British protectorate facts for kids

Imagine a big country, the British Empire, that wanted to protect smaller countries or areas. These areas were called British protectorates. It was like the British army and diplomats (people who talk to other countries) would look after them. The local rulers in these places usually stayed in charge of their own people and daily life. But the British helped with things like defense and talking to other countries. This way of ruling was called indirect rule. People in these protectorates were not usually considered British citizens.

A British protected state was a bit different. Here, the local ruler had even more control over their own country. The British mainly handled their defense and foreign affairs (how they dealt with other countries).

How Protectorates Worked

When the British took over Cephalonia in 1809, they said they were not invaders. Instead, they offered "British protection." After the Napoleonic wars, the British kept control of the Ionian Islands. They called them a protectorate, not a part of Britain. In 1815, the United States of the Ionian Islands became independent but stayed under British protection. Malta was also a British protectorate from 1800 to 1814.

Many places, like the princely states in India and areas in West Africa, were also governed this way.

British Protection Around the World

The British set up many protectorates across the globe. In the Pacific Ocean, the 16 Gilbert Islands became a British Protectorate in 1892. This was done by Captain Davis of HMS Royalist. Later that year, Captain Gibson of HMS Curacoa declared the nine Ellice Islands a British Protectorate. In 1893, the southern Solomon Islands also became a British Protectorate.

In 1894, Uganda became a British Protectorate. The British put local kings in charge under their "indirect rule" system. Most British protectorates were managed by a Commissioner or a High Commissioner, not a Governor.

Protectorate vs. Protected State

British law had a small difference between a protectorate and a protected state. In both, Britain handled defense and foreign relations. But a protectorate had a new government set up by the British. A protected state kept its existing local government, with the British guiding it.

People from former British protectorates or protected states could become "British Protected Persons." This happened if they did not get citizenship in their own country when it became independent.

The very last British protectorate was the British Solomon Islands, which became independent in 1978. The last British protected state was Brunei, which became fully independent in 1984.

Places That Were British Protectorates

Here are some examples of places that were British protectorates:

Americas

• 

  Flag of Barbados, a former British protectorate
  Barbados (1627–1652)
•  Mosquito Coast (1638–1860) – This was over the Miskito Indian nation in Central America.

Arab World

• 

  Flag of the Aden Protectorate
  Aden Protectorate (1872–1963) – This area later became part of South Yemen. It included many smaller states like Kathiri and Mahra.
• Sultanate of Egypt (1914–1922)
• Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (1899–1956) – This was shared control with Egypt.

Asia

• 

  Flag of the Maldives
  Maldive Islands (1887–1965)
•  Kingdom of Sikkim (1861–1947)

Europe

• 

  Flag of Cyprus
  British Cyprus (1871–1914) – It later became a British Crown colony.
• Malta Protectorate (1800–1813)
• 

  Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands
  Ionian islands (1815–1864) – A Greek state protected by Britain.

Africa

• Bechuanaland Protectorate (1885–1966)
•  British Somaliland (1884–1960)
• 

  Flag of The Gambia
  Gambia Colony and Protectorate (1894–1965)
• 

  Flag of the Uganda Protectorate
  Uganda Protectorate (1894–1962)
•  Sultanate of Zanzibar (1890–1963)

Oceania

• 

  Flag of the Solomon Islands
  British Solomon Islands (1893–1978)
•  Gilbert and Ellice Islands (1892–1916)

Places That Were British Protected States

These states were never officially part of the British Empire. They kept almost full control over their own internal affairs. But the British managed their foreign policy.

•  Brunei (1888–1984)
•  Bhutan (1910–1947)
•  Emirate of Afghanistan (1879–1919)
•  Kingdom of Nepal (1816–1923)
•  Kingdom of Egypt (1922–1936)
• Federation of Malaya (1948–1957) – This included many smaller Malay states.
•  Tonga (1900–1970)
•  Bahrain (1880–1971)
• 

  Flag of Kuwait
  Sheikhdom of Kuwait (1899–1961)
• 

  Flag of Qatar
  Qatar (1916–1971)
•  Trucial States (1892–1971) – These states later formed the UAE.
•  Kingdom of Sarawak (1888–1946)
• North Borneo (1888–1946)