Territorial evolution of the British Empire
The territorial evolution of the British Empire is considered to have begun with the foundation of the English colonial empire in the late 16th century. Since then, many territories around the world have been under the control of the United Kingdom or its predecessor states
When the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed in 1707 by the union of the Kingdom of Scotland with the Kingdom of England, the latter country's colonial possessions passed to the new state. Similarly, when Great Britain was united with the Kingdom of Ireland in 1801 to form the United Kingdom, control over its colonial possessions passed to the latter state. Collectively, these territories are referred to as the British Empire. Upon much of Ireland gaining independence in 1922 as the Irish Free State, the other territories of the Empire remained under the control of the United Kingdom.
From 1714 to 1837 the British throne was held by a series of kings who were also the rulers of the German state of Hanover. However, this was purely a personal union, with Hanover maintaining its political independence otherwise, and so it is not usually considered to have formed part of the British Empire.
The nature of the territories ruled as part of the British Empire varied enormously. In legal terms the territories included those formally under the sovereignty of the British monarch ; various "foreign" territories controlled as protectorates; territories transferred to British administration under the authority of the League of Nations or the United Nations; and miscellaneous other territories, such as the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, a condominium with Egypt. No uniform system of government was applied to any of these.
A number of countries within the British Empire gained independence in stages during the earlier part of the 20th century. Much of the rest of the Empire was dismantled in the twenty years following the end of the Second World War, starting with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, and continued until the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997. There remain, however, 14 global territories which remain under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom.
Many of the former territories of the British Empire are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Fifteen of these retain the British monarch as Head of State. The British monarch is also Head of the Commonwealth, but this is a purely symbolic and personal title; members of the Commonwealth are fully sovereign states.
Governance
The British Empire refers to the possessions, dominions and dependencies under the control of the Crown. In addition to the areas formally under the sovereignty of the British monarch, various "foreign" territories were controlled as protectorates; territories transferred to British administration under the authority of the League of Nations or the United Nations; and miscellaneous other territories, such as the condominium of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. The natures of the administration of the Empire changed both by time and place, and there was no uniform system of government in the Empire., English imperial possessions
Colonies
Colonies were territories that were intended to be places of permanent settlement, providing land for their settlers. The Crown claimed absolute sovereignty over them, although they were not formally part of the United Kingdom itself. Generally their law was the common law of England together with whatever British Acts of Parliament were also applied to them. Over time, a number of colonies were granted "responsible government", making them largely self-governing.Crown Colony
A Crown colony was a type of colonial administration of the English and later the British Empire, whose legislature and administration were controlled by the Crown.reads the Cook Islands annexation proclamation to Queen Makea on 7 October 1900.
Crown colonies were ruled by a governor appointed by the monarch. By the middle of the 19th century, the sovereign appointed royal governors on the advice of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. This became the main method of creating and governing colonies. Most Crown colonies, especially the white settler colonies had a bicameral legislature, consisting of an upper house usually called the Legislative council, which members were appointed and served a similar purpose as the British House of Lords. There also existed lower houses which were usually named the Legislative Assembly or House of Assembly. The lower house was usually elected, but suffrage was restricted to free white men only, usually with property ownership restrictions. Since land ownership was widespread, most white men could vote. The governor also often had an Executive Council which had a similar function to the Cabinet in England but was not responsible to the colonial lower house. They held a consultative position, however, and did not serve in administrative offices as cabinet ministers do. Members of the Executive Council were not necessarily members of the lower house but were usually members of the upper house. Later as the white colonies gained more internal responsible government, the lower house began to supersede the upper house as the colonial legislature, and the position of Premier emerged.
Charter colony
Charter colony is one of the three classes of colonial government established in the 17th-century English colonies in North America. In a charter colony, the King granted a charter to the colonial government establishing the rules under which the colony was to be governed and charter colonies elected their own governors based on rules spelled out in the charter or other colonial legislation.Proprietary colony
A number of colonies in the 16th and 17th centuries were granted to a particular individual; these were known as proprietary colonies. Proprietary colonies in America were governed by a Lord Proprietor, who, holding authority by virtue of a royal charter, usually exercised that authority almost as an independent sovereign. Eventually these were converted to Crown colonies.Chartered company
A chartered company is an association formed by investors or shareholders for the purpose of trade, exploration and colonisation. Chartered companies were usually formed, incorporated and legitimised under a royal charter. This document set out the terms under which the company could trade, defined its boundaries of influence, and described its rights and responsibilities. Groups of investors formed companies to underwrite and profit from the exploration of Africa, India, Asia, the Caribbean and North America, under the patronage of the state. Some companies such as the East India Company ruled large colonial possessions.Protectorates and protected states
A protectorate is a territory which is not formally annexed but in which, by treaty, grant or other lawful means, the Crown has power and jurisdiction. A protectorate differs from a "protected state". A protected state is a territory under a foreign ruler which enjoys British protection, over whose foreign affairs she exercises control, but in respect of whose internal affairs she does not exercise jurisdiction.Dominions
Dominions were semi-independent polities that were nominally under the Crown, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the later part of the 19th century. The dominions had been previously Crown colonies, and some of the colonies had been united to form dominions such as Union of South Africa and Commonwealth of Australia. Dominion status was formally defined in the Balfour Declaration of 1926, which recognised these countries as "autonomous Communities within the British Empire", thus acknowledging them as political equals of the United Kingdom; the Statute of Westminster 1931 converted this status into legal reality, making them essentially independent members of what was then called the British Commonwealth. Initially, the Dominions conducted their own trade policy, some limited foreign relations and had autonomous armed forces, although the British government claimed and exercised the exclusive power to declare wars. However, after the passage of the Statute of Westminster the language of dependency on the Crown of the United Kingdom ceased, where the Crown itself was no longer referred to as the Crown of any place in particular but simply as "the Crown". Arthur Berriedale Keith, in Speeches and Documents on the British Dominions 1918–1931, stated that "the Dominions are sovereign international States in the sense that the King in respect of each of His Dominions is such a State in the eyes of international law". After then, those countries that were previously referred to as "Dominions" became Commonwealth realms where the sovereign reigns no longer as the British monarch, but as monarch of each nation in its own right, and are considered equal to the United Kingdom and one another.Mandates
Mandates were forms of territory created after the end of the First World War. A number of German colonies and protectorates and Ottoman provinces were held as mandates by the United Kingdom ; and its dominions of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. In theory these territories were governed on behalf of the League of Nations for the benefit of their inhabitants. Most converted to United Nations Trust Territories in 1946.British Raj
The British Raj, also called the Indian Empire, was the imperial political structure in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947, comprising British India and Princely States, governed by Indian rulers, under the suzerainty of the British Crown exercised through the Viceroy and Governor-General of India.Current territories
Within twenty years of the partition and independence in 1947 of British India, most of the Empire's territories had achieved full independence. Today 14 former colonies remain under British rule; the term "colonies" is no longer officially used to describe these.Almost all of the British Overseas Territories are islands with a small population; some are in very remote areas of the world. Of the territories with a permanent population, all have at least some degree of internal self-government, with the United Kingdom retaining responsibility for defence and external relations.
