England General

AREA: 130,423 sq km (50,356.37 sq miles).

POPULATION: 48,532, estimate).

POPULATION DENSITY: 372.1 per sq km.

CAPITAL: London. Population: 6,933,000 (Greater London, 1993 estimate).

GEOGRAPHY: Much of the countryside is relatively flat, consisting of fertile plains and gentle hills. Mountains, moors and steeper hills are found mainly in the north and the west; the Lake District (Cumbria) and the north-west are divided from the Dales of Yorkshire, and the north-east, by the (relatively) high-rising Pennines, ‘the backbone of England’. The eastern part of the country, particularly East Anglia, is the most low-lying. The coastline is varied, and ranges from long stretches of sandy beaches to steep cliffs and isolated rocky coves.

LANGUAGE: English. The multiplicity of local dialects throughout the country, overlaid with class, and town and country accents make English a language of astonishing diversity – words and forms of syntax which are obsolete in the south-east may often be found elsewhere. Cornish is still spoken by a few people in Cornwall. In the larger cities, particularly London, there are many communities who do not speak English as a first language (or who have a patois – originating outside of this country – which adds yet more variety to the English language).

Note: For information on time, electricity, communications, passport/visa, money, public holidays and business see the general UK section above.