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By the 19th century, the British Empire was the largest empire the world had ever seen, spanning every continent and governing approximately one-quarter of the world's population. The growth of the empire had profound consequences for both the colonised peoples and for Britain itself, driving migration, trade, and cultural exchange on a global scale.
The British Empire expanded dramatically between the mid-18th and late 19th centuries.
| Period | Key Acquisitions |
|---|---|
| Seven Years' War (1756--63) | Britain gained Canada and dominance in India (following Robert Clive's victory at the Battle of Plassey, 1757) |
| Late 18th century | Colonisation of Australia begins (First Fleet arrives in 1788); Cape Colony (South Africa) acquired during the Napoleonic Wars |
| 19th century | Britain acquires New Zealand (1840), Hong Kong (1842), large parts of West and East Africa, and consolidates control over India |
| "Scramble for Africa" (1880s--1900s) | European powers divide up Africa; Britain gains Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Gold Coast (Ghana), Rhodesia (Zimbabwe/Zambia), and more |
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