Simple questions about the United Kingdom

[Springfield]

I figure this is a simple question, however my girlfriend and I have been having quite the disagreement over the past couple of days...

Our disagreement concerns the United Kingdom, particularly as it relates to geography.

So here's my side (because I'm better):

I think (almost sure) that the United Kingdom is its own country. To the west of the U.K. is Ireland, which is also its own country (aside from Northern Ireland). The U.K. is comprised of, what I will call territories, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England. That is what I believe. The U.K. is it's own country and Ireland is its own country.

Here's her side (because she's a girl):

She thinks that the U.K. is broken up into different countries. Those of Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England. She also thinks Ireland is its own country.

So here's the gist of it. She thinks that there are separate countries inside of the U.K. and I don't.

Who is right?

Am I wrong for commonly referring to (what I think of) the U.K. as "England"?

To compound things and also keep me from calling my girlfriend a geographical idiot, the Wikipedia entries are rather ambiguous. I'll link them here.

The United Kingdom: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_kingdom

Ireland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland

Northern Ireland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland

Wales: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales

Scotland: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland

England: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England

[HogNose]

Here's her side (because she's a girl):

She thinks that the U.K. is broken up into different countries. Those of Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England. She also thinks Ireland is its own country.

So here's the gist of it. She thinks that there are separate countries inside of the U.K. and I don't.

Who is right?

Your girlfriend is right.

The United Kingdom (Great Britain) is a unitary state with four countries....England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. London is the Captial of the government, and the three other capitals are Belfast, Cardiff, and Edinburgh.

[Corcaigh]

They are separate countries, but not sovereign states. UK is recognized under international law while the constituent countries are not.

So while your girlfriend is right, you can claim that USA doesn't recognize them as countries.

[Corcaigh]

To clarify ...

I think (almost sure) that the United Kingdom is its own country.

Yes.

To the west of the U.K. is Ireland, which is also its own country (aside from Northern Ireland). The U.K. is comprised of, what I will call territories, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England. That is what I believe. The U.K. is it's own country and Ireland is its own country.

As we've said England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are countries but not under international law.

Technically, Ireland should be referred to the Republic of Ireland as the word Ireland usually means the whole island (which includes the country of Northern Ireland).

Am I wrong for commonly referring to (what I think of) the U.K. as "England"?

You're definitely wrong on this one.

[dfitzo53]

Interesting. I never realized they were actually countries since they aren't recognized that way under international law.

[Springfield]

Interesting. I never realized they were actually countries since they aren't recognized that way under international law.

That was my line of thinking.

I look at a map of Europe and I see the U.K. and The Republic of Ireland. That was where my confusion was. Sorry for my ignorance, I have now been corrected.

Another question then. Do the different countries inside of the U.K. send different teams to the Olympics? I can only remember seeing England in the last Olympics.

As you can probably tell, this latest revelation about the U.K. has blown my mind. I thought I was quite knowledgeable on all things geography and I was outwitted by somebody who couldn't place all of the U.S. states on a map (my girlfriend).

[The Sisko]

Never underestimate the opponent Grasshopper...especially when the opponent is a woman. Now, take the ball from my hand.

[Rufus T Firefly]

The United Kingdom is neither United nor a Kingdom. Discuss.

[Corcaigh]

Another question then. Do the different countries inside of the U.K. send different teams to the Olympics? I can only remember seeing England in the last Olympics.

You remember wrong. England did not go to the Olympics. The UK competes as Great Britain.

However, in soccer the countries compete separately (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). In rugby and a few other sports such as field hockey, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland compete as Ireland.

Confused yet?

[HighOnHendrix]

You remember wrong. England did not go to the Olympics. The UK competes as Great Britain.

However, in soccer the countries compete separately (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). In rugby and a few other sports such as field hockey, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland compete as Ireland.

Confused yet?

Why would anyone be confused? This is the country that gave the world such wonderful units of measurement as ounces, feet, bushels, miles, yards, pounds, etc.

[HogNose]

Why would anyone be confused? This is the country that gave the world such wonderful units of measurement as ounces, feet, bushels, miles, yards, pounds, etc.

and the stone.

[skinfan133]

It's a unique situation in international law.

most accurately and technically the UK can be described as a confederal constitutional monarchy that comprises several non-sovereign countries that together have international standing.

in short. yes the UK is a country, and so are the kingdoms within it.

[nonniey]

That was my line of thinking.

I look at a map of Europe and I see the U.K. and The Republic of Ireland. That was where my confusion was. Sorry for my ignorance, I have now been corrected.

Another question then. Do the different countries inside of the U.K. send different teams to the Olympics? I can only remember seeing England in the last Olympics.

As you can probably tell, this latest revelation about the U.K. has blown my mind. I thought I was quite knowledgeable on all things geography and I was outwitted by somebody who couldn't place all of the U.S. states on a map (my girlfriend).

Er your memory is faulty about the Olympics. England did not send a team. The UK did though.

[nonniey]

The United Kingdom is neither United nor a Kingdom. Discuss.

