United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is a country located off the north-western coast of the European mainland. It occupies the island of Great Britain – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, sharing an open land border with the Republic of Ireland.
The UK is situated on the British Isles and separated from the rest of the Europe by the English Channel. It is fully surrounded by water and neighbours several countries by the sea, including Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
Through the history, the United Kingdom was formed through alliances, royal marriages and conquests. The UK is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy with head of the government (the prime minister) and head of state (the monarch).
About 65.1 million people live in the UK (2015), most of them situated in the capital and the largest city of the UK - London.
The United Kingdom is home to 28 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Cities, including Bath, Canterbury, and Chester.
The United Kingdom has been a major member of European Union, until its withdrawal.
Culture & Tourism
Its fascinating history, modern culture and attractions have been recognized all over the world. The UK has been a centre of learning and has over 120 institutions in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The oldest and most famous universities Oxford and Cambridge have been hosting students all over the world. The UK has several world-class institutions located in Bath, Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Exeter, Kent, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Southampton, Warwick, York.
The UK is also the home of rugby, tennis, golf and cricket, and a very popular tourist destination. In 2017 it was declared as the 7th most visited destination in the world where the highest number of visits recorded the Tower of London.
The most popular destination in the UK is London. It is the political, economic and cultural capital of Britain and one of the oldest and most popular cities in the world. Its magnificent history, culture and numerous attractions are the reasons why tourists love this destination so much. London contains four World Heritage Sites, including the Tower of London, The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, The Palace of Westminister and Maritime Greenwich. Apart from numerous museums, galleries, music halls and sporting events, other landmarks that catch an eye of the tourists include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and The Shard.
The second most populated city in the UK is Birmingham. It’s one of the greenest cities in Europe, a home of a strong industrial heritage and many significant people that left a great impact on the world as we know it. Birmingham also features great shopping and has the youngest population in Europe.
Climate
The climate in the UK is mild, cool-temperate and oceanic with many rainfalls over the year. The heaviest rainfall is noted generally between September and January. Even though the weather conditions are often windy and wet, rain rarely rains more than two or three hours at a time – more often is overcast or partly cloudy skies.
Temperatures vary between the north and the south of the country. The majority of the rain falls over the western regions leaving the eastern parts the driest.
The temperature varies with the season with the minimum below -11°C or maximum above 35°C. Atlantic currents bring mild winters where heavy snowfall occurs mostly in winter and early spring in the mountains.
