[Right_Wing_Madman]

Are they still officially known as Great Britain? I thought they dropped that right during the 80s.

Offial name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

[Winniesboy]

Contrary to the widespread belief outside the country (and even within it) the ‘Great’ in ‘Great Britain’ was never a self-congratulatory indication of status, but simply a geographical expression for the largest island in the British Isles. The state became ‘Great Britain’ when ‘North Britain’ (ie Scotland) joined England in the Unions of 1603 (crown) and 1707 (Parliament). Before this the term was sometimes used to distinguish the large British island from ‘Little Britain (Britanny).