Facts About The United Kingdom

Location: The United Kingdom (UK) is located to the north-west of continental Europe. The UK is made up of the island of Great Britain (including England, Scotland and Wales), and part of the island of Ireland – the area called Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has a border with the Republic of Ireland, but apart from this, the rest of the UK is surrounded by water (the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the English Channel.Often called the Union Jack or Union Flag, the flag of the United Kingdom combines the flags of the the patron saints of England, Ireland and Scotland -the red cross of Saint George, the Cross of St Patrick and the St Andrew’s Cross (the Saltire). Wales is not represented in the flag because when the flag design was put together, Wales was part of England.