England? Britain? Great Britain? The United Kingdom? The British Isles? Ireland? So what is the difference here? There are a number of major differences and here we will explain them all. The United Kingdom is one of the favorite countries in the world to visit and there are many great places there for solo travelers.

This is all a little complicated but can be easily explained. Part of the confusion is mixing geographic terms with political entities. It's a bit like how the United States is more than the 50 states (like Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico) and is more than just land on the North American continent (like Hawaii).

Britain/Great Britain

While Britain or Great Britain is often used as a shorthand for the United Kingdom (the country) it shouldn't be used that way. Great Britain is the name of the main island. The two main islands in the archipelago are Great Britain and the island of Ireland.

Great Britain is one of the largest islands in the world and is home to three countries on the island - England, Scotland, and Wales. But this is not the full united country of the United Kingdom as it doesn't include Northern Ireland - like how the Lower 48 excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

  • Great Britain: The Main Island of The British Isles (Home of England, Wales, and Scotland)
  • "Great": In The Sense of "Big" As Opposed to "Lesser" Brittany In France

The "Great" in Great Britain doesn't refer to it being powerful or glorious, but rather that it is big. "Great" was used to distinguish "Great" Britain from the smaller or "Lesser" Brittany in France. "Britain" can be used shorthand instead of "Great" Britain - but in the past, it was confusing which Britain one would have been referring to.

Brittany was once an independent country and was named after the Celtic Britons colonizing it. The name is of the same origin as "Britain" but is now spelt and pronounced differently.

In a geographic sense, Scotland's isles like the Isle of Skye and the Orkney Islands as well as England's Isle of Wight are technically not part of Great Britain.

Related: Guide To The Scottish Highlands & Why You Should Visit

The British Isles

The British Isles is a geographic term and refers to all the islands in the British archipelago. The main islands in the group are Great Britain and the island of Ireland. Other islands include the Isle of Man (a quaint and stunning island between Great Britain and Ireland), the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands, the Isle of Wight, and more.

  • British Isles: The Archipelago of Great Britain, the Island of Ireland, and other Smaller Islands

Constituent Country England

England is the largest constituent country of the United Kingdom and the largest country on the island of Great Britain. England is around two-thirds of the landmass and around 80% of the United Kingdom's population.

  • England: Largest Country of The United Kingdom
  • Population: England has 80% of The UK's Population

There are four constituent countries of the United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These are all in a union - in kinda a way that the 13 Colonies formed a Union to create the United States.

Calling the United Kingdom England is like calling the Pacific Coast "California" because it's the biggest state and Oregon and Washington are smaller.

Related: 10 Things To Do While Visiting The U.K. (That Are Affordable)

The United Kingdom

The full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is made up of four constituent countries forming the "United Kingdom". These include the three countries on the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) and Northern Ireland on the island of Ireland. "United Kingdom" is a political term instead of a geographic one.

  • UK: The Unified Country of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

Then it gets more complicated. The nearby Isle of Man, Guernsey, and Jersey are not part of the UK, instead, they are Crown Dependencies. They are basically independent countries that the British Government is responsible for their defense and international relations. That's a bit like how Puerto Rico is not fully part of the United States and people there do not get to vote in the presidential elections or get representation in Congress or the Senate.

The UK also does not include the 14 British Overseas Territories (like Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands) - even though it is responsible for them.

The Irelands

There are three "Ireland's" so to speak. Firstly there is the island of Ireland - that's a geographic term. On that island are two countries - the independent Republic of Ireland with Dublin and around 70% of the population, and Northern Ireland with Belfast and around 30% of the population. Northern Ireland is not independent and is part of the United Kingdom.

  • The Island of Ireland
  • The Republic of Ireland
  • Northern Ireland - Constituent Country of the United Kingdom

Next: Your Most Pressing FAQs About Visiting England