5 things you might not know about the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is an island nation located northwest of mainland Europe. The kingdom comprises four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is under the protection of Queen Elizabeth II. In fact, Queen Elizabeth II's reign is the longest-lasting in world history, spanning 69 years and still ongoing.

This isn't the only interesting thing about this kingdom. Here are some fascinating facts about England that not everyone knows.

The British flag is a combination of three flags.

The national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Union Jack, is a combination of the symbols of three patron saints: Saint George - a red cross (England); Saint Andrew - a white X (Scotland); and Saint Patrick - a red X (Ireland).

Wales is not featured on the national flag because the flag was designed in 1606 during the reign of King James I (James IV of Scotland), at a time when Wales had not yet separated from England.

The place name with the longest name in Europe is located in the United Kingdom.

The village named Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is recognized as having the longest place name in Europe with 58 characters. This village is located on Anglesey Island in Wales. In fact, the original Welsh name only has 51 characters because the letters "ch" and "ll" are only one letter.

While it's the most impressive village in Europe, it's not the place with the longest name in the world. That title belongs to a village in New Zealand with 85 characters.

Stonehenge is the world's oldest monument.

Stonehenge, located on the Salisbury Plains in England, is a prehistoric structure. According to scientists, this ancient monument may have been built between 2000 and 3000 BC, giving it the title of the world's oldest historical monument.

Although there are many similar stone circles in England, Stonehenge is the most famous site for tourists visiting the kingdom.

The oldest castle still inhabited.

Windsor Castle, located in the town of the same name in the county of Berkshire, England, has been the residence of the Queen and the royal family for the past 900 years. Built in the 11th century by the conqueror William, it has been the residence of 39 British monarchies. Besides being the oldest inhabited castle, Windsor also holds the distinction of being the castle with the largest living area in the world.

The sport of golf was invented in Scotland.

First appearing in 1457, golf quickly gained popularity. However, during the reign of King James II of Scotland, the sport was temporarily banned because soldiers were so engrossed in playing golf that they neglected their combat training.

The golf course at the St Andrews complex in Fife is the first golf course in Scotland and also the oldest in the world. The first golf competition took place around the 15th century. To this day, golf has become the iconic sport of Scotland.

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