SettleReady › Life in the UK Test
Chapter 2: What is the UK?
The four countries
The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. "Great Britain" means only England, Scotland and Wales. The UK sits in north west Europe.
Crown dependencies and overseas territories
The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK. They are Crown dependencies with their own governments. There are also British overseas territories around the world, such as St Helena and the Falkland Islands, which are linked to the UK but are not part of it.
Who governs
The UK Parliament sits at Westminster in London. Since 1997 some powers — for example over health and education — have been devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which each have their own parliament or assembly. Defence, foreign affairs and some other matters stay with the UK Parliament.
Practice questions on this chapter
Tap a question to see the answer and explanation.
What is the official name of the country?
- The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- The United Kingdom of England and Scotland
- Great Britain and the Commonwealth
- The British Isles
Answer: A. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Where is the UK Parliament located?
- Westminster, London
- Manchester
- Cardiff
- Edinburgh
Answer: A. Westminster, London
The UK Parliament sits at Westminster in London. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own devolved bodies.
Is this statement TRUE or FALSE? The Isle of Man has its own government.
- TRUE
- FALSE
Answer: A. TRUE
The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are Crown dependencies with their own governments.
Which TWO countries are part of Great Britain?
- Northern Ireland
- The Isle of Man
- Scotland
- Wales
Answer: C. Scotland and D. Wales
Great Britain is made up of England, Scotland and Wales.
Which island group off the coast of France has a special relationship with the UK but is not part of it?
- The Isles of Scilly
- The Channel Islands
- The Hebrides
- The Orkney Islands
Answer: B. The Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are Crown dependencies. Orkney, the Hebrides and the Isles of Scilly are part of the UK.
Test yourself on every question in this chapter in the app, with explanations in English and translations in Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Punjabi, Chinese and French.
← Chapter 1: The values and principles of the UK · Chapter 3: A long and illustrious history →