England

Lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from

France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel
England is a part of Europe's United
Kingdom and it is located on the island of
Great Britain. It is not considered a
separate nation, but it is an independent
country within the UK.
It is bordered by Scotland to the north and
Wales to the west - both of which are also
regions within the UK (map). England has
coastlines along Celtic, North and Irish
Seas and the English Channel and its area
includes over 100 small islands.

physical
geography

History
Talk of Henry VIII at his sumptuous
Hampton Court Palace, discuss Queen
Victoria at Royal Albert Hall and Victoria
and Albert Museum, study the architecture
of Sir Christopher Wren at his churches that
dot the city and relive Churchills finest
hour at the Cabinet War Rooms and
Churchill Museum.

England has a long history with human settlement dating back

to pre-historic times and it became a unified region in 927 C.E.
It was then the independent Kingdom of England until 1707
when the Kingdom of Great Britain was founded. In 1800 the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed and
after some political and social instability in Ireland, the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was formed in
1927, of which England is a part.

blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged
in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron
saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint
Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but
commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue
Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other
Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and
British overseas territories

Flag Description

Politics
Her Majesty: Queen Elizabeth II
The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales,
The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke of
Cambridge, The Duchess of Cambridge, Prince
Harry, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex,
The Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal,
The Duke of Gloucester, The Duchess of
Gloucester, The Duke of Kent, The Duchess of
Kent, Princess Alexandra, Prince and Princess
Michael of Kent
Today England is governed as a constitutional monarchy under a
parliamentary democracy within the United Kingdom and it is controlled
directly by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. England has not had its
own government since 1707 when it joined Scotland to form the Kingdom
of Great Britain.
England has several different political subdivisions for local administration
within its borders. There are four different levels within these divisions - the
highest of which are the nine regions of England.

The main language spoken in England is English; however there are

many regional dialects of English used throughout England. In
addition, recent large numbers of immigrants have introduced
several new languages to England. The most common of these are
Punjabi and Urdu.
Commonly Used British Slang terms:
Balls-up: a messed up situation
Gobby: Being a loud mouth and/or offensive
Legless: Extremely Drunk
Knackered: exhausted
Miffed: upset or offended
Fit: attractive
Collywobbles: An upset stomach or feeling of acute nervousness
Minted: to be wealthy
Tosh: nonsense
Ace: brilliant, very good
Grub: food
Swotting: to study hard, cram
Ta: thanks

language

Throughout most of its history, the people of England

have been mainly Christian in religion and today the
Anglican Christian Church of England is England's
established church. This church also has a
constitutional position within the United Kingdom.
Other religions practiced in England include Islam,
Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism, the Bah'
Faith, the Rastafari Movement and Neopaganism.

Religion

Famous Artists: William Turner, Charles Willmott,

Christian Furr, Ed Chapman (mosaic artist), Pete
Kelly
Popular Singers: Ozzy Osbourne, The Beatles, Kate
Bush, Peter Andre, Sir Paul McCartney, John Lennon
Actors: Julie Andrews, Daniel Radcliffe, Ian
McKellen, Thomas Hardy, Christian Bale, Jude Law,
Colin Firth,
Leaders: Queen Elizabeth, Winston Churchill,
Margaret Thatcher, Queen Victoria, Diana Princess of
Wales,

Poets/Authors: Agatha Christie, William

Shakespeare, John Milton, William Wordsworth, J.K.
Rowling
Scientists: Alexander Graham Bell, Issac Newton,
Francis Galton

Arts

The British pound sterling is the official currency of

England and the central bank of the United Kingdom, the
Bank of England, is located in London.
The Economy of England is the largest
economy of the four countries of the
United Kingdom.
England is a highly industrialized country.

Current Economy
and Currency

10 British Pound Sterling = $16.05

1 British Pound Sterling = $1.60 US

London has around eight public holidays every year, when

banks and many businesses are closed.
New Year's Day January 1 or the Monday immediately following January 1
Good Friday
Easter Monday
May Bank Holiday First Monday in May
Spring Bank Holiday Last Monday in May
Summer Bank Holiday Last Monday in August
Christmas Day Or the Monday immediately following if Christmas falls on a
weekend.
Boxing Day The day after Christmas, or the Monday following if 26
December falls on a weekend.

National
Holidays

Chester,
England!

Where is Chester?

Climate: warm season from June 14 to September 12 with

an average daily high temperature above 65F. The hottest
day of the year is July 28, with an average high of 69F and
low of 54F. Cold season November 17 to March 11 with an
average daily high temperature below 50F. The coldest day
of the year is February 23, with an average low of 36F and
high of 47F. Lots of rain, and cloudy most of the time
Culture: Cathedrals, Parks, Museums, LOTS to see, many
opportunities for a night out
Transportation: City-Rail Link Bus, Town Hall Bus
Exchange, Chesire Bus Line, National Express Coach Stop,
National Express
Social Life: cafes, shops, historic mediaeval buildings,
Local Currency:
1 British Pound Sterling (1) = $1.60 US

Walk the 2-mile circuit along the walls that surround the historic center.
Originally built by the Romans around AD 70, the walls were altered
substantially over the following centuries but have retained their current
position since around 1200. Many tours around the city.

City Walls of Chester