This just reminded me of a huge argument I had with all the members of my host family in Ohio...and it started playing Trivial Pursuit!
They claimed that England was a country/nation in itself, I explained that; no, England+Wales+Scotland+Northern Ireland was indeed a country/nation, the name being United Kingdom or Great Britain....it got pretty bad because they were so adamant and stated that they were sure to know better, because, after all, they shared the same language, so in the end, I had to say that I shared the same continent (with the Brits)!
:p (Something that wasn't very clear for some schoolmates, btw, who were surprised at a Southamerican or African with fair hair and skin!
)