One place even has six silent letters at the beginning!
You don't pronounce the first six letters in Londonderry, four countries is the same as one country, 26 + 6 somehow equals one...
Also I'm curious if you're familiar with any history of the islands of Ireland and Great Britain? If not, I recommend reading up - save you accusing any country of just being unwise, or whatever it is you are attempting to convey with "an event horizon that conventional wisdom slips over"
For one, Northern Ireland is variously described as a country, province or region despite (sometimes) having its own government and semi-independent legal system.
Wales has its own language and parliament, but shares a legal system (but not all laws) with England.
Scotland has its own legal system and is supposed to be the equal counter-party to {England {which included Wales}} in the name "United Kingdom of …".
England doesn't have an independent parliament of its own, "just" (scare-quotes needed) the one for the whole UK.
The history may have led to the status quo, but it's fair and reasonable to say the status quo is bonkers.
UK GDP is $3tn :D
> "Four countries is one country" is very different from "50 states is one country".
I don't think you made a very compelling argument. Both are made of constituent parts. Both are "united" in various ways. States have their own constitutions, laws etc. It's messy. Fewer issues around language, I grant that.
Most of which is England
> I don't think you made a very compelling argument
Fair enough.
"Four countries is one country" has the same level of abstraction; "50 states is one country" (or in reverse, the EU can be seen as "27 countries one state" if you squint and are a bit vague with definitions) is different kinds of abstraction.
Pizza is a possible pizza topping, but it's also weird.
Largely because of where the tax is booked, due to many companies having their headquarters office in London.
Most of the Oil revenue is raised in Scotland, what would the balance look like if that was booked in Edinburgh instead?
Except it ain't the former, it is more "A state comprising of 3* countries, and part of a 4th".
* Well if we add Cornwall, we get 4 internal GB countries, plus the bit of Ireland which came back.
It used to be that UK was described as "2 countries, a principality and a province", except it is not the whole province...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derry/Londonderry_name_dispute