Chapter 2: What is the UK?

The Countries of the UK

آخری جانچ: 15 July 2026

These are the testable facts for this section, written in our own words (the handbook text itself is Crown copyright — and reading facts twice beats re-reading prose anyway). Work top to bottom, then drill the section below.

What you need to know

The UK is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The official (full) name of the country is "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".
"Great Britain" refers ONLY to England, Scotland and Wales — it does NOT include Northern Ireland.
"Britain" / "British" in everyday and handbook usage refers to the whole UK, including Northern Ireland.
The rest of Ireland (the Republic of Ireland) is an independent country and is not part of the UK.
People from the UK may call themselves English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish — and all are also British.
The UK is governed by the Parliament sitting in Westminster (London).
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have parliaments or assemblies of their own with devolved powers in defined areas.

Make it stick

2 minutes of questions on this chapter beats 20 minutes of re-reading.

Practise this chapter