History

Deadliest Wars in History

Wars ranked by estimated death toll.

130 rows6 columns1 views0 downloadsSource: WikipediaUpdated: 2/22/2026
warshistoryconflictscasualties
130 of 130 rows
War↕
Deathrange↕
Date↕
Combatants↕
Location↕
% of global population (rough estimates)↕
World War II70–85 million1939–1945Allied Powers vs. Axis PowersGlobal3.04–3.69%
Taiping Rebellion20–70 million1850–1864Qing Dynasty vs. Taiping Heavenly KingdomChina1.42–2.65%
Mongol invasions and conquests20–60 million1206–1368Mongol Empire vs. various states in EurasiaAsia and Europe5.55–13.54%
Three Kingdoms34 million184–280Multiple sides but predominantly Cao Wei vs Shu Han vs Eastern WuChina13.28–17.89%
Manchu Conquest of China25 million1618–1683Manchu vs. Ming DynastyChina4.16–5.31%
World War I15–22 million1914–1918Allied Powers vs. Central PowersGlobal0.85–1.25%
Conquests of Timur7–17 million1369–1405Timurid Empire vs. various states in AsiaCentral Asia, West Asia, and South Asia1.94–5.55%
An Lushan rebellion13 million754–763Tang Dynasty and Uyghur Khaganate vs. Yan DynastyChina6.04%
Spanish conquest of Mexico10.5 million1519–1530Spanish Empire and allies vs. Aztec Empire and alliesMexico2.33%
Russian Civil War7–10 million1917–1922Multiple sides: Bolsheviks, anti-Bolshevik left, White Movement, Allied and Central Intervention, as well as various separatistsRussia0.37–0.53%
Chinese Civil War4–9 million1927–1949Multiple sides, but predominantly Communists vs. KuomintangChina0.19–0.43%
Thirty Years' War4.5–8 million1618–1648Anti-Imperial Alliance vs. Imperial AllianceEurope0.77–1.38%
Crusades1–9 million1095–1291Originally Byzantine Empire vs. Seljuk Empire, but evolved into Christians vs. MuslimsEurope and the Middle East0.31–2.8%
Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire7.7 million1533–1572Spanish Empire vs. Inca EmpireSouth America1.71%
Reconquista7 million718–1492Christian peninsular kingdoms vs. Islamic peninsular kingdomsIberian Peninsula1.94%
French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars4–7 million1792–1815French Republic, later French Empire, vs. Coalition forcesEurope0.49–0.86%
Conquests of Menelik II5–6 million1878–1904Ethiopian Empire vs. Emirate of Harar, Kingdom of Kaffa, Kingdom of Wolaita, and alliesHorn of Africa0.39%
Mahdist War4-6 million1881-1899Mahdist Sudan vs. United Kingdom and alliesSudan
Second Congo War3–5.4 million1998–2003Multiple sidesDemocratic Republic of the Congo0.05–0.09%
Spanish conquest of New Granada5.25 million1525–1540Spanish Empire vs. Muisca Confederation and other civilizationsSouth America1.17%
Deccan wars4.6–5 million1680–1707Mughal Empire vs. Maratha ConfederacySouth Asia0.75–0.82%
Northern Wars3.57–4.57 million1554–1721Multiple sidesEastern and Northern Europe0.46–1.02%
Vietnam War1.3–4.2 million1955–1975North Vietnam and allies vs. South Vietnam and alliesIndochina0.027–0.153%
Nigerian Civil War3.04–4.1 million1967–1970Nigeria vs. BiafraNigeria
French Wars of Religion2–4 million1562–1598French catholics vs HuguenotsFrance0.40–0.89%
Korean War2.5–3.5 million1950–1953North Korea and allies vs. South Korea and alliesKorean Peninsula
Hundred Years' War2.3–3.5 million1337–1453House of Valois vs. House of PlantagenetWestern Europe0.51–1.00%
Soviet–Afghan War1–3 million1979–1989Soviet Union and Democratic Republic of Afghanistan vs. Afghan mujahideenAfghanistan
Delhi Conquest of North India0.5–3 million1300–1310Delhi Sultanate vs. North Indian StatesSouth Asia0.14–0.86%
Bangladesh Liberation War0.3-3 million1971India and Provisional Government of Bangladesh vs. PakistanSouth Asia
Mexican Revolution1–2.7 million1910–1920Anti-government forces vs. Pro-government forcesMexico
Fang La Rebellion2 million1120–1122Song Dynasty vs. Fang La rebelsChina0.56–0.63%
Ethiopian Civil War and Eritrean War of Independence1.75–2 million1961–1991EPRDF, later EPLF, vs. Derg and People's Democratic Republic of EthiopiaHorn of Africa
