A lot of people in Nigeria and indeed all over the world, including well travelled, elite class people often confuse England, United Kingdom, Britain and Great Britain. Well, here’s the way to differentiate them:
England is a country just as Nigeria, and its capital is London just like Abuja is the capital of Nigeria.
Great Britain is a collection of 3 countries which came together as one country and has its capital as London. Those 3 countries are:
- England,
- Scotland and
- Wales.
When you include Northern Ireland to these 3 countries, they become United Kingdom (union of four nations) Viz:
- England,
- Scotland,
- Wales, and
- Northern Ireland.
That is why it is referred to as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Collectively, the four are taken as one country. And when this is the case, London is its capital.
Note however that these four individual nations all have their own respective capitals.
Accordingly, the capital of
Scotland is Edinburgh,
Wales is Cardiff;
Northern Ireland is Belfast;
England is London.
Ps: Northern Ireland is not to be mistaken for the Republic of Ireland. The latter is a separate country. Its capital is Dublin.
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