Gosh! Which is it? And why?<BR><BR>Merthwyn

All three are correct depending on what you are talking about.<BR><BR>England is one country within Great Britain which is within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Or to put it another way...<BR><BR>England = England<BR>Great Britain = England, Scotland, Wales<BR>United Kingdom = England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland<BR><BR>I think I have it the right way round!

Wonderful. Thanks, Folks. <BR><BR>But why is Northern Ireland not a part of Great Britain?<BR><BR>Merthwyn

Er... maybe it's geography - maybe it's because it got added later. I think Scotland Wales and England were unified way before the British then stepped into Ireland. <BR>Never did study UK history though (hangs head in shame) so someone else will likely have a more definitive answer.

To confuse you even more - did you know that our "Union Jack" (or more correctly "Union Flag") is made up of three superimposed flags?<BR>Hope I get this right from my Girl Guide days - the diagonal red and white cross of St George of England, the vertical/horizontal red and white cross of St Patrick of Ireland, and the diagonal blue and white cross of St Andrew of Scotland.<BR>

As to why Northern Ireland is not a part of Great Britain: Great Britain is the name of an island, the largest island in the British Isles. England, Scotland, and Wales are located on that island; Northern Ireland isn't.

Hi<BR><BR>Its even worse !<BR><BR>What is British Isles ?<BR><BR>Bermuda ? Jersey ? Gibraltar ?<BR><BR>Peter

So prior to 1922, the whole island of Ireland was part of the UK, is that right?

I think British Isles might include Eire (Southern Ireland) as well??<BR><BR>These questions are making me realise I've never given this much thought, even though I describe my nationality as British, not English.<BR><BR>(Of Asian origin and born in England, I don't feel English, but I do feel British).

Yes, "British Isles" is a geographic expression, so it includes all of Ireland (but not Bermuda or Gibraltar). And before 1922, it used to be the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland" (even earlier, it was just the "United Kingdom of Great Britain"). The Channel Islands are part of the British Isles (or at least they claim to be, though they're rather closer to France) but not part of the United Kingdom. Take a look at this website, from the government of Guernsey:<BR><BR>http://www.gov.gg/lcc/aa-status.htm

you got the flags the wrong way round.<BR><BR>English is a red + on a white background. Cross of St George<BR>Scottish is a white X on a blue background Cross of St Andrew<BR>Irish is a red X on a white background.<BR><BR>I don't think the Irish cross is St Patrick (any one know) I do recall that it may have been the flag of some Irish nobility, the name Geraldine springs to mind for some reason.

you got the flags the wrong way round.<BR><BR>English is a red + on a white background. Cross of St George<BR>Scottish is a white X on a blue background Cross of St Andrew<BR>Irish is a red X on a white background.<BR><BR>I don't think the Irish cross is St Patrick (any one know?) I do recall that it may have been the flag of some Irish nobility, the name Geraldine springs to mind for some reason.

I always thought that it´s Great Britain because it´s the largest one of British Islands, but according to one exlanation I read recently it´s "great" compared to the part of the continent which used to belong to the same kings, i e Bretagne.<BR><BR>Wonder which one is true.

The story of the connection with Britain and Brittany is that the celtic speaking inhabitants of Britain England were forced west during the Anglo Saxon invasions in the 6th and 7th centuries, from where people emigrated to western France. The Breton, Cornish and Welsh are of the same linguistic group, and were mutually comprehensible until relatively recently.<BR><BR>English Kings have ruled bits of France and vice versa, however this was not until much later.<BR>British Kings claimed France until relatively recently. Note the line "never King of England without King of France" in Shakespeare's Henry IV <BR><BR>Interesting to note that there hasn't been an English King of England since Harold Godwine got snuffed at Hastings in 1066, since then they've been French or German.<BR><BR>The current the Queen's grandfather, George V's, surnamer was Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and changed to Windsor during World War one (which started in 1914 not 1917) at the same time German Shepherds became Alsations.<BR><BR>Prince Charles is half Greek. <BR>

Thanks Spoon, I knew there´s a connection but I was not aware of all the details. Interesting.<BR><BR>But talking about Great Britain: I still don´t know if the "Lesser Britain" would be Ireland or Brittany. Or is it so that you don´t really need to compare or have a pair: it´s Great Britain simply because it´s the largest island, and that´s it.

Not sure but I think "lesser" Britan is be Brittany.<BR><BR>In French Brittany is Bretagne, GB Grande Bretagne.

spoon is right, Brittany was lesser Bretagne, before the two countries went their spectacularly separate ways

England IS NOT Scotland.<BR>England IS NOT Great Britain.<BR>England IS NOT the United Kingdom.<BR>England IS England.<BR><BR>Perhaps someone could whisper that in the ear of BBC Sport?

Prince Charles half Greek?<BR>I don't know much about Prince Philip but I'd be surprised if racially he's a full Greek?<BR><BR>The thing that baffles a lot of Brits (not to mention Americans -many of whom think Scotland is in England) is sporting events...one example - why do we have a British Lions Rugby team that has Southern Irish players in it?