Countries of the British Isles: Two Sovereign States, Five Nations

The British Isles is a geographical term for an archipelago off NW Europe. It comprises two sovereign states and five distinct nations/countries:

Sovereign States

1. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK)
   • England
   • Scotland
   • Wales
   • Northern Ireland
2. Republic of Ireland (Ireland / Éire) – independent since 1922

Nations/Countries (Cultural/Political)

• England – 56M, capital London (UK capital)
• Scotland – 5.5M, capital Edinburgh (devolved parliament)
• Wales – 3.1M, capital Cardiff (devolved parliament)
• Northern Ireland – 1.9M, capital Belfast (devolved assembly, power-sharing)
• Republic of Ireland – 5.1M, capital Dublin (EU member, euro)

Key Distinctions

• "Great Britain" = England + Scotland + Wales (island).
• "UK" = Great Britain + Northern Ireland.
• "British Isles" = UK + Republic of Ireland + Crown Dependencies (Isle of Man, Channel Islands) + 6,000+ smaller islands.
• Crown Dependencies: Self-governing, not UK/IE, UK handles defense/foreign affairs.