How to teach the countries, cities and counties of the United Kingdom
Grade 2 to Grade 6
The United Kingdom is made of four countries, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and it helps to learn it in three layers: first the four countries and where they sit, then the major cities, then the counties of England. Build each layer on a blank map before moving to the next, so the map has a frame before the detail goes on.
How to teach it
- Start with the four countries and their positions, Scotland in the north, England filling the south and east, Wales on the west, Northern Ireland across the sea to the west.
- Add the major cities next, London in the south east, then Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds across England, Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland, Cardiff in Wales and Belfast in Northern Ireland.
- Learn the English counties a region at a time (the South West, the South East, the East, the Midlands and the North), rather than all of England at once.
- Use the coasts as anchors: Cornwall and Devon on the south west tip, Kent in the far south east, the flat Norfolk and Suffolk bulge on the east, Cumbria and Northumberland in the far north.
- Watch the traps: a country's capital is not always its biggest city elsewhere, and the counties of England are many, so a curated set of the larger ones is enough to build the map sense.
Common mistakes
- Calling the whole United Kingdom 'England', when England is only one of its four countries.
- Confusing the two neighbours with similar names, East Sussex and West Sussex, or the many shires of the Midlands.
- Placing Northern Ireland on the island of Great Britain rather than on the island of Ireland.
- Mixing up a city with its county, for example putting Manchester or Liverpool in the wrong county.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four countries of the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom is made of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It helps to learn it in layers, starting with the four countries and where they sit, then the major cities, then the counties of England.
What age or grade is the United Kingdom taught?
The countries, cities and counties of the United Kingdom are usually taught from Grade 2 to Grade 6. Students build the map in layers, the four countries first, then major cities, then the English counties a region at a time.
What is the difference between the UK, England and Great Britain?
England is just one of the four countries in the United Kingdom, alongside Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is the large island holding England, Scotland and Wales. Calling the whole United Kingdom 'England' is a very common mistake worth correcting early.
What is the best way to learn the UK?
Learn it in three layers. First the four countries and their positions, Scotland in the north, England in the south and east, Wales on the west and Northern Ireland across the sea. Then the major cities, then the English counties a region at a time.
Where is Northern Ireland on the map?
Northern Ireland sits on the island of Ireland, to the west across the sea, not on the island of Great Britain with England, Scotland and Wales. Placing it wrongly on Great Britain is a common error, so it is worth pointing out that it shares its island with the Republic of Ireland.
What are the major cities of the UK?
London is in the south east, with Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds across England, Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland, Cardiff in Wales and Belfast in Northern Ireland. Adding the major cities as a second layer, after the four countries, builds the map up gradually.
Which parts of the UK do children most often mix up?
Similar-sounding neighbours such as East Sussex and West Sussex, and the many shires of the Midlands, are easily muddled, and children often put a city like Manchester or Liverpool in the wrong county. Learning the counties a region at a time, with coastlines as anchors, helps.
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