England and Wales
England and Wales are two separate countries within the United Kingdom. However, for certain administrative purposes they are treated as a single entity England and Wales. One such purpose concerns most legislation, as the two countries generally share the same laws. The other countries within the United Kingdom, Scotland and Northern Ireland, often have laws very different from those of England and Wales.From the 1536 Act of Union until 1955, Wales was treated as part of England, so this formula was not necessary. For example, the Act of Union, 1707 is referred to as the union of England and Scotland - under modern terms this would be the union of England and Wales, with Scotland. Sometimes the modern term is used anachronistically to refer to the past.
