SCOTLAND

Scotland was an independent Kingdom until King Jame VI of Scotland

inherited the English throne and became King James I of England in 1603. Scotland
has been part of Great Britain since the Act of Union 1707. It is composed essentially
of three parts – an archipelago, highlands, and lowlands. Scotland’s position as a
nation today is within the United Kingdom of Great Britain Government of Scotland
and Northern Ireland. It is one of four “countries” that compose the UK, the others
being Northern Ireland, Wales, and England.
The total land area of Scotland including islands is 78,772 square kilometers. It
is 60% the size of England and 14% larger than the Republic of Ireland. If ranked
globally, it would be the 115th largest by land area.
Scotland has a population of around five and a half million comprising only
about 8% of the total of the UK population. Notably, it is less than 10% of the
population of England. Over 80% of Scotland’s population are white Scottish born
with about 8% being from the other parts of the UK and between 2-3% being of South
Asian origin. Scotland has the second-highest proportion of redheads in the world at
6% with only Ireland at 10% having more.
English is spoken universally throughout Scotland with a range of accents to a
native. Besides, Scots and Gaelic are also spoken in Scotland.
Edinburgh – the capital city of Scotland, like Rome, is built on 7 hills.
Edinburgh was the first city in the world to have its own fire brigade. Glasgow is the
largest city in Scotland with the greater metro area accounting for over a third of
Scottish population.
The flag of Scotland is white saltire, meaning a diagonal cross against a blue
field. It is also known as the Cross of Saint Andrew – the patron saint of Scotland. The
white saltire on a blue field has been associated with the Scottish military and
heraldry. Royal Arms of Scotland has a red lion rampant on a golden shield. Today it
takes its place on the official Uinted Kingdom Coat of Arm. That said, a special coat
of arm for the Union is used in Scotland. On this, the Latin “Nemo me impune
lacessit” translates as “No one provokes me with impunity” – a motto dating back to
the Scottish military of the Middle Ages.
The form of government of Scotland is constitutional monarchy. The Scottish
National Party (SNP) is a major Scottish nationalist, social democratic party in
Scotland.
Scottish cuisine is famous for tow things: Haggis and deep frying. The Haggis
is a mix of sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs minced with oinions, oatmeal, and various
speices, wrapped in a sheep’s stomach and boiled. The giant in the world of food and
drink is Scottish whiskey.
Scotland has a very rich and distnctive culture that has emerged over centuries
through its blend of Celtic and British influences. There are the oldest Neolithic
Villages of Skara Brae, the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, and the Forth Bridge.
Scotland is also renowned for its traditionla tartans, the colorful woven patterns that
represent various clans and families. Tartan was worn by highlanders when they went
into battle in the form of a skirt known as a kilt, and today fomal occasions and
cenemonies Scottish men wear a kilt. The Great Highland Bagpipe is synonymous
with Scottland and has become a globally recognized iconic of Scottish culture. The
Lochness monster has become one of the world’s most enduring and famous
mysteries. The populart song “Happy New Year” belongs to Auld Lang Syne. This is a
popular traditional folk song from a poem by Robert Burn (a Scottish Poet) from 1780.

ENGLAND
England, the predominant constituent unit of the United Kingdom, occupies
more than half of the island of Great Britain. England is composed of an island nation
in the North-Western Europe with Wales to the West, Scotland to the North and just
across the Irish Sea to the West, Northern Ireland.
England ‘s land area is 50,319 square miles or slightly smaller than Louisiana
in the United States. England comprises the central and southern two-thirds of the
island of Great Britain, plus offshore islands of which the largest is the Isle of Wight.
England is separated into 48 counties with a population of around 56 million
people which is the largest and most populous country in the UK. For comparison’s
sake, it’s 2.5 times less populated than Japan and 3 times smaller in size.
The English language which is spoken by hundreds of millions of people
around the world, originated as the language of England. However, UK legislation
does not recognize any language as being official but English is the language used in
England for general official bussiness.
The capital city and home to around 9 million people of England is London
which is the largest city in Great Britain, and the largest city in the European Union by
many measures. With its most famous landmarks such as The Tower of London,
Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, The London Eye, The British Museum and London
Bridge. The capital attracts more than 40 million vistors each year.
England’s flag has a white background with a solid red stripe going across it in
the middle and another solid red stripe going up and down in the middle. This symbol
is called Saint George’s Cross, which represents Saint George who was a Roman
solider and priest who died in the year 303. The national flower of England is the rose
which is a symbol of peace. It has played an important role in the War of the Roses.
England’s national animal, the Lion, is often used as a symbol of sports teams
becaused of its fighting character and bravery. The song called “God Save The Queen”
as being official anthem of the United Kingdom (which includes Northern Ireland,
England, Wales, and Scotland) and many people consider it as being the official
anthem of England as well.
 The form of English government is known as a constitutional monarchy in
which a King or a Queen is the head of state. The Queen Elizabeth II is the head of
state not only England but all of the UK and an additional 15 counties of
Commonwealth. She is one of the most iconic symbols in England. And she is also the
longest-living and reigning monarch (70 years) in British history. While Queen is the
head of state, the Prime Minister is the head of government and is oficially in power
for five years. The country has long been known for its divide in political beliefs.
One of the most famous dishes in England is called “fish and chips” which is
fried fish and french fries. In England, tea is easily the most famous tradition, drunk at
any time of day, in any kind of social interaction and is the remedy for any kinds of
illness.
The education in England is split into two main types: State Schools which are
funded through the taxation and free to all. And Private Schools which provide a paid-
for education on top of taxes. England is the home of the two oldest universities in the
English-speaking world: Oxford University (twelfth century) and Cambridge
University (early thirteenth century).
Music from England has been one of the most popular and best-selling music in
the world. In fact, the most successful band in the history of the world, the Beatles,
came from England. Football is the nation’s most popular sport and Premier League is
the world’s most-watched football league. Rugby, cricket, boxing, horse racing, and
tennis follow close behind, and the Wembledon holds the title of the oldest tennis
tournament in the world.
The National Rail network consists of 10,072 route miles in Great Britain in
which the majority in England. The Urban Rail network is also well-developed in
London and several other cities. England is the country that has the oldest and most
extensive underground railway in the world.

