The four nations of the UK
The UK is made up of four nations, each with its own capital and patron saint. The test often asks who a nation's patron saint is, when that saint's day falls, or how the Union Flag is put together.
Nations at a glance
| Nation | Capital | Patron saint | Saint's day | Flag element |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | London | St George | 23 April | A red upright cross on a white background. |
| Scotland | Edinburgh | St Andrew | 30 November | A white diagonal cross (the saltire) on a blue background. |
| Wales | Cardiff | St David | 1 March | A red dragon — this is not shown on the Union Flag. |
| Northern Ireland | Belfast | St Patrick | 17 March | A red diagonal cross. |
How the Union Flag is made
The Union Flag — informally the "Union Jack" — is a single design built by layering three saints' crosses on top of one another:
- the red upright cross of St George (England);
- the white diagonal cross of St Andrew (Scotland); and
- the red diagonal cross of St Patrick (Ireland).
Wales is not represented on the flag. Wales had already been joined to England by the time the flag took shape, so the Welsh dragon was never added.
Great Britain vs the United Kingdom
These names are easy to mix up, so it helps to learn them as a pair:
- Great Britain = England + Scotland + Wales.
- The United Kingdom = Great Britain + Northern Ireland.
So "the UK" includes Northern Ireland, while "Great Britain" on its own does not.
Crown Dependencies & Overseas Territories
A few places are linked to the Crown but are not part of the UK:
- Crown Dependencies: the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. They run their own internal affairs and are not in the UK.
- British Overseas Territories: further afield, for example St Helena and the Falkland Islands. These are also outside the UK itself.
Always confirm details against the official handbook, Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents, and book the real test only via GOV.UK.