Why Great Britain?
 

How do these sound?
Fabulous Spain
Splendid Italy

Suggestions?

If you want a serious answer to this it's because it's Greater Brittany - as oppsed to Brittany/bretagne. So it relates to size not any self-agrandisement.

That's not to say we're not pretty damned spiffy.

Those who have never been there might think that "Good Britian" sounds a little less vain. But "Great Britain" is a far more accurate description. So let's call it what it is, and that's great. :-)

I like your other ideas, but I think it s/b "Splendid Spain." It just flows better.

Fabulous France

Minor Molvania

Inconceivable Italy?

(I do not think that word means what you think it means!)

Impetuous Italy

Too easy, or maybe I just think like a travel brochure writer (ick):

Irreplaceable Italy
Tremendous Turkey
Glorious Greece
Scintillating Cyprus
Irrepressible Ireland (heaven knows, we Brits tried long enough)
Formidable France
Beery Belgium

and

Nevertheless - Molvania

Incredible Italy

Groovy Great Britain

(We who live in the USA near the Great Lakes will sometimes refer to them as "The Good Enough Lakes".)

BC

yep, I agree it would be a good idea, it would add an extra charm to the countries names..

Actually, I believe that the official title for Great Britain is "United Kingdom."

There are British Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates General and Consulates. None is called "Great British Embassy" etc., etc..

"United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" is the current country's name. It's formed on 1/1/1801 by uniting the "Kingdom of Great Britain" and "Kingdom or Ireland". [Republic of Ireland went independent in 1922, and therefore only the norther part remained within the UK.]

"Great Britain" is formed in 1707 by the union of "Kingdom of England" and "Kingdom of Scotland". [Wales have been under English rule since 1282.]

So, in current terms:

UK = England + Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland.

Great Britain = England + Wales + Scotland.

Actually, the Union of the Crowns was in 1603, when James VI of Scotland also became James I of England.
Great Britain was created by the Act of Union in 1707, when the 2 parliaments were combined.

As was said above, it is "Great" Britain to distinguish the country from the (then) ducal territory of Britain (Bretagne), now Brittany in France.

And just to confuse matters further - the Queen is still Duke of (Duc de) Normandy, and the cheese-eaters better damned well remember that!

Hoe about Fruitcake France (the people I mean).

Troyman, what do you mean by that? :-?

and David, Normandy is just a region, I live in Burgundy so... (say hello for me when you see her!)
coco from Fantastic France ;-)