If, like me, you tire easily trying to explain the difference between the UK, Great Britain, Wales, England, etc, you might find this Venn diagram to be of value.


http://qntm.org/uk

Very cool. Thanks for that; a Venn diagram warms my little engineer heart.

What happened to the Isle of Mann and the Channel Islands?

: smacks forehead :

Don't think they'd be considered part of the British Isles so the UK bubble would have to be shifted to the right so that the part of it outside the British Isles could contain the above.

Can someone tell me why the Channel Islands have some sort of tax treaty that prevents them from shipping to the US?

The Channel Islands part of the British Overseas Territories. They have their own governent with tax raising and legislative powers. Although they are also covered by acts of the UK government:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Islands

Cheers ScousePete ... a lovely Venn diagram.

I've never had much of a problem explaining the difference between UK & GB, it's the Northern Ireland/Rep. Ireland thing that I have problems with. 90% of people here that I try to explain to they are different countries think I'm making it up.

Is that near London?

LOL I just say yes, cant be asked

Though it's a horribly negative thing, most Americans are aware of the IRA and bombings. Northern Ireland, to them, is the part of Ireland that is disputably controlled by the UK but also claimed by Ireland.

Let's work on the difference between England and Britain before giving them any harder stuff...

Also the Northern Ireland thing seems to differ depending on your religion.

For example, my sister-in-law is originally from Newtonabbey nr. Belfast and is a Protestant. If anyone asks where she is from when they hear her accent she always says 'Northern Ireland'.

On the other hand, every Catholic I've ever met whom hails from Northern Ireland will tell you that they're from Ireland (and also generally tend to choose to have Irish rather than the British passports).

Good link thanks. I shall print a bunch, keep them in my back pocket and hand 'em out when necessary (often)

So would they be in a circle with the Falkland Islands, for example?