The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a supreme country situated off the northwestern coast of Europe. It comprises of the Island of Great Britain, the northeastern region of Island of Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and other small islands.
The United Kingdom recorded a population of 66.65 million in 2019 and covers an area of 242,495 km2.
Its capital is in London.
The major cities in the country are Edinburgh, Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff and Bristol.
The origins of the United Kingdom can be traced to the time of the Anglo-Saxon king Athelstan, who in the early 10th century CE secured the allegiance of neighbouring Celtic kingdoms and became “the first to rule what previously many kings shared between them,” in the words of a contemporary chronicle.
Through subsequent conquest over the following centuries, kingdoms lying farther afield came under English dominion. Wales, a congeries of Celtic kingdoms lying in Great Britain’s southwest, was formally united with England by the Acts of Union of 1536 and 1542.
Scotland, ruled from London since 1603, formally was joined with England and Wales in 1707 to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
Ireland came under English control during the 1600s and was formally united with Great Britain through the Act of Union of 1800.
During the First World War, the UK and Germany were against each other until its end in 1918.
The UK granted Ireland independent in 1921 but retained Northern Ireland.
UK’s culture is based on the history of the combined nations, Europe and its historical Christian religious life.
The crops grown in the country are cereals mainly wheat, barley and oats, sugar beets, root vegetables, pulses and forages.
The popular dishes are fish, chips, kidney pie, shepherd’s pie, mash and bangers.
Tower Bridge, London.
Wildlife
Common wildlife animals include roe deer, red deer, hedgehogs, badgers, otters, hares and moles.
Annual events/ celebrations/ festivals
The main celebrated events include St. George’s Day on 23rd April in England, Diwali in Leicester, Hogmanay, Burns Night, Hay Festival, Robin Festival, Jorvik Viking Festival and Notting Hill Carnival.
Things to see
One of the places to visit is the British Museum in London, which is a public organization that is devoted to human history, art and culture and was widely sourced during the British Empire.
There is also the Tower of London, which is a historic castle in the north of River Thames.
Lastminute.com London Eye widely called millennium wheel, which is a cantilevered monitoring wheel on the south of River Thames in London is also a great place to visit.
People also go to see the Big Ben, which is the Great Bell of the conspicuous clock situated at the north of the Palace of Westminster in London.
Other must-visit places in the UK are Buckingham Palace, Stonehenge, Roman Baths, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.
Big Ben & The Houses Of Parliament, London.
Interesting facts
The birthplace of Shakespeare and the Beatles in England.
The UK is famous for Oxford and Cambridge Universities, David Beckham and the Royal family.
The most populated country in the UK is England.
The official language in the UK is English and the official religion is Christianity.
Borders
The United Kingdom is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, on the south by the English tunnel and the southwest by the Celtic Sea. Northern Ireland is bordered by the Republic of Ireland. Great Britain is separated from Ireland by the Irish Sea.
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