| Revision as of 00:21, 30 May 2007 editRichardWeiss (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users75,870 edits one last try← Previous edit | Revision as of 00:26, 30 May 2007 edit undoSarah777 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers64,581 edits revert vandalismNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{totally disputed}} | |||
| #REDIRECT ] | |||
| {{dablink|This article describes the archipelago in north-western Europe. For those areas of the archipelago with constitutional links to the British monarchy, see ].}} | |||
| ] | |||
| The '''Britain and Ireland''' {{lang-ga|Oileáin Iarthair Eorpa}} or ''Oileáin Bhreataineacha'', ]: ''Ellanyn Goaldagh'', {{lang-cy|Ynysoedd Prydain}}) is a group of ] off the northwest coast of ] comprising ], ] and a number of smaller islands. | |||
| There are two ]s located on the islands: the ] and the ].<ref>The diplomatic and constitutional name of the Irish state is simply ''Ireland''. For disambiguation purposes "Republic of Ireland" is often used though technically that is not the name of the state but, according to the ''] 1948,'' its "description". ''Article 4, Bunreacht na hÉireann. Section 2, Republic of Ireland Act, 1948.''</ref> The group also includes the ] ] and ]. Some sources question the validity of including the Channel Isles within the British Isles, stating that they are not geographically a part of the archipelago.<ref><br/>Collier's Encyclopedia, 1997 Edition<br/>Don Aitken, "", February 2002 | |||
| {{blockquote|Usage is not consistent as to whether the Channel Islands are included - geographically they should not be, politically they should.}}</ref> Common uncertainties regarding the topography of the group are discussed in ]. The term ''British Isles'' is controversial,<ref> Myers, Kevin; The ] (subscription needed) 09/03/2000, Accessed July 2006 'millions of people from these islands — 'oh how angry we get when people call them the British Isles'<br> Diarmaid MacCulloch, The Reformation: Europe's House Divided 1490-1700. (London: Penguin/Allen Lane, 2003): “the collection of islands which embraces England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales has commonly been known as the British Isles. This title no longer pleases all the inhabitants of the islands, and a more neutral description is ‘the Atlantic Isles’” (p. xxvi)<br> On ] 2004 questioned the use of ''British Isles'' as a purely geographic expression, noting: | |||
| <blockquote> "Last Post has redoubled its efforts to re-educate those labouring under the misconception that Ireland is really just British. When British Retail Week magazine last week reported that a retailer was to make its British Isles debut in Dublin, we were puzzled. Is not Dublin the capital of the Republic of Ireland?...Archipelago of islands lying off the north-western coast of Europe?</blockquote>Retrieved 17 July 2006 | |||
| <br> "...I have called the Atlantic archipelago – since the term ‘British Isles’ is one which Irishmen reject and Englishmen decline to take quite seriously." Pocock, J.G.A. (2005). The Discovery of Islands. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 29.<br> "...what used to be called the "British Isles," although that is now a politically incorrect term." Finnegan, Richard B.; Edward T. McCarron (2000). Ireland: Historical Echoes, Contemporary Politics. Boulder: Westview Press, p. 358.<br> "In an attempt to coin a term that avoided the 'British Isles' - a term often offensive to Irish sensibilities - Pocock suggested a neutral geographical term for the collection of islands located off the northwest coast of continental Europe which included Britain and Ireland: the Atlantic archipelago..." Lambert, Peter; Phillipp Schofield (2004). Making History: An Introduction to the History and Practices of a Discipline. New York: Routledge, p. 217.<br> "..the term is increasingly unacceptable to Irish historians in particular, for whom the Irish sea is or ought to be a separating rather than a linking element. Sensitive to such susceptibilities, proponents of the idea of a genuine British history, a theme which has come to the fore during the last couple of decades, are plumping for a more neutral term to label the scattered islands peripheral to the two major ones of Great Britain and Ireland." Roots, Ivan (1997). "Union or Devolution in Cromwell's Britain". History Review.</ref> especially in relation to ]. Its use is objected to by the government of the ]<ref><br/>", ] - Volume 606 - 28 September, 2005. In his response, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs stated "The British Isles is not an officially recognised term in any legal or inter-governmental sense. It is without any official status. The ], including the Department of Foreign Affairs, does not use this term. Our officials in the Embassy of Ireland, London, continue to monitor the media in Britain for any abuse of the official terms as set out in the Constitution of Ireland and in legislation. These include the name of the State, the President, ] and others." | |||
| <br> ". A spokesman for the Irish Embassy in London said: “The British Isles has a dated ring to it, as if we are still part of the Empire. We are independent, we are not part of Britain, not even in geographical terms. We would discourage its usage .”</ref>, and is avoided in relations between the governments of the ] and the ].<ref>Don Aitken, "", February 2002 | |||
| {{blockquote|Irish people may detect political implications in this term , and it tends to be avoided, although there is no obvious alternative. The term used in connection with the Northern Irish peace process is just "the Isles", which could be anywhere. One obvious alternative, "Great Britain and Ireland", is also avoided because it used to be part of the title of the British monarch (1801-1927).}}</ref> This controversy is discussed in the article, ]. | |||
| The islands extend from ], ] in the south (or ], Jersey if the Channel Islands are included), to ], ] in the north; and from ], Ireland in the west, to ], ] in the east. There are more than 6,000 islands, amounting to a total land area of 121,674 ]s (315,134 ]). The islands of Britain and Ireland are largely low lying and fertile, although there are mountainous areas everywhere except in ]. The regional geology is complex, formed by the ] and subsequent ], ] and ] erosion. | |||
Revision as of 00:26, 30 May 2007
This article describes the archipelago in north-western Europe. For those areas of the archipelago with constitutional links to the British monarchy, see British Islands.
