Britain has always played an important part in world history, and is full of historical sites and amazing scenery. It has castles, palaces, forests, cathedrals, national parks, and ancient towns and cities. However, it is also a very modern country with big cities, sports stadiums, shops and modern transport.

Britain is made up of four very different countries. Northern Ireland, although controlled by the Government in London, borders the separate Republic of Ireland. It is only 136km long and 112km wide, but has a varied landscape including mountains, lakes, cities, farmland and coast.

To the north of England, Scotland has Britain’s biggest mountains, many islands and beautiful lochs (lakes), as well as many ancient castles and battlefields. The historic city of Edinburgh is its capital, while Glasgow is Scotland’s biggest and most modern city.

England squeezes nearly 50 million people into its ‘green and pleasant land’. The south enjoys milder weather and has some beautiful beaches, while the north can be colder and wetter, but has lakes and mountains to explore. London is the biggest city in Europe, with Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol and Newcastle the other major English cities.

To the west of England, Wales is full of mountains and valleys and home to many small villages and farms. Cardiff is the capital city, and is on the south coast along with the city of Swansea and many great beaches. Over a quarter of people in Wales speak Welsh, and nearly all signs are written in both Welsh and English.

Less well known are the Channel Islands, of which Jersey and Guernsey are the two biggest. These are a group of a small islands nearer to France than to the British mainland. Although they have their own government, they’re part of Britain too.

Britain has a rich history which can still be seen today in many customs and traditions. Find out more in Past & Present.

Life looks at the things we Britons enjoy most – tea and sport!

And don’t forget to check out our Amazing Facts on Britain to impress your friends.

Links:
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http://www.multimap.com/
- detailed maps of Europe, including Britain

http://www.visitbritain.com/uk/home6.asp
- information on visiting and exploring different parts of Britain

http://www.channel4learning.net/sites/citizenpower
- a guide to British politics

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/
- a guide to the countryside and historic sites in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

http://www.snh.org.uk/
- a guide to Scotland’s countryside and historic sites

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/
- information on historical sites in England

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