Dr am 4 real PhD
JF-Expert Member
- Jun 30, 2016
- 11,640
- 24,066
Is United Kingdom a country or is England a country?
England is a country, but so is Wales, and Scotland. Ireland is a divided country, there is Northern Ireland - part of the United Kingdom, and the greater part which is the Republic of Ireland and that is nothing to do with the UK - beyond a very close proximity and friend - It is the UK’s only land border with a foreign country.
Politically: The United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is a Union of the four Home Countries (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and is the national entity that stands in the world and United Nations and is known as the UK or GB.
It is an arrangement that is similar to that of the United States of America which is the Union of the 50 States and is the National entity.
Geographically: Great Britain is the larger island that contains England, Wales and Scotland. The British Isles is that above, but includes the separate smaller island to the left which is Ireland and that contains The Republic of Ireland and the Country of Northern Island (A member country of the UK).
The international vehicle registration mark is GB (Not UK) and the internation civil aviation mark is G - .
The national language is English but in Wales it is English and Welsh, Wales is also known as Cymru.
Scotland is - I understand - gaining recognition for Gaelic to be official and is also known as Alba. The same applies to N Ireland, although I am unaware of any alternative name for N Ireland.
Three countries (England, Scotland and N Ireland) are represented on the Union flag because Wales was considered in antiquity to be only a Principality. That gives rise to the fact that Wales has its own flag because it is now a country - within the Union (UK).
It is complicated and the confusion arises for foreigners and some citizens alike, by the fact that the central government is in London (England) although the process of devolution is spreading more of the law making powers to the other countries for self-government (within the Union) One could regard it as a loose parallel to US State law and Federal law.
I’m sure any errors or omissions will be corrected by the community post-haste.
I accept that it is confusing for foreigners. but the best way to avoid any faux pas moves is to refer to the country as the UK and the people as British - although the Irish prefer to be called Irish. Only refer to the population as English etc. if it is known which they are as - with the exception of the English - everyone else takes offence. (No one can take real offence at being called British - except the Irish).
I thought we were rather unique in our national identity crises until I met some natives of the Netherlands who went ballistic at being called Dutch. The assured us that the Dutch only form a part of the Netherlands. Sorry folks, My bad. But I understand the point. I wonder what the response of US citizens would be if we referred to them all as Marylanders as that is what it was* (seeing as that’s where the Federal government appears to be located) - especially if they hailed from California or Hawaii - or indeed Washington!
I’m now sure that there must be others around the world who are upset or insulted by the common perception of them by foreigners, I hope they would take advantage of enlightening us here of their own facts and misconceptions.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Note: I have revised my original term of Virginians to Marylanders, having been corrected by a native. We are not alone in wishing to correct erroneous beliefs, I trust we can all learn something from this.
I have also changed the Republic of Eire to the correct Republic of Ireland after being called out by a native.
Beyond that, I have no time for those who will insist on finding fault for political division where I intended no reference to political differences, no matter how you feel. So for that reason I am disabling further comments to prevent you all from starting a war.
England is a country, but so is Wales, and Scotland. Ireland is a divided country, there is Northern Ireland - part of the United Kingdom, and the greater part which is the Republic of Ireland and that is nothing to do with the UK - beyond a very close proximity and friend - It is the UK’s only land border with a foreign country.
Politically: The United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is a Union of the four Home Countries (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and is the national entity that stands in the world and United Nations and is known as the UK or GB.
It is an arrangement that is similar to that of the United States of America which is the Union of the 50 States and is the National entity.
Geographically: Great Britain is the larger island that contains England, Wales and Scotland. The British Isles is that above, but includes the separate smaller island to the left which is Ireland and that contains The Republic of Ireland and the Country of Northern Island (A member country of the UK).
The international vehicle registration mark is GB (Not UK) and the internation civil aviation mark is G - .
The national language is English but in Wales it is English and Welsh, Wales is also known as Cymru.
Scotland is - I understand - gaining recognition for Gaelic to be official and is also known as Alba. The same applies to N Ireland, although I am unaware of any alternative name for N Ireland.
Three countries (England, Scotland and N Ireland) are represented on the Union flag because Wales was considered in antiquity to be only a Principality. That gives rise to the fact that Wales has its own flag because it is now a country - within the Union (UK).
It is complicated and the confusion arises for foreigners and some citizens alike, by the fact that the central government is in London (England) although the process of devolution is spreading more of the law making powers to the other countries for self-government (within the Union) One could regard it as a loose parallel to US State law and Federal law.
I’m sure any errors or omissions will be corrected by the community post-haste.
I accept that it is confusing for foreigners. but the best way to avoid any faux pas moves is to refer to the country as the UK and the people as British - although the Irish prefer to be called Irish. Only refer to the population as English etc. if it is known which they are as - with the exception of the English - everyone else takes offence. (No one can take real offence at being called British - except the Irish).
I thought we were rather unique in our national identity crises until I met some natives of the Netherlands who went ballistic at being called Dutch. The assured us that the Dutch only form a part of the Netherlands. Sorry folks, My bad. But I understand the point. I wonder what the response of US citizens would be if we referred to them all as Marylanders as that is what it was* (seeing as that’s where the Federal government appears to be located) - especially if they hailed from California or Hawaii - or indeed Washington!
I’m now sure that there must be others around the world who are upset or insulted by the common perception of them by foreigners, I hope they would take advantage of enlightening us here of their own facts and misconceptions.
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Note: I have revised my original term of Virginians to Marylanders, having been corrected by a native. We are not alone in wishing to correct erroneous beliefs, I trust we can all learn something from this.
I have also changed the Republic of Eire to the correct Republic of Ireland after being called out by a native.
Beyond that, I have no time for those who will insist on finding fault for political division where I intended no reference to political differences, no matter how you feel. So for that reason I am disabling further comments to prevent you all from starting a war.
