Two Independent Countries in the British Isles: UK and Republic of Ireland

The term "British Isles" is a geographical term for the archipelago off NW Europe. It contains two sovereign states:

1. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) — comprises England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.
2. Republic of Ireland (Ireland / Éire) — comprises 26 counties, independent since 1922 (Irish Free State), republic since 1949.

Clarifications

• "British Isles" ≠ "United Kingdom." The UK is one state; the Isles include Ireland.
• Some prefer "Britain and Ireland" or "Atlantic Archipelago" to avoid political connotations.
• Crown Dependencies (Isle of Man, Channel Islands) are self-governing but not sovereign.
• Over 6,000 smaller islands.

So: The two independent countries are the UK and the Republic of Ireland.