FACTS ABOUT THE UK

Nestled on the north western corner of Europe, the United Kingdom (UK) is a small island country between the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. With an area of around 242,000 sq km (93,000 sq miles), the UK is about as large as the American state of Colorado or the African country of Guinea. It is no more than 1,000 km (about 600 miles) from the southern coast to the northern tip of Scotland and is less than 500 km (300 miles) wide. The country’s official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The island of Great Britain comprises England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland is the area in the north eastern corner of Ireland, an adjacent island. The UK is one of the 25 member states of the European Union (EU). The English Channel separates Britain from the European continent.

The UK’s total population of 60 million is unevenly distributed, with 5 million people living in Scotland, 3 million in Wales, 2 million in Northern Ireland and the majority of 50 million people in England. The population density of the UK is around 246 people per square kilometre with England the most densely populated, with around 383 people per square kilometre. Nearly one third of the people in England live in the South East (an economically rich area) and in London, the capital.

Britain has a milder climate than most of northern and eastern Europe owing to the warm Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean. However, it is regarded as a wet country. The temperature is rarely over 30°C (85°F) or below 0°C (32°F), the average temperature is 4°C in winter and 16°C in summer. It gets colder in Scotland, Wales and Northern parts of England. However, you will never experience the bitter cold months and scorching summers of other countries.

Geographically England is mostly rolling land, rising to the uplands of southern Scotland. Central Scotland also has lowlands. The northern coast has granite highlands.

People

Today, Britain has a diverse population with immigrants from every continent and country. Most people in England are English, descendants of Anglo-Saxons, the people who first came and settled from Germany and Scandinavia about 1,500 years ago. The Irish, Welsh and Scottish are descendants of the Celts (pronounced Kelts), who inhabited Britain before the Anglo-Saxons came. The ethnic minorities of Britain are Asians from the Indian sub-continent and China, Arabs from North Africa and Middle East, Africans and Caribbean islanders, and people from Eastern Europe.

In general, the UK is an open-minded, well-educated, and tolerant society, and ethnic differences have sparked little violence or hostility. As a foreigner you are also covered by legal protection. The Race Relations Act 1976 made it illegal to discriminate against any person because of race, colour, nationality or origin.

Language

English is the most widely used language in Britain, the official language of the government and the first language of most of its citizens. There are many types of English accent across the United Kingdom, some of which are incomprehensible to the foreigner. It may benefit you to get the feel of the local accent in the area in which you intend to study. Other languages in the UK include Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic and Welsh. Some cities with large Asian populations also recognise Indian languages like Gujarati, Punjabi and Bengali.

Culture

Since the time of William Shakespeare, about four hundred years ago, Britain has been a fountain of culture. London’s West End has some of best plays in the world. There are about 300 professional theatres producing plays and the UK hosts around 600 professional arts festivals each year. Britain is also the home of the Beatles and many famous bands and musicians. Some of the world’s best libraries and museums are to be found in Britain, mainly in London. The British Museum is distinguished for its extensive and diverse collections, from Egyptian mummies to important historical documents. The National Gallery features a vast collection of British and European paintings dating from the 13th century to modern times. The National Portrait Gallery has about 10,000 portraits of famous figures from British history, some dating from the 14th century. The Victoria and Albert Museum houses one of the world’s largest collections of fine and applied arts, from jewellery, clocks, and pottery to fabrics, furniture, and musical instruments.

Government

On paper, the UK is a monarchy, ruled by a king or queen: you will see the royal insignia on most government documents. In practice, however, the Prime Minister is the real head of government. Voters elect their members of parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons at Westminster in London who in turn select a prime minister. There are 646 MPs each representing the people of their constituency. The House of Lords has some hereditary peers, life peers and bishops (although hereditary peers may be replaced by elected peers in the future). There are three main parties: the Labour party, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been running the country under the Labour party for the last ten years.

Economy

The UK has currently one of Europe’s booming economies but this hasn’t always been the case. In the Seventies there were chronic strikes and unemployment. But the government’s policy of freeing industry from oppressive regulations and encouraging competition has yielded great dividends. Today the unemployment rate is very low compared to France or Germany. The service sector employs roughly 75 per cent of the work force, manufacturing about 20 per cent, agriculture 2 per cent and fishing and mining a mere 1 per cent each. The City of London is one of the world’s leading financial centres. Banking, finance and insurance account for about 12 per cent of Britain’s GDP and employ more than a million people. Britain is also a prominent tourist destination, with around 25 million foreign visitors a year. Tourism is an important industry in Britain employing 1.8 million people and accounting for approximately 5 per cent of the GDP.

Culture shock

It can be a cultural shock to find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings, when familiar sights, sounds, smells and patterns of behaviour are replaced by strange and different experiences.

At the time of your departure and arrival you may begin to feel anxious or unhappy. This is quite normal. Many of you may also feel excited – there is a lot happening, lots to do and the excitement can carry you along in a ‘honeymoon’ stage for a few days or more. But after that time you may start to miss friends and family, get tired of the weather, scenery or food and tired of the effort you have to make with perhaps a different language or simply different patterns of behaviour. At this time it can be a good idea to socialise with people from your own part of the world and keep in touch with your family and friends back home. The support facilities at your college or university can also help.

The counsellors, advisers, nurses and chaplains at your college or university are all experienced and skilled at helping with the process of culture shock. For most people, support at this time helps them to absorb their experiences, and learn to be ‘bicultural’, by operating in both their new and their traditional cultures. Dealing with culture shock can be a valuable learning experience giving you skills that will serve you well in later life.