The world in AD 1750

   In 1750 Bach died, Zand and Bakhtiari chiefs seized Isfahan, Korea halved its military cloth tax, and Spain agreed to cede seven Guarani missions.

7. 1800 The world in AD 1800

   In 1800 Napoleon was First Consul, Qing China held 300 million people behind the Canton system, Jefferson beat Adams, and Toussaint ran Saint-Domingue.

8. 1850 The world in AD 1850

   In 1850 Congress passed the Compromise of 1850, Brazil outlawed the slave trade, Naser al-Din Shah ruled Iran and Victoria split from New South Wales.

9. 1900 The world in AD 1900

   In 1900 Britain fought the Boer republics, an international force relieved the Beijing legations, Paris held a world fair, and Australia federated.

10. 1950 The world in AD 1950

    In 1950 North Korea invaded the South on June 25, India became a republic, Schuman proposed pooling coal and steel, and South Africa wrote apartheid into law.