WALES
Wales, a constituent unit of the United Kingdom is in the south-west of the
United Kingdom.
Wales is roughly 20,800 square kilometers with a population of around 3.1
million people living there. That’s less than 5% of the total population in the UK so
Wales is very small.
The Welsh language came from the language of the Celts. About one-fifth of
the people of Wales speak Welsh. English is the other main language in Wales. In the
country, schools have classes in both English and Welsh.
The capital city of Wales is Cardiff which is the largest city in the country with
a population of around 363,000 and is located on the South East Coat. Other Welsh
cities are Swansea and Newport. Many Wlesh cities are by the sea.
 The flag of wales is white and green with a dragon on it. This dragon is also
called “The Welsh Dragon”. It is very popular in Wales. There are many stories and
legends about the Welsh Dragon. There are two other popular Welsh symbols: leek and
daffodil. The leek has become a symbol in war. It is believed that a Welsh soldier wore
a leek on their uniform so that they knew who was a Welsh soldier and who wasn’t.
The daffodil became a Welsh symbol after that because Welsh words for both the
daffodil and the leek are very similar so the daffodil became a Welsh symbol too.
Wales is officially a principality but it is not governed by a prince. The title os
Prince of Wales is bestowed on the male heir to the British throne. The head of
government is the British Prime Minister and the Parliament handles foreign relations
and many domestic matters for Wales. The Welsh select members to Parliament which
meets in London, England. The secretary of state for Wales represents Welsh interests
in the national cabinet and in parliament and also represents the national government
in Wales.
The Welsh cuisine is very similar to that of the other Bristish nation in which
the most popular meat being lamb which is unsprising as sheep is the most farmed
animal in Wales. In 2017, there were more than 10 million sheep and only 3.1 million
people. The national vegetable is the leek ans is used regularly in dishes prepared in
the country. The favored drink in Wales is beer with SA Brain which is the most
largest producer in the country.
The Welsh traditional costume was worn by rural women in Wales. The
costume consists of a printed neckerchief, a petticoat, an apron, knitted stockings and
the iconic hat. Traditional festivals like Eisteddfod celebrate Welsh art and culture.
Notable features include Snowdonia National Park, the Brecon Beacons, and a rugged
coastline. The landscape played a role in shaping Welsh culture and history. The Welsh
are very proud of their castles. One of those castles is Conwy castle. It is on top of hill
next to the river Conwy. It has eight big towers. Rugby Union is the national sport of
Wales.

NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom in the Northeast os the island
os Ireland and makes up one-sixth of the total island areas.
Northern ireland covers a land area of around 14,130 square kilometers with a
population of around over 5 million people living there. The landscape is characterized
by its diverse geographical features including lakes, rivers, mountains, hills, and
coastal areas.
English is the language used in Northern Ireland. Although English is near-
universally spoken by eveyone in the six counties, Irish is also spoken by a small but
significant and growing proportion of the population.
Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of devolved
government and legislative assembly in Northern Ireland. It is the largest urban in
Northern Ireland and the province of Ulster, the fifteenth-largest city in the UK, and
the second-largest city on the island of Ireland. It has a complex history with its own
unique culture and political identity in the North.
Ireland’s flag conists of a red cross on a white field with a crowned red hand in
the center. The red hand symbolizes the red hand of Ulster which is an acient Irish
symbol associated with the province of Ulster via Northern Ireland. It is located in the
red cross derived from a traditional cross of Saint Patrick-the patron saint of Ireland.
The crown represents the connection between Northern Ireland and the Bristish
monarchy as part of the United Kingdom.
The song called “God Save The Queen” as the official anthem of the United
Kingdom (which includes Northern Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland) and
Noethern Ireland also uses it as the officila antherm as well. The six blue flax flowers
have been adopted by the Northern Ireland Assembly as its logo. The six blue flax
flowers represent the six historic country that makeup Northern Ireland and the
region’s history of linen making. The national flower of Northern Ireland is shamrock
which is a tree shaped like a clover and is a symbol of Northern Ireland’s faith, hope,
and growing.
The main political divide in Northern Ireland is between unionists who wish to
see Northern Ireland continuent as part of the United Kingdom and nationalists who
wish to see Northern Ireland unified with the Republic of Ireland, independent from
the United Kingdom. The Northern Ireland Executive Committees runs the devolved
government in Northern Ireland. It is made up of the First Minister, the Deputy First
Minister, two Junior Ministers and eight other government ministers.
The cuisine of Northern Ireland is influenced by both tradional Irish and British
dished including Irish stew, soda bread, and fry. This region also has a growing craft
beer and whiskey industry throughout Northern Ireland, especially in Belfast and
Londonderry.
Northern Irland has a very rich and diverse culture that reflects its complex
history and unique identity. Music is an integral part of the culture with traditional
Irish music and dance being particularly significant. Traditional Irish instruments such
as Feral Fluid and Bodhran are commonly used in folk music. Particularly, the
nationalist committees widely celebrate cultural festivals like The Saint Patrick’s day
celebration and Belfast International Art Festival showcase artistic talent and cultural
identity.