Great Britain (Scottish Gaelic:Breatainn Mhòr,Welsh:Prydain Fawr) is the largest island of the British Isles,the largest island in Europe and the eighth-largest island in the world.It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe,with Ireland to the west,and makes up the largest part of the territory of the state known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.It is surrounded by over 1,000[citation needed] smaller islands and islets.
The historic nations of England,Scotland and the principality of Wales are mostly situated on the island,along with their capital cities,London,Edinburgh and Cardiff respectively.