What is the UK?

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is made up of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The first three together form the island of Great Britain. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (which is a separate country) share the island of Ireland.

The capital cities of the four nations are London (England), Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales), and Belfast (Northern Ireland). London is also the capital of the UK as a whole.

Each nation has its own distinct identity, traditions, and in some cases its own language. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own devolved administrations with powers over many areas of government, while certain matters such as foreign policy, defence, and immigration are reserved for the UK Parliament in Westminster.

The flag of the United Kingdom is the Union Flag, often called the Union Jack. It is made up of three crosses: the red cross of Saint George (the patron saint of England) on a white background, the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (the patron saint of Scotland) on a blue background, and the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland) on a white background.

Each nation has its own patron saint and saint's day: Saint George's Day on 23 April (England), Saint Andrew's Day on 30 November (Scotland), Saint David's Day on 1 March (Wales), and Saint Patrick's Day on 17 March (Northern Ireland).

Wales does not appear in the Union Flag because at the time the flag was created, Wales was already united with England. The Welsh flag features a red dragon on a white and green background.

The official currency of the United Kingdom is the pound sterling, written as £ and abbreviated as GBP. One pound is divided into 100 pence (singular: penny). Banknotes come in £5, £10, £20, and £50 denominations. Coins come in 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, and £2.

While Bank of England notes are accepted across the UK, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own banknotes which are also legal tender there but may not always be accepted elsewhere in the UK without question.

English is the most widely spoken language. Other recognised languages include Welsh (spoken by many people in Wales and an official language there), Scottish Gaelic (spoken in parts of Scotland), Irish Gaelic (spoken by some in Northern Ireland), and Scots and Ulster Scots.

The UK is an island nation in north-western Europe. It has a population of around 67 million people. England has the largest population by a long way, followed by Scotland, then Wales, then Northern Ireland.

The longest distance on the British mainland is from John o' Groats in the north of Scotland to Land's End in the south-west of England, about 870 miles (1,400 km).

Major rivers include the Thames (which flows through London), the Severn (the longest river in Britain), the Mersey, the Tyne, and the Clyde. Important mountains include Ben Nevis in Scotland (the highest peak in the UK), Snowdon in Wales, and Scafell Pike in England.