Welcome To... England!

The country of England is one of the world's most famous, and wealthiest. There are many facts about England that you may not know...

For example, the country is 74 times smaller than the United States! The people of England consume more tea per capita than in any other country in the world, which can be explained by their well known breaks, called “tea times.”

The city of London has a population of approximately 12 million people, making it the largest city in all of Europe. Most police officers in England do not carry guns with them unless it is an extreme emergency. The oldest zoo in the world opened in England, in the city of London in 1828. In Medieval England, beer was a common breakfast beverage. Shoelaces were invented in England in 1790. England is home to the famous rock and roll band the Beatles, as well as the Rolling Stones and many other rock bands.

Some other interesting facts about England include soccer (known as football) is the country's most popular and well loved sport. Some of the most common indigenous animals in England include foxes, otters, badgers, blackbirds, and sparrows. The average summer temperature in England only reaches about 60 degrees. Some of England's most popular dishes have unusual names such as spotted dick, bangers and mash, or toad in the hole. Many people from other countries claim that England has the worst food choices, but natives of England will definitely disagree. 

The world's most famous playwright, William Shakespeare, is a native of England, as well as such famous authors as J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, HG Wells, and many more. The city of Bristol is known as “the Seattle of England” because of its youth culture and booming fashion reputation. 

When England first came to be, it didn't have just one king. There were several kings in rule depending on what area of the country you resided in. For example, there was the king of the Celtics, the king of the Danes (Vikings), and the king of the Saxons. This division lasted for quite some time, until finally the crowns came together and one ruler was presiding over the land.

Nowadays, England form of Government is a constitutional monarchy, which combines a monarch head of state with a parliamentary system. While many consider the England form of government a democracy, which it is in practice, the Queen of England has many titular roles and is officially the head of state, although in practice, she has little political power or influence. The true influence and power in the England form of government comes from the prime minister and the Parliament.

There are two basic religions. The first is the protestant faith, and the second religion is Catholicism. There are over 16,000 church buildings in all of England. The role of religion in the country is a very significant one. The very first Church of England was created in Canterbury in the year 597, and was called St. Martin's. Today, one of the most well-known churches in England is St. Paul's Cathedral in London. These beautiful buildings are the most visited of all building types for just about every area in England. 

Universities in England have a well-deserved reputation for excellence. The most well-known universities in England and the top universities in the world are Oxford and Cambridge. These universities in England are among the most visited and most widely respected in the world. Other universities in England are designed for those who otherwise would not have time to be students. The Open University is a popular distance-learning system which enables people to earn degrees in their spare time. Through videos and other types of media, students can attend “lectures” and give in homework. 

The United States and Canada are only two examples of nations in the world who have a definite national anthem. This is not the case for England. The country has never officially designated one particular song to be the England national anthem. “God Save the Queen” is considered by most to be the England national anthem. The song can also be adapted to “God Save the King” when the leader in charge is male instead. While the song has many different verses, most of the time only the first and second are sung. An interesting fact about the England National Anthem is that its tune is exactly the same as the United States song “My Country Tis of Thee.” Of course, the English version was written long before the U.S. adopted the melody.

I bet you didn’t know even half of what I just told you, right?. Hope you can come back next week to see my new post and to know more interesting facts about another city! ;)