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A dominion, often Dominion,[1] refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and British Commonwealth from the late 19th century.[2] These states included (at varying times) Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State. After 1948, the term was used to note independent nations that retained the British monarch as head of state; these included India, Pakistan, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and Kenya. In English common law, the dominions of the Crown referred to all the realms and territories under the sovereignty of the Crown, e.g. the Order-in-Council annexing Cyprus in 1914 provided that "...&_160;the said Island shall be annexed to and form part of His Majesty's Dominions and the said Island is annexed accordingly".[3] Use of the word dominion, to refer to a particular territory, dates back to the 16th century, and was used to describe Wales from 1535 to around 1800.[4][5] Dominion, as an official title, was first conferred on Virginia, circa 1660 and the Dominion of New England in 1686. These dominions never had semi-autonomous or self-governing status. Canada received the title upon Confederation in 1867 of several British colonies in North America. The Imperial Conference of 1907 was the first time the self-governing colonies of Canada and the Commonwealth of Australia would be referred to together as "Dominions".[6] Two other self-governing colonies, New Zealand and Newfoundland, were also granted the title that year. They were followed by South Africa (1910) and the Irish Free State (1922).
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