Uk / GB

[NickWren]

What is the difference between The United Kingdom and Great Britain?

[rekstout]

I think it's that GB is England, Scotland Wales, Channel Islands and UK is GB and Northern Ireland (that's what is says on my passport anyway!)

[darth vader]

The UK also consists of the shetlands, the orkneys, the hebrides, and the town of Berwick upon Tweed (bizzarre and long story why this is mentioned separately but i think i'm correct in that it doesn't belong to England OR Scotland). Basically the UK is classed as the area between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean with the exception of the Republic or Ireland http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos
/uk.html#Geo whereas Great Britain is a general term for England Scotland and Wales (the single block of land)

[ravenhair]

Darth, the Shetlands, the Orkneys and the Hebrides *are* all part of Scotland. Berwick-on-Tweed is a town in England (used to be in Scotland but the border changed) so not sure where you're getting your information from - just because something isn't on the mainland doesn't mean it's not part of the country. The difference is quite easy: GB is Scotland, England, Wales; UK is GB plus Northern Ireland. The Channel Islands does not, strictly speaking belong to either GB or UK, but is treated separately.

[RCP]

I believe that the Isle of Man is the only island to be treated separately as my exporter's handbook lists it along with England,Scotland,Wales & N.Ireland as forming the U.K.

[sddsddean]

Great Britain is England, Wales and Scotland. The proper name for the UK is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In both these cases islands are included as appropriate. The Isle of Man is usually included in the UK as the UK is responsible for its defence. All islands are included in the geographical term, The British Isles.

[darth vader]

I remember reading somewhere once that the Queen is ruler over England Scotland Ireland Wales and the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which was mentioned separately as it didn't officially belong to England nor Scotland as it had "swapped hands" so many times -13 to be precise - that eventually they got fed up and it belongs to neither (historically that is - i assume being in the county of Northumberland it is now uner English rule/law). Anyway i could be wrong.....

[Gef]

And the British Isles also includes the Republic of Ireland.