Chapter 2
What is the UK?
The four nations, capitals, flags, patron saints, languages, and how the United Kingdom is put together.
The four nations
- 1The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- 2Great Britain means England, Scotland and Wales only — not Northern Ireland.
- 3Capitals: London (England, and of the UK), Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales), Belfast (Northern Ireland).
- 4England has by far the largest population of the four nations.
How the Union was formed
- 11707: the Act of Union joined England (already united with Wales) and Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain.
- 21801: Ireland joined, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
- 3In 1922 Ireland was partitioned. The Irish Free State left the UK; Northern Ireland remained. The official name became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Flags, saints and emblems
- 1The Union Flag (Union Jack) combines the crosses of St George (England), St Andrew (Scotland) and St Patrick (Ireland). Wales is not represented on it.
- 2St George’s Day: 23 April. St Andrew’s Day: 30 November. St David’s Day: 1 March. St Patrick’s Day: 17 March.
- 3National flowers: rose (England), thistle (Scotland), daffodil (Wales), shamrock (Northern Ireland).
Languages and related territories
- 1English is the main language. Welsh is an official language in Wales. Other languages include Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots and Cornish.
- 2Crown dependencies — the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (including Jersey and Guernsey) — are not part of the UK.
- 3British overseas territories include places such as Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, St Helena, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
Life in the UK Test Practice Questions
Test your knowledge with some sample questions from Chapter 2.
Question 1. Which three territories form Great Britain?
- A) Scotland
- B) Northern Ireland
- C) England
- D) Wales
Correct answer: Scotland; England; Wales
‘Great Britain’ refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, not to Northern Ireland .
Question 2. Which Court deals with the most serious civil cases in Scotland?
- A) The Court of Session
- B) The High Court
- C) The Sheriff Court
- D) The Crown Court
Correct answer: The Court of Session
More serious civil cases – for example, when a large amount of compensation is being claimed – are dealt with in the High Court of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, they are dealt with in the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
Question 3. Which of the following statements is true?
- A) Great Britain refers to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- B) Great Britain refers only to England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, not to Wales.
- C) Great Britain refers only to England, Wales, Northern Ireland, not to Scotland.
- D) Great Britain refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, not to Northern Ireland.
Correct answer: Great Britain refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, not to Northern Ireland.
Great Britain refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, not to Northern Ireland.
Question 4. What percentage of the total British population is located in Northern Ireland?
- A) 8%
- B) Less than 3%
- C) 5%
- D) 30%
Correct answer: Less than 3%
The population is very unequally distributed over the four parts of the UK. England more or less consistently makes up 84% of the total population, Wales around 5%, Scotland just over 8%, and Northern Ireland less than 3% .
Question 5. Each of the UK countries is associated with a flower symbol, which country is associated with the rose?
- A) Wales
- B) England
- C) Scotland
- D) Northern Ireland
Correct answer: England
The countries that make up the UK all have flowers which are particularly associated with them and which are sometimes worn on national saints’ days. The flowers associated to each country are as follows: England – the rose , Scotland – the thistle, Wales – the daffodil and Northern Ireland – the shamrock.
Ready to practise more? Take a full Life in the UK Test practice test.