# At last! A clear Explanation of the Difference Between England, the UK, Great Britain, etc... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 2, 2011, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869 "2011-02-02T06:39:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/21 "2011-02-04T20:18:14Z")
Historians have started referring to the Atlantic Isles to sidestep all of these bruised egos, don’t know why they bother quite frankly (seems as pointless as changing BC to BCE so it’s not technically Christian any more - still the same calendar though). ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/22 "2011-02-05T01:19:14Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Nah, they always said it was going to rain. I watched RTE instead, they were more optimistic. That would explain why our bad weather always came from the west. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/23 "2011-02-05T01:41:56Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > He doesn’t mention that many Irish people find the geographic term British Isles objectionable. IMO, they need to grow up. When I lived in Ireland I heard someone suggesting “IONA” (islands of the north Atlantic) instead. Meh. It’s not a political term, and it goes back to Pytheas and Ptolemy the Greek; get over it. That **bucketybuck** has never heard that term doesn’t surprise me though, as the Irish educational system does seem to avoid such questions. > [@](#): > > He also doesn’t mention that most people in Northern Ireland can carry Irish passports. I wouldn’t imagine it is “most”. A significant minority, I’d suggest. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/24 "2011-02-05T05:16:16Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > IMO, they need to grow up. When I lived in Ireland I heard someone suggesting “IONA” (islands of the north Atlantic) instead. Meh. It’s not a political term, and it goes back to Pytheas and Ptolemy the Greek; get over it. That **bucketybuck** has never heard that term doesn’t surprise me though, as the Irish educational system does seem to avoid such questions.I wouldn’t imagine it is “most”. A significant minority, I’d suggest. AIUI any citizen of NI with an Irish or British parent can hold an Irish passport. WRT the politicisation of a geographic term you may say meh but you’re not Irish, as much experience as you have living here and as much valid and illuminating info you offer on your experiences in and of this country what you say does not invalidate what i stated. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/25 "2011-02-05T10:51:08Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > AIUI any citizen of NI with an Irish or British parent can hold an Irish passport. > > WRT the politicisation of a geographic term you may say meh but you’re not Irish, as much experience as you have living here and as much valid and illuminating info you offer on your experiences in and of this country what you say does not invalidate what i stated. No, but it does add to the reason why we don’t feel the need to explain that the term is offensive. If even someone who has lived in Ireland can’t be bothered to care, why should we? I also agree with SciFiSam: I knew most of that already. The rest I didn’t know because I didn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/26 "2011-02-05T14:04:10Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > WRT the politicisation of a geographic term you may say meh but you’re not Irish, as much experience as you have living here and as much valid and illuminating info you offer on your experiences in and of this country what you say does not invalidate what i stated. I have to say that I think ‘meh’ to IONA, too - because where do you draw the arbitrary northern border? Shetland? The Faroes? Iceland? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/27 "2011-02-05T15:02:01Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I have to say that I think ‘meh’ to IONA, too - because where do you draw the arbitrary northern border? Shetland? The Faroes? Iceland? Hey I’ve no alternative, it was just a comment on that presentation, which seems aimed at a primarily North American audience who _might_ find it useful to know that factoid about the term British Isles. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/28 "2011-02-05T16:50:01Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > > > I believe it’s slightly cheaper to get an Irish one though. 🙂 > > About 30 quid less, if I remember rightly from last year 🙂 Free for our family when Dad came over all nationalistic and ordered a batch of Irish passports for us 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/29 "2011-02-06T02:01:49Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I wouldn’t imagine it is “most”. A significant minority, I’d suggest. I hold both, applied for the Irish one mainly because I’d heard rumours that they were tightening up the rules and thought I may as well have it. Good job as my British passport ran out a couple of years ago _(note to self, get it renewed!)_ I’ve been surprised on more than one occassion when an acquaintance of the Unionist ilk turned out to also hold an Irish passport, I think that, the upsurge in dissident violence not withstanding, people in Northern Ireland are getting more relaxed about the whole identity thing. However in my job I occassionally have to ask what nationality people consider themselves as _(for governmental statistical purposes)_ and its not unusual to have people answer, “Catholic” and so on. Bit of confusion creeping in there… btw I find it interesting that citizens of the Republic of Ireland can join the UK Armed Forces with pretty much no problems. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/30 "2011-02-06T04:38:07Z")
The Ulsterman I live with says most people in NI have British passports, as **jjimm** suggested, and those with Irish ones are a significant minority. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/31 "2011-02-06T09:35:50Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > btw I find it interesting that citizens of the Republic of Ireland can join the UK Armed Forces with pretty much no problems. That’s not peculiar to Ireland, though. Even leaving aside the Ghurkas, there are a lot of foreign nationals serving in the UK Armed Forces. Mostly from the Commonwealth, of course, but there are a surprisingly large number of Fijians, for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/32 "2011-02-06T15:10:48Z")
So, the crown claims a slice of Antarctica, does it? ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/33 "2011-02-06T15:19:18Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > He doesn’t mention that many Irish people find the geographic term British Isles objectionable. > He also doesn’t mention that most people in Northern Ireland can carry Irish passports. Are those same Irish opposed to the naming of the Irish Sea? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/34 "2011-02-06T15:46:25Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > So, the crown claims a slice of Antarctica, does it? A lot of countries do, including the United States. Going from memory … Norway, Russia, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina … ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/35 "2011-02-06T15:55:52Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > A lot of countries do, including the United States. > > Going from memory … Norway, Russia, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina … Actually the US does not appear to claim any antarctic territory. > **[Territorial claims in Antarctica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_claims_in_Antarctica)** > > Seven sovereign states – Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom – have made eight territorial claims in Antarctica. These countries have tended to place their Antarctic scientific observation and study facilities within their respective claimed territories; however, a number of such facilities are located outside of the area claimed by their respective countries of operation, and countries without claims such as Ukraine, Spain, China, India, Italy, Japan,... ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/36 "2011-02-06T20:22:17Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > > [@acsenray](#): > > > > A lot of countries do, including the United States. > > > > Going from memory … Norway, Russia, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina … > > Actually the US does not appear to claim any antarctic territory. > > [Territorial claims in Antarctica - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_claims_in_Antarctica) Nor does Russia. But both Russia and the US reserve the right to. (BTW, to add to Qadgop’s list (though I know it was just from memory and deficiencies are to be expected), France and Chile were missed. (This is also from my memory, but I’m a geography geek … ) ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/37 "2011-02-06T20:26:14Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > Are those same Irish opposed to the naming of the Irish Sea? 😉 Yes, people need to stop calling it the Atlantic. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/38 "2011-02-06T20:54:42Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > The Ulsterman I live with says most people in NI have British passports, as **jjimm** suggested, and those with Irish ones are a significant minority. He didn’t say most people _do_ he said most people _can_ which I think is an accurate statement. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/39 "2011-02-06T22:37:06Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > Are those same Irish opposed to the naming of the Irish Sea? 😉 I calls it a moat. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869/40 "2011-02-06T22:41:52Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > The Ulsterman I live with says most people in NI have British passports, as **jjimm** suggested, and those with Irish ones are a significant minority. I said they can not that they do as **TruCelt** has pointed out above but it does raise the interesting question as to how many people in NI carry one, other or both passports. It’s probably for another thread though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-last-a-clear-explanation-of-the-difference-between-england-the-uk-great-britain-etc/569869.md?page=3)