Map of the UK: Free KS2 Geography Worksheet on the Four Nations and Capitals

What is on the worksheet

One clear outline map of the United Kingdom, with the internal borders between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland drawn in so each nation forms a separate region. A small dot marks roughly where each capital city sits, and the island of Ireland is shown so children can see that Northern Ireland shares it with the Republic of Ireland. A word bank lists the four nations and four capitals, and there are write-on lines for the answers.

The map has bold, even outlines and is sized for older primary children, with regions large enough to colour neatly and to write small labels alongside. Because the boundaries are already drawn, pupils can focus on recall and location rather than freehand map-drawing.

How to use it at home or in the classroom

Print the worksheet, or open it on a tablet and print from there. Begin by colouring each of the four nations a different colour; this makes the separate regions easy to read at a glance and is a relaxed way in to the task.

Then work through the labelling. Children locate each nation and its capital dot, then write the names on the lines using the word bank for support. To stretch upper-KS2 pupils, ask them to cover the word bank and recall the answers from memory, or to add the surrounding seas (the North Sea, Irish Sea, English Channel and Atlantic Ocean) and a few major cities or rivers. It pairs well with an atlas, a wall map or an online map for checking.

What your child will learn

By the end of the activity, your child should be able to name and locate the four nations of the United Kingdom and match each to its capital city: London is the capital of England, Edinburgh of Scotland, Cardiff of Wales and Belfast of Northern Ireland.

They will also firm up the distinction between the United Kingdom, Great Britain and the British Isles, and understand that the UK is a single sovereign state made up of four nations. Secure knowledge of the UK map underpins the wider KS2 locational work on counties, cities, regions and the physical and human characteristics of places.

A note for teachers

This worksheet supports the Key Stage 2 geography programme of study for locational knowledge, which asks pupils to name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, its geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics. Naming the four nations and capitals on a blank map is a foundational recall task that sits beneath that wider objective and is a useful starting point or recap before studying regions and counties in more depth.

A point worth clarifying with pupils: the United Kingdom comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; Great Britain is the largest island, holding only England, Scotland and Wales; and the British Isles is the wider archipelago, including the whole island of Ireland. The map shows the Republic of Ireland for context, but it is a separate country and not part of the UK. There is no log-in, no watermark and no catch; you are welcome to print copies for your class and to link to this page from your school website or newsletter.

Frequently asked questions