The official name of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is made up of four nations that once were separate countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
England covers a little more than half of the United Kingdom.
England is mostly flat, while Scotland and Wales are very mountainous and Northern Ireland is mostly hills. The highest mountain in England is Scafell Pike (978 meters).
Until the middle of the 20th century, the UK ruled many colonies around the world. At its peak, the British Empire controlled about a quarter of all the land on Earth. Today the UK still has a small number of overseas territories.
In England people drive on the left side of the road, so cars are built the other way around: the steering wheel is on the right, unlike in most of the world, where it’s on the left.
Here’s why!
Long ago, people riding horses or driving carts often kept to the left side of the road. That left their right hand free – to hold a sword against someone coming toward them, or simply to wave hello.
Driving on the right began in the USA and some European countries, like France, toward the end of the 18th century, when big heavy wagons pulled by several pairs of horses became common. The driver sat on the back horse on the left, so he could crack his whip with his right hand over all the horses. That made it easier to drive on the right and see oncoming wagons clearly.
As travel between countries grew, switching sides every time you crossed a border was quite dangerous. So countries that still drove on the left but bordered “right-side” countries began changing their road rules.
Britain didn’t need to change, because it has no land border with a right-driving country in Europe – it’s surrounded by sea. Other places that drive on the left include Ireland, Australia, Cyprus, Japan and more.
Who doesn’t know one of Britain’s most famous symbols: the red double-decker bus! The classic model, the Routemaster, served London faithfully for about 50 years. It had a conductor on board who sold tickets. In 2005 the old buses were taken out of regular service and replaced with modern ones without conductors.
But don’t worry – if you want a ride on one, the old buses kept running for a while on special heritage routes that passed some of the city’s top sights, and today red double-deckers – old and new – are still everywhere in London.
The story of the world’s most famous phone boxes: maybe the most recognizable symbol of London and Britain is the red telephone box. But how did red phone boxes get there?
In 1924 an architect won a competition to design a new phone box. His design was made to be seen from far away – painted all red. About ten years later, these phone boxes were being made in large numbers and spread all over Britain.
Since mobile phones arrived, far fewer people use phone boxes, but many boxes were left standing, mostly as tourist attractions – and some have been turned into tiny libraries or even homes for emergency defibrillators!
Today you can find red phone boxes in other countries too – some of them were even sent as gifts to cities around the world.
In the second half of the 19th century, East London was growing fast, and the city needed another bridge across the River Thames. The city invited the public to send in designs for a new bridge near the Tower of London.
Tower Bridge – which many people mistakenly call London Bridge – is one of the most famous symbols of Britain’s capital and one of the most photographed places in the city. About 40,000 people cross it every day.
The middle of the bridge can lift up to let tall ships pass underneath – it still opens hundreds of times a year!
The London Eye is a giant observation wheel in the center of London.
The wheel, also called the Millennium Wheel, is 135 meters tall, and until 2006 it was the tallest wheel of its kind in the world. It stands on the south bank of the Thames and opened for the year 2000 millennium celebrations.
It has 32 closed, air-conditioned capsules. Each capsule holds up to 25 people, so 800 people can ride at once. The wheel turns very slowly, about 0.9 km per hour, so one full turn takes around half an hour.
The Palace of Westminster burned down in 1834. Afterward, it was decided that the new buildings of the Houses of Parliament would include a great tower with a clock.
The clock tower is one of London’s most famous symbols. In 2012 it was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honor of the queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Big Ben is really the name of the huge bell inside the tower, which weighs more than 13 tons (13,760 kg).
The first attempt to cast such a giant bell didn’t go well – it cracked. It was melted down and a new bell was cast in 1858.
The tower looks spectacular at night, when all four clock faces are lit up. A special light at the top shines when Parliament is meeting.
Big Ben has hardly ever gone silent. Even after a bomb destroyed the House of Commons chamber in World War II, the clock tower survived and kept on ticking.
Buckingham Palace is the British royal palace and one of the best-known symbols of the British monarchy. It’s in central London and is the official London home of the British monarch.
Soldiers of the King’s Guard stand outside the palace. The famous Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place there, with a marching band.
The guards must stand on duty without moving – and without even smiling!
Britain is famous for some very strange old rules. One of the best known says that it’s forbidden to die in the Houses of Parliament! The Parliament meets in the Palace of Westminster, which was once a royal palace.
The story goes that anyone who dies in a royal palace is entitled to a state funeral – so dying there isn’t allowed!
In fact, experts say there has never really been such a law – it’s more of a funny legend. But it’s so famous that people still talk about it.
And despite the “rule,” a few people actually did die in the Parliament building over the centuries – including a prime minister in 1812 – and none of them got a state funeral just because of it.
In a 2007 survey in Britain, this “law” was voted the most ridiculous law in the country!
Table manners: 
