Why do most of the world think the United Kingdom is England..especially the Americans?

Answer 1

My guess is that most of the time, when Americans watch the news, the background of on-location news reports show something British (or something British-looking).

Secondly, Britain is one of the most featured countries of the United Kingdom (how often do Wales and Scotland get into something major on the news?)

Yeah...that's my perspective.

Answer 2

While I know the difference, most people assume United Kingdom is England because the Queen is in England, henceforth, they don't grasp the actual nomenclature of United Kingdom. Also, since we, as Americans, had defeated England during the Revolutionary War, we simply don't pay that much attention to what the actual titles are. I am not trying to be smart aleck, just stating what is the attitude regarding the whole name thing. Most people forget what the difference between Great Britain and the United Kingdom is.

Answer 3

I am an American that was born in Swindon, England. I know that the United Kingdom is comprised of more countries than just England.

All I can do is state my opinion. The problem is tied to the fact that geography is very seldom taught in our school systems anymore. There are surveys that show that a very high percent of high school students can't name all 50 states let alone come up with their capitol cities. Very few can name the Canadian provinces. If you gave most of these students a list of African, South American and Asian countries, they would not know that they were African, South American and Asian and couldn't find them on a map.

If most American high school students have heard of the United Kingdom at all it was probably done in the same breath as England. Great Britain, United Kingdom, England - it's all the same to them. These students may have heard of Scotland but I wouldn't hold my breath on them having heard of Wales.

The status of teaching history in this country is almost in as sad of shape as the teaching of geography.

I love America but I hate what I see as the "dumbing of America".

I can apologize for their ignorance but I don't see this trend turning around until Americans decide to take education of their children out of the hands of politicians and politically motivated groups and place it into the hand of real teachers and educators.

Answer 4

Because the english talk about the UK as if it were just england. They tend to ignore the rest of the UK. For instance the first Live Aid they went on about the english live aid on UK radio even tho' it was concieved by a scot and an irishman. Also, the english call elizabeth the queen of england instead of the q of britain and northern ireland and the rest. So when the english go abroad this is the garbage they spout and the rest of the world gets confused.
this is only a start. I could rave on for hours.

Answer 5

How many of the 50 states in the USA can you name? Do you know where they are in relation to each other?

It's no wonder there's confusion.
British Isles
Great Britain
United Kingdom
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
and then Eire

I used to get a bit upset by Americans coming to Scotland and thinking they were in England. I had to ask myself, how easy is it to remember, when there is a whole world out there. It's not everyone who has a perfect grasp of geography.

When I was a teenager I was really mean to an American couple who stopped me and asked the way to "Edin-burg" (like Hamburg). I sent them towards Carlisle. Sorry, whoever you were, I was young and mean.

Answer 6

I hate to say this becasue I'm of Welsh ancestry, but the reality is that England conquered most of the British Isles and the language is even named after them.

But the biggest problem is that Scotland, Wales, even Ireland are too damn small for Americans to really give a shite about them.

Damn, I need a Guinness about now.

Answer 7

England is one of the prominent part of the UK. More people speak English than Scottish or Irish. England IS part of the UK. But I know that saying England is UK is like saying Florida is the United States.

Answer 8

Because the "English Monarch" is the traditional head of the U.K, making them all "Subjects" of the Queen of England, hence, us Yanks referring to all U.K Citizens ask "English". No, we are not retarded nor completely ignorant of the Welsh, the Scots or the Irish having distinct identities separate from the English.


A note to "Spirtual" hey, God teaches Americans geography by sending us to war. No war against the U.K (lately) and violla, we (Americans in general)are ignorant of the map in that corner of the world.

Answer 9

My guess is because England is the biggest country in the UK.

I guess people in the USA might get a bit peeved also when we just call the USA "America", when it is only a part of it.

It can work the other way around as well.

Answer 10

Now you know what I feel like when people here mention "Montezuma" as the ruler of the Aztecs when the Conquistadores came.

It's actually Moctezuma II. Somewhere down the line, his name was "Spaniardized" to Montezuma. (Monte means "mount" in Spanish, as in Mt. Everest; but "monte" has nothing to do with "mocte-" in the Náhuatl language of the Aztecs.)

Alas! most of the American history books say "Montezuma." You have to go to Mexican history books to see the correct name.

Even the US Marines' hymn has the line, "From the halls of Montezuma..." (from the time they ventured into México in 1916 in search of Pancho Villa, whose men had earlier crossed the New Mexico border and killed 10 US soldiers and eight American citizens--to date, Villa is the only person in history to invade the United States.)

How can I write to the Marines to tell them their Montezuma line is incorrect?

Answer 11

Well i'm not american but i know why lots do (and i'm not one of them who thought that), but one reason is because when people are asked world capitals, the UK is asked as just one, the 4 countries are never asked separately ... and since London is the capital of the UK that's why lots of people think the UK is england. But not everybody thinks that ......... and definitely not all americans.