The United Kingdom is not composed of states in the same sense as the United States. Instead, it is made up of four individual countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland125. Each of these countries has its own distinct legal jurisdiction and, in some cases, its own government and parliament, although they are all part of the United Kingdom23. Therefore, the correct term to use is "countries" rather than "states" when referring to the constituent parts of the United Kingdom.