English, British, UK or None Trivia Quiz

Answer: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The country is officially called The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. England stops at the Welsh and Scottish borders. Great Britain comprises England, Wales and Scotland. The UK includes Northern Ireland but not Eire, or, more correctly known as, The Republic of Ireland.

Answer: True

Although not part of Great Britain, or the UK, Ireland is part of the British Isles. Apart from Great Britain and Ireland, the British Isles is a group of over 6000 smaller islands. Also included is the Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man. The Channel Islands are traditionally considered part of the UK, although not part of the British Isles.

Answer: Scotland

Scottish Law is a separate legislation to English Law. Since the 1707 Act of Union, London has had more to say over certain aspects of Scottish Law (i.e., the defence of the country), but there is still a separate legislature that governs large parts of the law north of the border. Contractual and marriage laws are two such differences.

In England and Wales, the lower age for a person to sign such an agreement is 18, in Scotland it is 16. This was one reason why so many young couples eloped to Gretna Green in the past.

Although the Welsh also have their own assembly it does not have the same powers. There is also Northern Ireland Law which broadly follows English Law but came into effect, with minor differences in procedure, with the partition of Ireland in 1921.

Answer: True

Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands all issue their own bank notes. Bank of England notes are fully accepted everywhere within the UK and its territories. Scottish, Irish and other notes may not be readily accepted in England and Wales though. Scottish banks issue a £100 note, whereas the Bank of England only issues up to £50, and even those are viewed with suspicion because of the number of forgeries that have appeared in the past. Manx and Channel Islands notes would have a definite problem being accepted on the mainland.

Answer: None

Hong Kong was 'leased' from China following the Opium Wars of the mid-19th century and returned to them in 1997 after being part of the British Empire for almost 150 years. Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory and has been since 1704 when it was captured from Spain during the Wars of Spanish Succession.

The Falkland Islands are another Overseas Territory. These Overseas Territories are self-governing but look to Britain for some protection. If you visit them you will see familiar things such as the red post boxes and policemen in the standard 'British Bobby' uniform. Most inhabitants are fiercely proud of being 'British'.

Answer: 3

This may be disputed by a large number of Welsh, but Cardiff, legally, is not a capital city. It is a de facto capital. This means 'in practice but not ordained by law'. By this definition the capital of Wales is London. The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh, and the capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast (this was established in 1921 following the Government of Ireland Act 1920).

Answer: 0

Crown Dependencies are self-governing, independent possessions of the Crown. They do not form part of the United Kingdom and so cannot send an elected representative to Westminster. The Crown Dependencies are the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey, better known as The Channel Islands.

Answer: There isn't one

England doesn't have a separate anthem. By common convention, Wales uses 'Land of My Fathers', Scotland uses 'Flower of Scotland' and Northern Ireland sometimes uses 'Londonderry Air' otherwise known as 'Danny Boy'. At some sporting fixtures 'Land of Hope and Glory' or 'Jerusalem' are played, but in reality there is not an official nation anthem for any part of the UK. Even 'God Save the Queen (King)' is used by convention and not as a result of an Act of Parliament designating it as an official anthem.

Answer: United Kingdom

The Court of St James is the royal court of the United Kingdom, even though the sovereign lives at, and receives official visitors at, Buckingham Palace. The Palace of St James, established and built by Henry VIII, is the senior palace and official residence of the sovereign even though a reigning monarch hasn't lived there since Queen Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837.

When the monarch moves around, such as at Easter (to Sandringham House) and Christmas (Balmoral), the Court of St James moves with them.

This means that anyone wishing to have an audience with the sovereign has to travel as well because the appointment is to the Court and not to parliament which stays in London.

Answer: None

There is free and unrestricted travel between all parts of the British Isles, including the Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands providing you are travelling within the conditions of your visa. Once you arrive you do not need a separate visa to visit any of them. Remember though that it only applies to the British Isles and the Channel Islands and if security concerns dictate you may be advised to carry some form of photographic ID.