England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental Europe. Most of England comprises the central and southern part of the island of Great Britain in the North Atlantic. The country also includes over 100 smaller islands such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

The area now called England has been settled by people of various cultures for about 35,000 years, but it takes its name from the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in AD 927, and since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century, has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world. The English language, the Anglican Church, and English law—the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world—developed in England, and the country's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the world's first industrialised nation. England's Royal Society laid the foundations of modern experimental science.

England's terrain mostly comprises low hills and plains, especially in central and southern England. However, there are uplands in the north (for example, the mountainous Lake District, Pennines, and Yorkshire Dales) and in the south west (for example, Dartmoor and the Cotswolds). London, England's capital, is the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. England's population is about 51 million, around 84% of the population of the United Kingdom, and is largely concentrated in London, the South East and conurbations in the Midlands, the North West, the North East and Yorkshire, which developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century. Meadowlands and pastures are found beyond the major cities.

The Kingdom of England—which after 1284 included Wales—was a sovereign state until 1 May 1707, when the Acts of Union put into effect the terms agreed in the Treaty of Union the previous year, resulting in a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain. In 1800, Great Britain was united with Ireland through another Act of Union to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922, the Irish Free State was established as a separate dominion, but the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act in 1927 reincorporated into the kingdom six Irish counties to officially create the current United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

England
Flag Royal Standard
Motto: Dieu et mon droit (French) "God and my right"
Anthem: None (de jure) God Save the Queen, Jerusalem (de facto)
Location of England (inset — orange) in the United Kingdom (camel) in the European continent (white)
Capital (and largest city)		London 51°30′N 0°7′W / 51.5°N 0.117°W / 51.5; -0.117
Official language(s)		English (de facto)
Recognised regional languages		Cornish
Ethnic groups (2007 [3][4])		88.2% White, 5.7% South Asian, 2.8% Black, 1.7% Mixed race, 0.8% Chinese, 0.7% Other
Demonym		English
Government		Non-devolved state within a constitutional monarchy
-	Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
-	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom	David Cameron MP
Legislature		Parliament of the United Kingdom
Area
-	Total	130,395 km2 50,346 sq mi
Population
-	2008 estimate	51,446,000
-	2001 census	49,138,831
-	Density	395/km2 1,023/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$1.9 trillion
-	Per capita	US$38,000
GDP (nominal)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$2.2 trillion
-	Per capita	$44,000
Currency		Pound sterling (GBP)
Time zone		GMT (UTC0)
-	Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
Date formats		d/m/yy (AD)
Drives on the		left
Internet TLD		.uk
Calling code		44
Patron saint		Saint George

England's long history and pervasive culture spread worldwide through the English language and colonialism make England a popular tourist destination, particularly in London.

Heritage Cities in England

• Bath: A spa, famous for its Regency architecture and crescents, and also for its Roman baths.
• Brighton: Brighton is a seaside resort which includes two piers, West Pier and Brighton Pier, and also has the Royal Pavilion.
• Bristol: Brunel's Clifton suspension bridge is a famous landmark, and the ship, the SS Great Britain is another of Brunel's famous constructions, which is now in dry dock in Bristol.
• Cambridge: A famous university town.
• Canterbury: Renowned for its cathedral.
• Dover: A major port with access to the continent. Also well known for its white cliffs, and to a lesser extent for its castle, Dover Castle.
• Haworth: where the Brontë Sisters lived, is very popular with Japanese tourists, as Wuthering Heights has a cult following in Japan.
• Lincoln: A medieval city, home to the very ornate Lincoln Cathedral and to Lincoln Castle, where a copy of the Magna Carta is kept. Also the site of one of Europe's largest Christmas markets.
• Liverpool: The 2008 European Capital of Culture, a major port and World Heritage Site, home to two cathedrals and houses more listed buildings, museums and art galleries than any other city in the UK outside of London. The home of Liverpool F.C, the world famous football club. Is also famous for The Grand National, its musical, maritime and sporting heritage.
• Oxford : now a busy commercial city, which also has a famous university.
• Nottingham : The city and Nottingham Castle are famed worldwide for their links with the legend of Robin Hood. Sherwood Forest is nearby.
• Portsmouth: Portsmouth is a naval dockyard, and has some famous ships on display, including the Mary Rose, and HMS Victory, all within its Historic Dockyard. Also home to Gunwharf Quays retail centre, with its iconic Spinnaker Tower.
• Salisbury: Salisbury cathedral is well known, and has the tallest spire in the country. Nearby is the pre-historic site of Stonehenge, which is administered by English Heritage.
• Stratford-upon-Avon: Shakespeare's birthplace is probably the most visited place in Stratford
• Wells: best known for Wells Cathedral
• York: Famous for York Minster. Also the location of the National Railway Museum and a wealth of preserved medieval streets and buildings, such as the Merchant Adventurers' Hall and the Shambles.

Other places in England are also of historical interest. The city of Manchester is the 2nd most visited city in England after London. Many foreign tourists also visit the neighbouring countries Scotland and Wales – see tourism in Scotland and tourism in Wales.

Domestic tourists, and foreign tourists who have specific interests in art, music, history etc, also visit the following:

• Birmingham: A major city, with an orchestra, major exhibition venues (NEC, ICC) and art galleries. Of historical interest for its significant role in the industrial revolution, the childhood home and inspiration of Tolkien, noted for its shopping and boasting the longest stretch of nightclubs in England.
• Hadrian's Wall: The Roman wall built by order of the Emperor Hadrian.
• Hereford: A cathedral city, famous for the chained library in the cathedral, and the Mappa Mundi
• Ironbridge: The cradle of the industrial revolution and the site for the legendary Iron bridge.
• Manchester: A major city, famous for the Hallé orchestra and many museums and art galleries, a classic example of buildings from the Victorian era. Also well known for the Manchester Ship Canal. Home of the world famous Manchester United F.C. and Manchester City F.C. the worlds richest football club. The host city of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Manchester is also known for being the world's first industrialised city. Also noted for its shopping, cuisine and nightlife.

Ecotourism

• England also has some unique natural environments, and has a significant Ecotourism industry:
• Eden Project in Cornwall.
• The Lake District, a national park with hills and lakes, including Windermere, the largest lake in England.
• The Peak District, a national park in Derbyshire.
• Dartmoor and Exmoor, national parks in Devon.
• The New Forest, a rural forest park in Hampshire.
• The Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site in Dorset and Devon
• The National Forest, covering parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.
• Center Parcs, a number of rural holiday parks.
• Plus various National Nature Reserves, Heritage Coasts and other protected areas.