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The table below explains when various territories entered or left the British Empire. It can be quite confusing as the borders of these territories could and did change, name changes were frequent, colonies amalgamated and combined with one another - not to mention various treaties and wars! It is very difficult to keep track of all of these changes over the course of the entire history of the empire. There were also different classifications of territories:
Companies - initially private companies capitalised from Britain - tried to set up their own colonies as private commercial concerns. They frequently found the administration far more expensive than they expected and so often turned to the British government for help - particularly when wars or rebellions occurred. I have also included a few settler/missionary inspired settlements in this category. Colonies were those areas directly ruled by a governor on behalf of the British government and representing the Crown. The governor was responsible to the Colonial Office in London, although he usually had wide powers of discretion. These were the most common form of imperial control. Protectorates were territories where the local rulers could continue ruling domestically but they had ceded foreign and defence to the British. In fact, even in protectorates, British advisers frequently held influence far beyond foreign and defence fields. Dominions were those colonies that were granted significant freedom to rule themselves. The settler colonies were afforded this freedom. Dominions were fully independent countries after the 1931 Statute of Westminster, although their Head of State continued to be the British sovereign. I have included some other examples of self-governing colonies in this category. Mandates were set up after World War One as German and Turkish colonies were passed to Britain and France to prepare for self government on behalf of the League of Nations. Then, after World War Two, the United Nations issued its own mandates. You can gauge the relative size, population and economic effectiveness of the varying colonies in 1924 by looking at this table. The British Empire Colonies interactive map was made by Darren Chalk using data from this website. |
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
Aden | 1839 | 1858 (from India) Separate from 1937 | Interior from 1873 | 1967 | ||
Afghanistan | 1839 - 1842 | 1878 - 1880 | ||||
Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1789 - 1814 | 1858 | 1947 | |||
Anguilla | 1663 | |||||
Antigua | 1632 | 1663 | 1981 | |||
Aruba | 1799 - 1815 | |||||
Ascension | 1815 by Royal Navy. 1922 Civil Administration | |||||
Ashmore and Cartier Islands | 1878 | 1938 to Australia | ||||
Australia | 1901 | 1942 | ||||
Bahamas | 1648 - 1657, 1670 - 1717 | 1717 | 1964 | 1973 | ||
Bahrain | 1835 | 1971 | ||||
Baker Island | 1886 | 1934 to USA | ||||
Baluchistan | 1877, 1887 to India | 1947 | ||||
Banda Islands | 1608, 1616 - 1621 | 1796 - 1817 then back to Dutch | ||||
Bantam | 1603 | 1682 to Dutch | ||||
Barbados | 1627 | 1966 | ||||
Barbuda | 1666 | 1628 - 1632 | 1981 | |||
Basutoland | 1868 | 1884 | 1966 | |||
Batavia | 1621 - 1628 | 1811 - 1816 | ||||
Bay Islands | 1638 - 1650 | 1742 - 1782, 1820 - 1860 | 1860 to Honduras | |||
Bechuanaland | 1885 | 1966 | ||||
Benkulen | 1685 | 1825 to Dutch | ||||
Bengal | 1681 | 1858 | 1947 | |||
Berbice | 1665 | 1781 - 1782, 1796 - 1802, 1803 - 1814, 1831 to British Guiana | 1966 | |||
Bermuda | 1609, 1614 | 1684 | ||||
