Top events in United Kingdom

May
23

This is a hugely popular blues festival taking place in the scenic surrounds of Warrenpoint in County Down. It’s grown over the last 15 years to...

May
25

A weekend event at Arundel Castle including crafts, costumes and 15th Century armour to showcase a castle siege.

May
28

Around 50,000 people watch the greatest motorbike road-racing event in the world, which takes place over a 61km (38 mile) mountain course that...

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Great Gable, Lake District

© Creative Commons / alancleaver 2000

United Kingdom Travel Guide

Key Facts

Geography

Area: 

242,514 sq km (93,788 sq miles).

Population: 

62.1 million (2010).

Population density: 

254.7 per sq km.

Capital: 

London. Population: 7.5 million (2007).

Government: 

Constitutional monarchy.

Head of state: 

HM Queen Elizabeth II since 1953.

Head of government: 

Prime Minister David Cameron since 2010.

Electricity: 

240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs are standard.

Few places cram in as much scenery, history and culture as the United Kingdom. England's southwest is dominated by a rugged shoreline and swathes of open national parkland, while its sprawling and vibrant capital London dominates the southeast. Hillwalkers can take some serious hikes in the Scottish Highlands or England's Lake District.

True British wilderness remains - stark, sometimes stunning and often inaccessible, particularly in the far north of Scotland. Historic Edinburgh is a fascinating city to explore, while Glasgow explodes with nightlife options. Visitors to Wales can meander from the urban highlights of Cardiff to Snowdon's jagged peaks in the north. Across the water, Belfast is reviving as a tourist destination, and Northern Ireland's countryside is green and rolling.