THE BRITISH
EMPIRE
In the following list of present and former British
possessions, current British possessions and dependencies are in boldface,
and independent states in the Commonwealth that retain Queen Elizabeth as their
Head of State are followed by a crown, 
.
- The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- England
- Wales
- Scotland
- Ireland, independent 1921, Republic 1938, leaves
Commonwealth 1949
- Isle of Man
- Channel Islands
- Jersey
- Guernsey
- Alderney
- Sark
- Gibraltar, seized 1704, ceded by Spain 1713
- Hanover, 1714, independent 1837, to Prussia 1866
- Ionian Islands, 1809, to Greece 1864
- Minorca, 1708, to Spain 1783
- Malta, 1800, independent 1964, republic 1974
- Cyprus, 1878, independent 1960, Turkish invasion,
occupation of northern Cyprus 1974
- Egypt, shares of Suez Canal purchased 1875, country occupied 1882,
protectorate 1914, independent 1922, Suez Canal occupied until 1956, Canal
nationalized 1956
- Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, condominium 1898-1956, independent 1956
- Palestine, occupied 1917, mandate 1921, independent 1948 (Israel;
Palestine to Jordan & Egypt, territories occupied by Israel 1967)
- Transjordan, occupied 1917, mandate 1921-1946, independent 1946 (Jordan
1949)
- Iraq, occupied 1918, mandate 1921-1932, independent 1932
- Kuwait, protectorate 1904, independent 1961
- Bahrain, protectorate 1882, independent 1971
- Muscat & Oman, Treaty 1798, independent 1971
- Qatar, protectorate 1916, independent 1971
- Trucial States (Oman), protectorate 1820, independent 1971 (United Arab
Emirates)
- Abu Dhabi
- Ajman
- Dubai
- Al Sharqah
- Umm al Qawain
- Ras al Khaimah
- Fujairah
- Aden, 1839, independent 1967 (South Yemen)
- Afghanistan, First Afghan War 1838-1842, Second Afghan War 1878-1880,
protectorate 1880-1921, Third Afghan War 1919-1921, Soviet Russian
occupation 1979-1989
- India, independent 1947 (Pakistan [out of Commonwealth
1972-1989], Bangladesh 1971)
- Andaman Islands
- Nicobar Islands
- Bhutan, protectorate of India
- Sikkim, protectorate of India
- Burma, 1826 (Arakan) 1852 (Lower Burma) 1886 (Upper Burma), independent
1948 (Myanmar 1991)
- Ceylon, 1795, independent 1948 (Sri Lanka)
- Seychelles, 1810, independent 1975
- Mahé Island
- Amriante Isles
- Farquhar Group
- Cosmoledo Group
- British Indian Ocean Territory, created 1965
- Chagos Archipelago
- Salomon Islands
- Peros Banhos Atoll
- Three Brothers, Eagle, and Danger Islands
- The Egmont Islands
- Diego Garcia
Maldives, 1887, independent 1965
Mauritius, 1810, independent 1968
- Rodrigues
- Cargados Carajos Shoals
- Agalega Island
Malaysia, created and independent 1963
- Straits Settlements, Crown colony 1867
- Singapore 1819, to Malaysia 1963, independent 1965
- Penang 1786, to Malaya 1948, to Malaysia 1963
- Malacca 1824, to Malaya 1948, Malaysia 1963
- Labuan, 1846, to North Bornea 1890, to Singapore 1907, to Straits
Settlements 1912, to North Borneo 1946
- Malaya, Federation 1957, independent 1963 as Malaysia
- British North Borneo, 1877, to Malaysia 1963 (Sabah)
- Sarawak, to James Brooke 1841, Crown Colony 1946, to Malaysia 1963
Brunei, protectorate 1888, independent 1984
Hong Kong, 1841, to China 1997
British North America
- Canada, dominion 1867
- Ontario (Upper Canada), 1759, autonomous 1840
- Quebec (Lower Canada), 1759, autonomous 1840
- Nova Scotia, 1717, autonomous 1854
- New Brunswick, 1759, autonomous 1854
- Prince Edward Island, 1759, autonomous 1854
- Northwest Territories
- Yukon Territory
- Manitoba
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- British Columbia, 1849 (Vancouver Island) 1858
- Newfoundland, 1583, to Canada 1949
- United States, independent 1783
Mosquito Coast, 1655, to Nicaragua 1855
Surinam, 1651, Dutch Guiana 1668
British Guiana, 1796/1815, independent 1966 (Guyana)
British Honduras, 1638/1786, independent 1981 (Belize)
Bahama Islands, 1670, independent 1973
- Turks & Caicos Islands, 1678, to Bahamas 1799, to Jamaica
