How to address mail to the UK

[Goddlefrood]

Lee Kaiwen asks:
> Just to make sure this thread stays completely off-topic, 
> could some one of our British/Scottish/Irish/UK-er friends 
> please elucidate the distinctions between England (and 
> Scotland/Wales/Southern Ireland, et alia), GB and the UK? 
> I've had it explained to me before, but it's all just a bit 
> too confusing for my grey matter.
 
Goddlefrood:

Great Britain is the island containing of England (excluding its 
islands), Scotland (excluding its islands) and Wales (excluding 
its islands).

The full name of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 
Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland contains 6 of the 9 counties of 
the Irish province of Ulster.

Southern Ireland is the Republic of Ireland and is a separate 
country altogether. 

Wales and Scotland are quasi-autonomous.

There are also several islands scattered around off the coast of 
Great Britain that consider themselves distinct, but are all part 
of the UK or divisions thereof. These include the Isle of Man, 
The Channel Islands and the Isles of Scilly.

Many English people would refer to themselves as Brits, but no one 
in Wales, Northern Ireland (except some Protestants) or Scotland 
would.

Clear enough?

Goddlefrood, the non-encyclopaedia.