Russo-Circassian War and Caucasian War1.5–2 million1763–1864Circassian Confederation, Principality of Abkhazia, and Caucasian Imamate vs. Russian EmpireCaucasus
Second Sudanese Civil War1–2 million1983–2005Sudan vs. SSPDFSudan
Tây Sơn wars1–2 million1771–1802Tây Sơn dynasty vs. Nguyễn lords, Kingdom of Cambodia, Rattanakosin Kingdom, and Kingdom of FranceIndochina
Akbar's Conquest of North India1–2 million1556–1605Mughal Empire vs. North Indian StatesSouth Asia
Indian Rebellion of 18570.8–2 million1857–1858United Kingdom and allies vs. Indian rebels and alliesSouth Asia
Balkan Wars0.75–1.77 million1912–1913Ottoman Empire vs. Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro; later Bulgaria vs. Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, and RomaniaBalkans
Algerian War0.4–1.6 million1954–1962France vs. Separatists National Liberation Front, Algerian National Movement, and Algerian Communist PartyNorth Africa
Seven Years' War1–1.5 million1756–1763Great Britain, Hanover, Prussia, Portugal, and allies vs. France, Habsburg empire, Saxony, Spain, and alliesGlobal
Warring States period and Qin's wars of unification0.65–1.5 million475 BCE–221 BCEMultiple sidesChina0.35–1.30%
French conquest of Algeria0.98–1.48 million1830–1903France vs. Regency of Algiers, Emirate of Abdelkader, Kingdom of Beni Abbas, and alliesNorth Africa
Gallic Wars0.7–1.47 million58 BCE–50 BCERoman Republic vs. Gauls and alliesGaul0.37–1.28%
Jewish–Roman wars0.35–1.4 million66–135Roman Empire vs. Judean provisional governmentFertile Crescent0.17–0.74%
War of the Spanish Succession0.4–1.25 million1701–1714Habsburg Spain, Great Britain, Holy Roman Empire, and allies vs. Bourboun Spain, Kingdom of France, and alliesGlobal
Wars of Alexander the Great1 million336–323 BCMacedonian Empire vs. Achaemenid Empire and alliesWest Asia and Central Asia
Japanese invasions of Korea1 million1592–1598Joseon and Ming dynasty vs. JapanKorean Peninsula
Panthay Rebellion1 million1856–1873Qing Dynasty vs. Pingnan GuoChina
American Civil War0.6–1 million1861–1865United States vs. Confederate StatesNorth America
Mozambican Civil War0.5–1 million1977–1992People's Republic of Mozambique, later Republic of Mozambique, and allies vs. RENAMO and alliesMozambique
First Sudanese Civil War0.5–1 million1955–1972Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, later Democratic Republic of the Sudan, vs. Sudan Defence ForceSudan
Somali Civil War0.35–1 million1981/1988/1991–presentMultiple sidesHorn of Africa
Burmese–Siamese wars0.26–0.9 million1547–1855Thailand vs. MyanmarSoutheast Asia
First Indochina War0.4–0.84 million1946–1954Viet Minh, Pathet Lao, and Khmer Issarak vs. French UnionIndochina
Angolan Civil War0.8 million1975–2002People's Republic of Angola, later Republic of Angola, and allies vs. Democratic People's Republic of Angola and alliesAngola
Burundian Civil War0.55–0.8 million1993–2005Burundi vs. Ethnic Hutu vs. Tutsi MilitantsRwanda and Burundi
Second Punic War0.77 million218–201 BCERoman Republic vs. Ancient CarthageSouthern Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and North Africa
War of Austrian Succession0.75 million1740–1748France, Prussia, Spain, and allies vs. Habsburg monarchy, Great Britain, Dutch Republic, and alliesEurope, the Americas, and South Asia
Third Punic War0.75 million149–146 BCERoman Republic vs. Ancient CarthageNorth Africa
Iran–Iraq War0.45–0.7 million1980–1988Islamic Republic of Iran vs. Iraqi RepublicIran and Iraq
Nine Years' War0.68 million1688–1697Kingdom of France vs. Grand AllianceEurope
Crimean War0.61–0.67 million1853–1856Russian Empire vs. Ottoman Empire, France, and United KingdomCrimea, Black Sea, Caucasus, and the Balkans
Syrian civil war0.58–0.61 million2011–2024Multiple sidesLevant
