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.

Anglo-Burmese Wars conflictBetween British Empire
subject surface form: Second Anglo-Burmese War
Anglo-Burmese Wars conflictBetween British Empire
subject surface form: Third Anglo-Burmese War
King Thibaw Min overthrownBy British Empire
Queen Supayalat opponent British Empire
Battle of Colenso belligerent British Empire
Roger Hale Sheaffe allegiance British Empire
Gordon Drummond was wounded in the battle allegiance British Empire
subject surface form: Gordon Drummond
Lieutenant-General Frank Messervy allegiance British Empire
subject surface form: Frank Messervy
Pax Britannica hasCorePower British Empire
Pax Britannica hasKeyInstitution British Empire
No. 2 Squadron AFC allegiance British Empire
Fort St. Elmo controlledBy British Empire
Maltese people historicalRulers British Empire
Kingdom of Mysore incorporatedInto British Empire
Major-General Francis Tuker allegiance British Empire
subject surface form: Francis Tuker
8th Australian Division allegiance British Empire
Robert Heriot Barclay commanded the British squadron side British Empire
subject surface form: Robert Heriot Barclay
Battle of Paardeberg belligerent British Empire
British XII Corps allegiance British Empire
George Arthur sphereOfInfluence British Empire
Swahili people colonialHistory British Empire
Aapravasi Ghat associatedWith British Empire
Citadel Fort Adelaide builtBy British Empire
this entity surface form: the British Empire
Colony of Georgia partOf British Empire
colonial records of Virginia jurisdiction British Empire
subject surface form: Colonial Records of Virginia
Battle of De Klipdrift belligerent British Empire
Governor of Canada East partOf British Empire
West Indies station associatedWith British Empire
subject surface form: West Indies Station
this entity surface form: British Empire in the Caribbean
East Indies station associatedWith British Empire
subject surface form: East Indies Station
Anglo-Japanese Alliance 1902 relatedTo British Empire
subject surface form: Anglo-Japanese Alliance (1902)
Anglo-Egyptian Treaty 1936 context British Empire
subject surface form: Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936
Battle of Pretoria belligerent British Empire
Sir Eyre Coote affiliation British Empire
Queen Victoria's birthday observedIn British Empire
this entity surface form: British Empire (historically)
No. 56 Squadron RFC allegiance British Empire
Leander Starr Jameson countryOfService British Empire
First Matabele War belligerent British Empire
First Anglo-Afghan War belligerent British Empire