Great Britain

Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe. With an area of 209,331 square kilometres it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest island in Europe and the ninth-largest island in the world, and a maritime climate keeps the temperature differences between its seasons narrow. The island of Ireland lies to the west. The name can also mean the political territory of England, Scotland and Wales together with their offshore islands, which with Northern Ireland makes up the United Kingdom. Until about 9,000 years ago the island was joined to mainland Europe by a land bridge now known as Doggerland, and modern humans have lived there for around 30,000 years. In 2011 it had a population of about 61 million, making it the third most populous island in the world and the most populated island outside Asia.