Cheap Hotels in the United Kingdom

Hotels in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom, or, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to give it it's official title, is a sovereign state that is situated in west Northern Europe. It territory consists mainly of the island of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the island of Ireland. In addition there are several islands located in the surrounding seas; the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea and the English Channel. The mainland of Great Britain is linked to France by the Channel Tunnel. Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland.

The United Kingdom is a political union of four countries; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In addition the UK has the dependencies of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, as well as several overseas territories including Gibraltar and Bermuda amongst others.

The UK is a very highly developed economy, which is the fourth largest in the world at present. The population of the United Kingdom is approximately 60.2 million. London, the capital of England, is the most populous area of the UK with a population of about 8 million.

Government and Politics

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, with executive power exercised on behalf of the Queen by the Prime Minister and his cabinet members.

While it is the Queen who is head of the Monarchy and holds executive power, it is the Prime Minister who is head of the Government, and answerable to the House of Commons. The British system of Government has now been followed around the world today. This is due to the respect of the system by some, and also with the past history of its colonial empire.

Since the late 1920s there has been two major political parties dominating British politics. These are the Labour Party and the Conservative Party. The strongest third party in British politics at this time is the Liberal Democratic Party.

There has on a few occasions been a coalition Government, but the first past the post policy tends to lean to the two major parties winning the election.

Geography of the United Kingdom

England's land mostly consists of rolling lowland terrain, that is a divide between east and west and by a more mountainous terrain in the Northwest (Cumbria Mountains).

The main rivers running through England are the Thames, Severn and the Humber. The largest urban area in England is London, and there is no peak in England higher than 3,300 feet.

Scotland has the United Kingdom's highest mountain, which is Ben Nevis standing at 4,408 feet high. Scotland's geography is varied with lowlands in the south and east of the country, and highlands in the north and west.
Scotland is well known for its deep lochs, such as loch Ness and loch Lomond. The Scottish coast has numerous islands of its shoreline such as, Hebrides, Orkney and the Shetland Isles. The capital city of Scotland is Edinburgh, the centre of which is world heritage site. The largest populated city in Scotland is Glasgow.

Northern Ireland that makes up the north-eastern part of Ireland's mostly hilly. The main cities in Northern Ireland are Belfast and Londonderry. Northern Ireland has also the largest lake in the British Isles, that is Lough Neagh and is 388 square kilometres. There are a total of 1098 small islands.

Wales is mostly a mountainous area and Mount Snowdon is 3,560 feet high. The largest capital in Wales is Cardiff, which is in the south of Wales.

London, Capital of England

London is the most populous city in Europe, with a total of almost eight million. However if you include the metropolitan area of London, then the total is about 12 million. The population is a very diverse mixture of culture and religions that make London one of Europe's most diverse and vibrant cities. There are over 300 languages spoken in London making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.

London is home to many of the world's global organisations, companies and institution, and retains a leading role in world affairs.

Modern greater London is made up of 32 London Boroughs, which includes the city of Westminster. London can boast being one of the most visited cities on Earth. Most of the main tourist attractions are located in the historic central London area.

The West End with all its bars, pubs, clubs, restaurant's and theatre area is a major tourist area. The historical sights such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Clarence House and St James House are all popular with overseas visitors.

London Museums have historically been popular, there has been a large increase in visitors since the entrance fee's were abolished. The most popular museums are the Natural History, Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. There are many more important attractions to see while in London, here are just a few more that you might consider they are St Paul's Cathedral, National Gallery, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, British Museum and Tate Modern London has more than just the central area to discover if you have the time.

London can be broken down into city of London, West End, East London, West London, North London and South London as well as Dockhands. All these areas contribute to making London such an exciting historical city. For instance the East End is stepped in history, with it being the nearest to the original port of London many immigrants first settled in this area.

These included such immigrants as French, Belgians, Jews, Pakistanis and many more. The East End extends from the eastern side of the city of London, including Whitechapel, Mile End, Bethnal Green, Hackney and Bow. These areas cover many of London's traditional markets such as Columbia Road Flower Market, Spitalfields Meat Market, Petticoat Lane and Brick Lane. East End of London also has Europe's longest street market, Walthamstow Market.

United Kingdom Embassy

For your convenience we have listed British embassies below. Embassies can provide you with information regarding visas and other important travel information.

• UK Embassy