Mexican War of Independence0.6 million1810–1821Mexican patriots vs. Spanish EmpireNorth and Central America
Bahmani–Vijayanagar Wars0.6 million1362–1443Vijayanagara Empire and Musunuri Nayakas vs. Bahmani SultanateSouth Asia
Turkish War of Independence0.4–0.6 million1919–1923Turkey vs. Greece, France, United Kingdom, and ArmeniaAnatolia
Tigray War0.16–0.6 million2020–2022Ethiopia and Eritrea vs. Tigray People's Liberation Front and alliesHorn of Africa
Roman–Germanic wars0.54 million113 BCE – 774Roman Republic, later Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire, vs. Germanic tribesGermania
First Punic War0.4–0.54 million264–241 BCERoman Republic vs. Ancient CarthageSouthern Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, and North Africa
Paraguayan War0.15–0.5 million1864–1870Empire of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay vs. ParaguaySouth America
Uganda–Tanzania War and Ugandan Bush War0.1–0.5 million1978–1986Uganda vs. Tanzania, National Liberation Front, and National Resistance MovementUganda and Tanzania
Papua conflict0.1–0.5 million1962–presentIndonesia vs. Free Papua MovementNew Guinea
Eighty Years' War0.1–0.5 million1566–1648Spanish Empire vs. Separatist Dutch RepublicLow Countries
Russo-Ukrainian War0.35–0.48 million2014–presentUnion of People's Republics, later Russia and North Korea vs. UkraineEastern Europe and the Black Sea
Spanish Civil War0.35–0.47 million1936–1939Nationalists vs. RepublicansIberian Peninsula
Colombian conflict0.45 million1964–presentColombia vs. Colombian and Mexican drug cartels, FARC, ELN, and other paramilitary groupsSouth America
Franco-Prussian War0.43 million1870–1871Second French Empire, later Third French Republic vs. North German ConfederationCentral Europe
Polish–Ottoman Wars0.43 million1485–1699Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Holy League, and allies vs. Ottoman Empire and alliesCentral Europe and Balkans
Roman–Greek wars0.42 million280 BCE–30 BCERoman Republic vs. Greek states, later Greek rebels, and Ptolemaic KingdomPeloponnese Peninsula, Balkans, Anatolia, Egypt, and Italian Peninsula
Maratha invasions of Bengal0.4 million1741–1751Maratha Confederacy vs. Bengal NawabSouth Asia
Colombian War of Independence0.4 million1810–1825Colombian patriots vs. Spanish EmpireSouth America
Third Indochina War0.4 million1975–1991Democratic Kampuchea, China, and Thailand vs. Vietnam, Laos, and People's Republic of Kampuchea vs. Communist Party of ThailandIndochina
War in Darfur0.4 million2003–2020Sudan vs. SRF and SLM/ASudan
Mexican war on drugs0.35–0.4 million2006–presentMexico vs drug cartelsMexico
Song–Đại Việt war0.25–0.4 million1075–1077Song Dynasty vs. Đại ViệtIndochina
Cuban Wars of Independence and Spanish–American War0.39 million1868–1898United States, Cuban Revolutionaries, and Philippine Revolutionaries vs. Spanish EmpireCaribbean and the Philippines
South Sudanese Civil War0.38 million2013–2020South Sudan vs. SPLM-IO, Nuer White Army, and SSDMSouth Sudan
Yemeni civil war0.37 million2014–presentMultiple sidesYemen
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)0.36 million2001–2021Taliban and allies vs. United States-led coalition and the Afghan GovernmentAfghanistan
Boko Haram insurgency0.35 million2009–presentMultinational Joint Task Force vs. Boko HaramNigeria
Franco-Dutch War0.34 million1672–1678Kingdom of France vs. Dutch RepublicWestern Europe
Ottoman–Venetian wars0.34 million1415–1718Ottoman Empire vs. Holy LeagueMediterranean Sea, Greece, and Cyprus
Liberian Civil Wars and Sierra Leone Civil War0.3–0.32 million1989–2003Liberian government, Revolutionary United Front vs. National Patriotic Front of Liberia, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, Movement for Democracy in Liberia, Sierra LeoneWest Africa
