The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, usually shortened to the United Kingdom, GB orUK, is a sovereign state in northwest Europe. It is made up of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotlandand Wales.^[3]

About 61 million people live in the UK. Most people in the UK speak English. There are several other native languages, other than English. They are Welsh in Wales, Gaelic and Scots in Scotland, Irish in Northern Ireland, French in the Channel Islands, Cornish in Cornwall and Angloromani. About 270 other languages are 

Great Britain: from AD 1707

The inhabitants of Britain - the island containingEngland,Wales andScotland - live in a state of some confusion over their group identity. Their cars, travelling abroad, display the letters GB (for Great Britain). Their diplomats, at international conferences, sit behind the letters UK (for United Kingdom).

Act of Union: AD 1707

Neither phrase is much used in ordinary conversation. The English, by far the majority within the United Kingdom, have a tendency to call their nation England - with notorious disregard for the sensibilities of the Welsh and the Scots, with whom they have been linked since 1536 and 1707 respectively. 

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