Great Britain

Great Britain is part of the United Kingdom.

In geography, Great Britain is an island in Europe. It is the main part of the United Kingdom. It contains England, Scotland and Wales. England is the biggest part of the island. England is in the southeast. Wales is to the west of England. Scotland is to the north of England.

Ireland is to the west of Great Britain. Ireland contains the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is not a part of the island of Great Britain, but it's a part of the United Kingdom.

London is the capital of England and the UK. Scotland's capital is Edinburgh and Wales' is Cardiff.

Britain was called Great Britain originally to distinguish the island from Brittany. Thousands of people from Great Britain had gone to live in Brittany in the seventh and eighth centuries.

History

The island of Britain was made into one country in the year 1707 when England and Scotland joined up into one. They already had the same ruling queen, Queen Anne, as there was a union of the English and Scottish crowns in 1603. This new country was called the Kingdom of Great Britain.

In the year 1800, Ireland joined up with Great Britain, which made one country called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. However, most of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1922.

Today, the island is called Great Britain. Sometimes the United Kingdom is called Great Britain or Britain, but the two are not the same as Great Britain or Britain is the largest island in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom includes Great Britain or Britain as well as many other islands and Northern Ireland.

More reading

• Marr, Andrew (2010). The Making of Modern Britain: From Queen Victoria to V.E. Day. Pan. ISBN 9780330510998.
• Marr, Andrew (2009). A History of Modern Britain (Second ed.). Pan. ISBN 9780330511476.
• Lynch, Michael (2008). Britain 1945-2007 (Access to History). Hodder Education. ISBN 9780340965955.
• Lynch, Michael (2008). Britain 1900-51 (Access to History). Hodder Education. ISBN 9780340965948.
• Deary, Terry (2010). The Horrible History of Britain and Ireland (Horrible Histories). Scholastic. ISBN 9780439953955.
• McDowall, David (1989). An Illustrated History of Britain. Longman. ISBN 9780582749146.
• Brocklehurst, Ruth (2008). The Usborne History of Britain. Usborne Publishing. ISBN 9780746084441.
• Morgan, Kenneth O. (2001). The Oxford History of Britain (Third ed.). Oxford Paperbacks. ISBN 9780192801357.