Great Britain

The island of Great Britain located in the Atlantic Ocean, between the Irish Sea and the North Atlantic in the west, the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the southeast, on the northwestern coast of continental Europe. With an area of ​​219,331 km ², the main island is the ninth largest island in the world and the largest island in Europe and the British Isles, which include, among other things, also Ireland and the Isle of Man are. England and Wales were in ancient times the Roman province of Britannia.

An old name for the island of Great Britain "Albion". This name, translated by A. Holder (Alt - Celtic vocabulary, 1896) as "white land" could relate to the white chalk cliffs of Dover, the one normally sees first when you drive a boat across the English Channel to Britain. A historic name in Gaelic for Scotland is Alba.

There is a political Britain since the Act of Union of 1707 from the states of England, Wales and Scotland. The Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland are also counted as part of Scotland politically to Britain. The countries of Great Britain, together with the province of Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Britain is thus only part of the United Kingdom and can not be equated with this.

The right of the British Crown Dependencies Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; However, you and all of Ireland belong geographically to the British Isles, the Channel Islands are not.

Origin of the name

Historically, there were two Britain: The Island (large) Britain and the UK small peninsula in the north of France, now called Brittany. In English they are called Great Britain and Brittany; in French similar to Grande Bretagne and Brittany are distinguished. Britain known in English, however, only Great Britain and Northern Ireland do not. The population of Northern Ireland are therefore no British.

England's dominance over the UK

For England, Wales and Scotland were united in 1707, England, which has the much larger population, has always played a dominant role in all subsequent states. This is also reflected by the coronation of the British monarch followed the English ritual, or the British Parliament of the structure of the English Parliament and follows the Westminster Palace uses the original English Parliament building.

Emergence and change the name " Great Britain "

The term Great Britain was first widely disseminated during the reign of King James VI. of Scotland, who reigned as James I England; He described the ruling of two states, with their own parliaments, under a monarch island. After the union of England and Scotland, the term Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 was in use.

With the Act of Union in 1800 a new transformation took place: the ruled by King House Ireland was united with the " Kingdom " to " United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ". In 1922 when 26 of the 32 Irish counties formed the Irish Free State was the " United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ".

Simplistic final example, in the German language, the name " Great Britain " is used as a synonym for the United Kingdom, even by politicians and newscasters. The government bodies in the UK are now referred to as " British", " British Prime Minister " or "the British royal family ." Strictly speaking, however, this is not right, because the organs are responsible not only for Britain but also for Northern Ireland. The term commonly used "English" rather than " British" in the same place, however, is still accurate, since England as a state since 1707 no longer exists, moreover, only represents a part of the United Kingdom.

Areas of Great Britain

The island of Great Britain consists of the following three nations ( the country ) who are politically independent but only to a very limited:

• England
• Scotland
• Wales