celebrations in 2013
The fourteen British Overseas Territories are:
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List
Legend
Colour-coding
Africa
| Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments |
| Ashanti | 1901-1957 | Colony | Became a part of the dominion of Ghana |
| Basutoland | 1868 | Protectorate | |
| Basutoland | 1871 | Annexed to Cape Colony | |
| Basutoland | 1884 | Colony | |
| Basutoland | 1965 | Self-governing colony | |
| Basutoland | 1966 | Independent as Lesotho | |
| Bechuanaland Protectorate | 1884–1965 | Protectorate | |
| Bechuanaland Protectorate | 1965–66 | Self-governing protectorate | |
| Bechuanaland Protectorate | 1966 | Independent as Botswana | |
| Bight of Benin | 1852–1861 | Protectorate | |
| Bight of Benin | 1861 | United with Bight of Biafra | |
| Bight of Biafra | 1849–1861 | Protectorate | |
| Bight of Biafra | 1861 | United with Bight of Benin | |
| Bights of Biafra and Benin | 1861–1891 | Protectorate | |
| British Bechuanaland ' | 1885–1895 | Crown colony | |
| British Bechuanaland ' | 1895 | Incorporated into Cape Colony | Now a part of the Northern Cape and North West provinces of South Africa |
| British Cameroons | 1916–1919 | Occupation | |
| British Cameroons | 1919–1946 | League of Nations mandated territory | |
| British Cameroons | 1946–1961 | United Nations Trust Territory | |
| British Cameroons | 1961 | Northern part merged into Nigeria, southern part into the Republic of Cameroon | |
| British East Africa | 1888–1895 | Territory leased to the Imperial British East Africa Company by the Sultan of Zanzibar | |
| British East Africa | 1895–1920 | Protectorate | Territory included former IBEAC territories and the strip of Sultan of Zanizbar's dominions on the coast of Kenya which fell within the British sphere of influence |
| British East Africa | 1920 | Became the Colony and Protectorate of Kenya | Lands of Sultan of Zanzibar on coast administered with the Colony as one unit |
| British Somaliland | 1884–1960 | Protectorate | |
| British Somaliland | 1960 | Independent as State of Somaliland | After 5 days merged with the Trust Territory of Somaliland as Somali Republic, in 1991 independent as Somaliland |
| Cape Colony | 1806–1910 | Colony | Became a province of the Union of South Africa as the "Cape of Good Hope" |
| Egypt | 1801–03 | Occupation | |
| Egypt | 1882–1914 | Occupation | |
| Egypt | 1914–1922 | Protectorate | |
| Egypt | 1922 | Independence | |
| Bioko | 1827–1855 | Leased territory | Island leased from Spain so that Royal Navy could undertake anti-slavery operations on West Coast of Africa. Main settlement was Port Clarence now known as Malabo |
| Gambia Colony and Protectorate | 1816–1965 | Colony | Protectorate declared over hinterland of Gambia River in 1894 |
| Gambia Colony and Protectorate | 1965 | Independence | |
| Gold Coast | 1874–1957 | Colony | |
| Gold Coast | 1957 | Independent as Ghana | |
| Kenya, Colony & Protectorate of | 1920–1963 | Colony | Previously part of British East Africa |
| Kenya, Colony & Protectorate of | 1963 | Independence | |
| Lagos Protectorate | 1887–1906 | Protectorate, governed from the Lagos Colony | |
| Lagos Protectorate | 1906 | Incorporated into the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria | |
| Southern Nigeria Protectorate | 1900–1906 | Protectorate, created from Niger Coast Protectorate and territories of the Royal Niger Company | |
| Southern Nigeria Protectorate | 1906 | Incorporated the Lagos Colony to be the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria | |
| Libya, regions of Cyrenicia & Tripolitania only | 1942–1946 | British Military administration in Cyrenicia & Tripolitania | |
| Libya, regions of Cyrenicia & Tripolitania only | 1946–1951 | Italian forces expelled, UN trusteeship of Cyrenicia & Tripolitania, administered by Britain | Fezzan region administered by France under trusteeship |
| Libya, regions of Cyrenicia & Tripolitania only | 1951 | Independent as the Kingdom of Libya | |
| Natal | 1856–1910 | Colony | |
| Natal | 1910 | Became a province of the Union of South Africa | Now part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
| Niger Districts | 1885–1899 | Protectorate under the Royal Niger Company | |
| Niger Districts | 1900 | Became part of Northern Nigeria | |
| Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria | 1914–1954 | Created from the Colony & Protectorate of Southern Nigeria and the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria | |
| Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria | 1954 | Became the self-governing Federation of Nigeria | |
| Federation of Nigeria | 1954–1960 | Autonomous federation | Formed from the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria |
| Federation of Nigeria | 1960 | Independence | |
| Northern Nigeria | 1900–1914 | Protectorate governed by the Colony of Southern Nigeria | |
| Northern Nigeria | 1914 | Merged with Protectorate of Southern Nigeria to form the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria | |
| Northern Territories of the Gold Coast | 1901–1957 | Protectorate | Annexed to form part of Her Majesty's dominions as part of the dominion of Ghana |
| Nyasaland known as the Nyasaland Districts until 1893, and then British Central Africa until 1907 | 1891–1964 | Protectorate | |
| Nyasaland known as the Nyasaland Districts until 1893, and then British Central Africa until 1907 | 1964 | Independent as Malawi | |
| Orange River Colony | 1900–1910 | Colony | |
| Orange River Colony | 1907 | Granted responsible government | |
| Orange River Colony | 1910 | Became the Province of the Orange Free State in the Union of South Africa | |
| Rhodesia | Now divided between Zambia and Zimbabwe | ||
| Matabeleland | 1888–1894 | Protectorate under British South Africa Company | |
| Matabeleland | 1894 | United with Mashonaland as South Zambezia in 1894 | |
| Mashonaland | 1889–1894 | Protectorate under BSAC | |
| Mashonaland | 1894 | United with Matabeleland as South Zambezia in 1894 | |
| South Zambezia | 1894–95 | Protectorate under BSAC | |
| South Zambezia | 1895 | United with North Zambezia as Rhodesia | |
| Rhodesia | 1895–1901 | Protectorate under BSAC | |
| Rhodesia | 1901 | Mashonaland and Matabeleland united as Southern Rhodesia | |
| Northern Rhodesia | 1911–1924 | Protectorate under BSAC | Amalgamation of Barotziland-North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia |
