Great Britain is the large island that is made up of three countries: England , Scotland , and Wales.

Core definition

When people say “Great Britain,” they mean the island (and by extension, the political unit tied to it), not the whole United Kingdom. It sits to the east of Ireland and off the north‑west coast of mainland Europe.

What makes up Great Britain?

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Wales

All three together share the same main island, and collectively they are often referred to as Great Britain.

Great Britain vs United Kingdom

The United Kingdom (full name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) includes:

  • Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales)
  • Plus Northern Ireland, on the island of Ireland.

So:

  • “Great Britain” = England + Scotland + Wales (the big island).
  • “UK” = Great Britain + Northern Ireland.

Simple example

If you drew a map and colored only the big island with London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff on it, that colored area would be Great Britain. If you then added Belfast across the Irish Sea, you would be showing the United Kingdom.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.