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United Kingdom

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Quick Facts

United Kingdom flag

Map of United Kingdom

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Capital
London
Government
Constitutional Monarchy
Nationality
noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural), adjective: British
Population
60 587 300 [1]
Languages
English
Religions
Christianity (Protestant, Catholic), Islam
Currency
Pound Sterling (GBP) £
Calling Code
+44
Time Zone
GMT (UTC)
Daylight Saving Time
BST (UTC+1)

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Introduction

"Pedestrians", London

© All Rights Reserved janeyee

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.

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Brief History

Birmingham Concert Hall

Birmingham Concert Hall

© All Rights Reserved Midworlder

The history of the islands off the coast of north western Europe is a long one, with human settlements dating back thousands of years, and there are a number of monuments and structures on the islands from these "pre-history" times, including Stonehenge. In 43 AD, the Roman Empire started a conquest of the islands, and remained in rule over parts of Great Britain until the 5 century AD, and were the first people to build a bridge across the Thames River at the site of present day London Bridge in London.

After the withdrawal of the Romans, the islands split into a number of different kingdoms and saw various rulers rise and fall from power, including the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans (French). England, Wales and Scotland all eventually became protestant kingdoms, while Ireland remained mostly Catholic.

After the Treaty of Union that was agreed on 22 July 1706, the United Kingdom was formed on May 1st, 1707 when the Kingdom of England (at the time which included Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland formed a political alliance. The Kingdom of Ireland was brought into the United Kingdom in 1800, though in 1920 a number of counties formed the now independent country of Ireland, leaving only 6 counties in Northern Ireland still as part of the United Kingdom.

In the 18th and 19th century, the United Kingdom saw the development of the parliamentary system and the industrial revolution. It was the heart of a vast colonial empire, with outposts across the globe. The British Empire was often said to be the empire on which the sun never sets, as it's global reach ensure that it was daytime in at least one of its numerous colonies or subject nations.

The first 50 years of the 20th century saw two world wars, in which the United Kingdom were one of the key combatants. After World War II, most of the United Kingdom's overseas colonies and subject nations became independent from the United Kingdom, however many still have strong links to the UK through participation in the Commonwealth of Nations.

The United Kingdom was one of the 12 founding nations of the European Union, and continues to play an important role in the further development and growth of that body. However, while Europe continues to develop closer ties, the direction within the United Kingdom is heading in the other way. Both Scotland and Wales have examined the idea of gaining independence from the United Kingdom. Scotland has created a Scottish Parliament, with Scottish Independence Party currently in control and the potential for a legislative way to gain independence. Wales has a Welsh Assembly with limited legislative powers.

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Geography

Winter sunset on Loch Etive

Winter sunset on Loch Etive

© All Rights Reserved Naryves

The United Kingdom is a series of islands off the North-west coast of the European continent. The largest island is Great Britain, containing the countries of England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland, 6 counties in the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland makes up the fourth of the four "home nations" of the United Kingdom. In addition to these two large islands, there are over 1000 other islands that form the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom has a land mass of 245,000 km². The tallest point in the United Kingdom is Ben Nevis, in the Nevis Range in Scotland at 1,344 metres. The United Kingdom has 12,429 km of coast line, and is criss-crossed with rivers, so that the visitor is never far from water. The longest river is the Severn River, running through Wales and England.

The United Kingdom shares an international border with the country of Ireland. At it's closest point, the United Kingdom is only 35 km from France, separated English Channel. The island of Great Britain is connected by an underwater tunnel to the European mainline which is called the Chunnel.

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Regions

Emerging from the Chirk Tunnel

Emerging from the Chirk Tunnel

© All Rights Reserved Hooch

The United Kingdom consists of four home nations located on the British Isles that have unique cultures and histories that are intertwined.

Great Britain

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

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.

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Major Cities

England

Piccadilly Square, London

Piccadilly Square, London

© All Rights Reserved Mavr8k

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

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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

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Events and Festivals

Staircase Belfast Castle

Staircase Belfast Castle

© All Rights Reserved Purdy

The Glastonbury Festival is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. It started in 1971 with 1500 attendees, but has now grown to a massive festival with over 130 000 people attending. Glastonbury takes place in Pilton, Somerset, over three days on the last weekend of June.

