![]() Envious of the great wealth these empires generated, England, France, and the Netherlands began to establish colonies and trade networks of their own in the Americas and Asia. ![]() ĭuring the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal and Spain pioneered European exploration of the globe, and in the process established large overseas empires. At the peak of its power, it was described as " the empire on which the sun never sets", as the sun was always shining on at least one of its territories. As a result, its constitutional, legal, linguistic, and cultural legacy is widespread. By 1913, the British Empire held sway over 412 million people, 23 per cent of the world population at the time, and by 1920, it covered 35.5 million km 2 (13.7 million sq mi), 24 per cent of the Earth's total land area. ![]() It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.Īt its height in the 19th and early 20th century, it was the largest empire in history and, for a century, was the foremost global power. The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. Mandates and protected states are shown in a lighter shade. ![]() Areas of the world that were part of the British Empire with current British Overseas Territories underlined in red. ![]()
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