Various words and phrases have been used to describe the overlapping geographical and political areas of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, and the smaller surrounding islands, together known as the British Isles. The terms are often a source of confusion, partly owing to the similarity between some of the actual words used but also because they are often used loosely. Many of the words carry geographical and political connotations effected by the history of the islands. The inclusion of Ireland in the geographical definition of British Isles is debated: for example, Ordnance Survey Ireland does not use the term.
Summary The use of terms depends on context; words and phrases can be grouped into geographical, political, linguistic and sporting terms. In brief, the main terms and their simple explanations are as follows:
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