The lesson
Great Britain is the large island containing England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland is part of the UK but is not on the island of Great Britain.
The full state name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Use “UK” when referring to all four countries, and “Great Britain” when referring to the island or its three countries; they are not interchangeable.
Locate the UK and its neighbours
Great Britain is the island containing England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland is on the island of Ireland; together the four countries form the UK (teal). The Republic of Ireland is a separate state (grey). The Isle of Man and Channel Islands are Crown dependencies outside the UK. Dots locate islands and are enlarged; internal UK country boundaries are not drawn.
Natural Earth · public domain · educational labels/layout CC0Use the names at the correct scale: England is one country; Great Britain is the island containing England, Scotland, and Wales; the United Kingdom is the state containing those three countries and Northern Ireland. “Britain” is sometimes used informally for the UK, but Great Britain does not include Northern Ireland.
The present full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Acts of Union in 1707 created Great Britain. The union with Ireland in 1801 created an earlier form of the United Kingdom. Most of Ireland later left; Northern Ireland remained.
Dates to keep separate
Great Britain before the United Kingdom.
Memory tip: Great Britain = England, Scotland, Wales. Today’s UK also includes Northern Ireland.