▁the ▁western ▁part ▁of ▁what ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁Arm or ica ▁during ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁Roman ▁occupation . ▁It ▁became ▁an ▁independent ▁kingdom ▁and ▁then ▁a ▁du chy ▁before ▁being ▁un ited ▁with ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 5 3 2 ▁as ▁a ▁province ▁govern ed ▁as ▁if ▁it ▁were ▁a ▁separate ▁nation ▁under ▁the ▁crown . ▁ ▁Brit t any ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁Less , ▁L esser ▁or ▁Little ▁Britain ▁( as ▁opposed ▁to ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁with ▁which ▁it ▁shares ▁an ▁et ym ology ). ▁It ▁is ▁border ed ▁by ▁the ▁English ▁Channel ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁Norm andy ▁to ▁the ▁n ortheast , ▁Pays ▁de ▁la ▁Lo ire ▁to ▁the ▁sout heast , ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁B isc ay ▁to ▁the ▁south , ▁and ▁the ▁C elt ic ▁Sea ▁and ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean ▁to ▁the ▁west . ▁Its ▁land ▁area ▁is ▁ 3 4 , 0 2 3   km ² ▁. ▁ ▁Brit t any ▁is ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁world ' s ▁oldest ▁standing ▁architecture , ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁Bar n enez , ▁the ▁T um ulus ▁Saint - Mich el ▁and ▁others , ▁which ▁date ▁to ▁the ▁early ▁ 5 th ▁mill en ni um ▁BC . ▁Today , ▁the ▁historical ▁province ▁of ▁Brit t any ▁is ▁split ▁among ▁four ▁French ▁depart ments : ▁Fin ist ère ▁in ▁the ▁west , ▁C ô tes - d ' Ar mor ▁in ▁the ▁north , ▁Il le - et - V ila