The answer to this question may depend on who’s asking it, where you are at the time, and what and how much you want to reveal about yourself. In many countries it’s rare to meet people who have lived all their lives in one place. Most of us move, at least a few times, to different parts of our countries and possibly to other countries.

We might choose to identify ourselves with our place or country of birth, the place or country where we grew up, or our current place or country of residence, or even the place or country from where our anscestors originated.

I myself currently live in Brighton in the southeast of England, was born and grew up in Lancashire in the northwest of England – specifically I was born in Morecambe and grew up in Silverdale. I’ve lived in various parts of the UK, and also in France, the Channel Islands (Jersey), Taiwan and Japan. So when asked “Where are you from?”, my answer might be Silverdale, Lancashire, the northwest of England, England, the UK, Britain, Brighton, the southeast of England, or somewhere near London. It all depends. Sometimes I mention the Welsh origins of my mother’s side of the family if I want to emphasise my Welshness and/or to establish my Celtic credentials.

If we ever colonise other planets, we will a new layer of identity as citzens of the Earth.