Russian Empire

1721-191722.8 million km2Peter the Great

RegionRussia/Eurasia

Period1721-1917

Peak Size22.8 million km2

Founded ByPeter the Great

About Russian Empire

The third largest empire in history, spanning 11 time zones. Peter the Great modernized Russia by force, even taxing beards. Catherine the Great expanded south and west. Serfdom bound millions to the land until 1861. Trans-Siberian Railway connected Moscow to Vladivostok. Collapsed in the 1917 Russian Revolution.

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1922-199122.4

The largest communist state in history. Won WWII at a cost of 27 million lives. Launched Sputnik and...