Anglosphere refers to a set of
English-speaking nations with a similar cultural heritage, based upon populations originating from the nations of the
British Isles (
England,
Wales,
Scotland and
Ireland), and which today maintain close political and military cooperation. While the nations included in different sources vary, the term
anglosphere usually does not include all countries where English is an official language, although the nations that are commonly included were all once part of the
British Empire. In its most restricted sense, the term covers the
United Kingdom,
Ireland, the
United States,
Canada,
Australia and
New Zealand, which post-British Empire maintain a close affinity of cultural, familial and political links with one another. Additionally, all these countries (except Ireland) are militarily aligned under the following programs:
UKUSA Agreement (signals intelligence),
Five Eyes (intelligence),
Combined Communications Electronics Board (communications electronics),
The Technical Cooperation Program (technology and science),
Air and Space Interoperability Council (air forces),
AUSCANNZUKUS (navies), and
ABCA Armies.