Have you ever wondered if there is any difference between Great Britain, United Kingdom and England? Sometimes these three names are used interchangeably. However, these three are very different from political and geographical points of view. So, in this article, we will know what is the difference between Great Britain, the United Kingdom and England.
The United Kingdom is a political entity consisting of all the territories of the British Isles except the Republic of Ireland. The term 'Great Britain' is often used to include England, Scotland, Wales and its surrounding islands. England is located in the southernmost part of the British Isles and is one of its constituent countries.
London is the capital of England and Great Britain. It is the most populous city in the United Kingdom, with a metropolitan area of over 13 million inhabitants.
Now, let us now know about the United Kingdom (UK), Great Britain and England in detail.
The United Kingdom is an independent country on the northwest coast of Europe. Within it are all the islands of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The official name of this country is 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. The capital of the United Kingdom is London.
The Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland were united in 1801 and it was then announced to form the United Kingdom. Then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed. Southern Ireland became independent in the 1920s. So, only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom since 1921. After this, this modern country of the United Kingdom was named 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'.
Great Britain is the name of the island in northwestern France and eastern Ireland. The bulk of the United Kingdom is the island of Great Britain. This large island of Great Britain consists of three somewhat autonomous regions – England, Wales and Scotland. Great Britain is the ninth largest island in the world. Its area is 209,331 square kilometres. England is located in the southeastern part of Great Britain. Wales is located in the south-west and Scotland in the north. Scotland and Wales are not independent nations.
England is in the southern part of the island of Great Britain. It is part of the United Kingdom. The name England is derived from the Old English name 'England' which means land of the Angles. The United Kingdom consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as administrative regions. All these areas have different levels of autonomy but they are all parts of the United Kingdom. England is traditionally seen as the home of the United Kingdom. Some people say 'England' to address the entire country but this is not completely correct.
England is just an independent country and its capital is London.
Great Britain is a group of 3 countries. These 3 countries collectively represent themself as one country i.e. Great Britain and again the capital is London.
The United Kingdom is Great Britain with Northern Ireland. We also know the United Kingdom as The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So, the United Kingdom included these 4 countries:
In the United Kingdom, all 4 countries have their own capital.
| Country | Capital |
|---|---|
| England | London |
| Scotland | Edinburgh |
| Wales | Cardiff |
| Northern Ireland | Belfast |
The currency in the UK, Great Britain and England is Pound sterling, in short, it is GBP. At present, 1 Pound sterling (GBP) equals 108.15 Indian Rupees.
It is wrong to call the United Kingdom as Great Britain and Great Britain as England. These are not just different names. All three have different meanings. Remember that the United Kingdom or UK is a country, Great Britain is an island, and England is one of the four administrative regions of the United Kingdom.
London is the capital of which country?
London is the capital city of the United Kingdom.
How many countries are there in the UK?
The largest part of the United Kingdom or UK is the island of Great Britain, which is made up of England, Wales and Scotland. The UK also includes Northern Ireland, which is on another island.
What is the full form of the UK?
The full form of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
What is the flag of the United Kingdom?
The Union Flag or Union Jack is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It presents the cross of three nations united under one sovereign – the Kingdoms of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland.