Colonial Empire - wikipedia Colonial Empire This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2009 ) A colonial empire is a collective of territories ( often called colonies ), mostly overseas, settled by the population of a certain state and governed by that state. Colonial empires first emerged with a race of exploration between the then most advanced European maritime powers, Portugal and Spain, during the 15th century. The initial impulse behind these dispersed maritime empires and those that followed was trade, driven by the new ideas and the capitalism that grew out of the European Renaissance. Agreements were also made to divide the world up between them in 1479, 1493, and 1494. European imperialism was born out of competition between European Christians and Ottoman Muslims, the latter of which rose up quickly in the 14th century and forced the Spanish and Portuguese to seek new trade routes to India, and to a lesser extent, China. Although colonies existed in classical antiquity, especially amongst the Phoenicians and the Ancient Greeks who settled many islands and coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, these colonies were politically independent from the city - states they originated from, and thus did not constitute a colonial empire. Contents 1 European colonial empires 1.1 Timeline 2 List of colonial empires 3 Maps 4 See also 5 Notes and references 6 External links European colonial empires Portugal began establishing the first global trade network and empire under the leadership of Henry the Navigator. The empire spread throughout a vast number of territories distributed across the globe ( especially at one time in the 16th century ) that are now parts of 60 different sovereign states. Portugal would eventually control Brazil, territories such as what is now Uruguay and some fishing ports in north, in the Americas ; Angola, Mozambique, Portuguese Guinea, and São Tomé and Príncipe ( among other territories and bases ) in the North and the Subsaharan Africa ; cities, forts or territories in all the Asian Subcontinents, as Muscat, Ormus and Bahrain ( amongst other bases ) in the Persian Gulf ; Goa, Bombay and Daman and Diu ( amongst other coastal cities ) in India ; Portuguese Ceylon ; Malacca, bases in Southeast Asia and Oceania, as Makassar, Solor, Banda, Ambon and others in the Moluccas, Portuguese Timor ; and the granted entrepôt - base of Macau and the entrepôt - enclave of Dejima ( Nagasaki ) in East Asia, amongst other smaller or short - lived possessions. The territorial evolution of the modern colonial empires During its Siglo de Oro, the Spanish Empire had possession of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Italy, parts of Germany, parts of France, and many colonies in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. With the conquest of inland Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines in the 16th century, Spain established overseas dominions on a scale that had never been approached by its predecessors ( the Mongol Empire had been larger but was restricted to Eurasia ), and with the Iberian Union ( 1580 ), reached the widest scale in history until then in world distribution. Possessions in Europe, Africa, the Atlantic Ocean, the Americas, the Pacific Ocean, and East Asia qualified the Spanish Empire as attaining a global presence. From 1580 to 1640 the Portuguese Empire and the Spanish Empire were conjoined in a personal union of its Habsburg monarchs during the period of the Iberian Union, but beneath the highest level of government, their separate administrations were maintained. Subsequent colonial empires included the French, English, Dutch and Japanese empires. By the mid-17th century, the Tsardom of Russia, continued later as the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, became the largest contiguous state in the world, and the modern Russian Federation continues to be so to this day. Russia today has nine time zones, stretching across about half of the world 's longitude. The British Empire, consolidated during the period of British maritime hegemony in the 19th century, became the largest empire in history by virtue of the improved transportation technologies of the time. At its height, the British Empire covered