Country Name
The United Kingdom, officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is more commonly known as the UK or Britain.
The difference between England, Britain, and the UK:
England | It is the largest part of the United Kingdom, bordered on the north by Scotland and the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Wales, on the north-west by the Irish Sea, and on the east by the North Sea, while the English Channel separates it from the European continent to the south. |
Britain | Britain consists of England, Scotland, and Wales.
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United Kingdom:
| The United Kingdom consists of four countries (Britain, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland).
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Location
Located on the western side of Europe. It includes both Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and many small islands.
The United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and bordered by the North Sea from the east, the English Channel from the South, and the Irish Sea from the South and Southwest.
The English Channel connects Great Britain with France.
Capital
London.
Reason for Naming the country
The name "United Kingdom" refers to a union of four countries: England - Scotland - Wales - Ireland (the northern part only).
The real name of the United Kingdom in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The term "Great Britain" refers to the island of Great Britain, or politically to England, Scotland, and Wales.
There are two explanations for why the word Great came before "Britain", the first of these explanations:
That this title is used to differentiate between Britain and similar labels,
The second explanation goes back to King James I, who wished to clarify that Britain did not rule only England and parts of Wales, but ruled the islands, thereby establishing himself as the king and ruler of the Great British Empire.
Flag
The flag was adopted on the 1st of January 1801.
The United Kingdom's flag is blue with a white-bordered red cross and a white and red X in the center.
The United Kingdom’s flag is one of the most recognized in the world. The flag is also known as the Union Flag or the Union Jack, its design is quite interesting, as is the story behind the design.
The flag is made up of several different elements. The cross of
Saint George (Red Cross), the patron saint of England, is superimposed on the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. These are superimposed on the Saltire of Saint Andrew (white cross), who was the patron saint of Scotland.
The colors of the flag of the United Kingdom are red, white, and blue. These colors are based on the Saltires and crosses of the patron saints of England, Ireland, and Scotland.
Language
English is widely used in the UK in different dialects in addition to several regional languages. The official language of the United Kingdom is British English.
Today, English ranks as the third most widespread language in the world. Different organizations recognize it as either an official or co-official language including the EU and the UN.
A total of 11 indigenous languages have speakers across the British Isles three of which are Romance, five Celtic, and three Germanic.
Minority Languages Spoken In The United Kingdom: Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Irish, and Scottish Gaelic, there are known as Celtic Languages.
Immigrant Languages Of The United Kingdom including Punjabi, Hindi, Bengali, and Gujarati, are the largest grouping and are spoken by 2.7 percent of the UK population.
Foreign Languages Spoken In The United Kingdom including French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
Religion
The official religion in the United Kingdom is Christianity.
Nearly half of the population of the UK (49%) identifies as irreligious. This number is one of the highest in Europe.
Anglican Christianity is practiced in regional rules, such as the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Church of Ireland, and the Church of Wales.
Besides Anglicanism and Catholicism, other Christian beliefs are practiced by 17% of the British population including non-Anglican Protestants, Orthodox Christians, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists.
Catholicism has a long history in the United Kingdom. For nearly 200 years, however, from the 1500s until the 1700s, the Catholic church would not recognize the English monarchy. During this time, Catholics suffered discrimination and were prohibited from voting, joining Parliament, and owning land. Today, 8% of the British population identifies as Catholic.
The percentage of the population identifying as Muslim in the United Kingdom is 5%. The minority religion practiced in the country includes Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism, and the Baha’i Faith.
Currency
Pound sterling.
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