Dominion of Newfoundland facts for kids

The Dominion of Newfoundland was a special country that was part of the British Empire. It existed from 1907 to 1949. It was located in northeastern North America, right on the Atlantic Ocean coast. This dominion included the large island of Newfoundland and a part of the mainland called Labrador.

Before 1907, Newfoundland was a British colony, meaning it was directly ruled by Britain. But in 1907, it became a "dominion." This meant it was still connected to Britain but had more control over its own affairs. A big step for its independence happened on December 11, 1931, with a law called the Statute of Westminster. This law officially recognized Newfoundland as an independent country within the British Commonwealth. Other countries like Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand also gained this status.

However, things changed on February 16, 1934. Newfoundland's own government decided to give up its self-rule. This meant that control of the dominion went back to London, England. Even though it was governed from overseas, Newfoundland was still legally a dominion. This continued until 1949, when it joined Canada to become Canada's tenth province.

Images for kids

• 

  Map of Newfoundland in 1912.

• 

  A Newfoundland dollar bill from 1920.

• 

  Newfoundland postage stamp featuring Sir Humphrey Gilbert.

See also

In Spanish: Dominio de Terranova para niños