by Olivier De Winne
England Guides
England Guides

England – home of the Royal Family, black cabs and fish and chips.  England is country which is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island (UK).  The UK is a sovereign country located off the north-western coast of Europe. The UK is made up of the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), the north-eastern part of Ireland and many smaller islands. 

England is located in the south of Great Britain and is bordered to the west by Wales and to the north by Scotland.  England covers over 60% of Great Britain and its official language is English.  No part of England is more than 120 km (70 miles) from the sea or more than a day’s journey from London by road or rail.  The country is divided into 48 regions called Counties (from Bedfordshire to Yorkshire) which retain distinctive regional characteristics.

England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the South.  The rest of its coasts lie in the North Atlantic Ocean with the Irish Sea separating Wales from Ireland.

England’s landscape is mainly fertile land and rolling hillsides with higher elevations to the north, north-west and south-west.  The Pennines form the spine of England at nearly 3,000 feet high and separate north-west England, Yorkshire and north-east England.  The southern coast of England is known for its limestone formations like Durdle Door and the white chalk cliffs at Dover and on the Isle of Wight.  England is home to many species of wildlife including red deer, hedgehogs, foxes, red squirrels, adders, otters and grey seals.

England has a long history and earliest settlers date back 800,000 years ago and the remains of prehistoric Neolithic monuments, like Stonehenge, can still be seen today.  Early Celtic people living in England were invaded by the Romans in 43 AD.  The end of their rule in 410 AD, led to the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain which is seen as the origin of England and English people.  After that, there were further invasions by the Vikings and Normans.

London is the capital of England and the UK and is the country’s most populated city.  It is also one of the oldest capital cities in the world dating back 2,000 years.  London is situated in the south-east of England and lies on the banks of the River Thames.  Famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square and the London Eye.

The official currency of England and the UK is the Pound Sterling (£ GBP).

Below, you will find our useful travel guides to help you plan your next trip to England.