Bhutan | 1911 | 1947 | ||||
Bombay | 1661 | 1858 | 1947 | |||
Bonaire | 1807 - 1815 then back to Dutch | |||||
Bonin Islands | 1827 | 1875 to Japan | ||||
British Cameroons | 1914 | 1920 | 1961 | |||
British Columbia | 1849 | 1846 | 1871 | |||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
British Guiana | Conquered in 1796. 1815 became 3 colonies - unified in 1831 | 1966 | ||||
British Honduras | 1636 | 1786 | 1981 | |||
British Indian Ocean Territory | 1784 | |||||
British Kaffraria | 1847 joined Cape Colony in 1866 | |||||
British New Guinea (Papua Territory) | 1883 | 1886, 1906 to Australia | 1884 | 1975 | ||
British Somaliland | 1905 | 1884 | 1960 | |||
British Togoland | 1914 | 1920 | 1956 to Gold Coast | |||
British Virgin Islands | 1666 | 1786 | ||||
Brunei | 1888 | 1984 | ||||
Burma | 1824 expanded in 1852 and 1885. Ruled from India until 1937 | 1948 | ||||
Bushire | 1763 | 1854 | 1971 | |||
Canada | 1867 | 1931, 1982 | ||||
Lower Canada | 1763 Quebec colony divided in 1791 renamed Canada East in 1840 | 1867 | ||||
Upper Canada | 1763 Quebec colony divided in 1791 renamed Canada West in 1840 | 1867 | ||||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
Canton and Enderbury Islands | 1889 | 1936 - 1979 jointly with US | 1979 | |||
Cape Breton Island | 1758 to Nova Scotia in 1820 | 1867 | ||||
Cape Colony | 1795, 1806 | 1872, 1910 to South Africa | ||||
Cayman Islands | 1670 from Jamaica until 1959 | |||||
Ceylon | 1796 expanded in 1802 and 1815 | 1948 | ||||
Christmas Island | 1888 | 1945 | 1958 to Australia | |||
Christmas Island (Pacific) | 1888 | 1979 | ||||
Cocos Islands | 1826 | 1857 | 1984 to Australia | |||
Connecticut | 1633 | 1662 | 1783 | |||
Cook Islands | 1888 | 1965 | ||||
Coorg | 1834 | 1858 | 1947 | |||
Cuba | 1762 - 1763 | |||||
Curacao | 1807 - 1815 | |||||
Cyprus | 1914 | 1878 | 1960 | |||
Cyrenaica | 1941 - 1951 | |||||
Darien, Panama | 1698 - 1700 | |||||
Delaware | 1664 | 1704 | 1783 | |||
Demerara-Essequibo | 1665 | 1781 - 1782, 1796 - 1802, 1803 - 1814, 1831 to British Guiana | 1966 | |||
Dominica | 1763 | 1978 | ||||
Dutch East Indies | 1811 - 1816 | |||||
Dutch India | 1780 - 1784, 1795 - 1818, 1825 | 1858 | 1947 | |||
Egypt | 1882 | 1914 | 1922 | 1954 | ||
Eire/Ireland/Irish Free State | 1801 (part of UK proper) | 1922 | 1935, 1948 | |||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
Elizabeth Island | 1578 | |||||
Ellice Islands | 1916 | 1892 | 1978 | |||
Eritrea | 1941 | 1952 | ||||
Falkland Islands | 1841 | 1833 | ||||
Fernando Po | 1827 | 1855 to Spain | ||||
Fiji | 1835 | 1874 | 1970 | |||
Florida | 1763 | 1783 - to Spain | ||||
French India | 1760 - 1765, 1778-1783, 1793-1816 | |||||
French Somaliland | 1942 - 1946 | |||||
Gambia | 1661 | 1821 from Sierra Leone, 1888 by itself | 1894 inland territory added | 1965 | ||
Georgia | 1732 | 1755 | 1783 | |||
Gibraltar | 1704, confirmed in 1713 | |||||
Gilbert Islands | 1916 | 1892 | 1979 | |||
Goa | 1797 - 1813 | |||||
Gold Coast | 1631 | 1821 from Sierra Leone, 1874 by itself. | 1830 Protectorate extended inland | 1957 | ||
Goree | 1663 - 1664, 1758 - 1763, 1779 - 1783, 1800 - 1817 | |||||
Grenada | 1763 | 1974 | ||||
Griqualand West | 1873 - 1880 to Cape Colony | 1871 | ||||
Guadeloupe | 1759-1763, 1794, 1810-1816 | |||||
Hawaii | 1843 | 1794 | 1893 | |||
Heligoland | 1807 | 1890 to Germany | ||||
Hirado | 1613 - 1623 | |||||
Hong Kong | 1842 territory added in 1860 and 1898 | 1997 to China | ||||
Howland Island | 1886 - 1935 | |||||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
