Is the UK a country?

[aceyoung1]

A friend of mine reckons that the UK is not a country, I think it is. What is the exact definition of UK? any one got anything clever I can shut him up with?

[jabuchanjx]

I maybe wrong, however I view the UK as a country. It’s kind of like the United States of America; the USA is a country with 50 states (little countries) under it. See each state has its own laws and constitutions with the main Federal Constitution blanketing over them.
From what I have read, sounds like there are several smaller countries with their own laws and by laws, governed or blanketed by the laws and by laws that form the United Kingdom. So yes the UK is a country, which governs over smaller countries that have their own laws.

[Harriet88]

Octavius - your argument that the US and UAE are countries even though they are made up of several states/emirates doesn't apply here, I believe, as England and Scotland are countries in their own right.

I'm more tempted to agree with the assumption that one is a political definition (UK) and the other geographical (England; Scotland) - however most quizzes I see (i.e. Sporcle) seem to think the UK is a country.

That said, the site is run by Americans and the quizzes are user submitted...

[Harriet88]

Also - annoyingly - when I signed up the question "country of origin" had to be answered with "UK"...

*Facepalm*

[skelly5986]

Hi There im Irish and live in The Northern Ireland

The United Kingdom (UK) is a Sovereign State Which Has Four Different Country's In It

England = Country
Scotland = Country
Wales = Country
Northern Ireland = (Part Of Ireland) = Country

All Have There Own Governments

NI = Belfast (Stormant)
Wales = Cardiff
Scotland = Edinburgh
England = London

But there is one main Government That Makes The Big Decisions Which Is In London

People In The UK Can Choose There Nationality but not there Passport

England = 1 Option (British)

Northern Ireland =
2 Options (Irish / British) (No Such Thing as Northern Irish)

Wales = 2 Options (Welsh / British)

Scotland (Scottish / British)

In Northern Ireland You Can Have a Choose Of Two Passports (Irish / British)
and i should no because i live in N Ireland and hold an Irish Passport )

Its Confusing But Is Completely Right

People That Live In The Republic Of Ireland
Are Completely IRISH (NOT British) The Island Of Ireland Is in the British Isles But It Doesn't Mean That People In the ROI is British There IRISH

The United Kingdom is a SOVEREIGN STATE WHICH HAS FOUR Country's IN IT
which all of them have there own separate governments

But All 4 Country's ARE RULED by The British Queen and are all in the United Kingdom (ROI is not in the UK or Britain) But Not All of the country's are In Britain

Northern Ireland
= United Kingdom
= On The Island Of Ireland
(NOT IN BRITAIN)

100% Right

Thanks For Reading (Hope You Got You Answer)

[tazgordon]

Although the United Kingdom, as a sovereign state, is a country, England, Scotland, Wales and (more controversially) Northern Ireland are also regarded as 'countries', though not sovereign states. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government. The British Prime Minister's website has used the phrase "countries within a country" to describe the United Kingdom. Found this on Wikipedia, hope it helps.