| − | |an imperialistic nation-state based in the British isles off the western coast of Europe; it established the largest non-contiguous empire in history in the late 1800s but is much weaker than the U.S. today | + | |an nation-state based in the British isles off the western coast of Europe; it greatly helped shape the modern world and established the largest non-contiguous empire in history in the late 1800s but is much weaker than the U.S. today |