Confused about the UK...help?

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Von Lipwig

The UK is comprised of four constituent countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is NOT part of the UK...it is different from NI!!

Someone tells you they are from the UK because you probably know where that is. If they told you they were from Wales, you might not know where it was, or you might be even worse and think it's in England, which is just offensive really!!

Depending on who I'm talking to I would either say "I'm English" or "I'm British". If I was talking to people from Europe or other parts of the UK, I am English. If I am talking to people from elsewhere I am British.

A lot of people within the UK have family in more than one of the countries. Like me, my Dad is Welsh, and my Mum is half Scottish and half English. Although I live in England, I am not completely English, I am British (ie. a mixture of the countries within Britain).

You will find people all over the UK who are living in one part, but are from a different part. It's not like other places where there is any border security or restrictions on passing between the countries. You can walk/drive across the border between England and Wales, and England and Scotland without even realising you are doing so.

Technically, we don't have individual passports in each country, we have a UK passport...so everyone is classed as British in that sense of the word.

In terms of identity, some people class themselves as British first and then English second whilst others say they are Scottish first, British second for example. It's about how you identify yourself. I am proud to be British because I am partly Welsh, partly Scottish and partly English, but I support England in the rugby over Scotland or Wales, so I am proud to be English too.

cubensis

Great Britain is just England, Wales and Scotland, whereas the UK incorporates Northern Ireland as well. It is true that the UK contains four individual countries, but they share common infrastructure (transport, currency, etc) and government.

Chango Encuerado

Is just like different regions or like states... If you are from the US and someone asks you, where you are from you said "from the United States" if you say I'm from Montana, a lot of people from other countries do not know where Montana is. Just like US is divided in 50 states, CanadÃ¡ is divided in 13 provinces and territories, Mexico is divided into 31 states...same thing happens in the UK.

The official name is "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" , it is divided in autonomous regions or "countries" which are Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Great Britain is the island where Scotland England and Wales are.

Home_educator

I say I'm from Wales and most people say - where's that? Or they say - Oh England (which really gets on my nerves)

I'm Welsh first and British second! Cymru am Byth!

SJM

The confusion stems from the fact that the four 'countries' of the UK used to be separate countries in their own right with their own monarchs/princes (we're talking 500-900 years ago when the monarch acted as the prime minister does now) and systems of government. Gradually we came under the same monarch and so for all intents and purposes became the same country.

However, despite all coming under the same ruler over 400 years ago we seem to have still kept our 'old' national identities. I've no idea why, but we're all still proud Scots, English, etc. Therefore we view ourselves as being from the UK and our individual, 'old' nations, and I for one tend to use both 'England' and 'UK' interchangeably when telling people where I come from (although I tend to say 'UK' when talking to Americans as for some reason they don't seem to understand me when I say 'England'). Confusing, I know!

10 out of 10

i say British because that's what i am.
no we should not say England

Scarlett T

I say that I'm British when I'm abroad as most people don't seem to realise that Wales is a country!
I spent ages once trying to explain the geography of the UK to an American.
Canadians seem to get it though,perhaps cos they get fed up of being labelled as a Yank when they are abroad so they have sympathy.
I'd rather choke myself than say I was English. It's quite insulting that people outside of the UK think Wales is a part of England. Appreciate that it's all a bit confusing though!

â™¥ B3TTY â™¥ â™¥BFC â™¥

i say i am British
when i am from burnley lanashire England

UK in the united kingdom
its all of the counrtys that are ruled by the queen

Rahman R

Have a look at . Hopefully it will helps you for UK Visa process

http://www.freestuff100.com/immigration-to-uk.html

HELEN M

From experience, people from England tend to say that they are from the U.K. Coming from Scotland, I and many others, are however, proud to say we are Scottish first and foremost! I am sure this goes for the Welsh and Irish.
I remember a Welsh rugby fan in Edinburgh being asked how he was enjoying it in Scotland. He replied that he was having a great time( of course) but the only problem was he had to drive through England to get here!
I am not anti English, just fiercely proud of my heritage.

Katie F

I call myself English, but on things like this website, that isn't an option so I have to be from the UK. Also, our passports are British passports, and our currency is Great Britain Pounds.

I know it is confusing, but as someone else stated, we have a long long history over in the UK, and our countries have changed so often it's hard to keep up! Until the early 1900s Ireland was part of the UK, but nowadays it's completely independent, even if it is still attached to Northern Ireland (which is part of the UK)

All four countries of the UK have their own laws, although some are common. They all have their own language, too. Wales teaches Welsh in schools, and Northern Ireland teaches Irish (as well as English).

We are all ruled by Queen Elizabeth 2nd, and are controlled by the Houses of Parliament, although Scotland and Northern Ireland also have their own parliament that makes smaller decisions about the running of their countries.

Bet this has just confused you even more!

BOOMER SOONER FAN!!!

just a lot of different names for the same thing

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