Britain is the island that contains England, Scotland, and Wales. It's one of the largest islands in Europe and the ninth-largest island in the world, sitting just off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe across the English Channel.

The full name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, often shortened to the UK or United Kingdom. Britain (or Great Britain) refers specifically to the island itself, while the United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland. People sometimes use Britain and British casually to refer to the whole UK, though this technically leaves out Northern Ireland.

Britain has had enormous influence on world history. The British Empire once controlled territories on every continent, spreading the English language around the globe. British scientists, writers, and inventors gave the world everything from Shakespeare's plays to the Industrial Revolution to the theory of evolution. Britain was America's colonial ruler until the Revolutionary War, which is why Americans and Britons share a language (though we spell some words differently and use different terms for things like elevators and lifts).

Today, Britain remains an important cultural and economic center. London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is one of the world's major cities. When you hear about British literature, British accents, or British rock bands, people are referring to things from this influential island nation.