'Brexit' at a glance

If nothing else, the idea that Brexit doesn’t affect us Yanks was quickly dispelled by the dive in a volatile stock market. The world — and our relationships with the U.K. and E.U. — has become too small to retain the privilege of naiveté.

But wait a minute: Exactly who left the European Union (or did they)? Britain, the U.K... does that include Scotland (whose population disfavors exit) or those other places loosely “British,” such as the Bahamas? What happens now?

To be clear, no one has actually left the E.U. just yet. Voters in the United Kingdom have said they want to, but until Article 50 in the Treaty on European Union is triggered, it hasn’t happened. Right now the discussion is when to trigger it — now, or after months to years of discussions and negotiations defining the exit terms? Invoking Article 50 (an official notice of intent to leave) triggers a two-year timeline. Before and during that two-year period, an exiting EU nation still abides by the terms of the EU treaty, but once Article 50 is triggered it does not have voting power.

Why can’t they just wave goodbye and be done? International trade relationships. Currency values and interest rates. Business and education agreements. Immigration and travel. Cooperative crime-fighting. The list is long and the effects on Britons (plus Europeans and the world) are many.

Getting back to who, here’s a glance at geographic terminology. The U.K. sits on an island, which is itself part of a larger set of islands. Moreover, “British” is a word ascribed both specifically and casually, referring to geopolitical, historical, and cultural associations. It’s easy for Americans to get confused.

The U.K. means the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” and is a sovereign state consisting of four

individual countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. U.K. citizens voted on Brexit. The U.K. parliament is sovereign, but each of the four countries has some autonomy. Speaking generally, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish parliaments defer to the U.K. Parliament in areas such as foreign policy and EU matters, but self-govern in things closer to home such as education and housing.

A bit of a caveat: When Britons say “Great Britain” or “Britain,” they often don’t mean Northern Ireland, unless specifically mentioned.

The term “British Islands” includes all the U.K., plus the three “Crown Dependencies” — Isle of Man, Guernsey, and Jersey. Crown Dependencies are self-governing, although the U.K. is technically responsible for them.

“Ireland” is an island consisting of Northern Ireland (which is part of the U.K.) and the Republic of Ireland, a sovereign nation. The Brexit vote has heightened fears over returning friction between the two.

The “British Isles” — just to make it more confusing — includes all of the United Kingdom and British Islands.

And finally, today’s U.K. has a few remaining colonies or “British Overseas Territories” with varying degrees of self-governance. These include Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Island, St. Helena, St. Helena dependencies, South Georgia and the South Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

As we approach the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome — the founding document of the European Union — its future seems uncertain. Will more countries follow suit? Will Britain’s exit simply trigger a hard look and renegotiation of the treaty’s more controversial provisions, perhaps changing its face but keeping its cooperative spirit?

However it turns out, let’s hope it’s not a setback for man’s ability to play well with others, but a catalyst for mutual benefit.

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Sholeh Patrick, J.D. is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network with degrees in international relations and law. Contact: Sholeh@cdapress.com.