Despite its relatively small size, the United Kingdom is one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth, peopled by four main ‘native’ nationalities, plus later arrivals from all over the world. The United Kingdom consists of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), plus the six counties of Northern Ireland. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (principally Jersey and Guernsey) are also parts of the British Isles, but somewhat confusingly not officially part of the UK.
Topographically, the British mainland is broadly divisible into two main regions: the relatively low-lying south and the highland regions of the north and west. Scotland, Wales, and the northern areas of England occupy the latter, which are in general much more sparsely populated than the more prosperous south east of England.
London is perennially the principal British attraction for overseas visitors, with its historic landmarks such as Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London. They also flock to the many West End theatres and the shopping areas of Knightsbridge, Oxford Street and Regent Street.
Within easy day-trip distance of London are the university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, the picturesque Cotswolds with their many pretty villages, Stratford-upon-Avon (home of William Shakespeare), the cathedral at Canterbury and the seaside attractions of Brighton. Further afield lie delights like Cornwall (to the southwest), Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria (a large part of which constitutes the Lake District).
Wales adjoins England to the west, and offers, in addition to its populous southern cities, a diverse range of historic castles, spectacular coastline and impressive mountain landscapes.
The majority of Scotland’s population lives in the busy central belt, a lowland region in which the main centres of Glasgow, Stirling, and Scottish capital Edinburgh, lie. But equally as popular as the cities is the dramatic scenery of the Highlands to the north and west, location of Britain’s highest mountains and a bewildering array of offshore islands, notably Skye, Orkney and Shetland.
Halfway to Ireland in the Irish Sea sits the Isle of Man, a scenic island with Norse traditions. And west again is Northern Ireland, whose vibrant capital Belfast is a lively option for the visitor. North of the city are the spectacular Antrim Glens, while to the west is the lush ‘lakeland’ of Fermanagh.
The Channel Islands are closer to France than England, situated a short distance off the Normandy coastline.
