This chapter covers the UK today: its nations, religions, festivals, sport and culture. It is full of names and dates, so tables are the fastest way to learn it.
The four nations
| Nation | Capital | Patron saint | Saint's day | Flower |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | London | St George | 23 April | Rose |
| Scotland | Edinburgh | St Andrew | 30 November | Thistle |
| Wales | Cardiff | St David | 1 March | Daffodil |
| Northern Ireland | Belfast | St Patrick | 17 March | Shamrock |
St Andrew's Day is a public holiday in Scotland and St Patrick's Day is a public holiday in Northern Ireland.
Religion
The Church of England is the established church in England. The monarch is its head and the Archbishop of Canterbury is its spiritual leader. The Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church. There is no established church in Wales or Northern Ireland.
Festivals and special days
| Day | When | What it marks |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Day | 25 December | The birth of Jesus Christ |
| Boxing Day | 26 December | The day after Christmas, a public holiday |
| Hogmanay | 31 December | New Year's Eve in Scotland |
| Valentine's Day | 14 February | Cards and gifts between lovers |
| Lent | 40 days before Easter | Begins after Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) |
| Good Friday | March or April | The day Jesus Christ died |
| Mothering Sunday | Three weeks before Easter | Gifts and cards for mothers |
| April Fool's Day | 1 April | Jokes until midday |
| Father's Day | Third Sunday in June | Gifts and cards for fathers |
| Halloween | 31 October | An ancient festival; children go trick or treating |
| Bonfire Night | 5 November | The failed 1605 plot to blow up Parliament |
| Remembrance Day | 11 November | People who died in wars; a two-minute silence at 11am |
Other faiths' festivals that come up include Diwali, the Festival of Lights, celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs; Hannukah, an eight-day Jewish festival; Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan; and Vaisakhi, a Sikh festival on 14 April.
Sport
- The Ashes: the cricket series between England and Australia.
- Wimbledon: the oldest tennis tournament in the world.
- The Grand National at Aintree, near Liverpool; the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.
- Golf began in Scotland; St Andrews is known as its home.
- The UK has hosted the Olympic Games three times: 1908, 1948 and 2012.
- Famous names: Roger Bannister (first sub-four-minute mile), Bobby Moore (1966 World Cup captain), Steve Redgrave (rowing), Tanni Grey-Thompson and Ellie Simmonds (Paralympians), Mo Farah (distance running).
Arts and culture
- Music: Handel, Elgar, Holst and Britten; the Proms, an eight-week season of classical concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.
- Writers: Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson. The Lord of the Rings was voted the best-loved novel in 2003.
- Poets: William Wordsworth (nature, daffodils), Robert Burns (Auld Lang Syne), Wilfred Owen (the First World War).
- Art: John Constable (landscapes), David Hockney (pop art), Henry Moore (sculpture). The Turner Prize is for contemporary art.
- Theatre and film: London's West End, or Theatreland; the Edinburgh Festival Fringe; Charlie Chaplin; Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit films.
Places to know
Big Ben is the great bell of the clock at the Houses of Parliament. The Eden Project is in Cornwall, the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, and the Lake District is England's largest national park. The Crown Jewels are kept at the Tower of London.