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United Kingdom

Definition

A country located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe comprising England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Analogy

The United Kingdom is like a family with four siblings (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) - each with their own distinct personalities and sometimes disagreements but ultimately bound together.

Related terms

Devolution: The transfer or delegation of power to a lower level, especially by central government to local or regional administration. In UK context it refers to powers given to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Commonwealth: An intergovernmental organization of 54 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire.

Industrial Revolution: A period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840 where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transport had profound effect on socioeconomic conditions starting in UK.