| Northern Rhodesia | 1924–1953 | Protectorate | |
| Northern Rhodesia | 1953–1963 | Part of Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland | |
| Northern Rhodesia | 1964 | Independent as Zambia | |
| Southern Rhodesia | 1901–1923 | Protectorate under BSAC | |
| Southern Rhodesia | 1923—1953 | Self-governing colony | |
| Southern Rhodesia | 1953–1963 | Part of Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland | |
| Southern Rhodesia | 1964–65 | Self-governing colony | |
| Rhodesia | 1965–1970 | Unilateral declaration of independence, with Elizabeth II as head of state | Not internationally recognised |
| Rhodesia | 1970–1979 | Republic | Not internationally recognised |
| Zimbabwe-Rhodesia | 1979 | Interim state | |
| Zimbabwe-Rhodesia | 1979–80 | Crown colony | |
| Zimbabwe-Rhodesia | 1980 | Independent as Zimbabwe | |
| Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate | 1787–1808 | Freed slave colony organised by Sierra Leone Company | |
| Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate | 1808–1821 | Crown colony | |
| Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate | 1821–1850 | Part of British West African Settlements | |
| Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate | 1850–1866 | Crown colony | |
| Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate | 1866–1888 | Part of British West African Settlements | |
| Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate | 1888–1895 | Colony | |
| Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate | 1896–1961 | Colony and protectorate | |
| Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate | 1961 | Independence | |
| South Africa, Union of | 1910–1961 | Dominion | Formed by the federation of the Cape, Natal, Orange River, and Transvaal colonies |
| South Africa, Union of | 1961 | Republic | Not a member of the Commonwealth between 1961 and 1994 |
| Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian | 1899–1952 | Condominium with Egypt | |
| Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian | 1952–1956 | Self-rule | |
| Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian | 1956 | Independent as Republic of Sudan | |
| Swaziland | 1902–1967 | Protectorate | |
| Swaziland | 1967–68 | Autonomous | |
| Swaziland | 1968 | Independence | |
| Tangier | 1661 | Ceded to England by Portugal | |
| Tangier | 1684 | Abandoned by England | |
| German East Africa | 1916–1922 | Occupation | |
| Tanganyika Territory | 1922–1946 | League of Nations mandated territory | |
| Tanganyika Territory | 1946–1961 | United Nations Trust Territory under Britain | |
| Tanganyika Territory | 1961 | Independence | Merged with Zanzibar in 1964 to form Tanzania |
| Tati Concessions Land | 1872–1893 | Concession | |
| Tati Concessions Land | 1893 | Detached from Matabeleland | |
| Tati Concessions Land | 1893–1911 | Under protectorate of Bechuanaland | |
| Tati Concessions Land | 1911 | Annexed to Bechuanaland | |
| Transvaal | 1877–1884 | Colony | |
| Transvaal | 1884–1900 | Independent as South African Republic | |
| Transvaal | 1900–1906 | Colony | |
| Transvaal | 1906–1910 | Self-governing colony | |
| Transvaal | 1910 | Part of Union of South Africa | Now divided between the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and North West in South Africa |
| Uganda | 1890–1893 | Occupied by British East Africa Company | |
| Uganda | 1893–94 | Provisional protectorate | |
| Uganda | 1894–1905 | Protectorate | |
| Uganda | 1905–1962 | Colony | |
| Uganda | 1962 | Self-government | |
| Uganda | 1962 | Independence | |
| Walvis Bay | 1795–1878 | Occupation | |
| Walvis Bay | 1878–1884 | Protectorate | |
| Walvis Bay | 1884 | Part of Cape Colony | Now part of Namibia |
| Zanzibar | 1890–1963 | Protectorate | |
| Zanzibar | 1963 | Independence | Merged with Tanganyika in 1964 to form Tanzania |
| Zululand | 1887–1897 | Crown colony | |
| Zululand | 1897 | Incorporation into Colony of Natal | Now part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
North America
Central America and the Caribbean
South America
| Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments |
| Berbice | 1781–82 | Subordinated to Barbados | |
| Berbice | 1782 | Occupied by France | |
| Berbice | 1796–1802 | Occupied | |
| Berbice | 1802 | Restored to the Netherlands | |
| Berbice | 1803–1814 | Occupied | |
| Berbice | 1814–1831 | Colony | |
| Berbice | 1831 | United with Demerara-Essequibo to form British Guiana | Now part of Guyana |
| British Guiana | 1831–1961 | Colony | Formed by the merger of the colonies of Berbice and Demerara-Essequibo |
| British Guiana | 1961–1966 | Self-rule | |
| British Guiana | 1966 | Independent as Guyana | |
| Demerara | 1781–82 | Subordinated to Barbados | |
| Demerara | 1782 | French occupation | |
| Demerara | 1796–1802 | Occupied | |
| Demerara | 1802 | Restored to Netherlands | |
| Demerara | 1803–1814 | Occupied | |
| Demerara | 1814 | Merged with Essequibo to form Demerara-Essequibo | |
| Demerara-Essequibo | 1814–1831 | Colony | Formed by the merger of the separate colonies of Demerara and Essequibo |
| Demerara-Essequibo | 1831 | United with Berbice to form British Guiana | |
| Essequibo | 1781–82 | Subordinated to Barbados | |
| Essequibo | 1782 | French occupation | |
| Essequibo | 1796–1802 | Occupied | |
| Essequibo | 1802 | Restored to the Netherlands | |
| Essequibo | 1803–1814 | Occupied | |
| Essequibo | 1814 | Merged with Demerara to form Demerara-Essequibo | |
| Oyapoc | 1620 | Settlement | Now in Guyana |
| Pomeroon | 1666–67 | Occupied | |
| Pomeroon | 1689 | Occupation | |
| Pomeroon | 1689 | Incorporated into Essequibo | Now in Guyana |
| Willoughby | 1652–1688 | Settlement | |
| Willoughby | 1688 | Dutch occupation | Now Paramaribo, in Suriname |
Asia
| Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments |
| Aden | 1839 | Colony subordinate to Bombay Presidency British India | |
| Aden | 1932 | Separate province of British India | |
| Aden | 1937 | Separate Crown colony | |
| Aden | 1963 | Part of Federation of South Arabia | |
| Afghanistan | 1839–1842 | Protectorate | |
| Afghanistan | 1879 | Protectorate | |
| Afghanistan | 1919 | Independence | |
| Assam | 1874–1905 | Province of British India | |
| Assam | 1905–1912 | Incorporated into the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam | |
| Assam | 1912–1947 | Province of British India | Now a state of the Republic of India |
