Great Britain is the largest island in Europe and contains the largest portion of the territory that makes up the United Kingdom. England, Scotland and Wales all lay claim to a portion of the island and have their respective capital cities located there.

In modern times, the name Great Britain is often used to refer to the United Kingdom of Great Britain, rather than the island itself. Other times it may be used colloquially as a reference to the country of Britain all by itself. It is even used at times to encompass all of The British Isles, although it is the largest of thousands of islands within the archipelago. NationMaster Encyclopedia: Great Britain