What does britain get out of having its overseas territories?

Question

For instance bermuda has the world's highest GDP per capita in 2005, i just wonder what britain gets out of it, and if nothing what is the point of maintaining them as dependencies?

Answer 1

Overseas territories allow the UK to punch above its weight diplomatically but these days yield few other benefits.

In the past the current British territories were former coaling stations and shelter ports for its vast Naval and Merchant fleets. This role only really became outdated in the 1960's. Since then any British territory which can form a viable independant state has been allowed to do so (although no European territory could do so)

Some British territories are part of the WW2 pact which leases UK bases to the Americans for 99 years and so the UK cannot legally relinquish them.

Finally few territories are extremely strategic namely British Cyprus, Diego Garcia and Ascension.

Answer 2

controling the c**p holes of the world, and not letting bad stuff happen