Wales

[peaman69]

Is Wales a Country? or is the "uk" a country, i always thought that "uk" was a grouping of countries like the "U.S.A" being a grouping of America Canada and i think mexico. I have looked through the questions and it says the wales is a princapality but what is that?

[Emily Ball]

Canada , although part of the same land-mass, is not part of the United States of America and neither is Mexico. England, Scotland and Wales , although parts of one land-mass, are also classed as different countries. A principality is the territory ruled  by a prince or from which a prince draws his title. Thus, Prince Charles is the Prince of Wales.  Northern Ireland is also part of the U.K. (Southern Ireland is a Republic). 

[littleoldme]

Wales is a principality, and also part of both Great Britain and the United Kingdom. It has a separate political assembly, but for administrative purposes is often lumped in with England. I think the UK is the nation state, or country, from a political viewpoint.

BTW, the USA is part of America, not the other way round.

[littleoldme]

Oops! Posted at the same time as Emily!

[rja211077]

well, "America" is just an alternative way of referring to the USA in my mind. The USA, or America, is part of the Americas - a term for the entire landmass consisting of North and South America, which are continents. Central America (which consists of Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama - NOT Mexico which is part of N America) is separate and not generally designated as a continent in itself.

[jno]

There is a certain amount of fudge involved here... separate football teams, just one Olympics team, and they actually share a rugby team with the Irish from time to time (including right now). Wales's assembly, I believe, has less autonomy than the Scottish parliament; but both might be vaguely comparable to the individual state governments of the USA, whereas the British parliament in London, representing all three countries and Northern Ireland, is more like the US federal governemnt in Washington.

Why Wales should have to be a principality just because Charles is Prince of Wales is beyond me - is Westminster a dukedom just because there's a Duke of Westminster? At any rate, it has no administrative significance that I know of.

[neathgirl]

Agree with you on that jno.

What exactly does the prince of wales do for wales? im baffled dont know about anybody else.

Come to mention it though this is probably another thread altogether - the Queen is the Queen of England - not Great Britain so therefore why should welsh scots and northern irish tax payers money fund her and her family thats it something else that baffles me - and seeing as im on this subject (im just ranting here - ignore me if u please) but why oh why oh why isn't sum part of the welsh flag on the British flag like england scotland and northern ireland ? oh yes i forgot its because we are a principality i.e. a nothing a nobody and only good enough for having a donk of a prince and supplying english border areas with water - ok rant over with! I just think its completely unrepresentative of the uk.  You have all these politicians bumping their gums about celebrating diversity within the UK and yet they cant even be bothered to acknowledge that wales is a part of the UK - so stick ur flag lol ok promise now rant is definitely over lol

[kempie]

The full title of the "Queen of England" is, in fact, Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

[neathgirl]

Kempie - dont you think that financially she is a great drain on our public monies - which could be better spent on the health service?  Just like the dome debarcle - the best celebration of the millennium for britain would have been the money for that lemon being spent on the NHS.  anyway enuf of that its a whole other thread :-�

[kempie]

neathgirl - as you point out, any leanings I have towards either Monarchism or Republicanism are not relevant to this thread. My intent was to correct your assertion that Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland are not part of EIIR's Realm.

[slimjim]

An average of 69p per taxpayer per year I think the latest figure is for supporting the Queen and other royals who don't have their own income. People have a right to complain about it but I'd much rather know how the government manages to fritter away the thousands I pay in taxes every year. I can live with 69p for the Queen.

[brianfbridge]

In 1301 Henry 1 [who had conquered Wales by 1295] offered his son from the Eagle tower of Canearfon castle to the welsh people to bring the KINGDOM of Wales to that of England under the same dynesty. In 1605 James 1[6th of Scotland] succeeded Elizabeth 1 to English throne and 'United' the Kingdoms of Scotland, & England under one King. Hence 'United Kingdom'. Ireland is a more problematic. I think it was only included after the partition of Ireland in 1921 with the setting up Irish 'Free State' and the retension of Northern Ireland [the ancient kingdom of Ulster] So to answer the question, Wales is a Principality ie ruled by a prince of the royal house [normally the1st in line to the throne] Scotland remains a Kingdom, but Northern Ireland is a 'Province' implying a conquered or vassel area.

[Dudley]

Neathgirl, you shouldn't begrudge the amount we spend on the Queen. The Royalty brings in a hundred times that in tourism alone.

[-Vix-]

The way I see it: Wales is a Principality (if a bit meaningless), but in order to compare to other places, also a nation. As in 6 Nations Rugby. We are part of the country that is the UK, made up of other nations. I suppose countries can be classed as nations too, seeing as Italy and France also play in the 6 Nations.

We don't have Welsh passports or need to show our passports to enter England, so we're not a country. However, we refer to ourselves as a country cuz it's easier and because we have all the things that identify people with their countries, i.e., anthem, flag, emblems... I don't see anything wrong with that.

I do agree with the person above, why on earth is there no part of the Welsh flag in that of the UK? Bloomin' cheek if you ask me.

Vix xx