Britain has ruled over half the Earth?

Question

Looking at a map of the Commonwealth countries I realized that Britain has over the course of history ruled over half the Earths land mass. Is this correct?

Answer 1

Not half but a lot.

They had most of the West Indies for a while, India, and Hong Kong.

Answer 2

dunno,

thought that Rome ruled as well a nice piece of earth, and I heard they Rome ruled 800 years before it fell to his own arrogance.

Answer 3

They use to have a motto..."Make the world England."

Answer 4

About that, British rule was widely resented by the Colonies at the time but since, as countries like Zimbabwe have slipped out of civilisation into anarchy, the realisation is dawning that actually they did bloody well out of our efforts.

Answer 5

yeah,almost

Answer 6

Yes.

Answer 7

I don't know if it's half but they have ruled alot

Answer 8

If you are going to consider all time then yes - but then again when you consider all time you have to realize how quickly they lost governorship and that is laughable.  Why conquer a land for 5 minutes - what a waste of life.

Answer 9

yep, why do you think everywhere speaks english?

england rules!

Answer 10

Not half, but more like a quarter of the earth's total land area.

There's roughly 147 million sq/km of land on the earth's surface

At the Empire's height in 1922, it was composed of 36.6 million sq/km, and one out of every four people on the planet was a subject of his majesty King George V.  

Britain controlled territory on every continent except Antarctica.

Peace.