The Four Nations of The United Kingdom

Written by: Natalie Yao

Geography and Nature

The United Kingdom, also called the UK, is a group made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. It is located off the coast of northwestern Europe and on the Atlantic Ocean. Every country in the United Kingdom is on the island of Great Britain except for Northern Ireland, which is separate from Ireland which left the UK in 1937. Some major cities include London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, and Liverpool. The region contains many mountain ranges, valleys, and lakes which were created in the last Ice Age when the ice melted and remained in the former valleys. Additionally, there are multiple famous mountains such as the Grampian, the Sperrine, the Cambrian, and the Ben Nevice.

Woodlands are common in the United Kingdom, and among them live creatures like deers, hedgehogs, hares (like rabbits), and badgers. There are also many different trees living in these forests including the oak, elm, pine, and birch trees. Yet, since the UK is such a crowded area, many of the forests on the islands have disappeared causing a decrease in the amount of animals living on the islands compared to the past. 

People and Culture

The most common language spoken in the United Kingdom, but people in Wales also speak Welsh, and people in Northern Ireland and Scotland speak Gaelic. The British are descendants of European migrants who had moved thousands of years ago. However today, the British population has a large number of Muslims, Hindus, and Jews. A little less than half of British people are Christian and Protestant. As a result of colonization, its culture is very diverse with Caribbean, African, Asian, and Muslim influences.

Sports in the UK is also a very important part of life, the most popular sports being soccer, rugby, golf, and cricket which had become popular during the peak of the British Empire. Cuisine in British culture is focused on local ingredients and comfort food, but it is also very diverse from the different people living in the region. 

Some popular dishes are:

• Fish and Chips: battered and fried fish with fries

• Full English Breakfast: large breakfast including sausages, eggs, bacon, beans, tomatoes and toast

• Chicken Tikka Masala: a curry that was created in Britain by their South Asian community

• Haggis: Sheep heart, liver, and lung with onions, oatmeal, and some spices

• Eton Mess: broken meringue with strawberries and cream

• Trifle: a dessert with alternating layers, of fruit, sponge cake, and custard/cream

Famous Landmarks

• Stonehenge

• Buckingham Palace

• London Eye

• Big Ben

• Westminster Abbey

• The Seven Sisters