the empire of Britain, which began in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the establishment of colonies in North America and ended in the twentieth century as dozens of nations, formerly British possessions, became independent. At the Empire's greatest extent, around 1900, it included Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, vast portions of Africa and many smaller territories throughout the world. The phrase "the Empire on which the sun never sets" was applied to the British Empire in itsheyday. —Games Congress Gls (Approved 13.8.92)