Biggest Spanish Empire Countries

Name the modern-day countries with the most territory that was part of the Spanish Empire.
Based mostly on this map
Not including territory held for less than 10 years
Not counting Portuguese territories held during the time of the Iberian Union
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: November 20, 2019
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First submittedMarch 6, 2017
Times taken79,903
Average score85.7%
Rating4.78
2:30
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%
km2
Country
50
4,800,000
United States
100
2,000,000
Mexico
50
1,400,000
Argentina
100
1,300,000
Peru
100
1,110,000
Colombia
100
1,100,000
Bolivia
100
920,000
Venezuela
70
530,000
Chile
100
506,000
Spain
100
406,000
Paraguay
100
300,000
Philippines
100
277,000
Ecuador
37
266,000
Morocco (Western Sahara)
100
176,000
Uruguay
+21
Level 72
Mar 6, 2017
And now 50% of the USA being part of the Spanish Empire surprises me. Lol
+14
Level ∞
Mar 6, 2017
It's an estimate based on the map.
+4
Level 76
Mar 7, 2017
Still surprising for me. I had no idea the Spanish controlled territory that far north!

I also had no idea Spain controlled Western Sahara.

+8
Level 82
Mar 7, 2017
I wouldn't say they actually controlled that territory, it was just claimed.
+6
Level 68
Mar 11, 2017
On Western Sahara - it was a part of Spain till 1975; colonialism (or acctually decolonisation) is quite a recent thing
+45
Level 66
Dec 29, 2017
I had no idea Spain controlled Spain apparently...
+2
Level 55
Dec 2, 2023
I forgot spain lol
+17
Level 89
Aug 8, 2018
I'm not sure they control Catalonia.
+6
Level 62
Sep 9, 2021
The 23% who forgot that Spain was part of the Spanish Empire.....
+3
Level 87
Sep 8, 2023
I actually get where they’re coming from - Spain is Spain, the Spanish empire is all the other areas that were controlled from Spain.
+1
Level 75
Dec 2, 2023
Thisisnotreal
+9
Level 71
Aug 17, 2017
The Spanish were even in what is now Canada.
+43
Level 66
Mar 8, 2017
How could I forget the most obvious country? :S
+19
Level 74
Mar 10, 2017
thank you. now I don't feel quite so stupid.
+7
Level 82
Aug 17, 2017
Make it three of us... :-\
+2
Level 39
Aug 17, 2017
I forgot Mexico...
+3
Level 20
Aug 17, 2017
The four of us :/
+2
Level 59
Feb 9, 2020
here the fifth.
+1
Level 36
Aug 15, 2021
can't relate
+1
Level 48
May 10, 2023
The sixth here
+4
Level 35
Jun 13, 2017
Only missed Philippines, was focusing on the Americas obviously. Didnt realise they controlled that much of the USA!
+1
Level 58
Jun 30, 2017
100% with left 1:01 minutes
+4
Level 69
Jul 18, 2017
It took me a moment to figure out what to type for "Western Sahara", but thankfully it accepts Morocco.
+13
Level 52
Aug 2, 2017
I oddly forgot about Spain.
+4
Level 76
Aug 17, 2017
Me too - I was thinking of other countries, just took Spain as obvious!
+1
Level 58
Aug 17, 2017
How did I guess every single country in South America except Paraguay and Uruguay? Those were the only ones I missed.
+1
Level 51
Aug 17, 2017
I almost left those out, too. Thought of them in the last seconds.
+2
Level 43
Aug 17, 2017
I thought Spain claimed area near or including Vancouver Island at one point. The water boundary between the extreme western portions of BC and Washington is the Strait of Juan de Fuca and it was claimed for Spain in 1592