The Edinburgh Fringe takes place in August every year, and is the largest arts festival in the world. There are a number of varied performances from classic works, alternative arts and more mainstream fare. The festival takes place in a number of venues (over 250 in 2006) throughout Edinburgh, including a number of street performers on the "Royal Mile" in Edinburgh's old town.

Notting Hill Carnival happens every August Bank Holiday in London and comprises a Kids Day, an Adults Day and a spectacular parade to rival Rio. There are plenty of stalls, selling foods from all over the world, but primarily remaining true to its Caribbean roots. There are live bands and DJs in the many sound systems set up in surrounding streets so you can continue to party long after the midday parade.

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Weather

Famously fickle, predicting the weather of the United Kingdom seems beyond Britain's most experienced weather forecasters. Generally speaking, the UK has cool, wet winters and warm, varied summers with temperatures lower in the North and rainfall lower in the East.

Some areas buck this trend, however, with the South coast of Devon and Cornwall (and particularly the Isles of Scilly) experiencing warmer, drier summers than the rest of the country. The West coast of Scotland can experience very pleasant weather during summer months due to the influence of the North Atlantic Drift.

For more information regarding the weather in the UK, you can also check the articles about England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.

The BBC Climate Guide page for the UK has further detailed information.

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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

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

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

From Continental Europe:
Trains from continental Europe enter England via the the Channel Tunnel, also known as Chunnel, a 50.5-kilometre undersea rail tunnel.

The two main services are the Eurostar, a high-speed passenger train, and the Eurotunnel Shuttle, for vehicle transport (see By Car section, below). Eurostar runs from Paris and Brussels as well as seasonal destinations to London and other south-eastern locations in the UK. Refer to the Eurostar Route Map for all possible connections to the UK.

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is a luxury train service with the original and main journey being London-Venice. There are also several other journeys to choose from, with stops in Budapest, Istanbul, Krakow, Paris, Prague, Rome and Vienna. Carriages dated back to the 1920s and 1930s are used to give a vintage feel for this luxury train service.

From Ireland:
The cross-border intercity train service between Belfast and Dublin is called the Enterprise. The journey takes just over two hours and is jointly operated by the Irish Rail and NI Railways.

By Car

From Continental Europe:
The Eurotunnel service is the fastest way to cross the English Channel in the comfort of your vehicle. The shuttle train transports both you and your vehicle from Calais, France to Folkestone, England via the Channel Tunnel in about 35 minutes. From Folkestone, the M20 motorway connects to London.

From Ireland:
The drive from Ireland to Northern Ireland usually starts from Dublin city centre at Ireland's M1 motorway toward Belfast. There is neither border control nor signpost in between the journey to tell you that you have crossed the border. However, one may noticed that the road signs in Northern Ireland are only in English unlike Ireland's bilingual signs (English and Irish).

Imperial units v Metric system
In the UK, all road signs displaying distances and speed limits are in Imperial units (width and height: inches, feet; distance: yards, miles; speed: miles per hour) unlike the rest of Europe, including Ireland, where the metric system (metres, kilometres, kilometres per hour) is used.

By Bus

From Ireland:
Translink operates an hourly service direct from Dublin Airport (IATA: DUB, ICAO: EIDW) and Dublin city centre to Belfast city centre.

Eurolines and National Express provide services to both continental Europe as well as Scotland and Wales.

By Boat

The United Kingdom is very well connected to quite a few countries in the western and northern parts of Europe.

From Ireland

From Sweden:

From the Netherlands

From Belgium

  • Superfast Ferries has overnight ferries service 3 times a week from Rosyth (Scotland) to Zeebrugge (arrive 11:30 next day).
  • P&O Ferries offers daily overnight ships between Hull (England) and Zeebrugge as well.

From Germany

Norway

  • Colorline between Newcastle and both Bergen and Stavanger.
  • Fjordline between Newcastle and both Bergen and Stavanger.
  • DFDS Seaways between Newcastle and Kristansand.

From Denmark

Spain

From France

From Jersey and Guernsey

  • Condor Ferries from Guernsey and Jersey. Boats travel to Weymouth and Poole from Jersey and to these places and Portsmouth from Guernsey.

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Getting Around

By Plane

British Airways has flights between London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and many other cities in England like Newcastle.
Other airlines include BMI, Fly Be, Easyjet and Ryanair, offering numerous connections between England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and some smaller islands like Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and the Isle of Man. These latter islands are also served by smaller airlines like Manx.

