England and Wales

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For an explanation of often confusing terms like (Great) Britain, United Kingdom and England see British Isles (terminology).

England and Wales (red), with the rest of the United Kingdom (pink).

England and Wales are home nations of the United Kingdom and, because they share the same legal system, England and Wales is considered a single unit for the conflict of laws (sometimes termed a single state).

The other countries of the United Kingdom, namely Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as dependencies such as the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey, are also separate states (in this strictly legalistic sense; they are not separate states under public international law), each with their own legal system (see the more complete explanation in English law).

As another example, in the sport of cricket, England and Wales field a single representative team in international competition, whereas Scotland is treated as a separate entity. The England and Wales team (usually abbreviated simply as England) is administered by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Nonetheless, there is a separate Wales team that occasionally participates in limited-overs domestic competition [link].

Wales was brought under a common monarch with England with the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284 and annexed to England for legal purposes by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542. However, references in legislation for 'England' were still taken as excluding Wales. The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 meant that in all future laws, 'England' would by default include Wales (and Berwick-upon-Tweed). This was later repealed in 1967 and current laws use "England and Wales" as a single entity. Cardiff was proclaimed as the Welsh capital in 1955.

England and Wales

See also