Dumb geography question about United Kingdom

[cmh9023]

Ok...I probably should have learned this in about 5th grade, but....

I was wondering exactly whatcountries arepart of the United Kingdom. I always thought it was England, Ireland, and Scotland. Is that right?I see a lot of people on the forum who list their location as United Kingdom. I've also seen someone list Ireland and I think Scotland, but I've never seen anyone just say "England". Is it most common to say UK, but you can choose to be more specific if you want to?

Just curious..

Cara

 

[myLoki]

I would think England, Scotland and Wales. UK people? :biggrin2:


t.

 

[myLoki]

Ok I googled cuz I was wondering too and it says England, Scotland, Wales = Great Britain + Northern Ireland = United Kingdom. Is that right?


t.

 

[Haley]

myLoki wrote:

Ok I googled cuz I was wondering too and it says England, Scotland, Wales = Great Britain + Northern Ireland = United Kingdom. Is that right?

Yup! I did study abroad in the UK (and dated someone from Wales).

One girl on our study abroad asked loudly onthetrain in England, "Is Wales a country or what?". I was just sort of hiding and pretending not to know her as she got many dirty looks from other passengers (sort of a 'stupid americans' look). hehe :biggrin2:

 

[cmh9023]

Good to know! So, it is just more customary to use the broad term of United Kingdom rather than say you are from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? I guess I was thinking it would be the opposite.

 

[Haley]

hmm I think it depends on the person. Most people I know would say theyre from Wales or Scotlandrather than say theyre from the UK.

I should shut up and let someone actually from the UK answer this one. lol :biggrin2:

 

[polly]

i am from scotland though i was born in England.

Every scot i have known always say they are from scotland i think it goes back to that Braveheart thing lol also it narrows it down a bit the uk is small but there is still loads of places.

A bit like you put which state you live in. hope that helps

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

I have to admit that I didn't know the answer to this question!:embarrassed:Although I do know the British Isles is everything, England, Ireland (South and North), Wales and Scotland.

Although in answer to the other question if people ask where I am from I say England, or I occasionally say Britain, but I never say the UK. I don't know why really, I just prefer to be more specific, if you say Britain or the UK I could be from one of several countries - so it's less confusing to say England!




This thread reminds me of the bit on 'Mrs Doubtfire' where she says she is British (which she is) but has a Scottish accent (so must be from Scotland more specifically)yet says she is from England at the end! Sorry but that bit always annoys me!:biggrin2:

 

[ellissian]

I always say I live in England,very rarely I may say the UK but thats it.

United Kingdom or Great Britain (which ever you want to call it) is England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Ireland, Southern Island or Eire, which ever you want to call them are ruled differently from ourselves. I suppose US states are just like our counties over here.

I don't know why we just can't have one name for our country instead of a few, it's not like we are massively huge!

Cara, I wouldn't worry about not knowing, I probably couldn't name all your states!

 

[Michaela]

Yes, Northern Ireland is part of the UK, but the Republic of Ireland is not. There are 6 counties in NI - where I live.

When people ask me where I am from I always say Northern Ireland, though most here wouldn't. All the fighting that has gone on here over the years has been because of NI being part of the UK - Nationalists think it shouldn't, and would say they are from Ireland and would rather die than say they are from the UK, Unionists want to be part of the Uk, and would say they were British.

My family, most of my friends are nationalists, though I really don't care, I'd rather be part of the Uk. Better schooling, roads, free health care etc, than in the Republic. My dad hates whenI say that.

I don't consider myself British though, more Irish, but I would say Northern Irish mainly.

 

[ellissian]

Not sure really why I'm getting into a debate about this but .......is there still problems in Northern Ireland betweenCatholics and Protestants?

 

[Michaela]

Yup, unfortunately. Though it's not nearly as bad as it was, and it's not really violent anymore. I don't see the point of it really, but then I have no interest in politics.

I'm Catholic (ok, I'm not exactly devout...:?) butI have Protestant friends too, and have no problem with their religionat all. Thing is, people claim they are one of the two religions, but don't actually practise in it, just use it as an excuse tofight. :rollseyes

Its getting much better all the time though.

 

[ellissian]

I'm glad things are much better.

Growing up I never really understood all the fighting, I don't care for religion or politics either. I found it all quite strange for me as all my friends went to a catholic school and I went to a protestant school none of us practised our religions either.... to us we just wentto different schools.

 

[cmh9023]

Thanks for the information everyone! I haven't traveled outside the U.S. very much so when I read people's locations in other countries, I look them up on the map and daydream about what it's like where they live...what a geek, I know

Polly- I saw wedding pictures you posted with men in kilts and wondered if that was Scotland. Braveheart is one of my favorite movies of all time..haha.

Thanks,

Cara

 

[tundrakatiebean]

Michaela wrote:

I'm Catholic (ok, I'm not exactly devout...:?) butI have Protestant friends too, and have no problem with their religionat all. Thing is, people claim they are one of the two religions, but don't actually practise in it, just use it as an excuse tofight. :rollseyes

Man I could go on and on about religion, but I promise I won't put you guys through that

I've been wondering about this too, glad to have it sorted out!

 

[polly]

Yep its not a wedding up here unless there is kilts:biggrin2:The last wedding we were at Bruce wore his kilt but all the guys were english so there were only 2 guys in kilts. Bruce was outside having acigarette and these 4 people from Bolivia and they asked him about every bit of his outfit including the " do you wear anything under it)

:biggrin2:

In fact i am sure before the forum change my location was Scotland might just go change it as it gives a better idea of where you are

 

[polly]

Hey Cara, just for you, this is our favourite wedding pic. Bruce is wearing the full dress including plaid in his own tartan Mcpherson. His clan motto is

Touch not the cat but with the glove

 

[tundrakatiebean]

awww you guys are so cute!:biggrin2:

 

[cmh9023]

What a great picture!!

 

[polly]

Thanks, i love looking at this pic, you would never believe it rained nearly all day would you. Thats the one i wanted to show on my blog originally but i had to get my photographer to put it on disc for me. It will be 3 yearsin sept since we tied the knot