The Queen has travelled more than any other Sovereign in history.

Since The Queen's first official overseas visit to South Africa in 1947, overseas visits have become one of her most important duties.

The Queen pays two outward State visits each year, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh. She also regularly tours her other realms and member countries of the Commonwealth.

During her reign, The Queen has visited countries which no other British monarch has ever visited.

Historic firsts have included the first State visits by a reigning monarch to China in 1986, Russia in October 1994, Brunei and Malaysia in 1998, and Korea in 1999.

Another historic visit was a six-day State visit to South Africa in April 1995, the first since 1947 following the end of apartheid.

Among recent visits by The Queen have been State visits to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in October 2006, and State visits to Slovenia and Slovakia in October 2008.

The Queen paid a State visit to The United States of America to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement in May 2007.

In March 2006 The Queen visited Australia and Singapore for the Commonwealth Games, and in 2007 The Queen was present at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Uganda.

The Queen has paid over 60 State visits to foreign governments.