United Kingdom
Geography
Great Britain is made up of England, Wales and Scotland. The United Kingdom (UK) is Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Internationally, people sometimes refer to England when they actual mean Great Britain or the UK. Be aware that this can cause offence.
The UK is situated in western Europe. Britain is an island nation. Northern Ireland shares a border with the Republic of Ireland (Eire). There is now a rail tunnel link between England and France.
London is the capital of the UK.
The UK covers approx.93,000 square miles (240,900 sq.km).
In 2006 the resident population of the UK was estimated at 60.6 million with 50.8 living in England.
Time Zone
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Observes daylight saving time, known as British Summer Time (BST) from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October. This is GMT + 1 hour.
GMT is also known as Western European Time (WET).
Climate
Temperate. Being an island nation the climate is very varied and somewhat unpredictable. This perhaps explains why the weather is such a popular topic of conversation. Generally speaking it is more wet in Northern Ireland, western Scotland and northwest England and driest and the warmest in the south of England. Not surprisingly the further north you go in the UK the cooler it tends to be.
Currency
Great British Pound GBP (symbol £). One hundred pence to a pound.
Bank notes are produced by the Bank of England. Scottish banks also produce their own bank notes but these are strictly speaking not legal tender in England & Wales (although they are often accepted as payment)
Language
English. There are many regional dialects.
Driving
Left hand side of the road. Distances and speed limits are shown in miles. At any time of the day you are likely to experience major congestion in and around major towns and cities.
Outdoor Pursuits
The choice of outdoor pursuits is very varied. Examples are hiking, cycling, walking, sailing, fishing and playing golf.
Of course, for the less sporty the opportunities for sightseeing are almost endless.
Weights and Measures
Metric however, as stated above, road signs are in miles.
Visas And Work Permits
For information on coming to work in the UK check out the Border and Immigration Agency website
To find out if you need a visa or entry clearance to enter the UK visit www.ukvisas.gov.uk
Further Information
For information on all public services in the UK, from taxation, education, health care to driving licences visit www.directgov.gov.uk/en/index.htm
For more information on Scotland click here
For more information on England & Wales click here
For more information on Northern Ireland click here
