United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Abstract

‘Great Britain’ is a geographical term describing the main island of the British Isles which comprises England, Scotland and Wales (so called to distinguish it from ‘Little Britain’ or Brittany). By the Act of Union, 1801, Great Britain and Ireland formed a legislative union as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Since the separation of Great Britain and Ireland in 1921 Northern Ireland remained within the Union which is now the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom does not include the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man which are direct dependencies of the Crown with their own legislative and taxation systems.