I'm American. What's the difference between the UK and Great Britain?

Question

I'm American. I seriously want to know the difference! (I may be visiting in the near future). I know that the UK consists of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but where does that put Great Britain? Are they the same thing, like "USA," "US," and America?

Answer 1

Britain is Wales and England.  When Scotland united with Britain some 300 years ago then we had the United Kingdoms of Great Britain.  As you already know, it now includes Northern Ireland.

Answer 2

the full title is the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, so it's sometimes called the uk ,great britain, or just britain ....so yes they're all the same thing.....i hope you have a super trip

Answer 3

Wales, Scotland, England at one time was once all different parliments or countries, then after a union was formed into one, England, Scotland and Wales then became United Kingdom, so forget about England it dosent exsist anymore. Then after Nothern Ireland became UK with all the trouble there with protestants and catholics, this is why the IRA keep bombing the English. The Welsh have their own language which is their second language. The English, Welsh and Scotts we all dont get along with each other. The Irish are not too bad.

Answer 4

The majority of those answers are absolutely spasticated.

Great Britain is the island containing England Wales and Scotland.

The UK contains these three countries plus northern ireland.

that answer above mine makes no sense at all.

Answer 5

Hi

Great Britain is the land mass that consists of England, Wales and Scotland and is not a country just a geographical description

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is our state and consists of Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) + Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and not to forget the Channel Isles, to our American friends who think the UK is just another name for England that's like saying the USA is just the New England states!

Good question

Take care

EDIT

totally agree with Amy G! Mr R soul needs to go and get an education, preferably not in the UK

Answer 6

Great Britain is the Island which is made up of England Scotland  and Wales.... UK is the country or nation ... it's full title is "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"

Answer 7

it just the same

Answer 8

I'm from England and I'm not completely sure either. I think they both mean the same thing. Britain also consists of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. I'm also interested to know what the difference is as well.

Answer 9

yes its the same thing.

Answer 10

Great Britain is the big island that consists of England, Wales and Scotland.

The UK is short for The United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland. So that's all the countries in Briatain (England, Scotland, Wales) PLUS Northern Ireland, oh and all the little islands too like Jersey, Isle of man, Isle of wight etc. etc.

It's good that you've asked. You get some people on here who think Britain is just another name for England. I think it's quite sad that some british people who have answered this don't know the difference either, and they live here!

x

Answer 11

Ok, let's educate you guys over the other side of the pond :-)

Great Britain is the land mass that is England, Scotland & Wales.

The United Kingdom includes all of the above along with Northern Ireland.

Regards from the UK !

Answer 12

Im American too. Im not sure, lol. Isn't Great Britian another name for England? That's what I always thought

Answer 13

they are the same thing, although most british people prefer calling it the UK rather than Great Britain. im from england and i reckon there is no difference, it just depends on personal preference as to what you call it.

its like some people call America 'America' and some people say the US

Answer 14

i thought people who lived in the UK would know the difference...I dnt believe how ignorant u guys can be.

Great Britain- Scotland, England, and Wales

UK= Scotland , England, Wales, AND Norther Ireland. so no they not the same thing as USA, US and America. And for any Americans out there, please stop calling UK, England, because it consists of Scotland, England, Wales and N.I

Answer 15

Britain, England, Scotland & Wales,

UK, England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland,

Will the English stop calling England the UK?

Answer 16

They're the same thing. That's so annoying when Americans say British and mean English or think that England is Great Britain and does not include Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland (like the person who answered below me) Our allegiance lies with our county (i.e Yorkshire/Lancashire) and country (i.e England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) first and then Great Britain last. Indeed the proper name for Great Britain/the UK is the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' so they're more or less the same thing just abbreviated. It's just that Great Britain doesn't include Northern Ireland and the UK does.

Anyroad, sorry to go on for ages and hope you have fun if you come over for a while:-)

Answer 17

Browni puts most of the native Brits answering here to shame. =D

Yes, Great Britain is the biggest of the British isles, a funny shaped island which is home to England, Scotland and Wales. Across the Irish Sea is another of the British isles – the island of Ireland, home to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

There are hundreds more islands in the archipelago of the British isles, including the Shetlands, Hebrides, Isle of Man and Isle of Wight.

The UK is a political entity – it’s a union of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Jamescraig’s answer gives you stacks more detail.

Now the main reason I’m adding my tuppenceworth (two cents’ worth ;D ) is to clarify that the Isle of Man and Channel Islands are not part of the UK and never have been. They are entirely separate countries.  Sorry, Dennis4QPR and Emily.

The Manx parliament is older than ours, and the Channel Islands are only  linked to England because of William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy. They were part of his lands in Normandy: when he won the Battle of Hastings, England became part of his estate. To this day, Channel Islanders owe loyalty to the monarch of England as their “duke” but not to the UK parliament.  If you’re interested in some really obscure historical stuff, here’s a lovely summary of it from the island of Jersey’s own legal site: http://www.jerseylaw.je/Publications/jer... (you just need to read the section on "historical background".)

Good question and, as you see from the answers you've had, not as simple as it might appear. =D

Love from a Londoner whose father loved obscure history.

Edit:

To Angel: I would have emailed you but you don't allow it... If you're referring to my answer here ("will the English stop calling England the UK?"), William the Conqueror was only ever king of England -- Wales, Scotland and Ireland remained proudly independent. 1066 was long, long before the UK came into being. :D

Answer 18

I am from N.Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom but not Great Britain.The United Kingdom was formed in what is known as the act of union on 1st May 1707 combining England,Scotland & Wales:N Ireland became part of the U.K in 1800,after the separation of Ireland in 1922 N.Ireland(Ulster)became part of the U.K,in 1927 N.Ireland became part of the Union of Great Britain & the U.K.

Answer 19

Great Britain = England, Wales, Scotland

United Kingdom = Great Britain plus Northern Ireland

Answer 20

The full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is also known as the UK, Britain, or Great Britain. People inside the country usually call it the UK.