List of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom explained

This is a list of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, excluding honorary consulates. The UK has one of the largest global networks of diplomatic missions. UK diplomatic missions to capitals of other Commonwealth of Nations member countries are known as High Commissions (headed by 'High Commissioners'). For three Commonwealth countries (namely India, Nigeria, and Pakistan), the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) still uses the term "Deputy High Commission" for Consulates-General (headed by Deputy High Commissioners), although this terminology is being phased out.[1] British citizens may get help from the embassy of any other commonwealth country present, when in a country where there is no British embassy, including New Zealand and Australia, to help British nationals in some countries.

In 2004, the FCDO carried out a review of the deployment of its diplomatic missions, and subsequently over a two-year period closed its missions in Nassau (in the Bahamas), Asunción (Paraguay), Dili (East Timor), Maseru (Lesotho), Mbabane (Swaziland), Antananarivo (Madagascar), Nuku'alofa (Tonga), Tarawa (Kiribati), and Port Vila (Vanuatu). Additionally several consulates and trade offices were also closed, including those in Fukuoka (Japan), Vientiane (Laos), Douala (Cameroon), Porto (Portugal), along with Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Stuttgart in Germany, and Phoenix, San Juan, and Dallas in the United States. Other consulates in Australia, Germany, France, Spain, New Zealand, and the US were downgraded and staffed by local personnel only.[2] In 2012, Foreign Secretary William Hague announced the opening of embassies in Liberia and Haiti, the re-opening of embassies in Laos, El Salvador, and Paraguay, and the opening of a Consulate-General in Recife (Brazil). He also said that by 2015, the UK would have opened up to eleven new embassies and eight new Consulates or Trade Offices.[3] In 2013, a UK government office was established in Seattle.[4] In 2014, all services at the former UK Consulate in Orlando were transferred to the nearby UK Consulate-General in Miami.[5] In 2015, the UK Consulate-General in Denver was reclassified as a UK Government Office.[6] In 2018 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has announced that new High Commissions will open in Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Grenada, Lesotho, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Swaziland, Tonga and Vanuatu and a British office in Somaliland like the one in Taipei, Taiwan[7]

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office employs approximately 13,200 staff in the UK and in more than 260 Posts overseas. Approximately one-third of these employees are UK-based civil servants (including members of HM Diplomatic Service) and two-thirds are employed locally by Posts overseas.

Africa

Americas

Asia

Europe

Oceania

Multilateral organisations

Closed missions

Africa

Host countryHost cityMissionYear closed
DoualaConsulate 2005[24] [25]
BrazzavilleEmbassy1991/2
LibrevilleEmbassy1991/2
BenghaziConsulate2012[26]
KhartoumEmbassy2023[27]

Americas

Host countryHost cityMission levelYear closed
BarranquillaConsulate 1998
CaliConsulate 2014[28]
CartagenaConsulate 2014
TegucigalpaEmbassy2003[29]
ManaguaEmbassy2003
ClevelandConsulate 1999
DallasConsulate 2005[30]
OrlandoConsulate 2014[31]
San Juan, Puerto RicoConsulate 2005

Asia

Host countryHost cityMissionYear closed
KabulEmbassy2021
DiliEmbassy2007
BasraConsulate2012
FukuokaConsulate 2006
HakodateConsulate 1934[32]
NagoyaConsulate 2007
ShimonosekiConsulate 1940[33]
Yokohama1972
KuchingConsulate General1999
Republic of ChinaKashgarConsulate-General1949[34]
SaigonEmbassy1975[35]
DamascusEmbassy2012
Chiang MaiConsulate 1999
PattayaConsulate 2012[36]
SanaaEmbassy2015[37]
AdenConsulate-General2005

Europe

Host countryHost cityMissionYear closed
CalaisConsulate 1980[38]
LilleConsulate-General2011
LyonConsulate-General2012
BonnEmbassy branch office2002[39]
FrankfurtConsulate General2005[40]
HamburgConsulate General2006[41]
LeipzigConsulate General2005
StuttgartConsulate General2006
FlorenceConsulate2011[42]
NaplesConsulate 2012
TurinConsulate 2006[43]
VeniceConsulate-General2011
ThessalonikiConsular office2013
FunchalConsulate2012
PortoConsular office2012
Saint PetersburgConsulate General2018[44]
SevilleConsulate2001
GothenburgConsulate-General2006
GenevaConsulate-General2010
ZürichConsulate-General1998

Oceania

Host countryHost cityMissionYear closed
AdelaideConsulate 2006
TarawaHigh Commission1994[45]

Flags

The United Kingdom is one of two countries, the other being Thailand, that use diplomatic flags abroad. These special flags are flown at the chanceries of their embassies and consulates. For High Commissions, the Union Flag is used. In addition, there is a flag in use for British consular vessels in international or foreign waters.

