British Empire and the UK: How They Relate, and What Remains Today
British Empire vs UK: the United Kingdom was the state at the centre of the empire, not the empire itself. How the two relate, what the Commonwealth and the realms are, and what remains today.
Last updated September 2026
Contents5
The British Empire and the UK are easy to confuse. But they were never the same thing. The United Kingdom was the state at the centre.
The empire was the network of lands that the state ruled overseas. This page explains how the two fitted together and how the names changed over time. It also shows what is left of the empire's structure today.
TL;DR: The UK, formed in 1801, ran the British Empire from London. But the empire was not part of the UK. When the empire broke up, most of its lands became independent. Today the UK has 14 Overseas Territories and three Crown Dependencies. The King was head of state of 15 realms when he came to the throne in 2022. And 56 countries belong to the Commonwealth.
How the British Empire and the UK relate
The state itself changed name as it grew.
| Years | Name of the state | How it formed |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1707 | Kingdom of England (with Wales) and Kingdom of Scotland | Separate kingdoms; one monarch from 1603 |
| 1707-1800 | Kingdom of Great Britain | Acts of Union joined England and Scotland |
| 1801-1922 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | Act of Union with Ireland |
| 1922 to today | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Most of Ireland left to form the Irish Free State |
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The empire sat outside these borders. Its colonies had their own governors and laws. In time many had their own parliaments too. The UK Parliament and government in London had the final say over them. That lasted until each one became self-governing or independent.
The kinds of territory in the empire
The empire was not one single system. Its lands held different legal positions.
- Colonies: ruled directly by the Crown through a governor, such as Jamaica or Hong Kong.
- Dominions: self-governing settler states, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The Statute of Westminster of 1931 confirmed that the UK Parliament could no longer make laws for them without their consent.
- Protectorates: states under British protection that kept their own rulers, such as many Gulf and African states.
- Mandates: former German and Ottoman lands given to Britain to run under the League of Nations after 1919, such as Palestine and Tanganyika.
- India: ruled by the East India Company, then by the Crown from 1858, with its own Viceroy.
For how these lands grew and broke away, see the empire of Great Britain timeline.
What remains today
British Overseas Territories
British Overseas Territories, 14 on the current UK list.
Status: Reviewed.
Note: The UK government's list of Overseas Territory names was updated on 15 September 2026. It names 14 territories. They include Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Antarctic Territory, the British Indian Ocean Territory and the British Virgin Islands. They also include the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat and Pitcairn.
These territories are linked to the UK but are not part of it. In May 2025 the UK signed an agreement with Mauritius on the Chagos Archipelago. The archipelago makes up the British Indian Ocean Territory. The treaty text says it was not in force when published.
Sources: GOV.UK, "UK Overseas Territory names"; GOV.UK, "UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago".
The other territories on the list are Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus; and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Crown Dependencies
Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are Crown Dependencies. They were never colonies. They belong to the Crown and run their own affairs, with their own parliaments. The UK handles their defence and foreign relations.
The Commonwealth and the realms
| Group | Members | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| The Commonwealth | 56 independent countries | A voluntary association; the King is its Head, but most members are republics or have their own monarchs |
| Commonwealth realms | 15 countries, including the UK, at the 2022 accession | Countries where the King is head of state, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand; some realms, including Jamaica, have debated becoming republics |
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The Commonwealth's own site says it has 56 member countries with 2.7 billion people. Some of its newest members, such as Mozambique and Rwanda, were never British colonies. For the monarch's role in the UK and the realms, see Britain's monarchy.
Why the difference matters
Mixing up the UK and the empire leads to common mistakes. Independence days in India, Ghana or Jamaica were not breakaways from the UK itself. They were the end of UK rule over separate lands.
And the UK's own borders changed only once in the 1900s. That was in 1922, when most of Ireland left. For how the empire looked at different dates, see the British Empire map page.
For the monarchs behind both, see our guide to the best books about the royal family. It ends with Elizabeth II, who saw most of the empire end.
Verdict: the British Empire and the UK
The UK and the British Empire were linked but separate. The UK was the state. The empire was what it ruled abroad.
The empire has gone, but three things carry its legacy. There are the 14 Overseas Territories and the realms that share the King. There is also the 56-member Commonwealth. For the monarchs who reigned over both, see the England royal family hub.
Sources checked for this page
- GOV.UK, "UK Overseas Territory names"
- The Commonwealth, "Member countries"
- The Royal Family, "The Commonwealth"
- Britannica, "British Empire"
- BBC Bitesize, "The British Empire"
- Imperial War Museums, "End of Empire"
Questions people also ask
Is the UK the same as the British Empire?
No. The UK is a sovereign state made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The British Empire was the wider set of colonies, dominions, protectorates and mandates that the UK ruled or controlled.
Does the British Empire still exist?
Not as an empire. What remains is 14 British Overseas Territories, such as Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, which are linked to the UK but not part of it.
What is the difference between the Commonwealth and a Commonwealth realm?
The Commonwealth is an association of 56 independent countries, most of them republics or with their own monarchs. A Commonwealth realm is a country where the King is head of state. There were 15, including the UK, when Charles III became king in 2022.
Are the Channel Islands part of the UK?
No. Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are Crown Dependencies. They are self-governing possessions of the Crown, not part of the UK and not Overseas Territories.