India | Incrementally from 1609 | 1858 | 1947 to 1950 | 1947 de facto | ||
Ionian Islands | 1809 | 1864 to Greece | ||||
Iraq | 1941 to 1945 | 1920 | 1932 | |||
Italian Somaliland | 1941 - 1950 | |||||
Jamaica | 1655 | 1962 | ||||
Jarvis Island | 1889 - 1935 | |||||
Kamaran Island | 1915 | 1967 | ||||
Kenya | 1888 | 1920 | 1895, 1904 | 1963 | ||
Kuria Muria Islands | 1854, 1886 to Aden | 1967 to Oman | ||||
Kuwait | 1899 | 1961 | ||||
Labuan | 1890 to North Borneo Company | 1846, 1904, 1907 to Straits Settlement | ||||
Lagos | 1861 | 1906 | 1960 | |||
Leeward Islands | 1671 | 1960 | ||||
Lord Howe Island | 1788 | 1855 to New South Wales | ||||
Madeira | 1801 - 1814 | |||||
Madras | 1640 | 1858 | 1947 | |||
Maine | 1622 | 1691 to Massachusetts | 1783 | |||
Malacca | 1824 | 1795 to 1816, 1826 | ||||
Malaya | 1874, 1896 | 1957 | ||||
Maldive Islands | 1887 | 1965 | ||||
Malta | 1800, confirmed in 1814 | 1919 | 1964 | |||
Martinique | 1762-1763,1793-1801,1809-1814 | |||||
Maryland | 1632 | 1783 | ||||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
Massachusetts | 1620 | 1691 | 1783 | |||
Mauritius | 1810 confirmed in 1814 | 1968 | ||||
Minorca | 1708 - 1756, 1763 - 1782, 1798 - 1803 | 1803 to Spain | ||||
Moluccas | 1796-1802,1810-1816 | |||||
Montserrat | 1632 | 1663 | ||||
Mosquito Coast | 1655 | 1860 | ||||
Natal | 1843 | 1893, 1910 to South Africa | ||||
Nauru | 1914 | 1919 | 1968 | |||
Nepal | 1816 | 1947 | ||||
Nevis | 1628 | 1663, 1882 joined with St. Christopher | 1983 | |||
New Brunswick | 1784 | 1854, 1867 | ||||
New Caledonia, (Darien), Panama | 1698 - 1700 | |||||
Newfoundland | 1497, 1583 | 1713, 1934 | 1855, 1949 to Canada | |||
New Hampshire | 1623 | 1679 | 1783 | |||
New Hebrides | 1906 | 1887 | 1980 | |||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
New Jersey | 1664 | 1738 | 1783 | |||
New York | 1664 | 1783 | ||||
New South Wales | 1770 | 1855, 1901 to Australia | ||||
New Zealand | 1769, 1792, 1840 | 1907 | 1947 | |||
Nigeria | 1914 | 1954 | 1960 | |||
Niue | 1901 to New Zealand | 1900 | 1974 | |||
Norfolk Island | 1788 - 1814 from New South Wales, 1825 - 1855 from Van Diemen's Land, 1897 - 1913 from New South Wales | 1856 - 1897 | 1914 - Australian Territory | |||
North Borneo | 1775 | 1946 | 1881, 1888 | 1963 to Malaysia | ||
North Carolina | 1663 | 1729 | 1783 | |||
North West Frontier Province | 1849 | 1901 | 1947 | |||
North West Territories | 1670 | 1869 | 1870 to Canada | |||
Northern Nigeria | 1885 | 1914 to Nigeria | 1899 | |||
Northern Rhodesia | 1891 | 1924 | 1964 | |||
Nova Scotia | 1621 to 1632, 1713 | 1846, 1867 to Canada | ||||
Nyasaland | 1875 | 1907 | 1889 | 1964 | ||
Ocean Island | 1900 | 1901 | 1979 | |||
Oman (Muscat and Oman) | 1646 | 1800 | 1970 | |||
Orange River Colony (Orange Free State) | 1848 to 1854, 1900 | 1907, 1910 to South Africa | ||||
Palestine | 1920 | 1948 | ||||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
Palmyra Atoll | 1889 | 1898 to USA | ||||
Penang | 1786 | 1826 | 1957 | |||
Pennsylvania | 1681 | 1783 | ||||
Perim Island | 1857 to Aden | 1967 to Yemen | ||||
Philippines | 1762 - 1764 | |||||
Pitcairn Island | 1838 | |||||
Popham Colony | 1607 to 1608 | |||||
Prince Edward Island | 1745 - 1748, 1758 | 1851, 1873 to Canada | ||||
Prince Edward Islands | 1908 | 1776 | 1947 to South Africa | |||
Providence Island | 1629 - 1642 | |||||
Pulo Condor Island | 1702 - 1705 | |||||
Punjab | 1849 | 1858 | 1937 | 1947 | ||
Qatar | 1916 | 1971 | ||||
Quebec | 1629 - 1632 | 1759 | 1841 | |||
Queensland | 1824 | 1859 | 1901 | |||
