h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The United Kingdom*1* (shortened to UK), is made up of the countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK itself is not a country but a union of countries run under one Sovereign. Great Britain refers to the geographic island which contains England, Scotland and Wales (the largest island of the British Isles).

Despite these facts, there are many misconceptions about the UK. Because England has a higher status than the other countries in the UK, the term 'England' is often used incorrectly to describe the whole of the UK.

Today the issues of National and British identities are very important, with devolution becoming an increasing issue. The attitudes towards the UK and its countries vary from place to place and person to person.

- Do you consider yourself to be British, or English/Welsh/Scottish/Irish? How strong is your national identity?

- Is devolution a good thing?

- Is the Union Flag*2* something you can take pride in, or a symbol of English imperialism with connotations of racism? Do you prefer to assiciate yourself with your country flag (the crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, St. Patrick and the Red Dragon)? Should Wales be included on the Union Flag*3*?

- Does England have a culture of its own, are you proud to be English?

- Should the languages of Welsh, Gaelic (spoken in parts of the Scottish Hebrides and Northern Ireland) and Scots (from the Scottish lowlands) be celebrated and revived?

- Is Brittannia cool?

- If you are not from the UK, do you primarily think of the UK as 'England'? How do you think of the other countries in the UK?

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FOOTNOTES

*1* - The United Kingdom is short for 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'.

*2* - The Union Flag is nicknamed 'The Union Jack' through being historically flown on the jack-staff of naval vessels.

*3* - Wales was not included on the Union Flag because at the time the flag was created, Wales was already 'united' with England due to the Welsh conquest led by Edward I (1277 - 1283).

Good suggestion Frankie.

We'll put it on our list of possibles.

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