A modern, thriving society

Population and Cities

The UK is a diverse, multinational society. England makes up roughly 84% of the total population, Scotland just over 8%, Wales around 5%, and Northern Ireland under 3%. The capital cities are London (UK and England), Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales), and Belfast (Northern Ireland). Languages spoken alongside English include Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, and Irish Gaelic.

Religion and Festivals

Approximately 70% of people in the UK identify as Christian. Smaller proportions identify as Muslim (4%), Hindu (2%), Sikh (1%), Jewish or Buddhist (both under 0.5%). Key festivals include Christmas (25 December), Easter (March/April), Diwali (October/November), Hannukah (November/December), Eid al-Fitr, Eid ul Adha, and the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi (14 April).

Arts and Culture

The Proms is an eight-week BBC orchestral season held at the Royal Albert Hall. Notable composers include Henry Purcell, Handel, Gustav Holst, Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Benjamin Britten. The Turner Prize, established in 1984 and named after Joseph Turner, celebrates contemporary art and is shown at Tate Britain. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the UK. The Laurence Olivier Awards recognise theatrical achievement annually in London.

Literature and Poetry

Several British writers have won the Nobel Prize in Literature, including William Golding, Seamus Heaney, and Harold Pinter. The Man Booker Prize is awarded annually for the best novel by a Commonwealth, Irish, or Zimbabwean author. Notable poets whose lines appear in the test include William Blake (The Tyger), Lord Byron (She Walks in Beauty), William Wordsworth (The Daffodils), Robert Browning (Home Thoughts from Abroad), and Wilfred Owen (Anthem for Doomed Youth).

Sport

The UK hosted the Olympic Games in 1908, 1948, and 2012, finishing third in the medal table in 2012. Famous British sporting achievements include Roger Bannister running a mile in under four minutes (1954), Bobby Moore captaining England's 1966 World Cup-winning team, Steve Redgrave winning rowing gold in five consecutive Olympics, and Bradley Wiggins becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France (2012). The Ashes (cricket), Wimbledon (tennis), the Grand National (horse racing), and the Six Nations (rugby) are among the UK's most prestigious sporting events.

Landmarks and Leisure

Famous UK landmarks include Big Ben, the Tower of London, the Giant's Causeway, the Eden Project, and the London Eye. The National Trust (founded 1895) preserves important buildings and countryside in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The BBC, funded by the television licence, is the world's largest broadcaster and operates independently of government.