Why Great Britain call Great Britain?

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The name "Great Britain" comes from the Latin term "Britannia Major" (Greater Britain) to distinguish it from "Britannia Minor" (Lesser Britain), which referred to the region of Brittany in modern-day France.

Origin of the Name "Great Britain"​

1. Ancient Roman Influence:
   
   • The Romans referred to the island as "Britannia", after the Celtic tribes known as the Britons.
   • Later, medieval scholars used "Great Britain" to differentiate the island from Brittany (Bretagne) in France, which was settled by Britons fleeing Anglo-Saxon invasions.
2. Geographical Meaning:
   
   • Great Britain refers to the largest island in the British Isles, which includes England, Scotland, and Wales.
   • It does NOT include Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom but on the island of Ireland.
3. Royal and Political Use:
   
   • The name became widely used after the 1603 Union of the Crowns, when King James VI of Scotland became James I of England, ruling both kingdoms.
   • In 1707, the Act of Union officially created the Kingdom of Great Britain, merging England and Scotland into one political entity.

Key Difference:​

• "Great Britain" = The island (England, Scotland, Wales).
• "United Kingdom" (UK) = The full political country (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland).

So, Great Britain is called "Great" mainly to distinguish it from Brittany in France and to describe its geographical size as the largest British island.