What's so great about Great Britain?

Question: What's so great about Great Britain!?

I mean if America called itself Great America, besides having the same name as an amusement park, we would be considered to have delusions of grandeur, as would most other countries who called themselves that!. Why is Britain so much better!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The geographical term Great Britain was used to distinguish the largest of the British Isles from Brittany, or Little Britain!. When James I succeeded Elizabeth in 1603 he proposed that the union of the crowns should be followed by a governmental union and suggested the name Great Britain!.

Though the English Parliament could not be brought to agree, James adopted the name by proclamation and used it on his coinage!. It was given statutory authority by the Act of Union with Scotland in 1707!. This usage lasted until the Act of Union with Ireland in 1801, which substituted the term ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland’!.
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The USA is just a bit of America!. Most of America is not the USA!.

Great Britain is the island which is Britain plus all the outlying islands - the Orkneys, Shetlands, Channel Islands, Anglesey, the Isle of Man plus Ireland!. It's a geographical description, not a political one!. Britain - the political entity - is the United Kingdom!.

America is a continent running from Canada to Argentina!. Is all this too difficult to grasp!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Great Britain is not called "Great Britain" because it is "Great!." When somebody refers to the island of Great Britain, they are referring to the large island containing England, Wales, and Scotland!. This island is called "Great" Britain because it is of a great size than its neighboring island, Ireland!. It is almost the same concept as Asia Minor and Asia Major!. Their names have nothing to do with them as a group of countries, rather, it has to do with their size!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

'Great' Britain is just a geographical expression!.!.!.!.'Britain' by itself means England and Wales (up to Scotland); 'Great Britain' is the whole island!.

(Nothing to do with comparison to Ireland, in one of above answers!.)

Comparison: New York City is the city by itself, 'Greater New York' is the city and its surrounding suburbs!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm British and i think the reason its called great britain is theres not only england theres scotland, ireland and wales plus isle of white, man and jersey!. we actually dont say were from GREAT BRITAIN we just say where from the UK or england etc!. Why are you so bothered by this that you had to ask a question LOL LOL,Www@QuestionHome@Com

it was originially nothing to do with 'greatness' mate, just that it was a state that included all the nations of the british isles, as opposed to what had gone before, when the british nations were split into their own states eg england, scotland, wales, ireland!.
this meaning is not really that widely known these days, so people often think its just becuase the british are up themselves!. well we aint, at least not any more than any other country, and we dont as a matter of course describe ourselves as the 'greatest nation on earth' as some others i could name are so fond of doing!.

have a good oneWww@QuestionHome@Com

Well, they ruled the waves, so Britons never, never, never ere be slaves!.

also, the sun never set on the British Empire!.

BTW, I think the American president does call it "Great America" but thinks it IS the amusement park!Www@QuestionHome@Com

England,Wales,Scotland and ireland aren't just called Great Britain!. they are also called just Britain,United Kingdom or the individual country name (eg Scotland)

also the British controlled most of the world at one point in the Victorian era!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

it is i guess gr8!. *** on they were such a small and prissy country that took ovr so many bigger countries!. they r witty ppl who think too much of htemselves which i think was srt of their downfall in the us!. but i think the rest of the world srt of proved them rong but thye just kept acting britishWww@QuestionHome@Com

Must be something,

otherwise it would have been called " Good Britain" or
Pretty Good BritainWww@QuestionHome@Com

It was a great nation that the sun never set on have colonized many lands!.Www@QuestionHome@Com