1873, admnistered by Bahamas 1965-1973
- Grand Turk Island
- Salt Cay
- Grand Caicos Island
Bermuda, 1609, to Virginia 1612, separate 1684
Cayman Islands, 1655
British Virgin Islands, 1666
West Indies Federation, federated 1956
- Leeward Islands, federated 1871
- Anguilla, 1650
- Montserrat, 1632
- Antigua, 1632, & Barbuda, 1628, independent 1981
- St. Kitts, 1624, & Nevis, 1628, independent 1983
- Windward Islands
- St. Lucia, 1815, independent 1979
- Grenada, 1763, independent 1974
- St. Vincent, 1763, & the Grenadines, independent 1979
- Dominica, 1763, independent 1978
- Barbados, 1627, independent 1966
- Jamaica, 1655, independent 1962
- Trinidad, 1797, & Tobago, 1763, independent 1962
Australia, Commonwealth 1901
- Coral Sea Islands Territory
- Norfolk Island & Philip Island
- Lord Howe Island & Ball's Pyramid
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands & Christmas Island
- McDonald Islands, Shag Island, & Heard Island
- Nauru, 1914, trustee of Aus, NZ, & UK, 1947, independent 1968
- Papua-New Guinea, independent 1964
- Papua, Queensland 1883, Australia 1901, to Papua-New Guinea
- New Guinea & Bismark Archipelago, from Germany 1914, Australia
Trust Territory 1919, to Papua-New Guinea
Solomon Islands, protectorate 1893, independent 1978
Fiji, 1874, independent 1970, leaves Commonwealth 1987
New Zealand, 1769, autonomous 1853
- Cook Islands, etc.
- Suwarrow Atoll
- Nassau
- Palmerston Atoll
- Niue Island
- Tokelau Islands, etc.
- Tokelau Islands (Union Group)
- Rakahanga (Tongareva) Atoll
- Penrhyn Atoll
- Manihiki Atoll
- Auckland Islands & Campbell Island
- Antipodes Islands
- Bounty Islands
- Chatham Islands
- Kermadec Islands
- Raoul (Sunday) Island
- Macauley Island
- Curtis Island
- L'Esperance Rock
- Western Samoa, from Germany 1914, independent 1962 (Samoa)
Tonga, protectorate 1900, independent 1970
Hew Hebrides, 1887, Anglo-French Condominium 1906-1980, independent (Vanuatu)
Gilbert Islands, 1892, independent 1979 (Kiribati)
Elice Islands, 1892, independent 1978 (Tuvalu)
Pitcairn Island, 1838
- Oeno Island
- Henderson Island
- Ducie Island
Phoenix Islands, etc.
- Phoenix Group
- Phoenix Island
- Sydney Island
- Hull Island
- Gardner Island
- Canton Island
, US-UK condominium
Enderbury Island, US-UK condominium
Christmas Island
Fanning Island
Washington Island
Starbuck Island
Malden Island
Union of South Africa, 1910, Republic of South Africa, out
of Commonwealth 1961-1994, rejoins Commonwealth 1994
- Southwest Africa, from Germany 1915, independent 1990 (Namibia)
Basutoland, 1868, independent 1966 (Lesotho)
Swaziland, 1890, independent 1968
Bechuanaland, 1885, independent 1966 (Botswana)
Mosambique, former Portuguese colony, joins Commonwealth 1995
East Africa
- Kenya, 1887, independent 1963
- Tananyika, from Germany 1917, independent 1961 (Tanzania 1964)
- Zanzibar, 1890, independent 1963 (Tanzania 1964)
- Uganda, 1888, independent 1962
Rhodesia & Nyasaland
- Northern Rhodesia, 1889, independent 1964 (Zambia)
- Southern Rhodesia, 1888, revolt 1965-1980 (Rhodesia),
independent 1980 (Zimbabwe)
- Nyasaland, 1889, independent 1964 (Malawi)
British Somaliland, 1884, to Somalia 1960
Eritrea, 1941-1952, to Ethiopia 1952
West Africa
- Sierra Leone, 1787, independent 1961
- Gold Coast, 1662, independent 1957 (Ghana)
- The Gambia, 1661, independent 1965
- Nigeria, 1861, independent 1960
- Cameroon, former German colony & French mandate, joins
Commonwealth 1995
- British Cameroon, from Germany 1919, to Nigeria & Cameroon
1961
St. Helena & Dependencies
- St. Helena Island, 1659
- Ascension Island, 1815
- Tristan da Cunha Group
- Tristan da Cunha Island, 1816
- Inaccessible Island
- Nightingale Island
- Gough (Diego Alvarez) Island
Falkland Islands, 1765
, 1775, separate from Falklands 1985
South Georgia, 1775, separate from Falklands 1985
British Antarctic Territory
- South Shetland Islands
- South Orkney Islands
- Antarctic Peninsula