A visit to the capital of England and Great Britain must be considered separately. Along with New York, London is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. With a population of over 7 million, London is incredibly ethnically diverse, with more than 300 languages spoken. Modern multicultural London seems to have it all: historic monuments, tourist attractions on every corner and a huge variety of restaurants, entertainment, art and culture. London is the cultural center of Great Britain, the city of theaters and museums as well as one of the largest financial and economic centers in the world. The city has been the seat of kings and thus of government since 796 and has experienced an eventful history over the ages that seems to be particularly tangible in the Westminster district. The city has a program to offer visitors for several weeks, which almost no one can afford for more than a few days. Not only is the government district worth seeing, just as exciting are a stroll through Soho and dinner in Chinatown, a “lager” in Covent Garden and shopping on Oxford Street. A visit to the weekend market on Portobello Road conveys an alternative big city flair and a game of billiards in the pub lets everyone completely forget that they are not Londoners themselves.
But England is one of the countries that captivate above all with the beauty of their nature. The landscape is incredibly varied. The southwest next to the sea, beautiful gardens and green fields. Don’t miss the honey-colored Cotswolds villages as well as the whitewashed fishing villages where you can enjoy the best seafood in the country. The farmers’ markets, where numerous regional products are offered, invite you to take an idyllic stroll. There are historic castles and cities like Bristol and Bath where life is serene and relaxed. William Shakespeare was once born in the heart of England, which is dominated by lofty cathedrals, picturesque landscapes and multiple canals. It was here that the industrial revolution developed that changed England and the whole world. The East Midlands have always been home to poets and nobles. Battlefields, mansions and castles tell of the eventful history of England. Eastern England is known as the land of gardens: nature is cultivated here in all imaginable forms, from gardens around mansions to fragrant flower gardens. Here you will find, for example, the Sandringham estate, the Queen’s favorite stay. The north of England is mountainous and, with the famous Lake District in Cumbria, offers unsurpassable scenic beauties that inspired the English romantic poets. The region’s two coasts offer both fantastic views and an incredible variety of wading birds, thousands of which inhabit the rugged cliffs.
Population
Note
England is part of Great Britain, which in turn is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). England is often mistakenly equated with the UK or Great Britain.
Number
England has around 54.5 million residents. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) has a population of around 62.6 million, including around 3.2 million Welsh, 5.4 million Scots and 1 million Northern Irish.
Ethnic composition
The majority of the population of Great Britain is composed of English (83.6%), followed by Scots (8.6%), Irish (2.9%), Welsh (4.9%) and nationals from other countries (7.9%).
Religion
35 million Anglicans (Church of England); 1.3 million Church of Scotland; 0.2 million other Protestants; 5.6 million Catholics; 2 million Muslims, 1.4 million Hindus and the like Sikhs; 300,000 Jews; 11 million others
National languages
The official language is English.
Capital, other cities
The capital of Great Britain as well as that of England is London, with a population of around 8.5 million.
The capital of Wales is Cardiff with 305,500 residents.
The capital of Scotland is Edinburgh with around 449,000 residents.
The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast with around 276,500 residents.
Other cities in England are:
- Birmingham with around 2.6 million residents
- Manchester with around 2.5 million residents
- Sheffield with around 516,100 residents
- Bradford with around 485,000 residents
- Leeds with around 458,000 residents
- Liverpool with around 441,500 residents
- Bristol with approx. 382,000 residents
- Leicester with 285,000 residents
- Newcastle with approx. 270,000 residents
- Nottingham with approx. 270,000 residents
- Plymouth with a population of 244,000
- Kingston upon Hull with approx. 240,000 residents
- Southhampton with about 221,000 residents
- Portsmouth with approx. 189,000 residents
- York with approx. 185,000 residents
- Bournemouth with approximately 164,000 residents
- Brighton with about 134,000 residents
- Oxford with about 134,000 residents
- Middlesbrough with around 133,000 residents
- Torbay with approx. 132,000 residents
- Preston with around 130,000 residents
- Norwich with approx. 125,000 residents
- Exeter with approximately 112,000 residents
- Cambridge with about 110,000 residents
- Chester with around 80,000 residents
- Taunton with approx. 61,000 residents
- Dover with about 35,000 residents
National flag
The Union Jack is the traditional name of the national flag of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; it is called the “Union Flag” in official usage. The name “Jack” was previously used to designate bow flags on (war) ships. The flag of England is the St. George Cross shown in the picture