The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland[note 5] (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain)

is a sovereign state[10][11] off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. It consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. England The name "England" is derived from the Old English name Engla land, which means "land of the Angles" As part of the United Kingdom, the basic political system in England is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary system. The English people are a British people. As its name suggests, the English language, today spoken by hundreds of millions of people around the world, originated as the language of England, where it remains the principal tongue today. There are many museums in England, but the most notable is London's British Museum. Its collection of more than seven million objects[269] is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world,[270] sourced from every continent, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginning to the present. The British Library in London is the national library and is one of the world's largest research libraries, holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats; including around 25 million books.[271] The most senior art gallery is the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, which houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900.[272] The Tate galleries house the national collections of British and international modern art; they also host the famously controversial Turner Prize. London ( i /lndn/) is the capital of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures.

From upper left: City of London, Tower Bridge and London Eye, Houses of Parliament London has a diverse range of peoples, cultures and religions, and more than 300 languages are spoken within its boundaries. London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; Kew Gardens; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church; and the historic settlement of Greenwich (in which the Royal Observatory marks the Greenwich Meridian (0 longitude) and GMT).[24] Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, 30 St Mary Axe ("The Gherkin"), St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square. London is home to numerous museums, galleries, libraries, sporting events and other cultural institutions including the British Museum, National Gallery, British Library, Wimbledon and 40 theatres.[25] London's Chinatown is the largest in

Europe.[26] The London Underground network is the oldest underground railway network in the world[27] and the most extensive after the Shanghai Metro. Scotland Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Alba, Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: [alap]) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom Edinburgh, the country's capital and second largest city, is one of Europe's largest financial centres. Scotland is also famous for its old but beautiful castles, said to be haunted, and origin of numerous tales. Wales Wales (/welz/ ( listen), Welsh: Cymru;[4] pronounced [kmr] ( listen)) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain,[5] bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. Although Wales shares a close political and social history with the rest of Great Britain, it has retained a distinct cultural identity. Wales is officially bilingual, the Welsh and English languages having equal status. The Welsh language is an important element of Welsh culture, and its use is supported by national policy. From the late 19th century onwards, Wales acquired its popular image as the "land of song," attributable in part to the revival of the eisteddfod tradition The Flag of Wales incorporates the red dragon. The daffodil and the leek are also symbols of Wales. Northern Ireland (Irish: Tuaisceart ireann, Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom.[3][4] Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west. Northern Ireland was for many years the site of a violent and bitter ethno-political conflictthe Troubles which was caused by divisions between nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, and unionists, who are predominantly Protestant, 'Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of contemporary art. The square is also used for political demonstrations and community gatherings, such as the celebration of New Year's Eve . The name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars. The original name was to have been "King William the Fourth's Square", but George Ledwell Taylor suggested the name "Trafalgar Square Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in London with branches in a number of major cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and was formerly known as "Madame Tussaud's", but the apostrophe is no longer used[1][2] (though it still appears in some signage at the New York location).[3] Madame Tussauds is a major tourist attraction in London, displaying waxworks of historical and royal figures, film stars, sports stars and famous murderers. The London Taxi is an iconic image of London transport and society. The unique vehicle is the only one in the world to be specifically designed for hire work in cities, and its distinctive turning circle of only 25 feet, a direct result of the strict regulations of design stipulated by the Public Carriage Office, serves it well for maneuvering through the busy traffic of the capital The River Thames ( i /tmz/ TEMZ) is a major river flowing through southern England. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford, Reading, Henley-on-Thames, Windsor, Kingston upon Thames and Richmond. The Thames is the second longest river in the United Kingdom and the longest river entirely in England. It rises at Thames Head in Gloucestershire, and flows into the North Sea at the Thames Estuary the river has become a major leisure area supporting tourism and pleasure outings as well as the sports of rowing, sailing, skiffing, kayaking, and punting. The river has had a special appeal to writers, artists,

musicians and film-makers and is well-represented in the arts. It is still the subject of various debates about its course, nomenclature and history.