We imperialist British like to think that it stands for the fact that we are better than others.... but that's not so. Great refers to all the area of Britain, that is the mainland, as it were, and all the outlying islands. Great Britain is just mainland Scotland, England and wales. the UK is Scotland, England, wales and northern Ireland. the British isles are all the little islands, the mainland, and Ireland
First of all it is the Prime Minister of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, not England, and he doesn't "rule" any countries. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is usually refered to as Great Britan, which is actually just made up of England, Scotland and Wales. Or as The United Kingdom (UK) The Republic of Ireland is not part of the UK, but Northern Ireland is.
No. This a common cause of confusion.The United Kingdom as it now exists is made up of two kingdoms and a princedom: England and Scotland were separate kingdoms until, on the death of Queen Elizabeth I, King James VI, her nearest living relative, became King James I of England.Long before that, in the 13th century, England had invaded Wales and after many years of warfare and general unrest, Wales was incorporated and the English King's eldest son was made Prince of Wales. A title traditionally bestowed on the King or Queen's eldest son ever since.Ireland became part of the Union of contries in 1805 but regained its independence in 1922 although 6 counties elected to remain 'loyal' to the Crown and have since been known collectively as Northern Ireland.The British Isles is the name applied to all the islands of that group off the coast of Europe.Great Britain is the name used to describe the mainland of England, Scotland, and Wales.Whilst understanding how confusing all this must be to many throughout the world, many, if not all, of the peoples of Scotland and Wales object to the use of title 'Queen of England' when it should be the 'Queen of the United Kingdom' or 'Queen of Britain'. Theyw ill point out that England is NOT the same thing as Britain nor the UK. Scotland and Wales have, since 1997, regained a form of government devolved from London and jealously guard their separate identities.
The Acts of Union between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland in 1707 caused the dissolution of both the Parliament of England andParliament of Scotland in order to create a unified Kingdom of Great Britain governed by a unified Parliament of Great Britain.
There were about 1,012,000 people form the UK that died in WW1.