The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is an island nation located in the northwest of mainland Europe. The kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The kingdom is under the protection of Queen Elizabeth II. In fact, the reign of Queen Elizabeth II is the longest-lasting monarchy in world history, with 69 years of reign and still going strong.
This is not the only interesting thing about this kingdom. Here are some interesting 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, called 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).
The reason Wales is not on the National Flag is because the flag was designed in 1606 under King James I (James IV of Scotland), at this time Wales had not yet separated from England.
The place name with the longest name in Europe is in the United Kingdom.
The village named Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is recognized as having the longest place name in Europe with 58 characters. This village is on the island of Anglesey in Wales. In fact, the original name of the village in Welsh has only 51 characters because the letters “ch” and “ll” are the same letter.
The most impressive village in Europe, but this is not the longest place name in the world. The top spot belongs to a village in New Zealand with 85 characters.
Stonehenge is the world's oldest monument.
Stonehenge, located on Salisbury Plain in the United Kingdom, is a prehistoric monument. Scientists believe it was built between 2000 and 3000 BC, making it the oldest monument in the world.
Although there are many similar stone circles across Britain, Stonehenge is the most famous site for tourists visiting the kingdom.
The oldest inhabited castle
Winsor 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 William the Conqueror, it has been the residence of 39 British monarchs. In addition to being the oldest inhabited castle, Winsor is also honored as the castle with the largest living area in the world.
Golf was invented in Scotland
Golf began to appear in 1457, quickly received response and became extremely popular. By the time of King James II of Scotland, this sport was banned for a time because soldiers were too engrossed in playing golf, neglecting combat training.
The St Andrews Golf Course in Fife is Scotland's first golf course and the oldest in the world. The first competitive golf game was played around the 15th century. Golf has since become Scotland's national sport.
