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The names Great Britain and United Kingdom are often used interchangeably. However, they are not actually synonymous. The reason for the two names, and the difference between them, has to do with the expansive history of the British Isles. The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwestern coast of Europe.
Sep 11, 2015 · In the twelfth century Geoffrey of Monmouth called that bigger landmass Greater Britain to distinguish it from Lesser Britain, which wasn’t Ireland but Brittany. And then they forgot about it all for another long stretch of time.
Politically, Great Britain refers to the whole of England, Scotland and Wales in combination, but not Northern Ireland; it includes islands, such as the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides and the island groups of Orkney and Shetland, that are part of England, Wales, or Scotland.
- The United Kingdom
- Great Britain
- The British Isles
- England
The UK is short for The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland… quite a mouthful! It is a sovereign state (in the same way as France or the USA) but is made up of four countries; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For Americans, the best analogy would be that the UK is like the USA, whilst its four consistent countries are...
Great Britain is not a country; it’s a landmass. It is known as ‘Great’ because it is the largest island in the British Isles, and houses the countries of England, Scotland and Wales within its shores. The name Britain derives from the Roman word Britannia, but there are two conflicting arguments about why the ‘Great’ was stuck on the front of it. ...
The British Isles is the name of a group of islands situated off the north western corner of mainland Europe. It is made up of Great Britain, Ireland, The Isle of Man, The Isles of Scilly, The Channel Islands (including Guernsey, Jersey, Sarkand Alderney), as well as over 6,000 other smaller islands. The British Isles in red, with mainland Europe i...
Just like Wales and Scotland, England is commonly referred to as a country but it is not a sovereign state. It is the largest country within the United Kingdom both by landmass and population, has taken a pivitol role in the creation of the UK, and its capital Londonalso happens to be the capital of the UK. It is perhaps understandable then that En...
Some people use the names "Great Britain" and "United Kingdom" interchangeably, but this is incorrect. As discussed in this article, the United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland, whereas Great Britain does not include any part of Ireland.
How do you know whether to call it Great Britain or the United Kingdom? It's complicated. Here's an explainer of the many names for the group of countries and territories around Britain.
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1 day ago · Great Britain, island lying to the east of the island of Ireland and off the northwestern coast of Europe. It consists of England, Scotland, and Wales. Great Britain is part of the British Isles, together with the island of Ireland as well as smaller islands and island groups.
