See also: Kingdom of Great Britain

Great Britain
Great Britain lies between Ireland and Scandanavia. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800
Geography
Location	Western Europe
Archipelago	British Isles
Area	80,823 sq mi (209,331 km²)
Rank	8th
Highest point	Ben Nevis 1344 m
Administration
United Kingdom
Home Nations	England Scotland Wales
Largest city	London
Demographics
Population	58,845,700 (as of 2006)[1]
Indigenous people	Cornish, English, Scots, Welsh, others

Satellite Image of Great Britain

Great Britain (Scottish Gaelic: Breatainn Mhòr, Welsh: Prydain Fawr, Cornish: Breten Veur, Scots: Graet Breetain) is the largest island of the British Isles, the largest island in Europe and the eighth-largest island in the world (Great Britain is also the third most populated island on earth). Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of This is a list of Islands in the world ordered by area. It includes all islands with an area greater than 2500 km² (970 square miles Ben Nevis ( Gaelic: Beinn Nibheis, peˈɲivəʃ is the highest mountain in the British Isles. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located "Home nation" (common noun redirects here home nation is also used to refer to the host country of Multi-sport events (eg England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The Cornish people (Kernowyon are regarded as an Ethnic group of the United Kingdom originating in Cornwall. The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English The Scots people ( Scots Gaelic: Albannaich) are a Nation and an Ethnic group indigenous to Scotland. The Welsh people ( Welsh: Cymro ("Welshman" Cymraes ("Welsh woman" Cymry ("Welshmen/women" Cymry Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic For the Cornish-English dialect see West Country dialects and List of Cornish dialect words. Scots ( The Scots leid) refers to Anglic varieties derived from early northern Middle English spoken in parts of Scotland and Northern The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan This is a list of Islands in the world ordered by area. It includes all islands with an area greater than 2500 km² (970 square miles Land masses Afro-Eurasia &mdash 5500 million people Americas &mdash 900 million people Australia &mdash 21 million people It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe, with Ireland to the west, and makes up the largest part of the territory of the state known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the Continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Types of administrative and/or political territories include Many types of legally administered territories, each of which is a non-sovereign geographic area The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located It is surrounded by over 1,000 smaller islands and islets. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant For human anatomy see Islets of Langerhans An islet is a small Island.

England, Scotland and Wales are mostly situated on the island, along with their capital cities, London, Edinburgh and Cardiff respectively. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales.

Geographical definition

Main article: Geography of Great Britain

Further information: Geography of England, Geography of Scotland, and Geography of Wales

Great Britain is the largest island of the British Isles. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or UK, is in Western Europe. England comprises the central and southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain, plus offshore islands of which the largest is the Isle of Wight. Geology and geomorphology See also Geology of Scotland The land area of Scotland is 78 772 km² (30414 square miles roughly 30% of the area of Wales is located on a Peninsula in central-west Great Britain. The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe, with Ireland to the west, and makes up the larger part of the territory of the United Kingdom. Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the Continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Types of administrative and/or political territories include Many types of legally administered territories, each of which is a non-sovereign geographic area The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located It is surrounded by 1000 smaller islands and islets. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant For human anatomy see Islets of Langerhans An islet is a small Island. It occupies an area of 209,331 km² (80,823 square miles)^[2]

It is the third most populous island after Java and Honshū. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of Land masses Afro-Eurasia &mdash 5500 million people Americas &mdash 900 million people Australia &mdash 21 million people Java (Jawa is an Island of Indonesia and the site of its Capital city Jakarta. or Honshu is the largest Island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of ^[3]

Great Britain stretches over about ten degrees of latitude on its longer, north–south axis. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the Geographically, the island is marked by low, rolling countryside in the east and south, while hills and mountains predominate in the western and northern regions.

Before the end of the last ice age, Great Britain was a peninsula of Europe; the rising sea levels caused by glacial melting at the end of the ice age caused the formation of the English Channel, the body of water which now separates Great Britain from continental Europe at a minimum distance of 21 miles (34 km). An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus.

