UK/Empire
| UK/Empire link (Empire) | |
|---|---|
| Interests | UK |
| Pax Britannica supplanted by Pax Americana | |
The British Empire was the largest empire in history. Following the Second World War, the US/Empire (Pax Americana) supplanted Pax Britannica.[1]
History
The Empire was composed of colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England between the late 16th and early 18th centuries. At its height it was the largest empire in history and, for over a century, was the foremost global power.
By 1913 the British Empire held sway over 412 million people, 23% of the world population at the time, and by 1920 it covered 35,500,000 km2 (13,700,000 sq mi), 24% of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its constitutional, legal, linguistic, and cultural legacy is widespread.
At the peak of its power, the phrase
"the empire on which the sun never sets"
was often used to describe the British Empire as the Sun was always shining on at least one of its territories.
After independence, many former British colonies joined the Commonwealth of Nations, a free association of independent states. The United Kingdom is now one of 16 Commonwealth nations, a grouping known informally as the Commonwealth realms, that share a monarch, currently King Charles III.