a quarter of the Earth 's land area and comprised a quarter of its population. During the New Imperialism, Italy and Germany also built their colonial empires in Africa. After the Boxer Rebellion in 1901, Imperial China made concessions to the Eight - Nation Alliance ( all the Great Powers of the time ). By the end of the 20th century most of the previous colonial empires had been decolonized. Timeline This article 's factual accuracy is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced. ( January 2018 ) The chart below shows the span of European colonial empires. Black lines mark the year of the empires largest territorial extent of land area. Red represents the empire is a monarchy. Blue represents the empire is a republic. List of colonial empires Further information : United Nations list of Non-Self - Governing Territories and Dependent territory European : Belgian Empire ( 1885 -- 1962 ) Congo Free State ( 1885 -- 1908 ) Belgian Congo ( 1908 -- 1960 ) Ruanda - Urundi ( 1922 -- 1962 ) British Empire ( 1707 -- 1997 / present ) Evolution of the British Empire British colonization of the Americas Thirteen Colonies East India Company and British Raj Territories and mandates under Australian administration ( 1901 -- present ) The Australia dominion, itself a colony that gradually increased its independence in 1901, 1942 and 1986, was tasked with the government of multiple other British colonies and territories and the mandates of New Guinea and Nauru Realm of New Zealand ( 1907 -- present ) The New Zealand dominion, itself a colony that gradually increased its independence in 1907, 1947 and 1986, was tasked with the government of multiple other British colonies and territories and the mandate of Samoa. It was also nominal co-trustee of the mandate of Nauru. The remaining non-self - governing New Zealand territory is Tokelau. Mandates under South African administration ( 1915 -- 1990 ) The South - West Africa mandate was governed by the South Africa dominion, that itself a colony that gradually increased its independence in 1910, 1931 and 1961. Danish Empire ( 1536 -- 1953 ) Danish colonization of the Americas Danish Gold Coast Danish India Danish colony of the Nicobar Islands Dutch Empire ( 1602 -- 1975 / present ) Dutch colonization of the Americas, Dutch West India Company, New Netherland, Dutch Guyana and Dutch Brazil Dutch East India Company, Dutch India and Dutch East Indies Dutch Cape Colony ( 1652 -- 1806 ) English colonial empire ( 1585 -- 1707 ) French Empire ( 1534 -- 1980 / present ) Kingdom of France ( 1534 -- 1792 ) First French Empire of Napoleon I ( 1804 -- 1814 or 1815 ) Second French Empire of Napoleon III ( 1852 -- 1870 ) French colonization of the Americas List of colonies and possessions of France German colonial empire ( 1884 -- 1918 ) Kamerun German South West Africa German East Africa Togoland German New Guinea German Samoa Italian Empire ( 1885 -- 1960 ) Italy and the colonization of the Americas ( 1608 - 1609 ) Italian North Africa ( 1911 -- 1943 ) Italian East Africa ( 1936 -- 1960 ) Portuguese Empire ( 1415 -- 1999 ) Evolution of the Portuguese Empire Portuguese colonization of the Americas Colonial Brazil ( 1500 -- 1815 ) Portuguese India ( 1505 -- 1961 ) Portuguese Timor ( 1702 -- 1975 ) Portuguese Malacca ( 1511 -- 1641 ) Portuguese Macau ( 1577 -- 1999 ) Portuguese Africa Portuguese East Africa ( 1498 -- 1975 ) Portuguese West Africa ( 1575 -- 1975 ) Portuguese Guinea ( 1474 -- 1974 ) Portuguese Cape Verde ( 1462 -- 1975 ) Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe ( 1470 -- 1975 ) Russian Empire ( 1721 -- 1917 ) Russian Colonialism Russian conquest of Siberia Russian colonization of the Americas South Caucasus Sagallo ( now Djibouti, 1889 ) Spanish Empire ( 1492 -- 1975 ) Spanish colonization of the Americas Viceroyalty of New Spain Viceroyalty of Peru Viceroyalty of New Granada Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata Spanish East Indies ( 1565 -- 1898 ) Spanish Guinea ( 1778 -- 1968 ) Spanish Sahara ( 1884 -- 1975 ) Spanish protectorate in Morocco ( 1912 -- 1956 ) Swedish Empire ( 1638 -- 1663 and 1784 -- 1878 ) Swedish colonization of the Americas Swedish Gold Coast Asian : Japanese Empire ( 1868 -- 1945 ) Korea ( 1910 -- 1945 ) Taiwan ( 1895 -- 