Political definition

Main article: Kingdom of Great Britain

"Great Britain" is the eastern island of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 Politically, "Great Britain" describes the combination of England, Scotland, and Wales, and therefore also includes a number of outlying islands such as the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides, and the island groups of Orkney and Shetland, but does not include other outlying islands such as the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The Isle of Wight is an English Island and county in the English Channel between three and five miles (8 km from the south coast of the History There are numerous Megalithic monuments and Menhirs present on Anglesey testifying to the presence of mankind in prehistory See also Hebrides (disambiguation The Hebrides (ˈhɛbrɨˌdiːz "HEB-ri-deez" Gaelic: Innse Gall) comprise a widespread and diverse Orkney (also known as the Orkney Islands or incorrectly the Orkneys) is an Archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles (16 km north Shetland (formerly spelled Zetland, from etland; Old Norse non Hjaltland; Sealtainn is an Archipelago off the northeast coast of The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical The Channel Islands ( Norman: Îles d'la Manche, French: Îles Anglo-Normandes or Îles de la Manche) are a group of Islands

Great Britain evolved politically into a union of England and Scotland from a personal union in 1603 with the Union of Crowns under James VI of Scotland, I of England. The Kingdom of England was a State (927-1707 located in Western Europe dating from the ninth or tenth century to the early eighteenth century when it was legally The Kingdom of Scotland ( Gaelic: Rìoghachd na h-Alba, Scots: Kinrick o Scotland) was a State in northwest Europe The Union of the Crowns was the Accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England in March 1603 thus uniting Scotland and England James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James The political union that merged the two countries happened with the Acts of Union in 1707 which merged the parliaments of each nation and thus resulted in the formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain, which covered the entire island. The Acts of Union were a pair of Parliamentary Acts passed during 1706 and 1707 by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland to put into The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800

In turn, in 1801, an Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland created the larger United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (UK). Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 The UK became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1922 following the independence of five-sixths of Ireland as the Irish Free State. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by

History

Main article: History of Great Britain

Further information: Prehistoric Britain, Roman Britain, Medieval Britain, and Early Modern Britain

Further information: History of England, History of Scotland, and History of Wales

Traces of early man have been found in Great Britain from some 700,000 years ago and modern man from about 30,000 years ago. Prehistoric Britain was a period in the human occupation of Great Britain that was the later part of Prehistory, conventionally ending with the Roman invasion Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 Great Britain during the Middle Ages (from the 5th century withdrawal of Roman forces from the province of Britannia Early Modern Britain is the History of the island of Great Britain roughly corresponding to the 16th 17th and 18th centuries The history of England is similar to the history of Britain until the arrival of the Saxons The history of Scotland begins around 10000 years ago when Humans first began to inhabit Scotland after the end of the Devensian glaciation, the last The country of Wales, or Cymru in Welsh has been inhabited by modern humans for at least 29000 years though continuous human habitation Up until about 9,000 years ago, Great Britain was joined to Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world As recently as 8,000 years ago Great Britain was joined to the continent. The southeastern part of Great Britain was still connected by a strip of low marsh to the European mainland in what is now northeastern France. In Cheddar Gorge near Bristol, the remains of animal species native to mainland Europe such as antelopes, brown bears, and wild horses have been found alongside a human skeleton, 'Cheddar Man', dated to about 7150 B. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Antelope are Ruminant hoofed Mammals of the family Bovidae in the order of Even-toed ungulates. The Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos) is an Omnivorous Mammal of the family Ursidae, distributed across much of northern Eurasia and The Wild Horse ( Equus ferus) is a member of the Horse genus which currently is native only in Asia. Cheddar Man is the name given to the remains of a human male found in Gough's Cave in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England. C. Thus, animals and humans must have moved between mainland Europe and Great Britain via a crossing. ^[4]

The island of Great Britain formed at the end of the Pleistocene ice age when sea levels rose due to isostatic depression of the crust and the melting of glaciers. The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Isostatic Depression is the term used by geologists for the sinking of large parts of the earth's crust into the Asthenosphere. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. The island was first inhabited by people who crossed over the land bridge from the European mainland. Its Iron Age inhabitants are known as the Britons, a group speaking a Celtic language, and most of it (not the northernmost part (beyond Hadrian's Wall), where the majority of Scotland lies today) was conquered to become the Ancient Roman province of Britannia. This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age for the mythological Iron Age see Ages of Man. The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic" a branch of the greater Indo-European Language family. Hadrian's Wall ( Latin: perhaps Vallum Aelium, "the Aelian wall" is a stone and turf Fortification built by the Roman Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 After the fall of the Roman Empire, over a period of 500 years, the Britons of the south and east of the island of Britain became assimilated by colonising Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons and Jutes) who became known as the English people. The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English Beyond Hadrian's wall, the major ethnic groups were the Scots, who may have emigrated from Ireland, and the Picts as well as other Brythonic peoples in the south-west. Hadrian's Wall ( Latin: perhaps Vallum Aelium, "the Aelian wall" is a stone and turf Fortification built by the Roman Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The Picts were a Confederation of tribes in what was later to become eastern and northern Scotland from Roman times until the 10th century The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being Strathclyde ( Gaelic: Srath Chluaidh) (lit "Valley of the Clyde" originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the kingdoms