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Juan_de_Fuca

+6
Level 58
Sep 24, 2020
This is not a comprehensive list
+5
Level 61
Aug 17, 2017
Since the Iberian Union lasted 60 years (well over the required 10 years), Brazil and other Portugese posessions should also be mentioned.
+2
Level 67
Aug 17, 2017
I do agree!!!
+7
Level 45
Jul 11, 2018
During the Iberian union, the kingdoms of Portugal and Spain were ruled separately by the same king, but they never merged into one kingdom or one empire.
+5
Level ∞
Nov 20, 2019
Yes, this is why they are not included. I added a caveat.
+1
Level 62
Nov 8, 2021
Read the caveats people!
+2
Level 43
Nov 9, 2021
How can you read the caveats that were added two years after you comment?
+5
Level 65
Aug 17, 2017
Spain is the third less guessed country.... lol
+4
Level 45
Aug 17, 2017
Fun quiz but annoyed Spain is included since I missed it lol. I just assumed it was included by default. :)
+1
Level 31
Aug 17, 2017
Got all but Uruguay and Phillippines. Good quiz
+1
Level 41
Aug 17, 2017
Got everywhere but Philippines. I remembered the territory Spain held in India but not in the Philippines!
+1
Level 49
Aug 12, 2018
333 years of spanish occupation to be exact.
+1
Level 52
Aug 17, 2017
Got them all... except Chile. Whoooops...
+1
Level 51
Aug 17, 2017
Only 78% got Spain! It's the Spanish Empire!
+3
Level 60
Aug 18, 2017
Spain dominated more than 60% of Brazil due to the Treaty of Tordesilhas. I am pretty sure that is bigger than Uruguay
+1
Level 35
Aug 18, 2017
I was gonna do this but you beat me.Atleast 13/14!
+2
Level 83
Nov 10, 2017
Huh, that's the second quiz in a row where I've almost forgotten about the Philippines's existence.
+1
Level 45
Jan 4, 2018
NO!! Forgot Philippines and Uruguay, though both were obviously
+1
Level 73
May 10, 2019
Wait what? I need to add Spain in a question about the 'Spanish' Empire? 19/20
+3
Level 60
Feb 10, 2023
Do the Spanish not control Spain?
+1
Level 54
May 20, 2019
I forgot spain
+1
Level 66
Jun 11, 2019
Got to 13/14 with like 2 mins left. Spent two minutes guessing every country in Africa I knew wasn't French or Portugese. Time ran out, and I had forgotten Spain
+1
Level 66
Jul 10, 2019
How do people get part of south america but not all of them?
+1
Level 70
Jul 15, 2019
Spain is 77%!
+6
Level 67
Aug 2, 2019
I am the kind of person who types in equatorial guinea on these quizzes even though I know it is WAY too small!
+1
Level 38
Sep 28, 2019
Nearly forgot Spain itself
+1
Level 37
Oct 22, 2019
Got all but Western Sahara. Didn't know that Spain claimed it. Is that why Morocco is always included in the "closest countries to Spain" quizzes?
+1
Level 77
Nov 11, 2019
Ceuta and Melilla have borders with Morocco.
+2
Level 51
Jan 11, 2020
Of course I forget Spain.
+1
Level 70
Jan 25, 2020
Was a little surprised not to see Belgium or the Netherlands. Guess they're just too small.
+2
Level 49
Feb 7, 2020
Even if Portugal territories were to be excluded, Brazil should still make the list by the map linked in the caveat. A lot of border land in marked as spanish, including the whole Acre state.
+1
Level 47
Feb 7, 2020
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
+1
Level 22
May 31, 2020
I forgot Spain...
+1
Level 29
Jun 30, 2020
Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and parts of France, Kiribati, Tuvalu...
+1
Level 33
Aug 12, 2020
''I used Spain to occupy Spain''
+1
Level 63
Aug 18, 2020
I can't believe I missed Spain itself!!!
+1
Level 48
Sep 7, 2020
I thought i was the only one. =S
+1
Level 52
Oct 19, 2020
Literally i missed almost Spain
+1
Level 66
Nov 17, 2020
How is Spain the 3rd least guessed? I would expect it to be the first answer everyone types.
+1
Level 56
Feb 16, 2021
You would think... other people (me) seem to forget that the quiz is areas controlled by the Spanish Empire, not Spanish colonies
+1
Level 26
Dec 3, 2023
Spain didn't have colonies since every every person living under Spanish king's rule had the exat same rights, no matter if lived in the metropoli or overseas.
+1
Level 59
Jan 6, 2021
NOOOO, I thought I already typed in every south american country, :( 12/14
+1
Level 29
Jan 27, 2021
love this quiz
+1
Level 48
Feb 16, 2021
Why aren't any of the countries of Central American and the Caribbean included as answers?
+1
Level 78
Feb 23, 2021
Presumably because the area is lower than that or Uruguay. That said, it could be increased to 15-20 answers rather than 14.
+2
Level 57
Mar 8, 2021
Spain, guys. Spain.
+3
Level 58
Nov 8, 2021
I was wondering if Brazil should be included. The state of Acre in what is now western Brazil remained under Spanish control after the Treaty of Madrid. It then became part of independent Bolivia and was later transferred to Brazil. However it is slightly smaller than Uruguay.

If any other Brazilian territory (in addition to Acre) was also under Spanish control, that would almost certainly swing the balance and put Brazil ahead of Uruguay.

+1
Level 67
Nov 10, 2021
Interesting
+2
Level 29
Nov 9, 2021
hey any swedes out there that know this word Högertrafikomläggningen
+1
Level 67
Nov 10, 2021
Not Swedish but now I know that word
+1
Level 26
Mar 27, 2022
I know it, but I'm Norwegian
+1
Level 67
Nov 10, 2021
Morocco took me a while but got it with 29 seconds left
+2
Level 67
Nov 10, 2021
More people forgot Spain than I expected lol
+1
Level 37
Feb 2, 2022
I always forget bolivia in quizzes
+2
Level 26
Mar 27, 2022
I forgot Spain
+2
Level 54
Apr 30, 2022
I got everything except Spain :(
+2
Level 43
May 20, 2022
i thought spain didn't count
+3
Level 44
Jan 2, 2023
Who else forgot Spain (:
+2
Level 41
Feb 16, 2023
I almost missed spain
+1
Level 60
Aug 27, 2023
13/14 three times in a row, each missing a different country...
+1
Level 60
Dec 2, 2023
Finally got them all.
+1
Level 52
Dec 3, 2023
Why not Brazil?

The state of Acre and other parts were held by Spain for many years. Same as parts of the USA.