The document provides information about the United Kingdom and its constituent countries. It discusses [1] the four countries that make up the UK - England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland; [2] their unique cultures, languages, and traditions; and [3] their national emblems, days, and coats of arms. It also summarizes key aspects of life in the UK like housing, dress, food, and education system between the different countries.

2. Round the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland
It is a well known fact that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. These countries are all unique with their own customs, cultures
and traditions. They are full of contrasts; whichever direction you travel
you will find a wide variety of landscapes and diverse cultures to explore.

3. Who are the British?
The 4 parts of the UK represent 4 nations, which are distinct from each
other in almost every aspect of life. They are different racially. The
people of Ireland, Wales and Scotland belonged to the Celtic race.
Those in England and Scotland were mainly of Germanic origin.
This difference was reflected in the languages they spoke, in their
different economic, social and legal systems.
Albion is a word used in some poetic or rhetorical contexts to refer to
England. It was the original Roman name for Britain. Britannia is the
name that the Romans gave to their southern British province.
Caledonia, Cambria and Hibernia were the Roman names for
Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Erin is a poetic name for Ireland. “The
Emerald Isle” is another way of referring to Ireland.

4. Emblems and National Days
Each country in Britain has its own patron saint and floral
emblem
St. George's Day falls on 23 April St. Andrew's Day (the 30th of
and is regarded as England November) is regarded as
national day. A red rose is the Scotland's national day. On this
national emblem of England. day some Scotsmen wear a
thistle in their buttonhole. It is
the national emblem of
Scotland.

5. Emblems and National Days
St. Patrick's Day (the 17-th of St. David's Day (the 1-st of March) is
March) is considered as a the church festival of St. David, a
national day in Northern Ireland 6th-century monk and bishop,
and an official bank holiday the patron saint of Wales. The
there. The national emblem of day is regarded as the national
Ireland is shamrock. holiday of Wales. A yellow
daffodil is the national emblem of
Wales.

6. Coats of Arms
In the Royal Coats of Arms three lions
symbolize England, a lion rampant -
Scotland, and a harp - Ireland. The whole
is encircled and is supported by a lion
and a unicorn. The lion has been used as
a symbol of national strength and of the
British monarchy for many centuries. The
unicorn, a mythical animal that looks like
a horse with a long straight horn, has
appeared on the Scottish and British
royal coats of arms for many centuries,
and is a symbol of purity.

7. British Way of Life
An Englishman`s house is his castle
an English proverb
Almost everybody in the UK dreams of living in a detached house, that is a
house which is a separate building. The saying, “An Englishman`s house
is his castle” illustrates the desire for privacy and the importance
attached to ownership which seem to be at the heart of the British
attitude to housing. A large, detached house not only ensures privacy. It
is also a status symbol.
This house is over 600 years old.
Many people try to avoid living in blocks of flats. The people who live in
them are those who cannot afford to live anywhere else.

8. National Dress in Britain
Scottish National Dress
Today traditional dress for men in Scotland is a kilt with shirt, waistcoat and
tweed jacket, stockings with garter flashes, brogue shoes and a sporran.
Ladies don't wear kilts, they do however wear dresses or pleated skirts in a
tartan material. More often they wear a light plaid or shawl of tartan
material.

9. Welsh and Irish Dress
Welsh National dress is relatively young The traditional Irish costume is
and not as famous as Scottish associated with the bright
National dress. Tartan trousers or flamboyant costumes worn by
kilts are often worn. For the ladies traditional Irish dancers.
the typical Welsh costume consists of
a hat, made of black felt, with a high
crown and wide brim, which is worn
over a lace cap.

10. The English language is the official language of all the UK. However,
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own languages
also.
About 20% of the Welsh population speak Welsh (shown in
green on the map). The Welsh language is protected by law,
and is now commonly taught in schools in Wales.
Scottish Gaelic (sometimes referred to as Scottish, blue on the
map) is a Celtic language with approximately 60,000 speakers.
In Northern Ireland, Irish is recognised as a minority language,
and the dialect spoken is called Ulster Irish (shown in yellow
on the map). About 10% of the population speak some Irish.

11. In Search of Good English Food
“On the continent people have good food;
and in England people have good table manners.”
George Mikes, writer and humorist
What is English food like? Let us see.
English cuisine, native to England, is shaped by the temperate climate,
geography and history of the country. Apart from the traditional food
that is made with local ingredients, English cuisine consists of ingredients
imported from other countries as well, like North America, China and
India.

12. The traditional Fish and Chips recipe of England has gained international
popularity.
Traditional Scottish food include haggis, kippers,
oatmeal and salmon. Haggis is a famous national
dish made from the heart, liver, lungs of a sheep.

13. The traditional food of Wales is made from the local ingredients available in
the country. Bara Brith, Roast Lamb, Cawl (a stew made of lamb and leeks)
are popular Welsh dishes.
Meat is often used in Welsh cuisine, because the country is well known for its
supply of sheep. Pork is another important ingredient used to prepare
traditional Welsh food.
Welsh cuisine

14. Traditional Irish daily eating habits, influenced by a farming ethos.
Roasts and stews of lamb, beef, chicken, ham, pork and turkey are the
centerpieces of traditional meals. Fish, especially salmon, and seafood,
especially prawns, are also popular meals.
Irish stew warms up St. Patrick`s Day

15. The British Education System
I am always ready to learn,
but I do not always like being taught.
W.Churchill
I have found out that there are two
systems of educations in the
United Kingdom: one covering
England, Wales and Northern
Ireland and one covering
Scotland. The two education
systems have different emphases.
Traditionally the English, Welsh
and Northern Irish system has
emphasized depth of education
over a smaller range of subjects
at secondary school level
whereas the Scottish system has
emphasized breadth across a
range of subjects.

16. By law, all children in England and Wales between ages 5 and 16 must
receive a full-time education, while in Northern Ireland, children must
begin at age 4.
More than 90% of students in the UK attend publicly-funded state schools.
Approximately 8.5 million children attend one of the 30,000 schools in England
and Wales; in Scotland, 830,000 children attend about 5,000 schools, including
pre-schools and other special education schools; and Northern Ireland sends
350,000 children to 1,300 state schools. Primary schools usually include both
girls and boys as pupils.

17. Resources:
www.wikipedia.org