Roanoke | 1585 - 1590? | |||||
Redonda | 1872 to Antigua | 1981 | ||||
Reunion | 1810 - 1815, 1942 - 1945 | |||||
Rhode Island | 1636 | 1663 | 1783 | |||
Rodriguez | 1809, 1814 to Mauritius | 1968 | ||||
Rupert's Land and North West Territories | 1670, 1774 | 1870 to Canada | ||||
Saint Barthelemy | 1758, 1779, 1781 | |||||
Saint Croix and Saint Thomas | 1587 | 1625 - 1650, 1801 - 1802, 1807 - 1815 | ||||
St Christopher | 1623 | 1663 | 1983 | |||
Saint Domingue, Haiti | 1793 - 1798 | |||||
Saint Eustatius | 1625 | 1665 - 1668, 1672 - 1682, 1690 - 1696, 1781, 1801 - 1802, 1810 - 1816 | ||||
St Helena | 1651 | 1834 | ||||
St Lucia | 1778 to 1783, 1796, 1803 confirmed in 1814 | 1979 | ||||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
Saint Martin | 1690 - 1699 | 1781, 1801 - 1802, 1810 - 1816 | ||||
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 1713 - 1763, 1778 - 1783, 1793 - 1816 | |||||
St Vincent | 1762 to 1779, 1783 | 1979 | ||||
Saba | 1665, 1672 - 1679, 1781 | 1801 - 1803, 1810 - 1816 | ||||
Samoa | 1914 | 1889, terminated in 1899 | New Zealand Mandate from 1920 | 1962 | ||
Sarawak | 1841 | 1946 | 1888 | 1963 | ||
Senegal | 1693 | 1758 - 1779, 1809 - 1817 | ||||
Seychelles | 1794, 1811 from Mauritius, 1888 by itself | 1976 | ||||
Sierra Leone | 1787 | 1807 | 1896 inland protectorates | 1961 | ||
Sikkim | 1890, 1918 | 1947 | ||||
Sind | 1843 | 1858 | 1947 | |||
Singapore | 1819 | 1826 | 1957, 1965 | |||
Socotra | 1834 - 1835 | 1886 | 1967 to Aden | |||
Somalia | 1941 - 1950 | |||||
Solomon Islands | 1893 | 1978 | ||||
South Africa | 1910 | 1934 | ||||
South Australia | 1834 | 1855, 1901 to Australia | ||||
South Carolina | 1663 | 1729 | 1783 | |||
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | 1775, 1843, 1908 | |||||
South West Africa | 1919 to South Africa | 1960 | ||||
Southern Nigeria | 1884 | 1900, 1914 to Nigeria | ||||
Southern Rhodesia | 1890 | 1888 | 1923 | (1965 - 1979 UDI) 1980 | ||
Straits Settlements | 1826 | 1867 | 1858 | 1963 | ||
Name | Company | Colony | Protectorate | Dominion | Mandate | Independence |
Sudan | 1898 | 1956 | ||||
Suez Canal Zone | 1881 | 1922 | 1956 | |||
Surat | 1612, 1703 to Bombay | 1858 | 1947 | |||
Surinam | 1651 | 1799 - 1802, 1804 - 1816 | 1667 to Dutch | |||
Swaziland | 1893, 1902 | 1968 | ||||
Tanganyika | 1919 | 1961 | ||||
Tangier | 1661 | 1684 | ||||
Tasmania | 1803 | 1825 | 1856, 1901 to Australia | |||
Tobago | 1762 to 1781, 1793 confirmed in 1814, joined with Trinidad 1888 | 1962 | ||||
Tokelau | 1898 | 1889 | 1976 | |||
Tonga | 1879, 1900 | 1970 | ||||
Tranquebar (Danish India) | 1845 | 1801 - 1815, 1858 | 1947 | |||
Transjordan | 1920 | 1946 | ||||
Transvaal | 1877 to 1881, 1900 | 1906, 1910 to South Africa | 1961 | |||
Trinidad and Tobago | 1797 confirmed in 1814, joined with Tobago 1888 | 1962 | ||||
Tripolitania | 1941 - 1950 | |||||
Tristan da Cunha | 1816, 1938 from St Helena | |||||
Trucial Oman | 1835 | 1887 | 1971 | |||
Turks and Caicos Islands | 1678 | 1766 | 1973 | |||
Uganda | 1888 | 1905 | 1894 | 1962 | ||
Vancouver Island | 1843 | 1849 | 1866 to British Columbia | |||
Virginia | 1607 | 1624 | 1783 | |||
Victoria | 1851 | 1855, 1901 to Australia | ||||
Walvis Bay | 1878, 1884 | 1922 to South Africa | ||||
Weihaiwei | 1898 | 1930 to China | ||||
Western Australia | 1829 | 1826 | 1890, 1901 to Australia | |||
Willoughby | 1651 - 1667 | 1799 - 1802, 1804 - 1816 | ||||
Windward Islands | 1871 - 1960 | |||||
Zanzibar | 1890 | 1963 | ||||
Zululand | 1887, 1897 to Natal | 1879 |
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