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geography vs. politics
==Overview==
==Overview==
The British Isles is an [[Archipelago]] or group of islands off the North West coast of continental Europe. The British Isles are comprised of [[Great Britain]], [[Ireland]] and a number of smaller islands including the [[Scottish]] Islands in the North and some of the [[Channel Islands]] in the South.
The British Isles is an [[Archipelago]] or group of islands off the North West coast of continental Europe. Geographically speaking, the British Isles are comprised of [[Great Britain]], [[Ireland]] and a number of smaller islands including the [[Scottish]] Islands in the North and some of the [[Channel Islands]] in the South.
It is worth noting that the term "British Isles" is somewhat controversial in the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland]] for historical reasons and [[Irish]] nationalists may find it offensive.
It is worth noting that the term "British Isles" is somewhat controversial in the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland]] for historical reasons and [[Irish]] nationalists may find it offensive.
Although the British Isles is comprised of over six thousand individual islands, there are but two [[sovereign state]]s located on the islands, the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]] and the [[Republic of Ireland]] (often refreed to simply as ''Ireland''). Also part of the group is the [[Isle of Man]], a [[United Kingdom]] Crown dependency and notable [[tax haven]]. With the exception of the [[Isle of Man]], both states are members of the [[European Union]] (abbreviated to [[EU]]). Prior to 1922 [[Great Britain]] and [[Ireland]] were part of the ''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland''. In 1922 (following the [[Irish War of Independence]]), twenty six counties of Ireland left the [[United Kingdom]] to become the [[Irish Free State]] (from 1949 the [[Republic of Ireland]]). The remaining six counties remained part of the [[United Kingdom]] and are known as [[Northern Ireland]] (or sometimes ''Ulster'').
Although the British Isles is comprised of over six thousand individual islands, there are but two [[sovereign state]]s located on the islands, the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]] and the [[Republic of Ireland]] (often refreed to simply as ''Ireland''). Also part of the group is the [[Isle of Man]], a [[United Kingdom]] Crown dependency and notable [[tax haven]]. With the exception of the [[Isle of Man]], both states are members of the [[European Union]] (abbreviated to [[EU]]). Prior to 1922 [[Great Britain]] and [[Ireland]] were part of the ''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland''. In 1922 (following the [[Irish War of Independence]]), twenty six counties of Ireland left the [[United Kingdom]] to become the [[Irish Free State]] (from 1949 the [[Republic of Ireland]]). The remaining six counties remained part of the [[United Kingdom]] and are known as [[Northern Ireland]] (or sometimes ''Ulster'').
==Geography of the British Isles==
==Geography of the British Isles==