The south-east of Scotland was colonised by the Angles and formed, until 1018, a part of the Kingdom of Northumbria. The Angles is a modern English word for a Germanic-speaking people who took their name from the cultural ancestral region of Angeln, a modern district located in To speakers of Germanic languages, the Britons were called Welsh, a term that came eventually to be applied exclusively to the inhabitants of what is now Wales, but which survives also in names like Wallace. Wallace is a surname of Scottish origin (see Clan Wallace) and may refer to People Alfred Russel Wallace, British naturalist and biologist In subsequent centuries Vikings settled in several parts of the island, and The Norman Conquest introduced a French ruling élite who also became assimilated. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas

Since the union of 1707, the entire island has been one political unit, firstly as the Kingdom of Great Britain, later as part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and then as part of the present United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Acts of Union were a pair of Parliamentary Acts passed during 1706 and 1707 by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland to put into The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Since the formation of this unified state, the adjective British has come to refer to things associated with the United Kingdom generally, such as citizenship, and not the island of Great Britain. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

The term was used officially for the first time during the reign of King James VI of Scotland, I of England. James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James Though England and Scotland each remained legally in existence as separate countries with their own parliaments, on 20 October 1604 King James proclaimed himself as 'King of Great Brittaine, France and Ireland', a title that continued to be used by many of his successors. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony ^[5] In 1707, an Act of Union joined both parliaments. The Acts of Union were a pair of Parliamentary Acts passed during 1706 and 1707 by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland to put into That Act used two different terms to describe the new all island nation, a 'United Kingdom' and the 'Kingdom of Great Britain'. However, the former term is regarded by many as having been a description of the union rather than its formal name at that stage. Most reference books therefore describe the all-island kingdom that existed between 1707 and 1800 as the "Kingdom of Great Britain".

In 1801, under a new Act of Union, this kingdom merged with the Kingdom of Ireland, over which the monarch of Great Britain had ruled. The phrase Act of Union 1800 (or sometimes Act of Union 1801) (Acht an Aontais 1800 is used to describe two complementary Acts whose official United Kingdom titles are The Kingdom of Ireland (Ríocht na hÉireann was the name given to the Irish state from 1541 by the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 of the Parliament of Ireland. The new kingdom was from then onwards unambiguously called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 In 1922, 24 of Ireland's 32 counties attained independence to form a separate Irish Free State. Since the late 16th century the Island of Ireland has been divided into 32 counties ( Irish language contae or condae The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by The remaining truncated kingdom has therefore since then been known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Great Britain went on to become a rich 'Great Power' in the 19th and 20th centuries. A vast empire, covering one quarter of the globe emerged after the Industrial Revolution, under the reign of Queen Victoria. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland As territories declared their freedom from The British Empire, the power was lost. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The United Kingdom was one of the major parties participating in The First World War, fighting for Triple Entente. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Triple Entente (" entente " — French for "agreement" was the name given to the loose alignment of the United Kingdom, the After World War One was won, Germany rose up again and caused The United Kingdom and its colonies to fight and win (alongside Russia, the USA and other countries), The Second World War. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Terminology

Etymology

Main article: Britain (name)

The earliest known name of Great Britain is Albion (Ἀλβίων) or insula Albionum, the "island of the Albiones", first mentioned in the Massaliote Periplus and by Pytheas. The name Britain is derived from the Latin name Britannia (earlier Brittannia) via Old French Bretaigne (whence also Albion (Ἀλβιών in Greek) is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. The Massaliote Periplus or Massaliot Periplus is the name of a now-lost merchants' handbook possibly dating to as early as the sixth century BC describing Dates Pliny says that Timaeus (born about 350 BC believed Pytheas' story of the discovery of Amber. ^[6]

The name Britain is derived from the Latin name Britannia, via Old French Bretaigne (whence also Modern French Bretagne) and Middle English Bretayne, Breteyne. Old French was the Romance Dialect continuum spoken in territories which span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of The French form replaced Old English Breoton, Breoten, Bryten, Breten (also Breoton-lond, Breten-lond).

