What is the statu of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in the UK?

Question

I was wondering about the status of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland in the U.K. Are they separate countries from England? Or are they states like they have in the U.S.? Can people who live in the U.K. travel between these places without the need of a passport? Can non-British E.U. members travel between these places without a passport?

I know throughout Europe they tend to use the term "state" differently then they do in the U.S.

Answer 1

Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland in the U.K. are different countries just like england.They have their own flag, national anthem, government and culture and languages.

Can people who live in the U.K. travel between these places without the need of a passport? You don't need a passport to travel between countries in the UK.

Can non-British E.U. members travel between these places without a passport? You need a passport to enter the UK but are free to travel around the whole of the UK thereafter.

Answer 2

England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are all constituent countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Politically we are one nation, and almost each country is like a U.S state, meaning we do not need passports to cross borders

Answer 3

England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are four separate countries, but together are called the UK. We don't have border control between the countries, but each country does have unique laws, so be careful what you do where. Most of the laws are very similar, but not all.

If you travel to the EU, you need a passport of photo ID (like a driving licence).

Answer 4

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make up the 'United Kingdom'.  They are all separate countries that have been joined together by Acts of Union to form one kingdom with a common government and monarch.  While each of the countries maintain their own identity and mark their borders with road signs, there are no formal border controls within the UK so anyone can move freely between the different parts of the UK.  So if you came to visit Scotland you have to show your passport when you arrive, but you won't need your passport to travel from Scotland to Ireland, Wales or England.

Different countries within the UK have maintained their separate identities and often have different institutions.  For example Scotland has a different legal and educational system from elsewhere in the UK.  In that sense it has never been a 'unitary state' like France for example. (The definition of 'state' by the way is a geographical area controlled by a political body that purports to represent that population).

Since 1999 different countries within the UK have had more automony.  Scotland now has its own Parliament and Wales and Northern Ireland have assemblies.  While the UK Government in London continues to legislate on issues like defence and taxation, the devolved executives have more control over issues like health and education.

The UK does not have a federal form of government, like the US.  In a federal system power is shared between the local and national governments.  While devolution has led to that to some degree, the power sharing is not equal across the different countries - e.g. the Scottish Parliament has more powers than the Welsh and NI assemblies and there is no devolved government in England (the main UK parliament continues to control their domestic issues).  The creation of regional assemblies in England may lead to a more federal assemblies in which case you could compare countries in the UK to states in the US.  However, it's looking increasingly likely that Scotland will get independence of some description, in which case it could become a seperate unitary state (like France).

So in summary:

Some countries have one system of government, controlled from the centre (like France) and this is known as a unitary state.

Other countries (like USA) have a federal system where there are two levels of government - federal and state and power is shared between those levels of government on the same basis across the country.

Then there's the UK, where four countries came together to be controlled by one central government, but they retained many of their own systems and institutions and have recently had power devolved to executives based within each country (except England).

Answer 5

England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland is the united kingdom, great britain. each of these are all countries in their own right as well. having never been to N.I i am not sure about needing a passport but i would think so as you have to fly or get a boat. Having been to Wales and Scotland i have never used a passport to get in nor do i think you need one. the country is called the united kingdom because each countries flags all come together to make the union jack.