United Kingdom at a Glance

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy comprising much of the British Isles. This Union is more than 300 years old and comprises four constituent nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It occupies all of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern portion of the island of Ireland and most of the remaining British Isles. It is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and tenth-largest economy by purchasing power parity. The United Kingdom is the world's 8th biggest tourist destination with London being the most visited attraction in the country.
Area243610 Square KilometersCapitalLondonPopulation64.1 MillionOfficial LanguagesEnglishCurrencyPound sterlingTime DifferenceIndia is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of United Kingdom. (IST-4:30hrs.)ISD Code+44BoundaryUK shares borders with Ireland
  • Overview

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    You need to have a valid UK visa to visit United Kingdom. Biometric information is collected along with paper documents during visa application process. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of return.

  • Overview

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    British literature, music, cinema, art, theatre, comedy, media, television, philosophy and architecture are influential and respected across the world. United Kingdom’s culture is influenced by its predominantly Christian religious life and its composition of four countries—England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales—each of which has distinct customs, cultures and symbolism. UK is packed with historic monuments, royal palaces and some of the world's top museums which attract a lot of tourists from all over the world.

  • Overview

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    Traditional British cuisine is substantial, yet simple and wholesome. It is a specific set of cooking traditions and practices associated with the United Kingdom. Traditional meals have ancient origins, such as bread, cheese, roasted meats, boiled vegetables and saltwater fish.

  • Yorkshire Pudding

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    This dish is not usually eaten as a dessert like other puddings but instead as part of the main course or at a starter. Yorkshire pudding is made from flour, eggs and milk. The traditional way to eat a Yorkshire pudding is to have a large, flat one filled with gravy and vegetables as a starter of the meal. Then when the meal is over, any unused puddings should be served with jam or ice-cream as a dessert.

  • Bubble and Squeak

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    This is typically made from cold vegetables that have been left over from a previous meal, often the Sunday roast. The chief ingredients are potato and cabbage, but carrots, peas, brussels sprouts, and other vegetables can be added. The cold chopped vegetables are fried in a pan together with mashed potato until the mixture is well-cooked and brown on the sides. The name is a description of the action and sound made during the cooking process.

  • Roast Meats

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    Typical meats for roasting are joints of beef, pork, lamb or a whole chicken. More rarely duck, goose, gammon, turkey are also preffered. Beef is eaten with hot white horseradish sauce, pork with sweet apple sauce and lamb with green mint sauce.

  • Overview

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    UK festivals are renowned around the globe for their creativity and their clout in capturing the coolest acts around. The holidays and festivals can be a great way to experience the history and culture of the United Kingdom. Holidays in the UK include religious holidays as well as commemorative observance days, and many travelers even organize their trips around holidays in the UK.

  • Christmas

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    In UK families often celebrate Christmas together, so they can watch each other open their presents. Most families have a Christmas Tree in their house for Christmas. The decorating of the tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone helping. Most villages, towns and cities are decorated with Christmas lights over Christmas. Cakes, Chocolates are distributed on this special day.

  • Boxing Day

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    The English celebrate Boxing Day on December 26th, the day after Christmas. Boxing Day is a day to spend with the family, "boxing" up old clothes and other items to give to needy people. People also give money to their favorite charity on Boxing Day. On this day, gifts are also given to people such as the delivery workers and shop clerks, who provide services throughout the year.

  • Edinburgh International Festival

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    Each year between August and September, the three week long Edinburgh International Festival takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland. A centre for culture, dance, theatre, music, and more, this is quickly becoming one of the most renowned arts festivals in the world.