| Bahrain | 1880 | Protectorate | |
| Bahrain | 1961–1971 | Autonomous | |
| Bahrain | 1971 | Independence | Invited to join the Trucial States, but declined |
| Baluchistan | 1877–1896 | Province | |
| Baluchistan | 1896–1947 | Province of British India | |
| Baluchistan | 1947 | Part of Pakistan | Now part of Balochistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, in Pakistan |
| Bantam | 1603–1609 | Station | |
| Bantam | 1609–1617 | Factory | |
| Bantam | 1617–1621 | Presidency | |
| Bantam | 1621 | Expelled by the Dutch | |
| Bantam | 1630–1634 | Subordinated to Surat | |
| Bantam | 1634–1652 | Presidency | |
| Bantam | 1652–1682 | Subordinated to Surat | |
| Bantam | 1682 | Expelled by the Dutch | Now in Indonesia |
| Bencoolen ' | 1685–1760 | Fort subordinated to Madras | |
| Bencoolen ' | 1760–1785 | Presidency | |
| Bencoolen ' | 1785–1825 | Subordinated to Bengal Presidency | |
| Bencoolen ' | 1825 | Part of Dutch East Indies | Now Bengkulu, in Indonesia |
| Bengal ' | 1634–1658 | Factories | |
| Bengal ' | 1658–1681 | Subordinated to Madras | |
| Bengal ' | 1681–82 | Agency | |
| Bengal ' | 1682–1694 | Presidency of Coromandel and Bengal Settlements | |
| Bengal ' | 1694–1698 | Subordinated to Madras | |
| Bengal ' | 1698–1700 | Presidency of Coromandel and Bengal Settlements | |
| Bengal ' | 1700–1774 | Presidency | |
| Bengal ' | 1774–1905 | Presidency of British India | |
| Bengal ' | 1905–1912 | Partitioned between Bengal and Eastern Bengal and Assam | |
| Bengal ' | 1912–1937 | Presidency of British India | |
| Bengal ' | 1937–1947 | Province of British India | |
| Bengal ' | 1947 | Divided between India and Pakistan | Now Bangladesh, and part of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand, in India |
| Brunei | 1888 | Protectorate | |
| Brunei | 1967 | Protected state | |
| Brunei | 1984 | Independence | |
| Burma | 1824–1852 | Arakan, Tenasserim | |
| Burma | 1852–1886 | Lower Burma | |
| Burma | 1885–1886 | Upper Burma | |
| Burma | 1886 | Lower and Upper Burma United as province of British India | |
| Burma | 1937 | Separate Crown Colony | |
| Burma | 1948 | Independence | Name changed to Myanmar after a military junta in 1989. |
| Eastern Bengal and Assam | 1905–1912 | Province of British India | Established upon the partition of Bengal |
| Eastern Bengal and Assam | 1912 | Partition reversed | Split between the re-established province of Assam and the re-constituted presidency of Bengal |
| Ceylon | 1795 | Ceded by the Dutch and subordinated to the Madras presidency of British India | |
| Ceylon | 1798 | Separate Crown colony | |
| Ceylon | 1948 | Independence | Now the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka |
| Dansborg | 1801–02 | Occupied | |
| Dansborg | 1808–1815 | Occupied | |
| Dansborg | 1845 | purchased and incorporated into British India | Now in Tamil Nadu state, India |
| Frederiksnagore | 1801–02 | Occupied | |
| Frederiksnagore | 1808–1815 | Occupied | |
| Frederiksnagore | 1845 | Purchased and incorporated into British India | Now in West Bengal state, India |
| Hong Kong | 1841 | Hong Kong Island occupied | |
| Hong Kong | 1843-1982 | Crown colony | |
| Hong Kong | 1860 | Kowloon and Stonecutters Island ceded by China | |
| Hong Kong | 1898 | New Territories leased from China for 99 years | |
| Hong Kong | 1942-1945 | Occupied by Japan | |
| Hong Kong | 1983-1997 | Dependent territory | |
| Hong Kong | 1997 | Handover to China as a special administrative region | |
| Kuwait | 1899 | Protectorate | |
| Kuwait | 1961 | Independence | |
| Indian Empire | 1613 | Company rule in India | |
| Indian Empire | 1858 | Crown rule over the Indian Princely states, the Presidencies and provinces of British India | |
| Indian Empire | 1947 | Independent as India & Pakistan after partition | |
| - | - | - | |
| Mandatory Iraq | 1920–1932 | League of Nations mandate never passed, replaced by Anglo-Iraqi treaty with the Kingdom of Iraq | |
| Java | 1811–1816 | Territory of the East India Company | restored to the Netherlands |
| Malaya | 1824 | Transferred following Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 | |
| Malaya | 1824–1867 | Territory of British East India Company | |
| Malaya | 1867–1946 | Straits Settlements, Crown colony | |
| Malaya | 1895–1946 | Federated Malay States, protectorate | |
| Malaya | 1885–1946 | Johor, protectorate | |
| Malaya | 1909–1946 | Kedah, protectorate | |
| Malaya | 1909–1946 | Kelantan, protectorate | |
| Malaya | 1909–1946 | Perlis, protectorate | |
| Malaya | 1909–1946 | Terengganu, protectorate | |
| Malaya | 1942–1945 | Japanese occupation | |
| Malaya | 1946–1948 | Malayan Union | |
| Malaya | 1948–1957 | Federation of Malaya | |
| Malaya | 1957–1963 | Independent state | |
| Malaya | 1963 | Annex North Borneo and Sarawak forming the renamed federation of Malaysia | |
| North Borneo | 1882–1946 | Protectorate | |
| North Borneo | 1946 | Crown colony | Labuan to British N. Borneo on 15 July 1946 |
| North Borneo | 1963 | Annexed by Malaya into Malaysia | |
| Palestine | 1920 | Mandate | |
| Palestine | 1948 | British sovereignty relinquished; proposed partition between a Jewish and an Arab state never fully materialized; the Jewish state - Israel - was established immediately after British withdrawal, with the short-lived All-Palestine government following six months later | |
| Palestine | 1949 | Two sections of the former Palestine Mandate outside Israel - the West Bank and the Gaza Strip - were occupied by Egypt and Jordan respectively following the collapse of the All-Palestine government | |
| Palestine | 1956 | Gaza Strip briefly falls under Israeli occupation during the Suez Crisis | |
| Palestine | 1967 | West Bank and Gaza Strip fall under Israeli occpuation as a consequence of the Six-day War | |
| Palestine | 1993 | A Palestinian National Authority is declared in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; most matters regarding the day-to-day governance of these territories fell under its jurisdiction, in anticipation of a future Palestinian state | |
| Palestine | 2005 | Israel formally withdraws from the Gaza Strip, placing it under full PNA control; despite this, Gazan waters are still under Israeli military control | |
| Pulo Condore Island | 1702 | Possession of British East India Company | |
| Pulo Condore Island | 1705 | Abandoned | Now Côn Đảo, in Vietnam |
| Sarawak | 1888 | Protectorate | |