Brittannia or Brittānia was the name used by the Romans from the 1st century BC for the British Isles taken together. The British Isles (Irish variously Na hOileáin Bhriotanacha, Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa, Éire agus an Bhreatain Mhór; Ellanyn Goaldagh Eileanan Latin Britannia is derived from the travel writings of the ancient Greek Pytheas around 320 BC, which described various islands in the North Atlantic as far North as Thule (probably Iceland). The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Dates Pliny says that Timaeus (born about 350 BC believed Pytheas' story of the discovery of Amber. Thule (ˈθuːli; Greek Θούλη Thoulē; also called Thile, Tile, Tilla, Toolee, or Tylen) is in

The peoples of these islands of Prettanike were called the Πρεττανοι, Priteni or Pretani. ^[6] Priteni is the source of the Welsh language term Prydain, Britain, which has the same source as the Goidelic term Cruithne used to refer to the early Brythonic speaking inhabitants of Ireland and the north of Scotland. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Prydain ( Middle Welsh: Prydein) is the modern Welsh name for Britain. The Goidelic languages, (also sometimes called particularly in colloquial situations the Gaelic languages or collectively Gaelic) historically formed a Dialect The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. ^[7] The latter were later called Picts or Caledonians by the Romans. The Picts were a Confederation of tribes in what was later to become eastern and northern Scotland from Roman times until the 10th century The Caledonians ( Latin: Caledonii) or Caledonian Confederacy, is a name given by historians to a group of the Indigenous Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC

Derivation of 'Great'

After the Old English period, Britain was used as a historical term only. Geoffrey of Monmouth in his pseudohistorical Historia Regum Britanniae (circa 1136) refers to the island of Great Britain as Britannia major ("Greater Britain"), to distinguish it from Britannia minor ("Lesser Britain"), the continental region which approximates to modern Brittany. Geoffrey of Monmouth ( Gruffudd ap Arthur or Sieffre o Fynwy) (c Pseudohistory is a term applied to texts which purport to be historical in nature but which depart from standard historiographical conventions in a way which undermines The Historia Regum Britanniae ( English: The History of the Kings of Britain) is a pseudohistorical account of British history Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into

The term Britain re-surfaces in Early Modern period, in the context of efforts towards an unification of England and Scotland. Early Modern Britain is the History of the island of Great Britain roughly corresponding to the 16th 17th and 18th centuries In 1604, James I was proclaimed "King of Great Britain". James I may refer to James I Count of La Marche (1319-1362 Count of Ponthieu James I of Aragon (1208–1276 Count of Barcelona

Sources such as the New Oxford American Dictionary (NOAD) define Great Britain as "England, Wales, and Scotland considered as a unit" and Britain as "an island that consists of England, Wales, and Scotland. The New Oxford American Dictionary ( NOAD) is a single-volume Dictionary of North American English compiled by American editors at "

Thus, Britain is the name of the island, while Great Britain is the name of the geopolitical unit. NOAD advises that while Britain "is broadly synonymous with Great Britain . . . the longer form is usual for the political unit. " However, in the United Kingdom itself, "Britain" is usually taken to be synonymous with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ^[8]. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

In Irish, Wales is referred to as An Bhreatain Bheag which means, literally, Little Britain, although a truer translation would be Britain Minor. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. On the other hand, the closely-related language, Scottish Gaelic, uses the term, A'Bhreatainn Bheag, to refer to Brittany. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages.

Use of the term Great Britain

"Great Britain" is often used to mean the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" (UK). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located However, Great Britain is only the largest island within the United Kingdom; still within the United Kingdom, but not on the island of Great Britain are several much smaller surrounding islands, as well as Northern Ireland in the island of Ireland. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world In the introduction to his history book The Isles, Norman Davies explains how confusion persists about what "Great Britain" and the "United Kingdom" actually denote in even some eminent educational institutions. Ivor Norman Richard Davies Fellow of the British Academy (born 8 June 1939 to Richard and Elizabeth Davies ^[9]

Terms associated with Great Britain – such as Britain or British – are generally used as short forms for the United Kingdom or its citizens respectively.

