Great Britain, therefore, is a geographic term referring to the island also known simply as Britain. United Kingdom, on the other hand, is purely a political term: it’s the independent country that encompasses all of Great Britain and the region now called Northern Ireland.

Great Britain is an island off the western coast of Europe and comprises England, Scotland, and Wales. Although the term is often used as a synonym for the United Kingdom, the difference between United Kingdom and Great Britain is that the UK also includes Northern Ireland and a number of offshore islands in addition to Great Britain.