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UK, England & Great Britain Explained

It’s a question we often get asked;

The UK, Britain, Great Britain, The British Isles, England… Are the terms interchangeable? Most of the time, the answer has to be no. But sometimes they are, and everyone uses the wrong name from time to time, including the English… or rather the British. Even people that live here seem to get the UK confused with Britain – the terms are often used interchangeably. So let’s clear it up once and for all.. #GreatBritain​, #ukexplained​​, #EnglandUKDifference​, #UK

The UK is short for The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland… quite a mouthful! It is a sovereign state but is made up of four countries; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is not a country; it’s a landmass (Geographical Term). 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. Confusion is understandable! The name Britain is used for national sports teams and in many formal settings. The explanation lies partly in tradition, and partly in the grammar, because there is no corresponding adjective for the name ” United Kingdom”.

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