page_title: List of modern great powers
section_title: First British Empire
hierarchical_section_title: List of modern great powers / Early modern powers / First British Empire
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Gebiete, die zur einen oder anderen Zeit Teil des britischen Weltreiches waren. Das Vereinigte Königreich und die Britischen Überseegebiete sind rot unterstrichen. English: The territories that were at one time or another part of the British Empire. The United Kingdom and its accompanying British Overseas Territories are underlined in red. Français&#160;: Territoires ayant fait partie de l'Empire britannique. Le Royaume-Uni et les territoires d'outre-mer britanniques sont soulignés en rouge. Русский: Территории, когда-либо бывшие частью Британской империи. Названия Британских заморских территорий подчеркнуты красным. Українська: Території, які колись були частиною Британської імперії. Назви Британських заморських територій підкреслені червоним.
context_page_description: A great power is a nation or state that, through its great economic, political and military strength, is able to exert power and influence not only over its own region of the world, but beyond to others.
  In a modern context, recognized great powers first arose in Europe during the post-Napoleonic era. The formalization of the division between small powers and great powers came about with the signing of the Treaty of Chaumont in 1814.
  The historical terms "Great Nation", a distinguished aggregate of people inhabiting a particular country or territory, and "Great Empire", a considerable group of states or countries under a single supreme authority, are colloquial; their use is seen in ordinary historical conversations.
context_section_description: 1600–1815
  The First British empire began in the 17th century as a combination of factors led to its creation, such as the growth in British trade with Mughal India, the success of the British East India Company, numerous British maritime explorations around the world, and the vast Royal Navy. The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
  British colonies were created along the east coast of North America during the 17th and 18th centuries but by the late 18th century 13 of these colonies rebelled in the American War of Independence (1775-1783) and formed the United States of America.  The Second British Empire was built primarily in Asia, the Middle East and Africa after 1800. It included colonies in Canada, the Caribbean and India, and shortly thereafter began the settlement of Australia and New Zealand. Following France's defeat in the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Great Britain took possession of many more overseas territories in Africa and Asia, and established informal empires of free trade in South America,Persia etc. 
  
   At its height it was the largest empire in history and, for over a century, was the foremost global power. In 1815-1914 the Pax Britannica the Empire was the most powerful unitary authority in history due to the unprecedented level of naval predominance of the Royal Navy.
caption: The territories that were at one time or another part of the British Empire.
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