After the 16th century, to whom did the lead in European colonial expansion pass?

I would argue that the lead in European colonial expansion
passed to Great Britain in the years after 1600.  Other countries such as Holland and
France were important as well, but I think that Britain is the best answer to this
question.

Before 1600, Spain was the leader.  The Spanish
colonization of the New World as well as of the Philippines gave it a large and rich
empire.  After 1600, though, England became much more important.  After 1600, the
British colonization of North America began.  This would come to be a very important
source of British wealth and power.  The same was true as Britain began to expand its
presence in India.

After 1600, the British Empire started
to grow until it became the biggest empire in the world.  Therefore, I think that
Britain took the lead in colonization after 1600.

After the
16th century, the lead in European colonial expansion no longer belonged to Spain. 
Instead, the lead in this expansion passed to England.  It was England that started to
colonize North America, for example.  It was also in the first half of the 17th century
that Britain started to set up trading posts in India.  This would begin the process of
British domination of the Indian subcontinent.  This was the beginning of the creation
of the British Empire.  Of course, Britain had plenty of competition.  However, if any
one country can be said to have taken the lead, it would be
Britain.