By Train

National Rail has all the information you need about schedules and prices. There are dozens of daily connections between all major cities, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool (England), Cardiff (Wales), Glasgow and Edinburgh (Scotland). See the Northern Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland articles for travelling within those countries.

By Car

The United Kingdom has an excellent system of motorways, connecting all major cities in England, Wales and Scotland and within Northern Ireland. International and local firms have offices to rent cars at many airports and downtown. Driving is on the left and you need a national or international driver's licence.

By Bus

National Express is the main operator with daily buses connecting the bigger cities as well as regional towns.

By Boat

There are several ferry companies offering services in the United Kingdom to the outlying islands and also between Scotland and Northern Ireland. Companies include Stenaline, P&O Ferries and Norfolk Line Ferries.
Caledonian MacBrayne is one of the largest ferry operators in Scotland with services on the west coast and Clyde estuary. Many islands, including the Inner and Outer Hebrides, are served by them. In Northern Ireland, they also have ferries between Ballycastle and the island of Rathlin.
Northlink Ferries operates boats between Orkney and Shetland Islands. Ferries leave from Aberdeen for Lerwick, or from Scrabster to Stromness.
Others include Wightlink Ferries to the Isle of Wight and Scilly Line boats to the Isles of Scilly.

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Red Tape

Passport holders of members countries of the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland have the right of free movement and residence in the UK.[2]

  • European Economic Area: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are not members of the European Union (EU) but citizens of these countries have the same rights to enter, live in and work in the United Kingdom as EU citizens.[3]

For all other nationals, entry clearance (visa) may or may not be required for visiting the UK.

Nationals from the following countries do not require entry clearance (visa) for a stay of three or six months:

  • Andorra, Anguilla*, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda*, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Canada, Caymen Islands*, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, East Timor, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, Faroes, Gibraltar*, Greenland, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Korea (South), Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Montserrat, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Saint Helena*, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, South Georgia and Sandwich Islands, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos Islands*, Tuvalu, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City.[4]

Visa nationals are required to apply for entry clearance before entering the UK.

For the latest visa requirements, visa application guides and other immigration matters, refer to the UK Border Agency Visa Services.

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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 (singular: penny).

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.

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Work

All citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland 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. [5]

Nationals from other countries who wish to live and work in the UK will have to apply under the point-based Highly Skilled Worker (Tier 1 General) category. Applicants have to score a minimum number of points in order to be eligible for this programme.

The British government also operates a Youth Mobility Scheme for nationals of selected countries aged 18 to 30 years old. Successful applicants will be allowed to live and work in the United Kingdom for a maximum time of 24 months.

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Study

The United Kingdom is home to many highly-ranked universities. The ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge (the latter celebrating its eight hundredth anniversary in 2009) and the slightly newer University of London are regularly placed highly in rankings of the world's best universities. For more information on different universities, see the articles on specific cities.

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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.

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Eat

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Sleep

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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.

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Health

The healthcare system is the UK very good. Some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world are located in the UK. The National Health Service is the public health service provided by the government and is very good by international standards. There is also a system of private hospitals but private insurance is needed unless a patient wants to pay the full price.

For pet owners bringing animals to the UK 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).

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Safety

Alcohol Free Area

Alcohol Free Area

© All Rights Reserved Hien

In case of emergency, dial 999 or 112 for Police, Ambulance, Fire Brigade and Coast Guard. It's free of charge.

Although tourist areas are generally safe, travellers should still 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 offense, and you could be slapped with a fine if caught. However, this law is widely flouted.

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Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to the United Kingdom is: 44
To make an international call from the United Kingdom, the code is: 00

Post

References

  1. 1 Mid-2006 estimate, Office for National Statistics
  2. 2 European Citizens. UK Border Agency. Retrieved on 2008–08–17
  3. 3 Glossary. UK Border Agency. Retrieved 2009–02–18.
  4. 4 UK Border Agency Visa Services. Retrieved on 2009–02–18.
  5. 5 European Economic Area and Swiss Nationals, UK Border Agency - Retrieved on 2008-09-08

This is version 71. Last edited at 12:06 on Jun 24, 09 by Peter (-17). 49 articles link to this page.

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