| Sarawak | 1946 | Crown colony | |
| Sarawak | 1963 | Annexed by Malaya into Malaysia | |
| Straits Settlements | 1826–1858 | Possession under British East India Company | Now divided between Malacca and Penang, in Malaysia, and Singapore |
| Straits Settlements | 1858–1867 | Subordinated to British India | |
| Straits Settlements | 1867–1942 | Crown colony | |
| Straits Settlements | 1942 | Occupied by Japan | |
| Qatar | 1916–1971 | Protectorate | |
| Qatar | 1971 | Independence | Invited to join the Trucial States, but declined |
| Surat | 1612–1658 | Factory | |
| Surat | 1658–1668 | Presidency | |
| Surat | 1668–1685 | Possession under British East India Company | |
| Surat | 1685–1703 | Subordinated to Bombay | |
| Surat | 1703 | Incorporated into Bombay | Now in India |
| Singapore | 1824 | Purchased | |
| Singapore | 1824 | Part of Straits Settlements | |
| Singapore | 1946 | Crown colony | |
| Singapore | 1963 | Part of Malaysia | |
| Singapore | 1965 | Independence | |
| Transjordan | 1920 | Part of Palestine Mandate | Now known as Jordan |
| Transjordan | 1923 | Formally separated from Palestine | |
| Transjordan | 1928 | Emirate independent, except military and finance control | |
| Transjordan | 1946 | Formal independence | |
| Trucial States | 1892 | Protectorate | |
| Trucial States | 1971 | Formation of Federation of Arab Emirates | Now part of the United Arab Emirates |
| Weihaiwei | 1898–1930 | Leased from China | |
| Weihaiwei | 1930 | Returned to the Republic of China | Now part of the People's Republic of China |
| West Bengal | 1905–1912 | Province of British India | Established by the partition of Bengal. Abolished with the reversal of the partition and the creation of the new province of Bihar and Orissa. |
Europe
| Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments | - |
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia | 1960–present | Sovereign Base Areas | - | |
| Alderney | 1198–1204 | Lordship | - | |
| Alderney | 1204 | Fiefdom | - | |
| Alderney | 1205 | Fiefdom | - | |
| Alderney | 1206–1279 | Fiefdom | - | |
| Alderney | 1279 | Briefly occupied by France | - | |
| Alderney | 1279–1660 | Part of bailiwick of Guernsey | - | |
| Alderney | 1660–1825 | Seigneurie | - | |
| Alderney | 1825 | Subordinated to Guernsey | - | |
| Alderney | 1940–1945 | Occupied by Germany | - | |
| Alderney | 1945 | Restored to Britain | - | |
| Cyprus | 1878 | Administration while nominally remaining part of the Ottoman Empire | - | |
| Cyprus | 1914 | Annexation | - | |
| Cyprus | 1925 | Crown colony | - | |
| Cyprus | 1960 | Independence | Two sovereign base areas remain under British sovereignty; see under "Akrotiri and Dhekelia" | - |
| Dunkirk | 1658–1662 | Town and surrounding hinterland | - | |
| Dunkirk | 1662 | Incorporated into France | - | |
| England | 927 | Kingdom formed | - | |
| England | 1282 | Conquest of principality of Gwynedd | - | |
| England | 1536 | Incorporation of Principality of Wales and Marcher Lordships into England | - | |
| England | 1603 | Personal union with Scotland | - | |
| England | 1649 | Republic as the Commonwealth of England. Scotland and Ireland united with England | - | |
| England | 1660 | End of Republic. Scotland independent again but in personal union with England | - | |
| England | 1707 | Political union with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain |  Treaty of Union 1706 and Acts of Union 1707 | - |
| Gibraltar | 1704 | Captured by Britain | - | |
| Gibraltar | 1713 | Colony | Ceded by Spain Treaty of Utrecht 1713 | - |
| Gibraltar | 1983 | Dependent territory | - | |
| Gibraltar | 2002–present | British Overseas Territory |  Sovereignty claimed by Spain | - |
| Great Britain, Kingdom of | 1707 | Formed by union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland | - | |
| Great Britain, Kingdom of | 1801 | Union of Great Britain with Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | - | |
| Guernsey ' | 1198–1204 | Lordship | - | |
| Guernsey ' | 1204–1205 | Fiefdom | - | |
| Guernsey ' | 1206–1279 | Fiefdom | - | |
| Guernsey ' | 1279–1940 | Bailiwick | - | |
| Guernsey ' | 1940–1945 | Occupied by Germany | - | |
| Guernsey ' | 1945–present | Bailiwick | - | |
| Heligoland | 1807–1814 | Occupied | - | |
| Heligoland | 1814–1890 | Colony | - | |
| Heligoland | 1890 | Incorporated into Germany | - | |
| Heligoland | 1945–1952 | Occupied | - | |
| Ionian Islands | 1809–1815 | Occupied | - | |
| Ionian Islands | 1815–1864 | United States of Ionian Islands, under British protection | - | |
| Ionian Islands | 1864 | Incorporated into Greece | - | |
| Ireland | 1172 | Lordship | Papal Bull Laudabiliter 1155 | - |
| Ireland | 1541 | Kingdom subordinated to the English Crown | - | |
| Ireland | 1801 | Merged with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom | Act of Union 1800 | - |
| Irish Free State | 1922 | Independence from the United Kingdom | Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921 | - |
| Irish Free State | 1949 | Declared a Republic | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1266–1290 | Fiefdom under Scotland | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1313–1317 | Fiefdom under Scotland | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1328–1333 | Fiefdom under Scotland | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1333–1504 | Fiefdom | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1504–1594 | Lordship | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1594–1610 | Direct Crown rule | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1610–1649 | Lordship | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1649–1660 | Commonwealth and protectorate | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1660–1765 | Lordship | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1765–1827 | Possession | - | |
| Isle of Man | 1827–present | Crown dependency | - | |
| Jersey | 1204 | Fiefdom subordinated to Guernsey | - | |
| Jersey | 1204–1205 | Fiefdom subordinated to Guernsey | - | |
| Jersey | 1206–1279 | Fiefdom subordinated to Guernsey | - | |
| Jersey | 1279–1380 | Bailiwick subordinated to Guernsey | - | |
| Jersey | 1382–1461 | Bailiwick subordinated to Guernsey | - | |
| Jersey | 1468–1487 | Bailiwick subordinated to Guernsey | - | |
| Jersey | 1487–1940 | Bailiwick | - | |
| Jersey | 1940–1945 | Occupied by Germany | - | |
| Jersey | 1945–present | Bailiwick | - | |
