Great Britain
The land bridge known as Doggerland connected Great Britain to mainland Europe until 9,000 years ago. Catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods created the English Channel between 450,000 and 180,000 years ago. These events breached the Weald-Artois Anticline ridge that once held back a large proglacial lake. Sea levels rose after the last glacial period to reflood Doggerland by around 6500 BC. The island now sits on the Eurasian Plate off the north-west coast of continental Europe. It stretches over about ten degrees of latitude from Land's End in Cornwall to John o' Groats in Caithness. The greatest distance between two points measures roughly 870 miles or 1,400 kilometers by road.
Aristotle wrote about Albion and Ierne in his text On the Universe during the 4th century BC. Greek geographers used equivalents of Prettanikē as a collective name for the British Isles by 50 BC. Pliny the Elder recorded in Natural History that the former name was Albion before becoming Britannia. Pytheas of Massalia traveled from southern Gaul to Britain in the 4th century BC. His work described various islands in the North Atlantic as far north as Thule. The term Great Britain first appeared officially in 1474 within an instrument proposing marriage between Cecily and James. John Major published his History of Great Britain both England and Scotland in 1521. James VI and I styled himself King of Great Brittaine France and Ireland in 1604.
The Happisburgh footprints found in Norfolk date to around 950, 850,000 years ago. Modern humans arrived in Britain about 40,000 years ago following the disappearance of Neanderthals. Neolithic farmers of Anatolian origin reached the island around 4000 BC. The Bronze Age Bell Beaker Culture arrived around 2000 BC bringing another episode of population replacement. Significant migration to southern Britain occurred around 1000 BC bringing Celtic languages to the island. Hunter gatherers inhabited the land during the Mesolithic period before farmers replaced them. Archaic humans repeatedly occupied Britain before abandoning the area during cooler periods.
Romans conquered most of the island up to Hadrian's Wall in northern England creating Britannia. Germanic tribes including Angles Saxons and Jutes displaced or assimilated Britons over 500 years after the Roman Empire fell. Gaelic tribes from Ireland invaded the north-west forming the Kingdom of Scotland in the 9th century. All English kingdoms unified under one ruler as the kingdom of England when Northumbria submitted to Edgar in 959. England was conquered by Normans in 1066 introducing a Norman-speaking administration. Wales came under Anglo-Norman control in 1282 and was officially annexed to England in the 16th century. Many Britons emigrated to Brittany where Breton remains spoken today.
The Acts of Union ratified the Treaty of Union on the 1st of May 1707 merging parliaments of two nations. A personal union existed between countries since the 1603 Union of the Crowns when James VI inherited the English throne. Thomas Erskine insisted the proclamation use King of Great Britain rather than King of Scotland and England. The treaty specified the name of the new all-island state as Great Britain describing it as One Kingdom. England and Scotland remained legally separate with their own parliaments until this date created a single kingdom. The political definition covers the whole of England Scotland and Wales including offshore islands like Anglesey and Orkney.
Animal diversity is modest due to the island's small land area and recent habitat development since the last glacial period. Rodents make up 40% of mammal species including squirrels mice voles rats and reintroduced European beaver. Carnivorous mammals include red fox Eurasian badger and elusive Scottish wildcat. There are six species of reptile on the island including three snakes and three lizards. A DEFRA study from 2006 suggested 100 species became extinct in the UK during the 20th century. The flora comprises 3,354 vascular plant species of which 2,297 are native. Heather grows wild in the Scottish Highlands at Dornoch while the Fortingall Yew stands as Europe's oldest tree.
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Common questions
When did the land bridge Doggerland connect Great Britain to mainland Europe?
The land bridge known as Doggerland connected Great Britain to mainland Europe until 9,000 years ago. Sea levels rose after the last glacial period to reflood Doggerland by around 6500 BC.
Who first used the term Great Britain officially and when did it appear?
The term Great Britain first appeared officially in 1474 within an instrument proposing marriage between Cecily and James. John Major published his History of Great Britain both England and Scotland in 1521.
How many years ago did modern humans arrive in Great Britain?
Modern humans arrived in Great Britain about 40,000 years ago following the disappearance of Neanderthals. Archaic humans repeatedly occupied the area before abandoning it during cooler periods.
On what date were the Acts of Union ratified for Great Britain?
The Acts of Union ratified the Treaty of Union on the 1st of May 1707 merging parliaments of two nations. The treaty specified the name of the new all-island state as Great Britain describing it as One Kingdom.
What percentage of mammal species in Great Britain are rodents?
Rodents make up 40% of mammal species including squirrels mice voles rats and reintroduced European beaver. Carnivorous mammals include red fox Eurasian badger and elusive Scottish wildcat.