Great Britain and its abbreviations GB and GBR are used in some international codes as a synonym for the United Kingdom, largely due to potential confusion with "UA" or "UKR" for Ukraine^[10]. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Examples include: Universal Postal Union, the International Olympic Committee, international sports teams, NATO, the International Organization for Standardization, and other organisations. The North Atlantic Treaty Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below --> ISO 3166-1, as part of the ISO 3166 standard (See also country codes, international licence plate codes, and technical standards such as the ISO 3166 geocodes GB and GBR. A - B - C - D-E - F - G - H-I - J-K - L - M - N - O-R - S On the international level the designation of origin for a Motor vehicle is distinguished by a supplementary international licence plate country code. A Geocode ( G eospatial E ntity O bject Code) is representation format of a geospatial coordinate measurement used to provide a standard representation ISO 3166-2GB is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United Kingdom. ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes are three-letter Country codes in the ISO 3166-1 standard to represent countries and dependent territories. )

On the Internet, .uk is used as a country code top-level domain for the United Kingdom. A country A .gb top-level domain was also used to a limited extent in the past, but this is now effectively in abeyance because the domain name registrar will not take new registrations. Ireland has its own separate Internet code, .ie, which can be used in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe.

Capital cities

• England: London - also capital of the United Kingdom and formerly the Kingdom of Great Britain
• Wales: Cardiff
• Scotland: Edinburgh

Other major settlements

Main article: List of largest United Kingdom settlements by population

• England: Birmingham, Blackpool, Bradford, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Colchester, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Exeter, Gloucester, Huddersfield, Hull, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Swindon, Wolverhampton, York. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. For a list of the largest contiguous urban areas or Conurbations in the UK see here. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Blackpool (/ˈblækˌpul is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. Bradford ( lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a Metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. Brighton ( is a town on the south coast of England and with its neighbour Hove, forms the city of Brighton and Hove. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London The city of Cambridge (ˈkeɪmbrɪdʒ is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England Colchester ( /ˈkəʊltʃɛstə/ is a town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester, in Essex, England. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. Derby (pronounced "dar-bee" /dˈɑːbɪ/ is a city in the East Midlands of England. Doncaster is a large town in South Yorkshire, England and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Huddersfield ( is a large Market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, 190 miles (306km north Kingston upon Hull ( almost invariably referred Ipswich ( ˈɪpswɪtʃ is a Non-metropolitan district and the County town of Suffolk, England on the Estuary of the River Orwell Leeds ( is located on the River Aire in West Yorkshire, England Leicester (ˈlɛstə is the largest city and Unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England, and is the traditional Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Middlesbrough ( IPA ( Received pronunciation) is a Town in the Tees Valley sub-region of the North East of England Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England This article is about Northampton in England for other places of the same name see Northampton (disambiguation Northampton ( is a large Market History Roman The Romans had their regional capital at Venta Icenorum on the river to the south which is near modern-day Caistor St Edmund Nottingham ( is a city in the Ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England. Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Preston ( ˈprɛstən is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England, located on the River Ribble. Reading (ˈrɛdɪŋ as Redding) is a town in England, located at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, midway between Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England Stoke-on-Trent ( often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city in Staffordshire, England which forms a linear Conurbation almost 12 miles (19 Sunderland (, or /ˈsʌn(dlən/ is a City in Tyne and Wear, England. Swindon ( is a large town in the ceremonial county of Wiltshire in the South West of England, midway between Bristol (64 km / 40 miles York ( is an historic Walled city sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England.
• Wales: Newport, Swansea, Wrexham. Newport (Casnewydd is a city and principal area in Wales, in the United Kingdom. Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. Wrexham (Wrecsam is a town and principal area in Wales. It is the largest town in North Wales and lies to the east of the region
• Scotland: Aberdeen, Ayr, Dumfries, Dundee, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth, Stirling,

See also

• List of islands of England
• List of islands of Scotland
• List of islands of Wales

References

External links

• Interactive map of Great Britain
• Coast – the BBC explores the coast of Great Britain
• Administrative map of Great Britain – from the Ordnance Survey; various formats
• BBC Nations
• The British Isles
• CIA Factbook United Kingdom