The name Great Britain refers to an island, the largest in the archipelago. It includes the greater part of the kingdoms of England and Scotland and the principality of Wales. The proper name for Great Britain is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The effective union of the principality of Wales with the Kingdom of England dates back to 1302 when King Edward I was created Prince of Wales although Wales was not enfranchised until sixteenth century.
The term ‘Great Britain’ was occasionally used from about 1604 after James VI of Scotland succeeded to the throne of England.
The Kingdom of Great Britain formed on 1 may 1707 when the kingdoms of England (comprising modern-day England and Wales) and Scotland were merged.
Subsequently, on January 1, 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain united with the neighboring Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
When five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom in 1922 (Irish independence on 6 December 1922), the state was renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
While the United Kingdom is the internationally recognized sovereign nation, within the United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are regarded as entities in their own right and they have separate membership or representation in some international organizations.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated in northwest Europe and has a population of 63.7 million living on a land area of 243,610 square kilometers.
Definition of United Kingdom
