Home · Chapter 2
What is the UK?: practice questions
This chapter explains which countries make up the United Kingdom and Great Britain, the difference between Crown dependencies and overseas territories, and where the UK is governed from. It is the shortest chapter in the handbook. (Capital cities and the Union Flag are covered in later chapters, and you'll find those questions there.)
All 12 questions and answers in this chapter
Use this list to revise. Open a question to see the answer and a short explanation.
1. Which countries make up the United Kingdom?
Answer: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The UK is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The rest of Ireland is an independent country.
2. Which countries make up Great Britain?
Answer: England, Scotland and Wales
Great Britain refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, not Northern Ireland.
3. Is the following statement true or false? The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are part of the UK.
Answer: False
The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are Crown dependencies. They are closely linked with the UK but are not part of it.
4. What is the official name of the country?
Answer: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
5. Is the following statement true or false? The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory.
Answer: True
British overseas territories such as the Falkland Islands and St Helena are linked to the UK but are not part of it.
6. Which TWO places are Crown dependencies?
Answer: The Isle of Man and The Channel Islands
The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are Crown dependencies with their own governments. Northern Ireland is part of the UK and the Falklands are an overseas territory.
7. Is the following statement true or false? Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have parliaments or assemblies with powers to make laws on some issues.
Answer: True
Some powers are devolved, so Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own parliament or assembly. The UK Parliament at Westminster governs the whole UK.
8. Is the following statement true or false? The whole of the island of Ireland is part of the UK.
Answer: False
Only Northern Ireland is part of the UK. The rest of Ireland is an independent country.
9. Where does the parliament that governs the UK sit?
Answer: Westminster
The UK is governed by the parliament sitting in Westminster. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own parliaments or assemblies with devolved powers.
10. Which of these is a British overseas territory?
Answer: St Helena
St Helena and the Falkland Islands are British overseas territories. The Isle of Man and Jersey (one of the Channel Islands) are Crown dependencies.
11. Is the following statement true or false? The Crown dependencies have their own governments.
Answer: True
The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man have their own governments. They are called Crown dependencies and are not part of the UK.
12. Is the following statement true or false? The words 'Britain' and 'British' can be used to refer to everyone in the UK.
Answer: True
Strictly, 'Great Britain' means England, Scotland and Wales only, but 'Britain' and 'British' are commonly used for everyone in the UK.
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