Is England Part of Europe?
England has always had a unique relationship with the rest of Europe. While still technically a part of the European continent, England and the rest of the British Isles have remained isolated on their own islands. Despite not being one of the geographically largest countries, by European standards, England has managed to play a key role in the history of Europe during the last millennium.
A Geographical Breakdown
England is a part of the United Kingdom, which within itself comprises four distinct constituent countries. England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all make up the United Kingdom. England is the southernmost member of Great Britain and is also the largest with a total land area of 129,113 km2— the United Kingdom is 243,610 km2 in total, with Scotland possessing 32%, Wales with 9%, and Northern Island just 6%.
England borders Wales to its west and Scotland to the north. Being a part of the British Isles, England has a long and extensive coastline that gives it access to various bodies of water that are perfect for trade and travel.
Its capital city London is located in the south of England along the River Thames. London is only situated a few kilometers away from the English Channel, a narrow body of water that separates England from the rest of Continental Europe.
For much of its long history, this body of water safeguarded England and the rest of the British Isles from invasion by other European powers. It was only in 1994 that the famous Chunnel was opened, linking England and France with an underground rail line that traversed the English Channel.
English Isolation
Historically speaking, England has been quite an active member in the political affairs of Europe. England is, of course, the birthplace of the British Empire which grew to become the largest empire the world has ever seen. At its height in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the British always had a hand in European politics in one way or another.
However, the empire has long since faded away, and since around the 1980s, the British, but the English in particular, have started to see themselves as less and less European. England has always been at odds with any kind of attempt to unify Europe under either a shared currency or a shared political institution.
Britain was quite cautious about joining the European Union in 1973 and famously left the organization after the contentious and controversial Brexit movement succeeded in 2016. England also outright refused to adopt the euro in 1999 and stubbornly stuck with the pound instead.
Despite being a part of Europe geographically, the English people are some of the least likely in the whole continent to see themselves as truly European. In places like Spain, nearly 75% of its citizens see themselves as belonging to a broader European community, whereas in England some polls come back as low as 15%.
How The United Kingdom Functions
Even though the four members of the United Kingdom are seen as separate countries within the UK, internationally, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland are simply distinct regions within a single country.
The United Kingdom was first formed in 1707 with a political union between the royal monarchies of Scotland and England. Wales at the time was already under English control. However, Northern Ireland remains one of the United Kingdom's constituent countries after the Republic of Ireland fought a war of independence in 1922.
Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland all have their own parliaments that oversee domestic policies. However, the parliament that oversees national policies is located in Westminster, in the center of London.
The Politics Of The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom emphasizes equality among its members, but England's larger population and stronger economy give it considerable influence over Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
There has been much dissatisfaction amongst the other members of the United Kingdom in recent years, especially in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 2015, Scotland held a referendum to leave the UK, which ultimately failed, with 45% in favor of leaving and 55% in favor of staying.
However, the dawn of a post-Brexit United Kingdom has fanned the flames of independence within Scotland once again. There have even been talks of Northern Ireland rejoining the Republic of Ireland should economic woes continue. While it is still hard to say if any of these outcomes will materialize, if they ever did, it would have a profound impact on England.
Is England A Part Of Europe?
While the question might seem obvious at first glance, it really depends on the context. Geographically and culturally, England is undoubtedly a part of Europe, even if it is separated from the European mainland by the English Channel. However, in a political sense, it is much more complicated.
While England and the rest of the United Kingdom have historically been a part of organizations such as the European Union, in recent decades, the English have grown to resent what they see as the overbearing and meddlesome hand of the EU in their day-to-day lives.
Strict guidelines regarding business and commerce, along with abiding by EU immigration quotas, left large segments of the English population to feel as though their own government was second in command to the politicians in the EU parliament who, according to many UK citizens, did not advocate what was best for England.
While there is still much debate about how justified these opinions were about the role the EU had within England, the sentiment was strong enough to force England and the rest of the United Kingdom out of the EU. The results of this decision are still being felt to this day.
Final Thoughts
A combination of both geographical and political isolation has led to the English feeling that they are distinct from the rest of the continent and, as a result, rarely see themselves as belonging to a broader European community.
While the geographical, historical, and cultural ties are clearly there, both the English themselves and even other Europeans often place the English in a separate category compared to other European countries.
