The United Kingdom

Scotland

Northern Ireland

England

WlWales Facts about the UKU.K.

Offic ia l Name: UitdUnited Head of Government: Prime Kingdom of Great Britain Minister Gordon Brown and Northern Ireland Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II Form of Government: Constitutional monarchy National Sport: Football. with parliamentary Although other popular sports government include Rugby, Cricket and Golf. Capital: London Population: 60, 020, 000 Official Language: English Money: Pound sterling (GBP) Area: 93, 635 sq mi (242, 514 sq km) England

Capital: London

•The national sport in England is Football, and England has some of the oldest football teams in the world.

•England has produced some of the most famous writers of all time, such as William

•The weather in England is moderate Shakespeare and Charles (despite people claiming it rains all Dickens. the time!). Summer months can be quite hot and winters are usually cold and dry, although the months of March and April have heavy rainfall. England

FACTS ABOUT ENGLAND:

•London is the largest city in Europe. There are over 12 million living within the greater London area.

•The highest temperature ever recorded in England was 38.5 ˚C (101.3˚F) in Kent on 23rd August, 2003.

•The English drink more tea per person than any other people in the world!

•The Windsor castle is the oldest royal residence in the world still in use. It is also the largest.

•The national animal of England is the Lion. England

FOOD: •Traditional English dishes include Affternoon Tea: It consists of sandwiches, cakes and with jam and cream, and of course a pot of tea!

•Fish and Chips: Consists of fried potatoes and fish rolled in flour and egg and then cooked. Usually seasoned with salt and vinegar.

•English : Consists of eggs, bacon, beans, mushrooms, sausages, tomatoes and . Scotland

•Capital: Edinburgh

•Scotland is well known for it’s Highland Games which are held throughout the year and involve dancing and strange sports such as the Tossing the Caber.

•The Scottish climate is mild most of the time, although the winters are you usually very cold . Scotland also has heavy snowfall during the winter months. Scotland

FACTS ABOUT SCOTLAND:

•The current Prime Minister Gordon Brown, is Scottish.

•The official animal of Scotland is the Unicorn.

•The television, telephone, tyres and penicillin were all Scottish inventions.

•Although Edinburgh is the capital, the largest city in Scotland is actually Glasgow.

•Scotland has around 790 islands, 130 of which are uninhabited. Scotland

FOOD: •‘Neaps and Tatties’: parsnips (a type of vegetable) with mashed potatoes, this dish is usually served with meat.

•Haggis: a sheep stomach stuffed with the heart, liver and lungs of the same animal and mixed with spices, onion and oatmeal and then boiled.

•Scottish shortbread biscuits: made with butter and coated in sugg,ar, usually served with tea.

•Whisky or ‘Scotch whisky’ : a strong alcohol drink. Wales

Capital: Cardiff

•The national sport of Wales is Rugby.

•Wales is also historically famous for it’s music and other arts. It has produced many famous singers and actors such as Tom

•The climate in Wales is not Jones, Lost Prophets, Catherine very extreme, meaning it never Zeta Jones and Sean Connery. gets very cold or really hot. The driest time of year is during the summer months of June, July and August Wales

FACTS ABOUT WALES:

•Wales, in welsh is cymru.

•The highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, is named after the Welsh traveller Sir George Everest.

•The world’s longest name for a railway station is in Wales. It is called: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll‐llantysiliogogogoch.

•Prince Charles is called the Prince of Wales , to signify the union between England and Wales.

•The official animal of Wales is the Dragon. Wales

FOOD: •Welsh Rarebit: Melted cheese on toasted .

•: A cake that consists of lots of fruit and spices. It is usually served in slices and spread with butter.

•Cawl: A stew that consists of meat, leeks, onions and potatoes. Northern Ireland

Capital: Belfast

•English is the predominant language in NthNorthern IIlreland , although it has other dialects such as Irish language and Ulster Scots.

•Northern Ireland has a Maritime Climate, meaning that it is usually damp all year round. The weather throughout the year is changeable.

•Northern Irelldand is partillicularly popular with tourists from America and the rest of the U.K. due to it’s beautiful countryside. Northern Ireland

FACTS ABOUT NORTHERN IRELAND:

•St. Patrick’ s Day originated in Northern Ireland and Ireland, but is now even celebrated in other parts of the world. The festival celebrates Irish culture and people usually wear green and put up green decorations.

•The famous ship The Titanic, was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital .

•The name of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was adopted in 1927.

•Unlike the other three countries in the U.K. Northern Ireland does not have a national animal. Northern Ireland

FOOD: •: A type of baked or sometimes fried bread, where potato replaces half the amount of flour.

•Ulster Fry: Named after the province of Ulster, this dish is similar to an English Breakfast, but replaces toast with soda , and is a dish which is eaten at any mealtime.

•Soda Farl: A white bread made with bread soda and fried in a pan. Activity:

•Now that you have learnt about the various countries which make up the U.K., try testing your knowledge and find out how much you really know about the United Kingdom!

By Kate Davis, Feb. 2010