1945 ) Caroline islands ( 1914 - 1945 ) Ottoman Empire ( 1453 -- 1922 ) Ottoman territories in Europe Ottoman wars in Africa ( 1516 - 1911 ) Ottoman colonization of the Levant ( 1516 -- 1918 ) Ottoman Arabia ( 1517 -- 1918 ) Other colonial nations and controversial empires : American Empire ( 1817 -- present ) United States territorial acquisitions American Colonization Society Colonies of the Habsburg Monarchy and Austria - Hungary ( 1719 -- 1750, 1778 -- 1783, 1901 -- 1917 ) Austrian colonial policy Austrian colonisation of Nicobar Islands Austrian East India Company Duchy of Courland and Semigallia ( a vassal of the Polish - Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1637 - 1690 ) Couronian colonization Couronian colonization of the Americas Danish Realm ( 1953 -- present ) German colonial initiatives ( 1683 -- 1721 ) Colonies of Brandenburg - Prussia ( 1683 -- 1721 ) Colonies of County of Hanau German colonization of the Americas Knights Hospitaller ( Malta, a vassal of the Kingdom of Sicily ; 1651 -- 1665 ) Hospitaller colonization of the Americas Kingdom of Morocco ( 1975 -- present ) Southern Provinces Muscat and Oman ( 1652 -- 1892 ) Yaruba dynasty ( 1624 - 1742 ) Sultanate of Muscat ( 1652 - 1820 ) Sultanate of Zanzibar ( taken by Oman in 1698, became capital of the Omani Sultanate or Empire from 1632 or 1640 ; until 1890 ) Norway Norwegian Empire ( 872 - 1397 ) List of possessions of Norway ( 1920 -- present ) Norway Antarctic and sub-Antarctic possessions ( 1927 -- 1957 ) Tsardom of Russia, Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and Russian Federation ( 1547 -- 1721 ) ( 1721 - 1917 ) ( 1917 -- 1991 ) ( 1991 - present ) Russian Colonialism Soviet Empire Russian conquest of Siberia Soviet Central Asia Scottish colonization of the Americas ( 1621 -- 1707 ) Chinese Empire, Qing dynasty and People ' Republic of China Chinese imperialism Spratly Islands Kingdom of Siam Kingdom of Vientiane ( 1778 -- 1828 ) Kingdom of Luang Prabang ( 1778 -- 1893 ) Kingdom of Champasak ( 1778 -- 1893 ) Kingdom of Cambodia ( 1771 -- 1867 ) Kedah ( 1821 -- 1826 ) Maps European : Belgian Empire British Empire Danish Empire Dutch Empire English Empire French Empire German Empire Italian Empire Portuguese Empire Russian Empire Spanish Empire Swedish Empire Asian : Japanese Empire Ottoman Empire Other informal empires : American Empire Map of Morocco and Western Sahara with the Southern Provinces in a darker color. Norwegian Empire Norwegian Empire, with Greenland not visible German colonial efforts Austro - Hungarian colonies and concessions throughout history Duchy of Courland and Semigallia Couronian settlements in Africa Map of the Hospitaller order 's territories in the Caribbean Couronian settlements in Americas ( New Courland on Tobago ) Scottish colonization of the Americas Drač County inside Serbian territories. See also Colonial troops The empire on which the sun never sets History of Western civilization Great Divergence List of largest empires that existed in India Middle Eastern Empires Impact of Western European colonialism and colonisation Notes and references Jump up ^ Encarta - encyclopedie Winkler Prins ( 1993 -- 2002 ) s.v. `` kolonie ( geschiedenis ). § 1.2 De moderne koloniale expansie ''. Microsoft Corporation / Het Spectrum. Jump up ^ Encarta, s.v. `` kolonie ( geschiedenis ). § 1.1 Oudheid. ^ Jump up to : Part of the Holy Roman Empire realm before 1804. Jump up ^ The dependencies of Norway are uninhabited, thus as end date is taken the latest date of full Norwegian sovereignty extension to such territory, instead of the date of decolonization or integration in the administrative structures of the mainland. Bouvet Island claimed in 1927, under Norway sovereignty since 1930. Peter I Island claimed in 1929, under Norway sovereignty since 1933. Queen Maud Land claimed in 1938, under Norway sovereignty since 1957. Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land fall under the scope of the Antarctic Treaty System since 1961. External links Visualizing western empires decline `` The template below ( Empires ) is being considered for merging. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. '' Empires Ancient Akkadian Egyptian Assyrian Babylonian Carthaginian Chinese Qin Han Three Kingdoms Jin North and South Hellenistic Macedonian Seleucid Hittite Indian Nanda Maurya Satavahana Shunga Gupta Harsha Iranian Elamite Median Achaemenid Parthian Sasanian Kushan Mongol Xianbei Xiongnu Roman Western Eastern Teotihuacan Post-classical Arab Rashidun Umayyad Abbasid Fatimid Córdoba Aragonese Angevin Aztec Benin Bornu Bruneian Bulgarian First Second Byzantine Nicaea Trebizond Chinese Sui Tang Song Yuan Ethiopian Zagwe Solomonic Georgian Hunnic Inca Indian Chola Gurjara - Pratihara Pala Eastern Ganga dynasty Delhi Vijayanagara Iranian Samanid Kanem Khmer Latin Majapahit Malaccan Mali Mongol Yuan Golden Horde Chagatai Khanate Ilkhanate Moroccan Idrisid Almoravid Almohad Marinid North Sea Oyo Holy - Roman Carolingian Serbian Somali Ajuran Ifatite Adalite Mogadishan Warsangali Songhai Srivijaya Tibetan Turko - Persian Ghaznavid Great Seljuk Khwarezmian Timurid Vietnamese Ly Tran Le Wagadou Modern Ashanti Austrian Austro - Hungarian Brazilian Central African Chinese Ming Qing China Manchukuo Ethiopian French First Second German First / Old Reich Second Reich Third Reich Haitian First Second Indian Maratha Sikh Mughal British Raj Iranian Safavid Afsharid Japanese Johor Korean Mexican First Second Moroccan Saadi Alaouite Russian Somali Gobroon Majeerteen Hobyo Dervish Soviet Swedish Tongan Turkish Ottoman Karaman Ramazan Vietnamese Tay Son Nguyen Vietnam Colonial American Belgian British English Danish Dutch French German Italian Japanese Omani Norwegian Portuguese Spanish Swedish Lists Empires largest ancient great powers medieval great powers modern great powers `` The template below ( Colonial empires ) is being considered for merging. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. '' Colonial empires American Austro - Hungarian Belgian British Couronian Danish Dutch English French German Italian Japanese Sovereign Military Order of Malta Ottoman Portuguese Russian Spanish Swedish Colonies in antiquity Colonization and decolonization Earth Exploration Americas Africa Asia Oceania Antarctica -- World oceans Colonization Americas Africa Asia Southeast Asia Oceania Antarctica World oceans Subterranea Decolonization Americas Africa Asia Oceania General topics Exploration Maritime history ( European ) Age of Discovery Solar System discovery Colonization Antiquity -- Imperialism Chartered companies Interventionism Colonialism chronology history empires settler colonialism wars Current : Non-Self - Governing Dependent Space Station -- Space Militarization Commercial use of space Empires in Modernity Overseas, major : British Dutch French German Italian Portuguese Spanish Overseas, minor : American Australian Austro - Hungarian Belgian Danish New Zealand Norwegian Polish - Lithuanian Swedish Mostly contiguous : American Chinese Japanese Ottoman Russian South African Decolonization Wars of national liberation -- Predecessors of sovereign states in Europe in South America Independence referendum Sovereign states formation dates Postcolonialism Independence Internal colonialism Nation - building Neo-colonialism Postcolonialism ( international relations ) Terra nullius Indigenous peoples Uncontacted peoples Outer space Exploration Mercury Venus Moon Lagrangian points Mars Phobos Ceres Asteroids Outer Solar System : Jupiter Europa Callisto Saturn Titan Uranus Neptune trans - Neptunian objects Pluto Colonization Mercury Venus Moon Lagrangian points Mars Phobos Asteroids Outer Solar System : Jupiter Europa Callisto Saturn Titan Uranus Neptune trans - Neptunian objects Pluto Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colonial_empire&oldid=842823712 '' Categories : History of colonialism Empires Overseas empires Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from December 2009 All articles needing additional references Accuracy disputes from January 2018 All accuracy disputes Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Deutsch Eesti Español Euskara فارسی Français 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia Italiano मराठी Polski Português Română Українська Kabɩyɛ 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 24 May 2018, at 22 : 35. 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Question: which european country has the largest colonial empire
Answer: The British Empire