| Malta | 1800–1813 | Protectorate | - | |
| Malta | 1813–1921 | Crown colony | - | |
| Malta | 1921–1933 | Self-governing colony | - | |
| Malta | 1933–1947 | Crown colony | - | |
| Malta | 1947–1958 | Self-governing colony | - | |
| Malta | 1958–1961 | Crown colony | - | |
| Malta | 1961–1964 | Self-governing colony | - | |
| Malta | 1964 | Independence | - | |
| Menorca | 1708–1713 | Occupied | - | |
| Menorca | 1713 | Ceded to Britain | - | |
| Menorca | 1714–1756 | Colony | - | |
| Menorca | 1756 | Occupied by France | - | |
| Menorca | 1798–1802 | Colony | - | |
| Menorca | 1802 | Restored to Spain | - | |
| Rockall | 1955 | Annexed as the latest territorial addition to the United Kingdom. | - | |
| Rockall | 1972 | Made part of Scotland under Island of Rockall Act 1972. | | |
| Sicily | 1806–1815 | Protectorate | - | |
| Sicily | 1816 | creation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies | - | |
| Scotland | 1603 | Personal union with England | - | |
| Scotland | 1649 | United with England and Ireland as the Commonwealth of England. | - | |
| Scotland | 1660 | Independent again but in personal union with England | - | |
| Scotland | 1707 | Political union with England to form the Kingdom of Great Britain | Treaty of Union 1706 and Acts of Union 1707 | - |
| United Kingdom | 1801 | Formed by the union of the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland | - | |
| United Kingdom | 1922 | Secession of the Irish Free State | - | |
| United Kingdom | 1927 | Formal name changed from "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland" to "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" | | - |
Antarctic Region
| Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments |
| British Antarctic Territory | 1962–1982 | Colony | |
| British Antarctic Territory | 1983–2002 | Dependent territory | |
| British Antarctic Territory | 2002–present | British Overseas Territory |  ''' |
| Enderby Land | 1930–1933 | Claimed | |
| Enderby Land | 1933 | Transferred to Australia | Now part of the Australian Antarctic Territory |
| Graham Land | 1832 | Annexed | |
| Graham Land | 1908–1962 | Dependency of Falkland Islands | |
| Graham Land | 1962–present | Part of the British Antarctic Territory | |
| South Orkney | 1821–1908 | Claimed | |
| South Orkney | 1908–1962 | Dependency of the Falkland Islands | |
| South Orkney | 1962–present | Part of the British Antarctic Territory | |
| South Shetland | 1819–1908 | Claimed | |
| South Shetland | 1908–1962 | Dependency of the Falkland Islands | |
| South Shetland | 1962–present | Part of the British Antarctic Territory | |
| Victoria Land | 1841–1933 | Claimed | |
| Victoria Land | 1933 | Transferred to Australia | Now part of the Australian Antarctic Territory |
Atlantic
| Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments |
| Ascension Island | 1815–1922 | Possession | |
| Ascension Island | 1922–2009 | Dependency of St Helena | |
| Ascension Island | 2009–present | Part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | |
| Bermuda | 1612–1684 | Colony | |
| Bermuda | 1684–1968 | Crown colony | |
| Bermuda | 1968–1982 | Self-governing colony | |
| Bermuda | 1983–2002 | Dependent territory | |
| Bermuda | 2002–present | British Overseas Territory | |
| Falkland Islands | 1766 | West Falkland settled | |
| Falkland Islands | 1774 | Settlement withdrawn | |
| Falkland Islands | 1774–1833 | Claimed | |
| Falkland Islands | 1833 | Settlement re-established | |
| Falkland Islands | 1841–1892 | Crown colony | |
| Falkland Islands | 1892–1908 | Colony | |
| Falkland Islands | 1908–1962 | Colony | |
| Falkland Islands | 1962 | The Falkland Islands Dependencies of South Shetland, South Orkney, and Graham Land are established as the separate colony of British Antarctic Territory | |
| Falkland Islands | 1962–1982 | Colony | |
| Falkland Islands | 1983–2002 | Dependent territory | |
| Falkland Islands | 2002–present | British Overseas Territory | |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha ' | 1588–1673 | St Helena claimed | |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha ' | 1673–1815 | Possession of the East India Company | |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha ' | 1815–1821 | Crown colony | |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha ' | 1821–1834 | Possession of British East India Company | |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha ' | 1834–1982 | Crown colony | |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha ' | 1983–2002 | Dependent territory | |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha | 2002–present | British Overseas Territory | |
| South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands | 1775–1908 | Claimed | |
| South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands | 1908–1985 | Dependency of the Falkland Islands | |
| South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands | 1985–2002 | Dependent territory | |
| South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands | 2002–present | British Overseas Territory | |
| Tristan da Cunha | Dependency of the Cape Colony | ||
| Tristan da Cunha | 1938–2009 | Dependency of St. Helena | |
| Tristan da Cunha | 2009–present | Part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha |
Indian Ocean
| Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1789 | British take possession of the Andaman Islands | |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1848 | British take possession of the Nicobar Islands | |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1942–1945 | Japanese occupation | |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1947 | Became part of India upon its independence | Now a union territory of India |
| Ashmore Island | 1878 | Annexed | |
| Ashmore Island | 1931 | Transferred to Australia | Now administered as part of the Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
| Cartier Island | 1909–1931 | Annexed | |
