United Kingdom, British Isles or Great Britain?
What to Call the Different Parts of Britain and the British People
Oct 21, 2009
It is often difficult to know how to refer to a region that's sometimes called Britain (Great or not), the United Kingdom, or even the British Isles.
While many refer to the whole of the United Kingdom as "England," this simply is not correct.
England's days as an independent country finished with the crowning of Mary Queen of Scots' son James in 1603. He became King James I of England and Ireland, King James the VI of Scotland, linking what had hitherto been independent nations.
What is the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom consists of the country-states of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. Each of these divisions was once an independent country, but has now come together in a "united kingdom" whose sovereign head is currently Queen Elizabeth II. Her Royal Highness is, in a sense, the "Queen of England,", but likewise she is the Queen of Scotland, the Queen of Northern Ireland and the Queen of Wales. Her accurate title, then, would be Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The United Kingdom's political head is the Prime Minister, who presides over a Parliament that passes laws for the United Kingdom. Scotland has its own Parliament for Scottish-only affairs, but has yet to regain full political independence.
How to Refer to People from the United Kingdom
To refer to someone who comes from England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, i.e. the United Kingdom, it is appropriate to use the term "British," since saying "United Kingdomish" is nonsensical. It is never, however, appropriate to use "English" in lieu of "British."
It is also perfectly legitimate to say that someone is English if he comes from England; an Englishman is, however, also British. If he is from Scotland he is Scottish (not Scotch – that's a drink) and British; if she is from Wales, she is Welsh and British; finally, whether she is from Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, she is Irish, though an Irishman from Northern Ireland is also British.
Anyone other than an English person will, rightfully, be offended to have his country referred to as "England" or his nationality as "English."
What is Great Britain?
Great Britain is an island – in other words, a geographical term. It consists of the large mainland, i.e. Scotland, Wales and England.
The French for Great Britain is Grand-Bretagne. Bretagne, or Brittany, is a region of France that faces coastal England. "Big Brittany" was indeed named for its French cousin, and the name has stuck.
What are the British Isles?
The British Isles is another geographical term. It includes the mainland of Great Britain and all the islands surrounding it. These islands include self-governing areas like the Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and the like); the Isle of Man; and islands that are part of Scotland (for example the Hebrides, Orkneys, Shetland Islands), Wales (for example Anglesey) and England (for example the Isle of Wight).
The British Isles also include the entire island of Ireland, i.e. both the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom portion, Northern Ireland.
To summarize:
- The United Kingdom is a nation, or political country, consisting of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
- Great Britain is an island which holds England, Scotland and Wales. It is not a country.
- The British Isles is not a country, and includes mainland Great Britain, the entire island of Ireland, plus various islands, some of which have an identity distinct from that of the United Kingdom.
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