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Values & Principles

What is the UK?

Know which places are inside the UK, which names exclude Northern Ireland, and which linked territories are not part of the UK.

LearnPractise

In this topic

What to be able to answer

  • Recall the four countries of the United Kingdom.
  • Separate United Kingdom from Great Britain.
  • Identify Crown dependencies: Isle of Man and Channel Islands.
  • Identify British overseas territories: St Helena and the Falkland Islands.
  • Remember that the UK Parliament sits at Westminster.

Learn

Four nations, one kingdom, and territories beyond

Topic 4 of 4

The UK on the map

Find each part first. The colours show which places are in the UK and which are only linked to it.

UK and Great Britain

  1. 1England
  2. 2Scotland
  3. 3Wales

UK, not Great Britain

  1. 4Northern Ireland

Crown dependencies, not UK

  1. 5Isle of Man
  2. 6JerseyChannel Islands
  3. 7GuernseyChannel Islands

Independent country

  1. 8Republic of Ireland

Shetland is drawn in the box at the top right. Jersey and Guernsey are enlarged in the box at the bottom left.

Inside the UK, inside Great Britain, or outside

Great Britain sits inside the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is in the UK but not in Great Britain.

United Kingdom · four countries

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The official name. Britain, British and British Isles are used to refer to everyone in the UK.

Great Britain

EnglandScotlandWales

England, Scotland and Wales only.

Also in the UK

Northern Ireland

In the UK, but not in Great Britain.

The UK Parliament sits at Westminster. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own parliaments or assemblies with devolved powers.

Outside the UK

Crown dependencies
Isle of ManChannel Islands

Closely linked to the UK but not part of it. They have their own governments. Jersey and Guernsey are Channel Islands.

British overseas territories
St HelenaFalkland Islands

Linked to the UK but not part of it. Both are in the South Atlantic.

The rest of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, is an independent country.
Read the full explanation (1 min)Optional: the facts above, told in order as one read.

The UK is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The rest of Ireland is an independent country.

The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ‘Great Britain’ refers only to England, Scotland and Wales — it does not include Northern Ireland.

The words ‘Britain’, ‘British Isles’ or ‘British’ are used to refer to everyone in the UK.

There are several islands which are closely linked with the UK but are not part of it: the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. These have their own governments and are called ‘Crown dependencies’.

There are several British overseas territories in other parts of the world, such as St Helena and the Falkland Islands. They are linked to the UK but are not part of it.

The UK is governed by the parliament sitting in Westminster. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have parliaments or assemblies of their own, with devolved powers in defined areas.

Done reading? Check yourself

Do not mix up

Great Britain is England, Scotland and Wales only; it does not include Northern Ireland.
Isle of Man and Channel Islands are linked to the UK but are not part of it.
St Helena and the Falkland Islands are British overseas territories, not Crown dependencies.

Practise

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