Daily Curiosityby Erudico

General History · Question

What year is considered to be the year that the British Empire ended?

Answer

1997

The story behind the answer

1997 is widely viewed as the symbolic end of the British Empire because the United Kingdom returned Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997, lowering the Union Jack over its last major colony. While the UK still retains small Overseas Territories, the handover ended Britain’s role as a global territorial empire built over centuries.

Context: Most decolonization occurred after World War II—India and

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