British Empire (Cherry, Plum, and Chrysanthemum)

The British Empire was a colonial empire that comprised by the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England between the late 16th and early 18th centuries. At its heighth at the beginning of the 20th century, the British Empire covered about a quarter of the world's land mass and ruled over a quarter of its people, making it the largest empire in history and, for over a century, the foremost global power. As a result, British influence can be observed in the language, culture, and legal systems of many of its former colonies 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, because its expanse across the globe meant that the sun was always shining on at least one of its territories.

History
Its empire-building began during the late 16th century, inspired by the Age of Discovery, when Portugal and Spain conquered vast amounts of land in the Americas. Envious of the great wealth these empires generated, England, France, and the Netherlands, began to establish colonies and trade networks of their own in the Americas and Asia. During a series of wars with the Netherlands and France during the 17th and 18th centuries, Britain gained vast amounts of land in the Americas and India.

The independence of the Thirteen Colonies in North America in 1783 after the American Revolutionary War that created the United States of America caused the British imperial ambition then turned towards Asia, Africa, and the Pacific, particularly to India, created the second British Empire. Following the defeat of French Empire in 1815, Britain enjoyed a century of almost unchallenged dominance and expanded its imperial holdings across the globe. Increasing degrees of autonomy were granted to its white settler colonies, some of which were reclassified as dominions.

With French, Belgian and Portuguese activity in the lower Congo River region undermining orderly incursion of Africa, the Berlin Conference of 1884–85 was held to regulate the competition between the European powers in what was called the "Scramble for Africa" that saw the transition from European imperial hegemony by military influence and economic dominance, to the direct rule of colonies. British gains in southern and East Africa prompted Cecil Rhodes, pioneer of British expansion in Africa, to urge a "Cape to Cairo" railway linking the strategically important Suez Canal to the mineral-rich southern portion of the continent.

By the end of the 19th century, the German Empire and the United States had eroded Britain's economic lead. Subsequent military and economic tensions between the British and the Germans were major causes of World War I, during which Britain relied heavily upon its empire. The conflict placed enormous financial and population strain on Britain, and although the empire achieved its largest territorial extent immediately after the war, it was no longer a peerless industrial or military power. Despite the eventual victory of Britain and its allies in World War II, the British prestige was already damaged and accelerated the decline of the empire. British India, Britain's most valuable and populous possession, achieved independence two years after the end of the war.

After the end of World War II, as part of a larger decolonization movement, Britain granted independence to most of the territories of the Empire. This process ended with the political transfer of Hong Kong to China in 1997. The 14 British Overseas Territories remain under British sovereignty. After independence, many former British colonies joined the Commonwealth Confederation, a free association of independent states. Sixteen Commonwealth nations share their head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, as Commonwealth realms.

Europe

 * Union flag 1606 (Kings Colors).svg Minorca (1708-57; 1763-82, 1798-1802) → ceded to the Flag of Spain (1785-1873 and 1875-1931).svg Kingdom of Spain (1757, 1782, 1802)
 * Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg Malta Protectorate (1800-13) → Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg Crown Colony of Malta (1813-1964) → gained independence as Flag of Malta.svg Malta (1964)
 * Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg Ireland within the Union (1801-1921) → gained independence as Flag of Ireland.svg Irish Free State (1921-37) → southern Ireland became the Flag_of_Ireland.svg Republic of Ireland (1937) & Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg Northern Ireland remained on the Union (1922)
 * Flag of British Heligoland.svg Heligoland (1807-90) → ceded to the Flag_of_the_German_Empire.svg German Empire (1890)
 * Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands.svg United States of the Ionian Islands (1809-64) → united into the Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Kingdom of Greece (1864)
 * Flag of the Corsican Republic (1848-60) (Myomi Republic).svg Second Corsican Republic (1815-60) → united into the Flag_of_Italy_(Myomi_Republic).svg Italian Republic (1860)
 * Blue Ensign of Cyprus (1922).svg Crown Colony of Cyprus (1878-1960) → gained independence as Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus (1960)

Northern America

 * British-Red-Ensign-1707.svg British America (1579-1776) → thirteen British North American colonies gained independence as the US flag 13 stars – Betsy Ross.svg United States of America (1776). Remaining colonies were divided between Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British North America (1776-1907), Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British South America (1776-1899) and British-Blue-Ensign-1707.svg British West Indies (1776-1912).
 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British North America (1776-1907) → the Floridas ceded to the Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Spanish Empire (1783) → remaining British colonies except Newfoundland became the Canadian Red Ensign 1868-1921.svg Dominion of Canada (1867) → the last British North American colony became the Dominion of Newfoundland Red Ensign.svg Dominion of Newfoundland (1907)