In terms of land controlled - just after the First World War (before the independence of the south of Ireland) was the peak of the British Empire. But the British were in very severe financial difficulties after the First World War - and demands for self government were getting stronger in India (the “Jewel in the Crown” of the British Empire) - indeed such things as the agriculture departments were handed over to Indians in the early 1920s. read more
At the peak of its power, the phrase "the empire on which the sun never sets" was often used to describe the British Empire, because its expanse around the globe meant that the sun was always shining on at least one of its territories. read more
It's a far cry from the days when the sun never set on the Empire: In 1921, at the empire's peak, the British ruled around a quarter of the land on Earth. However, there is a small silver lining for Queen Elizabeth: She remains the monarch in 15 Commonwealth nations in addition to Britain. read more