This is a historical map of territorial evolution of the #IncaEmpire from circa 1400 to 1532. It shows present-day place names and boundaries.
“Employing a shrewd combination of diplomacy, intermarriage, and military coercion, the #Inca conquered a vast realm extending 2,500 miles along the mountainous spine of South America. At their height, they ruled as many as 12 million people, who spoke at least 20 languages. This fractious conglomeration quickly fell apart after the #Spanish conquest in 1532.”
This image appeared in National Geographic in 2011.
Data: Brian S. Bauer, R. Alan Covey, Terence N. D’Altroy
Credit: William E. McNulty, Lawson Parker, and Lisa R. Ritter, NGM staff; Landsat image (INSET); Global Land Cover Facility
