England

Wales Wales is one of the countries in Britain and the United Kingdom. It’s a small country with England to the east. Wales has got a continuous coastline, around 1,300km long, which means there are a lot of beaches! It has some of the most beautiful beaches in the UK and is a popular destination for holidaymakers and water sports fans. As well as beaches, there are a lot of mountains in Wales. Snowdonia is one of three national parks in Wales. The population of Wales is just over three million people, around 5% of the total UK population. Language The Welsh language is an old, Celtic language which is very different from English. Music The Welsh people love music and there are a lot of singing festivals and competitions in Wales. Sport The Welsh enjoy watching and playing sport, especially rugby union and football. Food There are lots of sheep in Wales, so people eat a lot of lamb. Symbols If you ever go to Wales, you will see dragons everywhere!

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries in the United Kingdom, with England, Scotland and Wales. It is to the north of the Republic of Ireland, on an island next to Great Britain. Around 1.8 million people live in Northern Ireland, which is about three per cent of the population of the UK. The capital city is Belfast. Another name for Northern Ireland is ‘Ulster’ or ‘The Six Counties’ because it is made up of six regions or counties. In Northern Ireland you can find beautiful beaches, forests and mountains. Northern Ireland was a place of conflict between people who wanted to be part of the Republic of Ireland, people who wanted to be part of the UK and people who wanted Northern Ireland to be a separate country. Language Nearly everyone in Northern Ireland speaks English. Music You can hear all types of music in Northern Ireland including traditional Irish music, jazz, rock or pop. Sport Food Symbols St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Scotland Scotland is a country in Great Britain, to the north of England. Scotland has nearly 800 islands, but people only live on some of them. Scotland is a very beautiful country with many mountains, forests, beaches, rivers and lochs (the Scots word for lakes). In the north of Scotland it is light until 11.30 p.m. in summer and in winter you can sometimes see the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, which are spectacular lights in the sky. Scotland has its own parliament which makes laws for Scottish people. Language There are three languages in Scotland. Scotland is ane o the fower kintras that maks the Unitit Kinrick. A minority (around one percent of the Scottish population) speak Scottish Gaelic, an old Celtic language which is very different from English. Music At public and cultural events you can often hear traditional music and see traditional dancing. Sport The famous Scottish Highland Games are a combination of culture and sport. Food Symbols

Edinburgh Summer Festivals Edinburgh is the world’s festival city. There are twelve festivals throughout the year, half of which are celebrated during the months of July and August. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Scottish capital during the summer. Here are some of the events they can enjoy. The Edinburgh International Festival This is the original Edinburgh festival which began in 1947. The Edinburgh Art Festival This festival is modern and has been celebrated for around ten years. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe This is the largest arts festival in the world with thousands of shows which take place across the city. The Edinburgh International Book Festival The largest book festival in the world began in 1983 and takes place every year in Charlotte Square Gardens in the centre of Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival Music lovers come to this festival to enjoy music shows around the city. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo