Theh British Empire comprised in 1939, when World War II started, still about a quarter of the world, including the Dominions and League of Nations mandates. The strategically important Egypt had become independent in 1922 officially, and Ireland even had left the United Kingdom. On the other hand, Great Britain still had covered influence in many States, and by founding the British Commonwealth of Nations, the Dominions were bound closer to the mother country. By occupying Iceland and the Faroe Islands, British influence had even grown.
On the other hand, the independence movement in British India under Mohandas Gandhi continues to work, and in other areas, there is some rumble as well.
When the war began, the Empire had about 200,000 men standing in Western Africa, 320,000 in Eastern Africa, 80,000 in Egypt and the Near/Middle East.
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United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |||
The Crown Dependencies: | |||
Channel Islands | Isle of Man | |||
The Dominions: | |||
Canada | Australia | New Zealand | South Africa | Newfoundland | Southern Rhodesia | |||
The League of Nations mandates: | |||
Iraq | Palestine | Transjordan | Togo | Tanganjika | Southwest Africa | |||
The crown colonies: | |||
British India | Ceylon | Burma | Straits Settlements | Gibraltar | Malta | Cyprus | Aden | Sudan | Nigeria | Gold Coast | Sierra Leone | Uganda | Kenya | Tanganjika | Zanzibar | Northern Rhodesia | Nyasaland | Swasiland | Basutoland | Bechuanaland | Mauritius | Seychelles | St. Helena | Ascension | Gambia | Jamaica |