United Kingdom

Quick Facts

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Capital

London

Population

60,587,300 ^[1]

Government

Constitutional Monarchy

Religions

Christianity (Protestant, Catholic), Islam

Languages

English

Nationality

noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural), adjective: British

Local name

UK

Calling Code

+44

Time Zone

GMT (UTC+0)

Summer (DST)

GMT+1 (UTC+1)

Introduction

Stromness HArbour - South Georgia

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The United Kingdom is officially known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Luckily, very few people feel the need to refer to it as such.

At one point, the United Kingdom was the world's major superpower, with its colonial fingers stretched across a quarter of the world's land. That was little more than a century ago. But in the intervening century (the fire-spewing 20th century), the UK and the Western world at large, has seen two World Wars which have drastically reduced the international power of the UK. Politically, the UK has become a middle-ranking power, retaining this status by virtue of its seat on the United Nations Security Council and its nuclear capability. Culturally, the UK is still a place of supreme importance: the mother of the English-speaking world, the birthplace of many great artists, novelists and thinkers, and a haven for the pub-thirsty.

The four nations which comprise the UK are distinctive destinations, but one similarity is shared by all: a warm, hospitable manner which challenges the cold, damp weather.

Brief History

Geography

The United Kingdom shares international borders with Ireland, Spain and France via an underwater tunnel called the chunnel.

Regions

The United Kingdom consists of four home nations located on the British Isles.

Great Britain

• England - the largest both in size and population.
• Scotland - the rugged northern regions.
• Wales - in the west, bounded on the west by the Irish Sea.

Ireland

• Northern Ireland - the north eastern part of the island of Ireland.

It is extremely important for visitors to be aware that England is not a synonym for the United Kingdom, even if it is often used as such in the United States and in France (and even, sadly, in England). Using 'England' to mean 'Britain' or 'the UK' may well cause offence in Scotland and elsewhere.

Cities

England

• London - capital of UK and England
• Manchester
• Liverpool
• Southampton
• Oxford
• Bristol
• Birmingham
• Leeds
• Sheffield
• Newcastle
• York

Scotland

• Edinburgh - capital of Scotland
• Aberdeen
• Glasgow

Wales

• Cardiff - capital of Wales
• Swansea

Northern Ireland

• Belfast - capital of Northern Ireland
• Londonderry

Sights and Activities

National Parks

England

• Lake District
• Yorkshire Dales
• Northumberland
• North York Moors
• Peak District
• Norfolk Broads
• South Downs
• New Forest
• Exmoor
• Dartmoor

Scotland

• Cairngorms
• Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

Wales

• Snowdonia
• Brecon Beacons
• Pembrokeshire Coast

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

There are many international airports in the United Kingdom, with the busiest ones being those in its capital London. Here is a list of some of the main airports in the UK.

England

• London Heathrow (LHR)
• London Gatwick (LGW)
• London Stansted (STN)
• London Luton (LTN)
• London City Airport (LCY)
• Birmingham International Airport (BHX)
• Blackpool International Airport (BLK)
• Bournemouth International Airport (BOH)
• Bristol International Airport (BRS)
• Coventry Airport (CVT)
• Doncaster Sheffield Robin Hood Airport (DSA)
• Durham Tees Valley Airport (MME)
• East Midlands International Airport (EMA)
• Exeter International Airport (EXT)
• Humberside International Airport (HUY)
• Leeds Bradford International Airport (LBA)
• Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL)
• Manchester Airport (MAN)
• Newcastle International Airport (NCL)
• Norwich International Airport (NWI)
• Southampton Airport (SOU)

Scotland

• Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
• Glasgow International Airport (GLA)

Wales

• Cardiff International Airport (CWL)

Northern Ireland

• Belfast International Airport (BFS)

British Airways is the national carrier of the United Kingdom and flies to many main cities around the world. Apart from the national carrier, virtually all major airlines in the world have the UK as one of their destinations. For those on a budget, there are also many low-cost carriers in Europe with destinations in the UK. Easyjet, one of the biggest low-cost carriers in the UK, flies into different parts of the country from around Europe.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Red Tape

Money

The currency of United Kingdom is the pound sterling with the international currency code GBP (Great Britain Pound). The currency sign for pound is £ (the symbol is derived from the letter L). It is also known to the locals as quid (both singular and plural), which a slang term, so you might hear people say "two quid" instead of two pounds. One pound is divided into 100 pence.

Although the Bank of England (BoE), the central bank of the UK, issues most of the banknotes, sterling banknotes are also issued by seven other private banks. This often creates confusion amongst travellers when they travel from one country to another.

• England and Wales: Bank of England (does not issue £100 notes)
• Scotland: Bank of Scotland, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank
• Northern Ireland: Bank of Ireland, First Trust Bank, Northern Bank, Ulster Bank

• Banknotes: £5, £10, £20, £50, £100
• Coins: 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2

Banknotes issued by the BoE are accepted everywhere in the UK and are legal tender in England. However, this is not true for banknotes issued by the seven other banks. Some merchants may refuse to accept banknotes issued by banks other than BoE and banks in that country. For example, Bank of Scotland banknotes might not be accepted by merchants in England and Northern Ireland. Ulster Bank banknotes might be rejected in Scotland. Do not worry if this happens. You could try to use them again at bigger merchants or simply exchange them at banks pound for pound, with banknotes issued locally or that from BoE. When you make a purchase in cash and there is a change, you may ask the merchant to give you the change in BoE notes and they will usually oblige the request if they have them.

Fifty pounds (£50) banknotes are best avoided as they would not be accepted by merchants due to their rarity and the risk of counterfeit notes. So if you are given £50 banknotes when you exchange money at money changers, return them and ask for smaller denominations.

Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), also known locally as cash machines, cashpoints, or "holes in the wall," are widely available in urban and sub-urban areas. Banknotes dispensed by ATMs are in £10 and £20 denominations. All ATMs are connected to the Cirrus and PLUS networks. Some ATMs may charge a withdrawal fee and you will be informed of this before the completion of the transaction to allow you to cancel it if you do not agree with the fee.

Credit cards are widely accepted and Visa and Mastercard are usually the preferred ones by merchants. American Express is usually only accepted by large stores, so check before you decide to purchase anything if that's the only card you have.

Work

Citizens of the European Union (EU) countries have permanent working rights in the UK. However, some EU member countries from eastern Europe may need to register themselves before they could work here.

Non-European Union citizens without a work permit and job offer but wish to live and work in the UK will have to apply under the point-based Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP). Points are given in five different categories and applicants will need to obtain at least 75 points. However, this programme is set to end in March 2008 and will be replaced by Tier 1, a new point-based system.

The British government also operates a Working Holidaymaker Scheme for nationals of selected Commonwealth countries age from 17 to 30 years old. Successful applicants will be issued a 2-year visa which also permits them to work for up to 12 months.

Study

Language

English is, not surprisingly, the main language in the UK. Since the language originated in the UK and has evolved over hundreds of years, mixing Germanic roots with huge dollops of French and Latin vocabulary, there are wide local variations in both accent and vocabulary, with mutual comprehension not always guaranteed. However, there is a standard form of English, which is used in newspapers and (often) on the BBC.

But English was not the first language to be spoken in the British Isles. Before the Romans arrived - and, indeed, while they were here - Britons spoke various Celtic languages, and the descendants of these languages are still spoken, particularly in the hillier areas less exposed to Roman and Anglo-Saxon influence. Some Celtic languages - such as Manx and Cornish - have died out for practical purposes. Other Celtic descendants are still widely used, notably:

• Welsh. Widely studied in schools in Wales, and especially widely used in North Wales. It has official status under the Welsh Language Act 1993. Welsh TV programmes are broadcast.

• Scottish Gaelic. Never spoken in lowland Scotland, Orkney or Shetland, but still widespread in the Western Isles.

• Irish Gaelic. A compulsory subject in schools in the Republic of Ireland, and an official language of the European Union. It is an official minority language in Northern Ireland.

These days few, if any, native speakers of Welsh or Gaelic are monoglot. So you can speak English anywhere and expect to be understood - if your English is good enough.

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Alcohol

The drinks for which the UK is known are not necessarily the drinks drunk by the majority. In common with other northern European countries, alcohol consumption is relatively high by international standards, and much of this consumption takes place on Friday and Saturday nights, when the atmosphere of city and town centres is markedly affected. The beer most commonly drunk is continental lager; alcopops are also popular.

But you don't come to the UK to drink German or Czech beer, wonderful though it can be. The UK is the home of ale. The variety of ale around the country is one of its cultural glories. Unlike the lager sold in pubs, ale is usually alive: it sits maturing in barrels in the cellar of the pub (and so it can go off quite quickly). It is best drunk at a warmer temperature than lager (although not actually, despite the cliché, 'warm'). An ale is likely to be 'real' (that is, still alive) if the barperson has to pull the pump by hand. If he or she just flips a tap, it isn't real ale and it may be very ordinary indeed. Other forms of ale are occasionally seen but are not common: mild in the north of England, and porter (from which stout was derived) in London.

Some white wine, both still and sparkling, is made in southern England. At this latitude, the vine is at its northern extreme. Styles are more German than French. Wine is quite heavily taxed and is not cheap in the UK. However, probably precisely because of the relative dearth of local production, it is the world's centre of the international (wholesale) wine trade. If you can't find a wine in London, it isn't exported. Port and Madeira were both invented for the British market, and the Bordeaux wine trade has had strong British links since the days of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

As for spirits, the UK is probably best known for gin and for Scottish malt whisky. Gin - which the British got from the Dutch - probably needs no introduction. The type of gin drunk in gin and tonics over the world is London dry gin.

Whisky (derived from the Gaelic for 'water of life', and hence etymologically identical to aqua vitae) shares with beer an origin in the fermentation of barley. It also shares with beer a staggering and wonderful variety, ranging from the light and aromatic whisky of the lowlands to the pungent malts of Islay. It comes in two main types: single malt and blended. A single malt is distilled in a particular batch at a single distillery. There are no bad single malts on the market; presumably the ordinary ones just died out. Blended whisky can be very good - Johnny Walker Black Label is superb - but it can be utter rubbish, fit only for a heavily diluted whisky and ginger. The difference between a good and bad whisky is like that between different species, so avoid anything under £12-15 a bottle. Whiskey, with an 'e', is made elsewhere, notably in Ireland, the USA and Japan (with some wonderful examples in the latter). But Scotland is its home: nowhere else matches the number and quality of its whiskies. Many of its whisky distilleries can be visited.

Health

Rabies is not endemic in the UK and the authorities would like it to stay that way. Pets susceptible to rabies are required by law to spend six months in quarantine (unless they qualify for the Pet Travel Scheme - a pet passport).

Safety

Alcohol Free Area

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In case of emergency, dial 999 or 112 free-of-charge from any phones for Police, Ambulance, Fire Brigade and Coast Guard.

Although tourist areas are generally safe, travellers should still to practise some common sense safety precautions just as they do anywhere in the world.

In some towns and cities, drinking in public places is an offence, and you could be slapped with a fine if caught. However, this law is widely flouted.

Keep Connected

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