The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state . The United Kingdom is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, G8, G7, G20, NATO, OECD, WTO, Council of Europe, OSCE, and a member state of the European Union.
Multicultural Nation
The UK is known for having a multicultural society with all religions and faiths represented in some way. With a racial, ethnic and religious jumble, the UK is very open to new traditions and cultures.. It offers both strong tradition and a diverse culture to any international student choosing to study here.
UK Life and Culture
UK life is an incredible mix of international cultures.
Music is a big part of UK culture. You can find pop, rock, electro, hip-hop, classical, folk, jazz, opera and all sorts of world music. Sculpture, painting, video and photography are widely available to see in the UK.
The UK offers an incredible and beautiful landscape for walking, climbing, cycling, mountain-biking and running.
Gateway to Europe
With the addition of the Channel Tunnel and low cost airlines such as EasyJet and Ryan Air, Europe is easier to access from the UK than ever. You can reach most areas of Europe from the UK within a few hours by train or direct flight.
Arts
Art in the UK is flourishing and most of the UK’s 2,000 museums and galleries are free.
There are many art galleries in the UK including the Tate Modern Gallery in London and BALTIC in Gateshead. One of the largest art spaces in Europe and the biggest arts event of all is the renowned annual Edinburgh Festival which is actually several festivals at once – a real feast of music, drama, comedy, dance, film, books and other arts.
Sports
Sport is popular throughout the UK. Football, cricket and rugby are the national games. UK colleges and universities have a range of sports teams and clubs.
Music
Various styles of music are popular in the UK, from the indigenous folk music of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to heavy metal. Notable composers of classical music from the United Kingdom and the countries that preceded it include William Byrd, Henry Purcell, Sir Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, Sir Arthur Sullivan (most famous for working with librettist Sir W. S. Gilbert), Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Benjamin Britten, pioneer of modern British opera. Sir Peter Maxwell Davies is one of the foremost living composers and current Master of the Queen’s Music.
Sightseeing
There are many places in the UK you won’t want to miss, such as the sights of cities like London, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, Bath and York, and the landmarks of Stonehenge, the Giant’s Causeway and the mountains of Snowdonia. You’ll find that almost every city and major town in the UK has at least one intriguing historic building or feature.
Climate
The United Kingdom straddles the geographic mid-latitudes between 50-60 N from the equator. .
Spring: It is generally a calm, cool and dry season during the period from March to May.
Summer: Summer lasts from June to August and is the hottest season which can have cool evenings.
Autumn: Autumn in the UK lasts from September to November. The season is notorious for being unsettled. It can have warm days and equally there can be cool ones too.
Winter: Winter in the UK is defined as lasting from December to February. The season is generally cool, wet and windy. For a majority of the landmass snow is possible but not frequent, apart from the higher altitudes.
UK Fast Facts
- Country Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Area: 244.820 sq km
- Population: 60,609,153
- Capital City: London
- Currency: Pound Sterling
- People: 81.5% English, 9.6% Scottish, 2.4% Irish, 1.9% Welsh, 1.8% Ulster, 2.8% West Indian, Pakistani and other.
- Religion: Anglican- 27million, Roman Catholic- 9million, Muslim- 1million, Presbyterian- 800,000, Methodist- 760,000, Sikh- 400,000, Hindu- 350,000, Jewish- 300,000
- Language: English, Welsh, Scottish form of Gaelic Major industries: machine tools, electric power equipment, railroad equipment