The Britain and Ireland Template:Lang-ga or Oileáin Bhreataineacha, Manx: Ellanyn Goaldagh, Template:Lang-cy) is a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe comprising Great Britain, Ireland and a number of smaller islands.
There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Ireland. The group also includes the crown dependencies Isle of Man and Channel Islands. Some sources question the validity of including the Channel Isles within the British Isles, stating that they are not geographically a part of the archipelago. Common uncertainties regarding the topography of the group are discussed in British Isles (terminology). The term British Isles is controversial, especially in relation to Ireland. Its use is objected to by the government of the Republic of Ireland, and is avoided in relations between the governments of the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. This controversy is discussed in the article, British Isles naming dispute.
The islands extend from Pednathise Head, Isles of Scilly in the south (or Les Minquiers Reef, Jersey if the Channel Islands are included), to Out Stack, Shetland in the north; and from Tearaght Island, Ireland in the west, to Lowestoft Ness, England in the east. There are more than 6,000 islands, amounting to a total land area of 121,674 square miles (315,134 km²). The islands of Britain and Ireland are largely low lying and fertile, although there are mountainous areas everywhere except in southern England. The regional geology is complex, formed by the drifting together of separate tectonic plates and subsequent orogenic, glacial and weather erosion.
- The diplomatic and constitutional name of the Irish state is simply Ireland. For disambiguation purposes "Republic of Ireland" is often used though technically that is not the name of the state but, according to the Republic of Ireland Act 1948, its "description". Article 4, Bunreacht na hÉireann. Section 2, Republic of Ireland Act, 1948.
-
Collier's Encyclopedia, 1997 Edition
Don Aitken, "What is the UK? Is it the same as Britain, Great Britain or England?", February 2002Usage is not consistent as to whether the Channel Islands are included - geographically they should not be, politically they should.
- An Irishman's Diary Myers, Kevin; The Irish Times (subscription needed) 09/03/2000, Accessed July 2006 'millions of people from these islands — 'oh how angry we get when people call them the British Isles'
Diarmaid MacCulloch, The Reformation: Europe's House Divided 1490-1700. (London: Penguin/Allen Lane, 2003): “the collection of islands which embraces England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales has commonly been known as the British Isles. This title no longer pleases all the inhabitants of the islands, and a more neutral description is ‘the Atlantic Isles’” (p. xxvi)
On 18 July 2004 The Sunday Business Post questioned the use of British Isles as a purely geographic expression, noting:
Retrieved 17 July 2006"Last Post has redoubled its efforts to re-educate those labouring under the misconception that Ireland is really just British. When British Retail Week magazine last week reported that a retailer was to make its British Isles debut in Dublin, we were puzzled. Is not Dublin the capital of the Republic of Ireland?...Archipelago of islands lying off the north-western coast of Europe?
"...I have called the Atlantic archipelago – since the term ‘British Isles’ is one which Irishmen reject and Englishmen decline to take quite seriously." Pocock, J.G.A. (2005). The Discovery of Islands. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 29.
"...what used to be called the "British Isles," although that is now a politically incorrect term." Finnegan, Richard B.; Edward T. McCarron (2000). Ireland: Historical Echoes, Contemporary Politics. Boulder: Westview Press, p. 358.
"In an attempt to coin a term that avoided the 'British Isles' - a term often offensive to Irish sensibilities - Pocock suggested a neutral geographical term for the collection of islands located off the northwest coast of continental Europe which included Britain and Ireland: the Atlantic archipelago..." Lambert, Peter; Phillipp Schofield (2004). Making History: An Introduction to the History and Practices of a Discipline. New York: Routledge, p. 217.
"..the term is increasingly unacceptable to Irish historians in particular, for whom the Irish sea is or ought to be a separating rather than a linking element. Sensitive to such susceptibilities, proponents of the idea of a genuine British history, a theme which has come to the fore during the last couple of decades, are plumping for a more neutral term to label the scattered islands peripheral to the two major ones of Great Britain and Ireland." Roots, Ivan (1997). "Union or Devolution in Cromwell's Britain". History Review. -
"Written Answers - Official Terms", Dáil Éireann - Volume 606 - 28 September, 2005. In his response, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs stated "The British Isles is not an officially recognised term in any legal or inter-governmental sense. It is without any official status. The Government, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, does not use this term. Our officials in the Embassy of Ireland, London, continue to monitor the media in Britain for any abuse of the official terms as set out in the Constitution of Ireland and in legislation. These include the name of the State, the President, Taoiseach and others."
"New atlas lets Ireland slip shackles of Britain". A spokesman for the Irish Embassy in London said: “The British Isles has a dated ring to it, as if we are still part of the Empire. We are independent, we are not part of Britain, not even in geographical terms. We would discourage its usage .” - Don Aitken, "What is the UK? Is it the same as Britain, Great Britain or England?", February 2002
Irish people may detect political implications in this term , and it tends to be avoided, although there is no obvious alternative. The term used in connection with the Northern Irish peace process is just "the Isles", which could be anywhere. One obvious alternative, "Great Britain and Ireland", is also avoided because it used to be part of the title of the British monarch (1801-1927).