Sadly it is less and less united every year. I lived there as a boy in the mid 1970s and the citizens proudly proclaimed themselves as British. They were proud of their cultural indentities as Scots, Welsh, English and Irish but still considered themselves British. Now, thanks in large part to the Diversity movement, they are only English, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish and usually consider being called British an insult.

[Springfield]

So is there a central government like here in the U.S. or are all of the different countries in the U.K. autonomous?

I always thought that the Parliament was the central government in the U.K.

Do these separate countries inside of the U.K. have any power? Is it similar to the powers in the states of the U.S.A.?

[thehogs]

Sadly it is less and less united every year. I lived there as a boy in the mid 1970s and the citizens proudly proclaimed themselves as British. They were proud of their cultural indentities as Scots, Welsh, English and Irish but still considered themselves British. Now, thanks in large part to the Diversity movement, they are only English, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish and usually consider being called British an insult.

you could have fooled me! you obviously never attended Scotland-England soccer internationals where the Scots would show just how much they loved their fellow Brits. :doh: Diversity movement? what are you on about?check your history instead.

By the way, a UK passport defines THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN & NORTHERN IRELAND. A reflection of the split when southern Ireland gained independence as a Republic whilst the North stayed with Britain - and we all know how well that went.

Scotland has ALWAYS had Scots Law and can have variations in how laws and courts are run that are quite distinct and different from those in England.

Since the Union of 1707 between Scotland and England, Parliament in London was the voice of the United Kingdom. More recently there have been moves towards a more federalist type state. Scotland has a Parliament again with powers to act on what are determined as Scottish matters - this has caused understandable grumblings in Englandshire about who should vote on what back in the London parliament. The Scottish parliament for instance has no powers in terms of declaring war which is unfortunate as we could pay those b******s back down south for centuries of invading us! (joke! its a joke! ).

Just to bend your brain a bit more you would be hard pushed to find an 'English' King or Queen in recent history as they have been sourced from German and Dutch Protestant royalty. Before them it was the Stewarts of Scotland who were Catholic, the background to which would eventually lead to the Jacobite rebellions of the 1700's (Bonnie Prince Charlie and all that).

Can you please stop referring to the United Kingdom/Britain as 'England'. Thank you.

:helmet:

[[[ghost]]]

Technically, you're girl is right.

But for ****s sake, most people will agree with you. It makes much more sense.

[Corcaigh]

Sadly it is less and less united every year. I lived there as a boy in the mid 1970s and the citizens proudly proclaimed themselves as British. They were proud of their cultural indentities as Scots, Welsh, English and Irish but still considered themselves British. Now, thanks in large part to the Diversity movement, they are only English, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish and usually consider being called British an insult.

I don't know what you are talking about. There has always been intense rivalry between the countries in sports and especial animosity towards things English as they tended to run the ship from their perspective. The BBC had nothing British about it, it was the South East Counties of England Broadcasting Corporation.

In coverage of every sporting event you see the English media acclaiming a British sporting hero, until he loses and then we find out that he is actually a Scottish, Welsh or Irish.

Loyalties have always been country first, British second. The only difference is with the Northern Ireland Unionists who might proclaim themselves to be British before Irish.

And Diversity movement? WTF?

[Mickalino]

What I'd like to know is, what about the term "Great Britain" ?

Is Great Britain synonymous with England, or United Kingdom, or neither ?

[Corcaigh]

What I'd like to know is, what about the term "Great Britain" ?

Is Great Britain synonymous with England, or United Kingdom, or neither ?

Neither, but they're not always consistent .

Great Britain is the island on which England, Scotland and Wales are located. The British Isles is the combination of the island of Great Britain, and the island of Ireland on which the countries the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are located.

If you add the country of Northern Ireland to Great Britain you get the United Kingdom.

Confusingly, the United Kingdom Olympic team is called team GB but includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland has its own Olympic team.

To be really confused ... in international rugby, teams representing England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland compete (and Ireland includes players from both the Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). Field hockey is the same. But when GB competes in Olympic field hockey, players from Northern Ireland compete for GB, not Ireland.

There is also a rugby touring team called the British Lions (not recognized in other sports), which includes players from all five countries (England, Wales, Scotland, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland).

I hope that clears everything up.

[Mickalino]

I hope that clears everything up.

It's cleared up the fact that the Brits are just out to confuse us all

[Springfield]

Maybe I should have titled this thread "Confusingly simple questions about the United Kingdom".

I do appreciate all of the responses as I have learned quite a lot. I take an interest in geography and different political systems around the world. I have certainly learned quite a bit.

Another question...

Is it proper to refer to the people of the U.K. as Brittish?

[thehogs]

Maybe I should have titled this thread "Confusingly simple questions about the United Kingdom".

I do appreciate all of the responses as I have learned quite a lot. I take an interest in geography and different political systems around the world. I have certainly learned quite a bit.

Another question...

Is it proper to refer to the people of the U.K. as Brittish?

(British sp.) as collective whole, yes!

But I am a Scot at all other times!

[Springfield]

(British sp.) as collective whole, yes!

But I am a Scot at all other times!

Understood sir.

[england]

and i'm english