People from outside the British Isles often (understandably) get confused by all the different terminology used: England, Great Britain, United Kingdom. As a rule: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (usually abbreviated as the United Kingdom) is a sovereign state encompassing England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is a geographical term, which refers to a landmass, not a country or state – the island of Great Britain, on which sit England, Wales, and Scotland. Though Northern Ireland is part of the UK, it is on the island of Ireland (distinct from the Republic of Ireland), and not a part of Great Britain. England refers to the country (but not sovereign state) of England, once the lands of the Kingdom of England, which are considered to have a distinct culture and history. England is the largest and most powerful country in the United Kingdom, which leads people to refer to the sovereign state as England, though this is incorrect. The British Isles is a geographic term referring to the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.