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You would think that, after being close allies for how many years?…and millions upon millions of Americans “going over the pond” every year, we Americans would know the difference between not only England, Scotland, and Wales and the vast difference between Ireland and Northern Ireland, but also the difference between Great Britain, United Kingdom, the British Islands and the British Isles.

You DO know they’re different, right? They’re not interchangeable. I mean, you can’t be in Ireland, blurt out something about currently being in Great Britain, and seriously think you won’t get punched in the nose.

Let’s go through them all, even the stuff you might already know, to ensure you stay safe and your nose remains “punch free.” 😉

England, Scotland and Wales

England is a country. Its capital is London.
Scotland is also a country. Its capital is Edinburgh.
Wales, too, is a country. Its capital is Cardiff. And it is a great place to visit.

Great Britain

England, Scotland and Wales, which are all connected, are what makeup Great Britain.

Now, add Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland (not to be confused with the Republic of Ireland, but we’ll get to that in a second) is also a country. Its capital is Belfast.

United Kingdom

The 4 countries combined – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – are what make up the United Kingdom. They’re sometimes called the UK or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

British Islands

Besides England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, there are 3 small islands off the coast of these 4 countries:

• Guernsey is located in the English Channel, about 30 miles west of Normandy, France. It’s a self-governing dependency of the British Crown.
• Isle of Man is located in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. It’s also a British Crown Dependency.
• Jersey, like Guernsey, is located in the English Channel, about 85 miles from England, but just 14 miles off the coast of France. It, too, is a British Crown Dependency.

All 7 of these – England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Jersey, are collectively called the British Islands.

Island of Ireland

Ireland is an island composed of Northern Ireland to the north and the Republic of Ireland to the south.

Northern Ireland, again, is a part of the United Kingdom.

The Republic of Ireland (which is officially named Ireland) is an entirely separate country. It’s not under British rule. Ireland is part of the European Union (EU), uses Euros as its currency, and is headed by the president of Ireland (currently Michael D. Higgins).

The two combined, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, make up the island of Ireland.

British Isles

The British Isles are, well, everything: England, Scotland, Wales, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Totally confused?

Sometimes I am, too. This easy map helps a LOT!

Got it?

Good! There’ll be a test tomorrow. 😉

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary