Chapter 2: What is the UK
The UK is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The rest of Ireland is an independent country.
​
The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ‘Great Britain’ refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, not to Northern Ireland. The words ‘Britain’, Isles’ or ‘British’, however, are used in this book to refer to everyone in the UK.
​
There are also several islands which are closely linked with the UK but are not part of it: the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. These have their own governments and are called ‘Crown dependencies’. There are also several British overseas territories in other parts of the world, such as St Helena and the Falkland Islands. They are also linked to the UK but are not a part of it.
The counties constituting the United Kingdom are England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The UK is governed by the parliament sitting in Westminster. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have parliaments or assemblies of their own, with devolved powers in defined areas.
Ensure you understand:
-
The various countries that make up the United Kingdom.
174,000+
LIFE IN THE UK TESTS TAKEN
Join over a million people who have taken their life in the UK test. Our trusted team is here for you! Prepare for you test and book your test today
30
TEST CENTERS ACROSS THE UK
Change Your Name by Deed Poll with Confidence! 100% Acceptance Guarantee by all organisations and government offices or Your Money Back!