British Empire

E2886

The British Empire was a vast global colonial empire dominated by Britain that, at its height, controlled territories on every inhabited continent and profoundly shaped modern political, economic, and cultural history.

All labels observed (23)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (93)

Predicate Object
instanceOf colonial empire
historical empire
alsoKnownAs British Empire
surface form: British colonial empire
areaAtPeak about 35,500,000 square kilometres
capital London, England
surface form: London
coloniser Australia
Barbados
Burma (until 1937)
surface form: Burma

Canada
Cyprus
Egypt
Fiji
Hong Kong, China
surface form: Hong Kong

India
Iraq
Ireland
Jamaica
Kenya
British Malaya
surface form: Malaya

New Zealand
Nigeria
State of Palestine
surface form: Palestine

Singapore
South Africa
Sudan
continent Africa
Antarctica
Asia
Europe
North America
Oceania
South America
country United Kingdom
culturalLegacy Westminster system
cricket
global spread of English language
parliamentary democracy
railway networks
currency Pound sterling
dissolution 20th century
economicSystem capitalism
mercantilism
finalMajorColonyTransfer handover of Hong Kong in 1997
hasPart Colony of Aden
surface form: Aden Colony

Burma (until 1937)
surface form: British Burma

Kenya
surface form: British East Africa

Egypt
surface form: British Egypt

British Guiana
Hong Kong, China
surface form: British Hong Kong

British Malaya
British Mandate for Palestine
surface form: British Mandate of Palestine

Nigeria
surface form: British Nigeria

British India
surface form: British Raj

Somalia
surface form: British Somaliland

British West Indies
British Ceylon
surface form: Ceylon under British rule

Australia
surface form: Commonwealth of Australia

Dominion of Canada
New Zealand
surface form: Dominion of New Zealand

Straits Settlements
South Africa
surface form: Union of South Africa
headOfState British monarch
inception 16th century
involvedIn Atlantic slave trade
triangular trade
language English
legalLegacy common law
majorCompany British East India Company
surface form: East India Company

Hudson's Bay Company
Royal African Company
metropole Kingdom of Great Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom
surface form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
notableMonarch Elizabeth II
George V
George VI
Queen Victoria
peakPeriod early 20th century
late 19th century
politicalSystem constitutional monarchy
populationAtPeak over 400 million people
religion Anglicanism
Protestantism
significantEvent Age of Exploration
surface form: Age of Discovery

American Revolutionary War
World War I
surface form: First World War

Napoleonic Wars
Scramble for Africa
World War II
surface form: Second World War

Seven Years' War
decolonisation
slogan the empire on which the sun never sets
successor Commonwealth countries
surface form: Commonwealth of Nations

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1,568)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Durnford allegiance British Empire
subject surface form: Anthony Durnford
Five Nations alliedWith British Empire
Canadian Engineers allegiance British Empire
Battle of Amiens (1918) belligerent British Empire
CMGC allegiance British Empire
Lewis gun usedBy British Empire
Ellice Islands partOf British Empire
Andrew Clarke regionOfActivity British Empire
Andrew Clarke employer British Empire
Battle of St. Julien belligerent British Empire
royal government of Georgia appliesToJurisdiction British Empire
subject surface form: Royal Government of Georgia
Abdur Rahman Khan signedWith British Empire
Treaty of Gandamak cededTerritoryTo British Empire
Treaty of Gandamak signedByParty British Empire
Battle of Ali Masjid belligerent British Empire
Third Army (United Kingdom) allegiance British Empire
Haldimand Proclamation jurisdiction British Empire
Covenant Chain hasParticipant British Empire
Banswara State overlord British Empire
Battle of Beersheba (1917) belligerent British Empire
Sir Theophilus Shepstone employer British Empire
Isandlwana battleBelligerent British Empire
Battle of Messines (1917) belligerent British Empire
Crown Colony of Sarawak partOf British Empire
Hugh Clifford employer British Empire
Suez Canal Zone partOf British Empire
Western Transvaal campaign opponent British Empire
Battle of Peiwar Kotal belligerent British Empire
Queen's South Africa Medal awardedBy British Empire
Hubert Gough allegiance British Empire
Natalia succeededBy British Empire
subject surface form: Natalia Republic
Battle of Maiwand opponentOf British Empire
Edwin Alderson allegiance British Empire
Battle of Ladysmith belligerent British Empire
Red Eagle Division allegiance British Empire
5th Indian Infantry Brigade allegiance British Empire
Japanese 25th Army opponent British Empire
Chickasaw Wars allyOf British Empire
Howard Kippenberger allegiance British Empire
Peel Commission inquiry jurisdiction British Empire
Fenian Raids hasParticipant British Empire
Fenian Raids opponent British Empire