Read Next
Discover
Great Britain
island, Europe
- Also called:
- Britain
News •
Record year for wind power in Great Britain in 2024
• Jan. 6, 2025, 7:05 AM ET (BBC)
New bone test could rewrite British history, say scientists
• Jan. 2, 2025, 4:01 AM ET (BBC)
Tour de Ski World Cup: Britain's Andrew Musgrave wins stage three bronze
• Dec. 31, 2024, 4:19 AM ET (BBC)
James Jones: Great Britain cyclist retires from competitive BMX
• Dec. 31, 2024, 12:58 AM ET (BBC)
Asda: NI farmers protest over 'excluding NI produce' claims
• Dec. 22, 2024, 6:43 AM ET (BBC)
Great Britain, island lying to the east of the island of Ireland and off the northwestern coast of Europe. It consists of England, Scotland, and Wales. Great Britain is part of the British Isles, together with the island of Ireland as well as smaller islands and island groups.
The term Great Britain, which this article uses as a geographic designation, is often used as a synonym for the United Kingdom, a political entity that includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales and that was once part of the British Empire.