Maybe the American films that referred to the Queen of England were historical ones (about Elizabeth I or somesuch) where that's all she was Queen of? As a Kiwi I have never heard the term "Queen of New Zealand" and most Kiwis would cringe if they ever did hear it. Queen of the (British) Commonwealth would be nearer the mark. Fascinating the debate that has sprung from a single message, innit?

Glyn, you have to be a Welshman with a name like that :)
I agree with ThinGorjus: I like to be known as English. I am proud of my nation; just as the Scots, Welsh and Irish are justly proud of theirs ;)

Parents from Holyhead, l myself currently live in Dublin after travelling the world.

Glad to see that this message has brought so much awareness to the problem.

and now what shall we do about solving this problem?

Awareness and publicity is all that can be done to solve this problem. I also believe that the media should also play a part in being more 'UK aware' since so many tourists have little knowledge about a basic geographical fact.

My aunt's husband is from Holyhead. Maybe we are related, Glyn????

Please note - most Brits dont know whether the UK incudes NI or not.They live here all their lives & don't miss the knowledge.
So dont fret.
Also, anyone out there who wants to join the Irish national soccer team will find they have the widest definition of nationality going (for soccer purposes) & so they field a team of cockneys who can't make the England side.
This is undoubtedly the right attitude.
The trick is to find the definition that suits you & forget the rest.
Anyway what about the Isle of Man?

Don't you DARE call my country a region!! people have been boiled in oil for less!!

Unfortunately there's no single answer because there's no homogenous constitution.

We have, overarching, the United Kingdom with its parliament. It has full powers of taxation. It

a) devolved all powers to the Scottish Parliament (except for some- the reserved powers)It can vary tax by up to 3p in the pound but has chosen not to.
b) created an Assembly in Northern Ireland, with different powers, which it then took back from them, because they wouldn't play nice. It doesn't have tax powers. So it exists but doesn't meet.
c) created an assembly in Wales which has fewer powers than the Scottish parliament, tho' goodness knows why. It doesn't have tax powers.

England gets looked after by the UK.

There are three systems of local Government, one in Ireland, one in Scotland, and one in England and Wales. In Scotland we have Unitary Local Authorities everywhere. They are elected. They have tax raising powers. We also have elected community councils who have nothing but the right to be consulted.

In England and Wales, in some places they have Unitary authorities and in some places two tiers, a County and a District. They have tax raising powers. They also have elected Town or Parish Councils which have some statutory powers and can raise small amount of tax.

Goodness only knows what they have in Northern Ireland.

I hope that's clear Amy, and let it be a lesson to you:)

Whats the difference between a region and a country??

I'd say that Scotland, Wales and England are regions and countries.

Whats the problem there?

Glad to see that this topic has provided help with your project Amyable812

I've given up trying to keep people straight on the UK thing. Someone recently asked me if from husband, who is from Northern Ireland, speaks English. Of course, there's the flip side where people in the UK are clueless about the US. They all think Disneyland is in Florida, pronounce Maryland as Mary-land, and wonder why you can't pop down to New Orleans from New York to meet them for lunch.

It's always funny when you watch track and field events on TV with British announcers. If an athlete from Wales or Scotland wins something they're British, and if they lose, they are Welsch or a Scot.

Here's a question: how in the world does the UK get away with 4 national football teams? Maybe if they fielded an actual UK team, they might win something sometime.

If the UK fielded an actual UK team, then it would be coached by Sven (Sweedish) , with 10 of the players from England and Ryan Giggs in there for goodwill. All the matches will be played at the biggest waste of taxpayers money which is Wembley, while all the foreign news agencies would keep calling it England.

Thats why that will never happen.

Sure, because those 10 players have dominated world football to date.

What sort of compromising photos do the Neville brothers have of Ferguson and Sven?

Actually, one of that 10 would be from Canada, anyway.

The term "region" in Europe has economic and political distinctions that might not be apparent at first glance. The EU, for example, targets economic assistance to regions within countries (the south of Italy, for instance) and regions that might straddle nation-state boundaries (like the Pyrenees). Calling Scotland a "region" when it remains a Kingdom with its own monarch, albeit a time-shared one, has been an unwise move for three hundred years. Early following the Union there was a move to call it "North Britain" (guess who was making that suggestion?) As they say on Mad Ave, that one had no legs.

Strathclyde is a region. Scotland is a Kingdom.

And it remains Unst's oil.

Gardy

I resisted saying that.

And where's Unst, anyway?:)

Oh Sheila...and from the party of Jo Grimond, too... :-(

Northernmost island in Shetland. The saying goes back to "It's Scotland's Oil" to which someone said no, it's Shetland's oil, to be corrected by an islander with, "No, actually, it's Unst's oil!" Of course we all knew all along that it's Hooston's oil.

See the smiley, pal?

I've even been. To see the phalaropes. But I did want someone to explain for our further travelled friends.

:-[ Soooorrry....

ThinGorjus,

"Sorry, I am English, not a Scot, Irishman, or Welshman and I don't like being lumped together (no offence, Sheila)."

I would not even give you a C grade for the sentence above...

<have given>, dear. What are you going to do all day, critique my posts? You are the daft one, aren't you?

But, I like you anyway. :)