Great Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people in mid-2008,it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000[5] smaller islands and islets. The island of Ireland lies to its west.

All of the island is territory of the sovereign state the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and most of the United Kingdom's territory is in Great Britain. The term "Great Britain" is sometimes used inaccurately to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole. Most of England, Scotland, and Wales are on the island, as are their capital cities, London, Edinburgh, and Cardiff.

The Kingdom of Great Britain resulted from the political union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland on 1 May, 1707 under Queen Anne. It existed until 1801 when the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland were united. This resulted in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This in turn became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1922 with the secession of the Irish Free State.