Why can't Britist people distungiush between England and United Kingdom?

Question

If England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are countries; what does that make the United Kingdom?

A sub-continent


If the United Kingdom is the country, what does that make England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland?

Provinces


I cannot figure out which is the correct answer. I decided that it must be answer 2.

Also, if Northern Ireland make up the island of Ireland, what do England, Wales and Scotland make up an island of?

Anglia? Cumbia? Peninia?

Answer 1

I am sick of ths question.


It is asked every day.

Answer 2

The United Kingdom is the union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Great Britian is the union of England and Wales (somewhere in the 1500's) and the later union with Scotland in 1707.

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland still retain their status as separate countries but are united as part of the United Kingdom - a bit like the separate states are united as part of the US.

Northern Ireland is attached to the larger country of Ireland in much the same was that Alaska is attached to Canada but is part of the US.

The countries of England, Wales and Scotland make up the island of Great Britain (includes the respective offshore islands as well).

Anglia is the Latin name for England and gives rise to terms such as Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-American etc. There's a region of England called East Anglia which, not surprisingly, is in the east of Engalnd.

Cumbria is one of many counties (administrative regions) in England, it's in the northwest of the country.

Peninia doesn't exist as far as I'm aware. I suppose it could be applied to the Pennines (which is where I am) - this is a range of hills, quite often referred to as the Backbone of England, that stretch from central Engalnd (the Peak District in Derbyshire) to the Scottish border.

Answer 3

Every day someone asks this or a similar question, do they never read the answers?
We live in a country named "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".
Great (geographical) Britain is an island, consisting of the union of England, Scotland and Wales. The constituent parts of our country England (Kingdom), Scotland (Kingdom), Wales (Principality) and Northern Ireland (Province) may have different political designations, but basically they are states forming a Union, i.e. a country.
If it doesnt bother us, why should others worry about it?
It is perfectly simple, dont look for complications where none exist.

Answer 4

I've always thought of Great Britain as a continent - I am NOT European and never will be. England and Scotland are countries and I'm going to confuse you even more because Wales is a Principality, Northern Ireland is a province.

I can distinguish between England and the UK. There's nothing simpler to us, however, foreigners seem to have a bit of trouble. I know Americans who think that everyone is English and have put their lives in danger by telling a Scotsman so.

Answer 5

The United Kingdom is the country formed by the constituent nation states of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Do you know, residents of the UK really don't obsess about this anything like as much as Americans seem too.

Hope these help:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/united%20kingdom

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Gtgl1/GuideToGovernment/AboutBritain/DG_10012517

Answer 6

Really, they're not countries. The UK is a country, a nation.

A nation sends ambassadors around the world and has ambassadors from foreign nations.

Too, they'll be members of the UN.

I live in California and EVEN I know that.

Answer 7

elflaeda
I echo your sentiments exactly...well said