Question

What is meant by “the sun never sets on the British Empire”? Do you think this was a correct statement?

Answer 1

The phrase “the sun never sets on the British Empire” means that the British Empire was spread across many parts of the world. Because its colonies were located in different time zones, it was always daytime in at least one part of the British Empire.

Yes, this was largely correct during the height of British colonial rule, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when Britain controlled territories in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and other parts of the world. However, the phrase also expressed the great power and pride of the British Empire and ignored the exploitation and suffering caused by colonial rule.