United Kingdom
Capital:
London
Official Language: English
Religions:
52% Protestant, 9% Roman Catholic, 3% Muslim and 36% Other
Currency:
Pound Sterling = 100 pence
Placements:
Monkey Rescue Project
Map
Background
Until recently England was generally thought of as a gentle, fabled land freeze-framed sometime in the 1930s, home of the post office, country pub and vicarage. It's now better known for vibrant cities with great nightlife and attractions, contrasted with green and pleasant countryside.
From Stonehenge and Tower Bridge to Eton and Oxford, England is loaded with cherished icons of a past era. But it also does modernity with a confidence and panache left over from its days in the never-setting sun. Fashion, fine dining, clubbing, shopping - England's rates with the world's best.
Special Events
For the sporty, the traditional Oxford/Cambridge University Boat Race is held in London on the River Thames in late March/early April; the famous but gruelling Grand National steeplechase takes place at Aintree, Liverpool, on the first Saturday in April; the FA Cup soccer final takes place in May; the Lawn Tennis Championships, complete with strawberries and cream, and tantrums by major players, take place at Wimbledon in late June; in the same month the champagne-quaffing set head for the Henley Royal Regatta at Henley-on-Thames; and the Cowes Week yachting extravaganza pushes off on the Isle of Wight in late July/early August.
Those uninterested in ball games and fast-moving animals should check out the Chelsea Flower Show at London's Royal Hospital in May; the Trooping of the Colour pageantry on the Queen's birthday in London in mid-June; the bacchanalian Glastonbury Festival music extravaganza which swamps Glastonbury's paddocks in June; and the riotous (in the best possible sense) Caribbean carnival in London's Notting Hill in late August.
Climate
England's climate is mild and damp, with temperatures moderated by the light winds that blow in off its relatively warm seas. Temperatures inland don't get much below freezing in winter (December to February), or much above 30°C (86°F) in summer (June to August). The north is the coldest area; London, the southeast and the West Country are the warmest. Rainfall is greatest in hilly areas and in the West Country. You can expect cloudy weather and light drizzle in any part of England at any time. Aside from the more obvious tendency of temperatures in the south to be a bit warmer than the north there is also some lateral variation in weather. The west is usually cloudier, wetter, warmer in summer and colder in winter than the east.
Travel Info
London's Heathrow and Gatwick are the two main airports for international flights, although some do go direct to Manchester and Birmingham.
You can get a coach and/or ferry from mainland Europe, or a very swift train through the Channel Tunnel.
Visas
Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa do not need a visa for stays in the UK up to 6 months, but they are prohibited from working. Citizens of the European Union (EU) don't need a visa to enter the country and may live and work here freely.
Safety
Terrorism is a risk.
Health
Very high standard of health.
Injections required
There are no jabs required for the UK.