| Cartier Island | 1931 | Transferred to Australia | Now administered as part of the Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 1810–1814 | Occupied | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 1814 | Ceded to the United Kingdom by the Treaty of Paris | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 1814–1903 | Part of the colony of Seychelles | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 1903–1965 | Part of colony of Mauritius | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 1965–1982 | Colony | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 1976 | The Aldabra Group, the Des Roches islands, and the Farquhar Group/Des Roches are restored to the Seychelles | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 1983–2002 | Dependent territory | |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | 2002–present | British Overseas Territory | |
| Christmas Island | 1888 | Annexed | |
| Christmas Island | 1889–90 | Leased | |
| Christmas Island | 1900–1942 | Dependency of the colony of Straits Settlement | |
| Christmas Island | 1942–1945 | Japanese occupation | |
| Christmas Island | 1945–46 | Military administration | |
| Christmas Island | 1946–1958 | Dependency of the colony of Singapore | |
| Christmas Island | 1958 | Crown colony | |
| Christmas Island | 1958 | Transferred to Australia | |
| Cocos Islands | 1825; 1826–1831 | Settlement | |
| Cocos Islands | 1831–1857 | Fiefdom | |
| Cocos Islands | 1857–1878 | Crown colony | |
| Cocos Islands | 1878–1886 | Part of Ceylon | |
| Cocos Islands | 1886–1942 | Part of the colony of the Straits Settlements | |
| Cocos Islands | 1942–1946 | Part of Ceylon | |
| Cocos Islands | 1946–1955 | Dependency of the Colony of Singapore | |
| Cocos Islands | 1955 | transferred to Australia | Now the Australian territory of Cocos Islands |
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands | 1833–1947 | Claimed | |
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands | 1947 | Transferred to Australia | Now the Australian territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands |
| Maldives | 1796–1953 | Protectorate | |
| Maldives | 1953–54 | Republic | |
| Maldives | 1954–1965 | Protectorate | See also the United Suvadive Republic |
| Maldives | 1965 | Independence | |
| Mauritius | 1809 | Occupation of Rodrigues | |
| Mauritius | 1810–1968 | Colony | |
| Mauritius | 1814 | Formal cession by the Treaty of Paris | |
| Mauritius | 1965 | The Chagos Archipelago is transferred to the British Indian Ocean Territory | |
| Mauritius | 1968 | Independence | |
| - | - | - | |
| Seychelles | 1794–1810 | Occupied | |
| Seychelles | 1810–1814 | Colony subordinated to Mauritius | |
| Seychelles | 1814 | Formal cession by the Treaty of Paris | |
| Seychelles | 1814–1903 | Colony | |
| Seychelles | 1903–1970 | Crown colony | |
| Seychelles | 1970–1975 | Self-governing colony | |
| Seychelles | 1975–76 | Self-rule | |
| Seychelles | 1976 | Independence |
Australasia and the Pacific
| Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments |
| Australia | 1901–1942 | Dominion | |
| Australia | 1942 | Adopted the Statute of Westminster into domestic law | |
| Baker Island | 1886–1934 | Claimed | Now a territory of the United States |
| Bonin Islands | 1827–1876 | Claimed | |
| Bonin Islands | 1876 | Annexed by Japan | |
| British New Guinea | 1884–1886 | Protectorate | |
| British New Guinea | 1886–1906 | Colony | |
| British New Guinea | 1906 | Transferred to Australia | Now part of Papua New Guinea |
| Cook Islands | 1888–1891 | Protectorate | |
| Cook Islands | 1891–1900 | Federation | |
| Cook Islands | 1900 | Annexed by New Zealand | |
| Coral Sea Islands | 1879–1969 | Part of Queensland, Australia | |
| Coral Sea Islands | 1969 | Became an Australian external territory | |
| Fiji | 1874–1877 | Colony | |
| Fiji | 1877–1952 | Colony administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Fiji | 1952–1970 | Colony | |
| Fiji | 1970 | Independence | |
| Friendly Islands | 1889–1900 | Tripartite protectorate | |
| Friendly Islands | 1900–1952 | Protectorate administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Friendly Islands | 1952–1970 | Protectorate | |
| Friendly Islands | 1970 | Independence | |
| Gilbert and Ellice Islands | 1892–1916 | Protectorate | |
| Gilbert and Ellice Islands | 1916–1975 | Crown colony administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Gilbert and Ellice Islands | 1975 | The Gilbert and Ellice Islands are split into the two separate colonies of the Gilbert Islands and Tuvalu | |
| Gilbert Islands | 1975–76 | Crown colony administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Gilbert Islands | 1976–1979 | Colony | |
| Gilbert Islands | 1979 | Independent as "Kiribati" | |
| Howland Island | 1886–1935 | Claimed | Now a territory of the United States |
| Jarvis Island | 1889–1935 | Annexed | Now a territory of the United States |
| Lord Howe Island | 1788–1834 | Claimed | |
| Lord Howe Island | 1834–1855 | Settlement | Now part of New South Wales |
| Macquarie Island | 1810–1890 | Part of the colony of New South Wales | |
| Macquarie Island | 1890–present | Part of Tasmania | |
| Nauru | 1914–1920 | Administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Nauru | 1920–21 | League of Nations mandate administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Nauru | 1921–1942 | League of Nations mandate | |
| Nauru | 1942–1945 | Japanese occupation | |
| Nauru | 1945–1947 | League of Nations mandate | |
| Nauru | 1947–1968 | United Nations Trust Territory | |
| Nauru | 1968 | Independence | |
| New Hebrides | 1824–1878 | Protectorate | |
| New Hebrides | 1878–1887 | Neutral territory | |
| New Hebrides | 1887–1906 | Joint naval commission | |
| New Hebrides | 1906–1976 | Condominium with France, administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| New Hebrides | 1976–1980 | Condominium | |
| New Hebrides | 1980 | Independent as "Vanuatu" | |
| New South Wales | 1788–1900 | Colony | |
| New South Wales | 1901–present | State of Australia | |
| New Zealand | 1769–1788 | Claimed | |
| New Zealand | 1788–1835 | Part of New South Wales | |
| New Zealand | 1835 | Declared independence | |
| New Zealand | 1835–1840 | Protectorate | |
| New Zealand | 1840–41 | Part of New South Wales | |
| New Zealand | 1841–1907 | Colony | |
| New Zealand | 1907–1947 | Dominion of New Zealand | |
| New Zealand | 1947 | Adopted the Statute of Westminster into domestic law | |
| Niue | 1889–1900 | Tripartite protectorate | |
| Niue | 1900–01 | Protectorate administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Niue | 1901 | Annexed to New Zealand | |
| Norfolk Island | 1788–1844 | Part of New South Wales | |
| Norfolk Island | 1844–1856 | Part of Van Diemen's Land | |
| Norfolk Island | 1856–1897 | Subordinated to New South Wales | |
| Norfolk Island | 1897 | Dependency of New South Wales | |
| Palmyra Atoll | 1889 | Annexed | |
| Palmyra Atoll | 1898 | Annexed by the United States | |
| Pitcairn Islands | 1838–1887 | Protectorate | |
| Pitcairn Islands | 1887–1898 | Colony | |
| Pitcairn Islands | 1898–1970 | Colony administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Pitcairn Islands | 1970–1982 | Colony | |
| Pitcairn Islands | 1983–2002 | Dependent territory | |
| Pitcairn Islands | 2002–present | British Overseas Territory | |
| Queensland | 1824–1859 | Part of the colony of New South Wales | |
| Queensland | 1859–1900 | Colony | |
| Queensland | 1901–present | State of Australia | |
| Samoan Islands | 1889–1900 | Tripartite protectorate | |
| Sandwich Islands | 1794 – 10 February 1843 | Protectorate | |
| Sandwich Islands | 10 February 1843 – 31 July 1843 | Ceded to Britain | |
| Solomon Islands | 1889–1893 | Tripartite protectorate | |
| Solomon Islands | 1893–1942 | Protectorate administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Solomon Islands | 1942–1943 | Japanese occupation | |
| Solomon Islands | 1943–1971 | Protectorate administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Solomon Islands | 1971–1973 | protectorate | |
| Solomon Islands | 1973–1976 | Autonomy | |
| Solomon Islands | 1975 | Renamed from "British Solomon Islands" to "Solomon Islands" | |
| Solomon Islands | 1976–1978 | Self-government | |
| Solomon Islands | 1978 | Independence | |
| South Australia | 1788–1836 | Part of the colony of New South Wales | |
| South Australia | 1836–1900 | Province | |
| South Australia | 1901–present | State of Australia | |
| Tasmania | 1803–1825 | Part of New South Wales | |
| Tasmania | 1825–1900 | Colony | |
| Tasmania | 1856 | Renamed as "Tasmania" | |
| Tasmania | 1901–present | State of Australia | |
| Tokelau | 1889–1898 | Protectorate | |
| Tokelau | 1898–1916 | Protectorate administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Tokelau | 1916–1949 | Part of colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands | Transferred to New Zealand |
| Tokelau | 1949 | Transferred to New Zealand | |
| Torres Strait Islands | 1879–present | Part of Queensland | |
| Tuvalu | 1975–76 | Colony administered as part of the British Western Pacific Territories | |
| Tuvalu | 1976–1978 | Colony | |
| Tuvalu | 1978 | Independence'' | |
| Victoria | 1839–1851 | Part of colony of New South Wales | |
| Victoria | 1851–1900 | Colony | |
| Victoria | 1901–present | State of Australia | |
| Western Australia | 1791–1829 | King George Sound settled | |
| Western Australia | 1829–1832 | Swan River Colony | |
| Western Australia | 1832–1900 | Colony | |
| Western Australia | 1901–present | State of Australia |
Treaties and Acts of Parliament, etc.
This is a listing of the more important treaties, Acts of Parliament, and other legal instruments and events affecting the nature and territorial extent of the British Empire.| Effective date | Name of treaty, etc. | Territorial effect |
| 1536/1543 | Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 | Wales annexed to the Kingdom of England |
| 1707 | Acts of Union 1707 | Scotland and England unite as the Kingdom of Great Britain |
| 1713 | Treaty of Utrecht | Spain cedes Gibraltar to Britain. France cedes Newfoundland, Hudson Bay and Acadie to Britain. |
| 1763 | Treaty of Paris | France cedes all its territories in America to Britain except Saint Pierre and Miquelon Islands. |
| 1776 | Declaration of Independence of the United States | The Thirteen Colonies assert independence |
| 1783 | Second Treaty of Paris | Great Britain formally recognises the independence of the United States. End of the American Revolution. |
| 1788 | New South Wales is established by settlement as a penal colony | |
| 1791 | Constitution Act | The Province of Quebec is divided in two sections Upper Canada and Lower Canada. |
| 1801 | Act of Union 1800 | Ireland unites with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
| 1814 | Third Treaty of Paris | France cedes the Seychelles to Britain and Malta officially becomes a colony |
| 1840 | Treaty of Waitangi | New Zealand becomes a British colony |
| 1867 | British North America Act 1867 | The Province of Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia federate as Canada |
| 1870 | Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory are annexed to Canada | |
| 1871 | British Columbia becomes a province of Canada | |
| 1876 | Proclamation under the Royal Titles Act 1876 | Queen Victoria adopts the title "Empress of India" |
| 1899 | Joint British-Egyptian condominium established over Sudan | |
| 1901 | Proclamation under the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act | The Commonwealth of Australia is formed by the federation of the colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania |
| 1910 | Proclamation under the South Africa Act 1909 | Union of South Africa formed by the federation of the colonies of the Cape of Good Hope, Natal, Transvaal, and the Orange River Colony |
| 1914 | Cyprus Order in Council 1914 | Cyprus formally annexed |
| 1920 | Kenya Order in Council 1920 | Most of the East Africa Protectorate is annexed as the Colony of Kenya |
| 1922 | Anglo-Irish Treaty | The Irish Free State is separated from the United Kingdom |
| 1922 | Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence | Egypt becomes independent |
| 1931 | Statute of Westminster | Canada, the Irish Free State, and the Union of South Africa obtain effective sovereignty |
| 1934 | Financial difficulties result in Newfoundland losing its status as a dominion | |
| 1942 | Australia adopts the Statute of Westminster, backdated to 1939 | |
| 1947 | New Zealand adopts the Statute of Westminster | |
| 1947 | Indian Independence Act 1947 | British India is partitioned into the independent dominions of India and Pakistan |
| 1948 | King George VI relinquishes the title "Emperor of India" | |
| 1949 | Newfoundland becomes a province of Canada | |
| 1960 | The Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria becomes independent | |
| 1962 | Jamaica becomes independent | |
| 1983 | The status of "colony" is renamed "dependent territory" | |
| 1997 | Sino-British Joint Declaration and the | Hong Kong is transferred to the People's Republic of China |
| 2002 | The status of "British Dependent Territory" is renamed "British Overseas Territory" |