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.

Natal Colony partOf British Empire
Lord Roberts allegiance British Empire
British Crown hasJurisdictionOver British Empire
Operation Crusader belligerent British Empire
Colony and Dominion of Virginia partOf British Empire
Northwest Indian War supportedBy British Empire
Cape rixdollar usedByColonialPower British Empire
Viceroy of India partOf British Empire
Burma (until 1937) colonialPower British Empire
Burma (until 1937) partOf British Empire
this entity surface form: British Empire in Asia
Oudh annexedBy British Empire
Christiaan de Wet opponent British Empire
The Great Democracies focusesOn British Empire
Northern Nigeria wasAdministeredBy British Empire
Burma campaign belligerent British Empire
Suez Crisis relatedTo British Empire
Operation Compass belligerent British Empire
Colony of Aden partOf British Empire
ICS partOf British Empire
subject surface form: Indian Civil Service
GCSI associatedWith British Empire
KCSI associatedWith British Empire
Bahadur Shah II exiledBy British Empire
Slave Trade Act 1807 jurisdiction British Empire
Battle of Jutland belligerent British Empire
Salt March colonialPowerOpposed British Empire
Michael O’Dwyer associatedWith British Empire
Battle of the Somme belligerent British Empire
Portuguese Empire rival British Empire
Asia (colonial possessions) partOf British Empire
British Sind partOf British Empire
Great Andamanese colonialContactWith British Empire
Galle laterControlledBy British Empire
subject surface form: Galle Fort
British Ceylon partOf British Empire
Batticaloa colonialPower British Empire
Kingdom of Kandy (interior Sri Lanka) fellTo British Empire
subject surface form: Kingdom of Kandy
Kingdom of Kandy (interior Sri Lanka) resisted British Empire
subject surface form: Kingdom of Kandy
Nana Sahib opponent British Empire
British Indian Army partOf British Empire