Seminar № 2 “General Information about the uk”

1. Geographical position of the UK. What is the difference between the expressions: Great Britain, the UK and the British Isles?

The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (to give its full name) refers to the political union between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The UK is a sovereign state, but the nations that make it up are also countries in their own right. From 1801 to 1922 the UK also included all of Ireland.The Channel Islands and Isle of Man are not part of the UK, but are Crown Dependencies.

Great Britain

Great Britain is the official collective name of of England, Scotland and Wales and their associated islands. It does not include Northern Ireland and therefore should never be used interchangeably with ‘UK’ – something you see all too often.

British Isles

This is purely a geographical term – it refers to the islands of Great Britain and Ireland – including the Republic of Ireland – and the 5000 or so smaller islands scattered around our coasts. Remember this only refers to geography, not nationality, and while the Republic of Ireland is part of the British Isles, its people are not British – a very important distinction.

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/whats-the-difference-between-uk-britain-and-british-isles

It occupies the island of Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, as well as many smaller islands and archipelagos that belong to the British Isles.

It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and its seas, including the North Sea (in the east of Great Britain) and the Irish Sea (between Great Britain and Ireland).

The country is 966 km long from north to south, and its widest part is approximately 480 km wide.

The southernmost point is the Cornwall Peninsula, and the northernmost point is the Shetland Islands archipelago.

The country shares a land border with only one other country, the Republic of Ireland, which occupies the southern part of the island of Ireland, while the northern part belongs to the United Kingdom.

The country's borders are primarily maritime, with the English Channel separating it from France in the south and the North Sea separating it from Belgium and Norway in the southeast.

3 Crown Dependencies (Channel Islands & Isle of Man):

They have the status of "territories for which the United Kingdom is responsible", rather than sovereign states. As a result, they are not member states of the Commonwealth of Nations. However, they do have relationships with the Commonwealth and other international organisations, and are members of the British–Irish Council. They have their own teams in the Commonwealth Games.

Beyond 'Overseas Territories': The Crown Dependencies aren't part of the UK, nor are they overseas territories. They're «sui generis» (Latin; literally "peculiar, one of a kind") is a Latin expression that denotes the uniqueness of a legal structure (act, law, status, etc. The first cases of using the expression were found in the 17th century in scientific materials. The phrase was used in relation to individual diseases, substances, and even stones that were unique at that time. By the beginning of the 20th century, "sui generis" had gone beyond the purely scientific context. ) – meaning they're in a category of their own! They are self-governing possessions of the Crown, not of the UK Government. This is a relationship that goes back centuries, predating the UK itself.

Ancient Laws Still in Effect: The Isle of Man still observes Tynwald Day (July 5th), where laws must be proclaimed in both English and Manx Gaelic. Failure to do so means the law doesn't come into effect on the island. Some laws on the Channel Islands are also still written and debated first in Norman French.

Tax Havens, but Complex: They're often branded as tax havens; while there's truth to that, it's more nuanced. They have their own tax systems, and the level of transparency and regulation has increased significantly in recent years due to international pressure. These jurisdictions have developed important financial service industries based on historical and constitutional grounds, offering specialized services.

WWII Occupation Legacy: The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by Nazi Germany during WWII. The occupation profoundly impacted the islands, leading to food shortages, forced labor, and moral dilemmas for the inhabitants. The islanders largely followed a strategy of passive resistance. This period is still a defining element of Channel Island identity.