British East India Company

The British Empire encompassed the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England from the late 16th century, later joined by Scotland's colonisation attempts in the 17th century. It comprised dominions, colonies, protectorates, and mandates ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. At its peak in the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was the largest empire in history, covering 24 percent of the Earth's total land area by 1920 and holding sway over 412 million people by 1913. Its constitutional, legal, linguistic, and cultural legacy remains widespread.