Explore the United Kingdom: 12 Key Facts

Explore the United Kingdom: 12 Key Facts — page 1 — 1 The United Kingdom Is Four Countries 6,000 Approximate number of islands in the British Isles The UK is made up of England Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland London is the capital of England and the UK The landscape of the UK was created by glaciers The Republic of Ireland is also there This country is not part of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom belongs to a group of islands called the British The United Kingdom is made up of England Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland England is the largest at 50,301 square miles 130,279 sq km It has the most people Its capital city London is the capital of the United Kingdom All citizens are British citizens England Scotland and Wales are on an island called Great Britain Northern Ireland is on another island to the west The White Cliffs of Dover located on the southeast side of England are made of chalk a soft white finely-grained limestone 4

Explore the United Kingdom: 12 Key Facts — page 2 — The Urquhart Castle ruins provide a unique view of Loch Ness Isles The two large islands are surrounded by thousands of smaller islands The North Sea is to the east The Atlantic Ocean is to the north and northwest The English Channel on the south separates Great Britain from continental Europe Glaciers carved the landscape of the United Kingdom Steep cliffs rise above the water Rugged hills and mountains cover northern and western Great Britain The southwest has more gently rolling hills and fields Northern Ireland is mostly hilly The last ice age ended more than 10,000 years ago Thick sheets of ice melted leaving behind hundreds A MONSTER IN THE LOCH In 1933 visitors to Loch Ness in Scotland saw something scary A creature that looked like a dragon or serpent entered the loch Newspapers called it the Loch Ness Monster Over the years thousands more sightings have been reported People have given the monster a nickname Nessie There is no scientific proof that Nessie exists But people still look for her in Loch Ness of lakes and rivers Lochs formed in Scotland These bodies of water look like lakes But they’re connected to oceans or seas 5

Explore the United Kingdom: 12 Key Facts — page 3 — 2 The Weather Is Soggy The United Kingdom often has gray skies and rainy days The climate is generally mild however The Gulf Stream keeps it warmer than nearby countries But not all areas are equally warm The southwest coast of England has an average temperature of 52 degrees Fahrenheit 11 C In northern Scotland the average is 45 degrees Fahrenheit 7 C The United Kingdom has four seasons They are fairly equal in length Rain falls throughout the year Precipitation is heavier in the west Scotland has the most severe weather Snow is common in the Highlands Strong winds blow 6 December has the highest average monthly rainfall just over five inches 129 mm

Explore the United Kingdom: 12 Key Facts — page 4 — Fallow deer have coats that range in color from red to brown and black and even pure white across the landscape They can reach hurricane strength Many birds migrate to the United Kingdom each year Marshlands along the coast are winter feeding grounds for aquatic birds Arctic terns thrushes and geese fly in from the north They leave in spring That’s when swallows and cuckoos arrive from the south These birds return home for winter Robins and starlings live in the country year round The United Kingdom has three species of snakes Adders smooth snakes and grass snakes live in the countryside Other reptiles include common lizards slow worms and sand lizards Several kinds of frogs and toads also live there Leatherback turtles swim in coastal waters The mild damp climate allows other animals to thrive Fallow deer badgers and wild rabbits are a few They roam forests of English oak and horse chestnut trees 6 million Approximate number of water birds and waders that visit the marshes of the UK It rains often in the UK The Gulf Stream keeps temperatures mild Climate patterns vary by location Many animals thrive in the UK 7

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