Main Difference – Great Britain vs United Kingdom
Although many people use the terms Great Britain and the United Kingdom interchangeably, there is a difference between them. It is very important to know the difference between Great Britain and the United Kingdom since one of these refers to an island and the other to a country. This, in fact, is the main difference between them; Great Britain is an island, and the United Kingdom is a country.
Great Britain – Meaning and Usage
Great Britain is an island in the North of Atlantic Ocean, off the north-west coast of continental Europe. It is situated in the east of Ireland and northwest of France. Great Britain is the largest island in Europe and the ninth largest island in the world. It has an area of 80,823 square miles. England, Wales, and Scotland are on this island. England is in the southeast part of the island whereas Wales in the Southwest and Scotland is in the north. The surrounding islands that are part of England, Wales and Scotland are also considered as the territory of Great Britain.
What is United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is a country in Western Europe. It consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Wales was annexed to England in the 16th century whereas Scotland was officially united to England in 1707 although they have been ruled by the same monarch since 1603. The union of these three territories – England, Wales, and Scotland – is known as the Great Britain. In 1801, the kingdom of Ireland merged with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island. But in 1922, the Irish Free State broke away from this union. At present only northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom. The united kingdom also has fourteen overseas territories, which are remnants of the British empire.
Difference Between Great Britain and United Kingdom
Type
Great Britain is an island.
United Kingdom is a country.
Territories
Great Britain consists of England, Scotland, and Wales.
United Kingdom consists of England, Scotland, Wales and the northern part of Ireland.
Sense
Great Britain is used in a geographical sense.
United Kingdom is used in a political sense.
Overseas Territories
Great Britain has no overseas territories.
United Kingdom has fourteen overseas territories.
Area
Great Britain has an area of 230,977 km².
United Kingdom has an area of 242,495 km2.
Image Courtesy:
“Great Britain” by Cnbrb – Own work, (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
“Map of the United Kingdom” – Source File:British Isles all.svg by Cnbrb File:United Kingdom countries.svg by Rob984 Derived work:Offnfopt – File:United_Kingdom_countries.svg, (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