FlagUseDescription
Flag used by British Embassies A Union Flag defaced with the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
Flag used by British High Commissions A Union Flag
Flag used by British Consulates and Consulates-General A Union Flag defaced with the St Edward’s Crown
Flag used by Consular officials onboard vessels A Blue Ensign with the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: [ARCHIVED CONTENT] Definition of Missions Foreign & Commonwealth Office |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk |access-date=2017-07-23 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080206130948/http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front/TextOnly?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1017919088968&to=true |archive-date=2008-02-06 ].
  2. Web site: Caribbean Net News: Britain to close to High Commission in Nassau . February 19, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090728024756/http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2004/12/17/close.htm . July 28, 2009 .
  3. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/strengthening-britains-diplomatic-network-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean Strengthening Britain's diplomatic network in Latin America and the Caribbean
  4. Web site: United Kingdom sends consul to re-establish official Washington state presence - Puget Sound Business Journal . Bizjournals.com . 2016-01-22 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130530063649/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/02/04/uk-government-re-establishes-official.html . 2013-05-30 .
  5. Web site: Changes to UK government representation in Orlando, Florida - News articles . GOV.UK . 2014-01-29 . 2016-01-22 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160121170745/https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/changes-to-uk-government-representation-in-orlando-florida . 2016-01-21 .
  6. Web site: British Consulate General Chicago . GOV.UK . 2016-01-22 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071130/https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-consulate-general-chicago . 2016-03-04 .
  7. Web site: Foreign Secretary expands UK Commonwealth diplomatic network. GOV.UK.
  8. News: British embassy reopened in Libya . The Libya Observer . 6 June 2022 . 11 June 2022.
  9. UKinTanzania . 1776247443589365906 . The British High Commission, Dodoma Office is open!.
  10. The British Consulate-General, Hong Kong reports directly to the FCDO, instead of the British embassy in Beijing
  11. Web site: UK help and services in India - GOV.UK. www.gov.uk. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180201172112/https://www.gov.uk/world/india#/world/british-embassy-or-high-commission-india. 2018-02-01.
  12. The British Consulate-General, Jerusalem reports directly to the FCDO, instead of the British embassy in Tel Aviv
  13. Web site: 22 May 2020 . The British Consulate General in Jerusalem represents the UK government in Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza. . British Government.
  14. Some embassy staff have been temporarily withdrawn due to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.
  15. Web site: British Vice Consulate Antalya - GOV.UK. www.gov.uk.
  16. Web site: British Embassy Abu Dhabi - GOV.UK. www.gov.uk.
  17. Web site: British Embassy Dubai - GOV.UK. www.gov.uk.
  18. Web site: British Vice Consulate Corfu - GOV.UK.
  19. Web site: British Vice Consulate Crete - GOV.UK. www.gov.uk.
  20. Web site: British Vice Consulate Rhodes - GOV.UK. www.gov.uk.
  21. The British Embassy to the Holy See is located outside Vatican territory in Rome.
  22. The United Kingdom doesn't recognize Northern Cyprus, but has a high commission office in North Nicosia.
  23. Web site: UK Joint Delegation to NATO . gov.uk . 26 June 2023.
  24. Web site: The Foreign & Commonwealth Office . . January 2012.
  25. Web site: Annex. parliament.uk.
  26. News: Westerners in Benghazi at Imminent Risk of Terror Threat . International Business Times . 2 July 2014 . 24 September 2021.
  27. Web site: British Embassy Khartoum - GOV.UK . 2023-11-02 . www.gov.uk . en.
  28. Web site: Support for British nationals abroad: The Consular Service . . 13 January 2022.
  29. Web site: BRITAIN WILL CLOSE HONDURAN EMBASSY TO FOCUS ON TERRORISM . Orlando. Sentinel. OrlandoSentinel.com. 30 November 2003 .
  30. Web site: Dallas' British Consulate to close in money-saving move - Dallas Business Journal. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090727072438/http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2005/04/04/newscolumn5.html. 2009-07-27.
  31. Web site: Changes to UK government representation in Orlando, Florida. GOV.UK.
  32. Web site: Former British Consulate of Hakodate. Travel Hakodate.
  33. Web site: English ｜ 重要文化財旧下関英国領事館. www.kyu-eikoku-ryoujikan.com.
  34. Web site: Dead, drunk or driven insane: British consuls in pre-1949 China. June 27, 2019. South China Morning Post.
  35. News: Four Embassies Close . . . 1 . 25 April 1975 . 15 March 2023.
  36. News: Phuket: British Consulate in Pattaya closes . The Phucket News . 7 November 2012 . 13 January 2022.
  37. Web site: US and UK close Yemen embassies after rebels seize control of Sana'a. February 10, 2015. the Guardian.
  38. Web site: British Embassies and Consulates (Answering Machines) - Thursday 27 October 1983 - Hansard - UK Parliament.
  39. Web site: Briten schließen Bonner Außenstelle. 8 November 2001. 29 May 2021. 2 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212812/https://ga.de/lokales/region/Briten-schliessen-Bonner-Aussenstelle-article146471.html. dead.
  40. Web site: Caribbean Net News: Britain to close to High Commission in Nassau. July 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090728024756/http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2004/12/17/close.htm. 2009-07-28.
  41. News: Mostly Empty US Consulate Blocks Hamburg Streets: Round-the-Clock Security for Skeleton Staff. Sebastian Knauer, DER. SPIEGEL. Der Spiegel. 30 January 2007.
  42. Web site: Doors close in Naples. June 6, 2012. The Florentine.
  43. Web site: British Embassies and Consulates in Italy. September 2007.
  44. News: Russia spy poisoning: 23 UK diplomats expelled from Moscow. BBC News. March 17, 2018.
  45. Book: The Pacific Islands and the USA. 9789820201163. Crocombe. R. G.. 1995. Editorips@usp.ac.fj .

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