Cambodian Civil War0.27–0.31 million1967–1975Khmer Rouge and allies vs. Kingdom of Cambodia, later the Khmer Republic, and alliesIndochina
Goguryeo–Sui War0.3 million598–614Sui Dynasty vs. GoguryeoManchuria and the Korean Peninsula
Carlist Wars0.3 million1833–1876Carlists vs. Liberals and RepublicansIberian Peninsula
Iraqi conflict0.27–0.3 million2003–2017Multiple sidesLevant
Gulf War0.17–0.3 million1990–1991Kuwait and the United States-led coalition vs. IraqKuwait and Iraq
Social War (91–87 BC)0.1–0.3 million91–87 BCERoman Republic and allies vs. Marsic and Samnite rebels, and alliesItalian Peninsula
Roman conquest of Britain0.13–0.29 million43–84Roman Empire vs. Celtic BritonsGreat Britain
Philippine–American War0.21–0.28 million1899–1913United States vs. Philippine Republic, later Tagalog Republic, Sultanate of Sulu, and Sultanate of MaguindanaoPhilippines
Kalinga War0.25 million262–261 BCEMaurya Empire vs. KalingaSouth Asia
First Congo War0.25 million1996–1997Zaire vs. AFDLDemocratic Republic of the Congo
Cristero War0.25 million1926–1929Mexico vs. CristerosMexico
Greek War of Independence0.24 million1821–1829Ottoman Empire vs. Separatist First Hellenic RepublicBalkans and Peloponnese Peninsula
Myanmar conflict0.23 million1948–presentNational Unity Government of Myanmar vs. State Administration CouncilMyanmar
American Revolution0.18–0.23 million1775–1783American Patriots vs. Great BritainNorth America
Chechen conflict0.08–0.23 million1994–2009Russia vs. Separatist Chechen Republic of IchkeriaCaucasus
Indian Annexation of Hyderabad0.2 million1947–1948India vs. HyderabadSouth Asia
La Violencia0.2 million1948–1958Colombian Conservative Party vs. Colombian Liberal PartySouth America
Greco-Persian Wars0.2 million499–449 BCEGreek city-states vs. Achaemenid EmpireSoutheast Europe, West Asia, and Northeast Africa
Arab–Israeli conflict0.2 million1948–presentIsrael vs. Arab League, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthi movementLevant
Guatemalan Civil War0.14–0.2 million1960–1996Government of Guatemala vs. Guatemalan National Revolutionary UnityCentral America
North Yemen Civil War0.1–0.2 million1962–1970Kingdom of Yemen vs. Yemen Arab RepublicYemen
Italo-Senussi Wars0.07–0.2 million1911–1934Kingdom of Italy vs. Senusiyya, Ottoman EmpireNorth Africa
Portuguese Colonial War0.14–0.18 million1961–1974Estado Novo vs. MPLA, PAIGC, FNLA, among othersAngola, Guinea, and Mozambique
Thousand Days' War0.1–0.18 million1899–1902Colombian Conservative Party vs. Colombian Liberal PartySouth America
Sri Lankan Civil War0.08–0.17 million1983–2009Sri Lankan government vs. Separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil EelamSri Lanka
Civil conflict in the Philippines0.16 million1968–presentFilipino government vs. Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Communist Party of the Philippines, and Abu SayyafPhilippines
Russo-Japanese War0.12–0.16 million1904–1905Empire of Japan vs. Russian EmpireEast Asia
Sudanese civil war (2023–present)0.15 million2023–presentSudan and allies vs. Rapid Support Forces and alliesSudan
Algerian Civil War0.15 million1992–2002Multiple sidesNorth Africa
Lebanese Civil War0.12–0.15 million1975–1990Multiple sidesLevant
Greek Civil War0.08–0.15 million1946–1949Kingdom of Greece vs. Provisional Democratic GovernmentBalkans and Peloponnese Peninsula
Yugoslav Wars0.13–0.14 million1991–2001Separatist forces and NATO vs. Yugoslavia, later Federal Republic of YugoslaviaBalkans
Irish Nine Years' War0.13 million1593–1603Kingdom of England vs. Irish rebelsIreland
Chaco War0.08–0.13 million1932–1935Paraguay vs. BoliviaSouth America
Kurdish–Turkish conflict0.12 million1921–2025Turkey vs. Kurdish Republic of Ararat, later Kurdistan Worker's PartyMiddle East
Federal War0.1 million1859–1863Federal Venezuelan rebels vs. Conservative Venezuelan governmentSouth America
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