With its sixty million people, music, football, royalty, castles, ancient monuments, wars, empires and main language the United Kingdom has made an impact upon the world much larger than the island upon which it is located. The image of tea-drinking-Queen-loving people in their tweed caps is contrasted with the raving festival goers and the football hooligans. Neither is correct, and only with a visit to the extremely diverse land can you begin to understand what it is which makes so many people want to live on an island when it is nearly always raining and the food is almost inedible.

The country is made up of four main regions: England, Wales, Scotland and the disputed Northern Ireland. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have some sort of regional autonomy, language rights and separate representation in many international sporting events. Many people in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland want to break away from the Union and have their own countries, but it is unlikely that the British Government, based in London which is also the capitol England, would ever allow it to happen.