Question on official names of England, Scotland, Wales...

[L. Kafka]

...and Northern Ireland.

I was speaking with a fellow from Wales and asked him if Wales was designated as a 'province' of the U.K. as is Ontario, Canada, for example. I realize that said four regions comprise the U.K., but what is their legal titles?

[Liam]

At the risk of offending Welsh and Ulster readers, I believe that only Scotland had official status as a 'country' for most of the period that the United Kingdom has existed. Wales was conquered by Edward I in the 1300s and lost its independence as did Ireland. After Irish partition Ulster was retained as a province of the UK. Feel happy to correct me if I'm wrong!

[Prit]

Scotland is a nation.

Wales is a principality.

Northern Ireland is - I think - a province.

They all have slightly different legal statuses. Scotland has a separate set of laws and its own currency. I believe that technically, Bank of England money is not legal tender in Scotland, nor are Scottish bank notes legal tender in England, but in practice nobody really bothers with the distinctions.

Wales is essentially governed using the same laws as England, but the Welsh Assembly - roughly analogous to state legislature in North America - has limited powers to pass laws pertinent to Wales. In practice, this is limited to issues such as health and education.

Northern Ireland is ... er ... completely different. My knowledge of it is limited to three days of army service, spent pretending to be a bush near the Armagh border and culminating in the most frightening 20 minutes of my life, so I'll leave someone else to tell more about its legal status!

Prit

[L. Kafka]

I appreciate the feedback, but I think the point of my query may have been missed.

For example, Canada is 'The Dominion of Canada'.

The state of Massachusetts is 'The Commonwealth of Massachusetts'.

Thailand is said to have the longest legal title, something like seventeen words.

I am curious as to how the parts of the U.K. are legally titled.

Is Scotland, for example, called 'The Kingdom of Scotland'?

If anyone in the U.K. has a government document, a driver's license or whatever, it should give it.

[Prit]

Kafka, I think I answered your question.

Kingdom of Scotland

Principality of Wales

Province of Northern Ireland.

Prit

[L. Kafka]

Is it The Kingdom of England?

[Marc Binazzi]

I think that there are separate sets of Laws for each "part" of the United Kingdom, sometimes with different names and different enforcement authorities.

One specific example is the legislation regarding environment and pollution control, and for instance the enforcement authority for England and Wales is the Water Authority and in Scotland it is the River Purification Authority. In Northern Ireland, it is the Department of Environment (NI), and there are many more similar examples.

[L. Kafka]

Is it the Republic of France?

[Prit]

Right on both counts, Kafka.

[L. Kafka]

That what they call city and the campus of University of California at Berkeley.

Or simply, Bizerkeley for all the bizarre people there.

[Howard]

Prit wrote:

Scotland is a nation.

Wales is a principality

A principality is also a nation is it not?

[Ernest Penfold]

A principality is also a nation is it not?

If I recall correctly, a principality is a nation that exists mostly through the good graces of a neighbour. For example, Monaco's relationship with France makes it a principality. I think one of the other conditions is that its leader cannot be a king, which is why Monaco is lead by Prince Rainier and not King Rainier.

[L. Kafka]

Let's call the whole thing off.

The booby prize goes to whoever can give the full legal name of Thailand.

[Ernest Penfold]

That's easy enough - "The Kingdom of Thailand"

[awaygood]

Why not just visit the UK Government website?