The name England is derived from the Old English - Englaland - meaning "land of the Angels". One of the four countries of the United Kingdom, England has a strong economy and the oldest currency in constant use - Pound Sterling. It is one of the most popular destinations for tourists.
1
England has a population of over 55 million.
It is ethnically diverse, with a majority of White British (about 80%).
2
It is a constitutional monarchy with London as its capital.
The head of state is elected from the Royal Family ranks by the line of succession.
3
It is not a sovereign state.
It is one of four countries, along with Scotland, Wales, and North Ireland, that make up the United Kingdom.
4
England is one of the most popular tourist destinations.
It is visited by about 20 million tourists a year.
5
The highest mountain in England is Scafell Pike, with a height of 978 meters above sea level.
It is located at Lake District National Park in Cumbria. Its name comes from Old Norse (skalli fjal pik). Although it is the most prominent mountain in England, it is ranked 13th in the British Isles.
6
The first ancient capital of England was Winchester.
The first king of all England, Egbert, was crowned at Winchester in 827. In 1519 it was chosen as the capital of the Kingdom of Wessex.
7
England is connected to France by a railway tunnel called Channel Tunnel (also Eurotunnel or Chunnel).
Since 1914, it has been the only fixed link between Britain and mainland Europe. It is 50.45 kilometers long and connects Folkestone with Coquelles.
8
Queen Elizabeth II is related to Vlad the Impaler, best known as Count Dracula.
Although the relationship is relatively remote, it cannot be disputed.
9
The World Wide Web was invented by an English computer scientist, Tim Berners – Lee.
10
The Tower of London, best known as an inescapable prison, was once a zoo.
Thanks to King Henry III, who received three leopards (probably lions) from the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in 1235. The three animals were later joined by a polar bear in 1252 and an African elephant in 1255.
11
The British are ranked 2nd among all tea–drinking nations, with about 165 million cups consumed per day.
The Irish hold first place.
12
For 20 years, there were no dustbins on the streets of London.
All trash cans were removed due to the bomb threat by the Irish Republican Army.
13
The name Big Ben comes not from the clock but the bell placed on the tower of the Palace of Westminster.
The palace is the seat of the United Kingdom Parliament.
14
Traditional British cuisine includes meat served with potatoes or various vegetables.
The most commonly consumed meat is beef, lamb, pork, and fish (hence the famous fish and chips).
15
England has given birth to great musicians.
Some of the most famous include the Beatles, Coldplay, The Rolling Stones, Queen, The Black Sabbath, The Cure, Radiohead, The Sex Pistols, and Led Zeppelin.
16
England is one of the 76 countries with left-hand traffic.
17
For almost 300 years, French was the official language in England.
After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, the French occupied English posts and offices until 1362. However, English continued to be widely used by citizens.
18
The English language is spoken by about 1 billion people around the globe.
This makes it the most global language in the world.
19
Windsor Castle, an official residence of the Royal Family, is the oldest and the largest permanently inhabited castle in the world.
20
The first underground railway system was the London Underground, which opened in 1863.
21
One of the most famous landmarks in England is Stonehenge.
It is a prehistoric monument, believed to have been build between 3000 and 2000 BC. It has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1986.
