News•Mar 20, 2026
Britain Has Invaded All but 22 Countries
Stuart Laycock’s research catalogues every nation that has ever experienced a British incursion, concluding that Britain has invaded 178 of the world’s roughly 200 countries, leaving only 22 untouched. The author counts any form of British military presence—whether a brief expedition, pirate raid, or negotiated settlement—as an invasion, not just formal colonies. The book highlights that only a modest share of these incursions resulted in lasting imperial rule. A sidebar notes the United States now stations troops in all but 43 nations, underscoring the persistence of great‑power footprints.
