Britain is part of an island lying off the western coast of Europe, comprising the main territory of the United Kingdom.
Britain is the official name given to the kingdom of England and the principality of Wales. The name was made popular by the Romans when they came to the British islands.
Britain is made up of:
- England - The capital is London.
- Wales - The capital is Cardiff.
Great Britain is divided into small regions called counties. |
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Sometimes people use the shorten name Britain instead of Great Britain, to mean the same thing, but really Britain only refers to England and Wales.
The name Britain goes back to Roman times when they called England and Wales "Britannia" (or "Britannia Major", to distinguished from "Britannia Minor", ie Brittany in France). The Roman province of Britannia only covered the areas of modern England and Wales. The area of modern Scotland was never finally conquered.
Origins of the names of England, Britain and the UK
Questions about the United Kingdom
Where is the UK?
What countries make up the UK?
What is the official title (name) of the UK?
Why is the whole of Ireland not part of the UK?
How and why was the UK formed?
Questions about the British Isles
What are the British Isles?
Questions about England
Why does England dominate the UK?
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