Scotland

Scotland is a country in Great Britain, to the north of England. Scotland has nearly 800 islands, but people only live on some of them. Scotland is a very beautiful country with many mountains, forests, beaches, rivers and lochs (the Scots word for lakes). Scotland has its own parliament which makes laws for Scottish people. Language There are three languages in Scotland. Scotland is ane o the fower kintras that maks the Unitit Kinrick. A minority (around one percent of the Scottish population) speak Scottish Gaelic, an old Celtic language which is very different from English. Music At public and cultural events you can often hear traditional music and see traditional dancing. Sport The most popular sport in Scotland is football and famous teams include Celtic and Rangers, from Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city. The famous Scottish Highland Games are a combination of culture and sport. Food Symbols Blue is a colour which is often associated with Scotland.

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries in the United Kingdom, with England, Scotland and Wales. It is to the north of the Republic of Ireland, on an island next to Great Britain. Around 1.8 million people live in Northern Ireland, which is about three per cent of the population of the UK. The capital city is Belfast. Another name for Northern Ireland is ‘Ulster’ or ‘The Six Counties’ because it is made up of six regions or counties. In Northern Ireland you can find beautiful beaches, forests and mountains. Northern Ireland was a place of conflict between people who wanted to be part of the Republic of Ireland, people who wanted to be part of the UK and people who wanted Northern Ireland to be a separate country. Language Nearly everyone in Northern Ireland speaks English. Music You can hear all types of music in Northern Ireland including traditional Irish music, jazz, rock or pop. Sport Food Symbols St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

England England is the biggest of the four countries in the United Kingdom. Together with Scotland and Wales, these three countries are the island of Great Britain. The English Channel is in the south between England and France. People travel to France by ferry across the English Channel or by train through the Channel Tunnel which goes under the sea. Over 50 million people live in England, that’s around 80% of the total UK population. It is a multicultural country where more than 250 languages are spoken in the capital city, London. Other large cities in England are Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Bristol. Language The official language of England is English, which is spoken today by millions of people all over the world. Music English people love music. Sport The most popular sports in England are football, rugby and cricket and most towns have a football, rugby and cricket ground where teams can play. Food Symbols The national flag of England is white with a red cross.

Wales Wales is one of the countries in Britain and the United Kingdom. It’s a small country with England to the east. Wales has got a continuous coastline, around 1,300km long, which means there are a lot of beaches! It has some of the most beautiful beaches in the UK and is a popular destination for holidaymakers and water sports fans. As well as beaches, there are a lot of mountains in Wales. The population of Wales is just over three million people, around 5% of the total UK population. Language The Welsh language is an old, Celtic language which is very different from English. Music The Welsh people love music and there are a lot of singing festivals and competitions in Wales. Sport The Welsh enjoy watching and playing sport, especially rugby union and football. Food There are lots of sheep in Wales, so people eat a lot of lamb. Symbols If you ever go to Wales, you will see dragons everywhere!

Views #1405 Meg's Travels Todd: Hey, Meg. We are talking about traveling and visiting other countries. What countries have you traveled to? Meg: I've been to quite a few different countries, for example, Spain, Belize and Indonesia. Todd: Wow, three different continents. Meg: Yeah, pretty far apart. Todd: Wow, that's cool. Meg: Spain is really beautiful. Todd: Oh nice. Meg: Yes. Todd: Oh, that's great. Meg: Spanish food is delicious. Todd: Oh, I love fish and shrimp. Meg: Me too. Todd: Now, Spain is really warm, right? Meg: Yes. Todd: Oh yeah? Meg: It got up past 40 Degrees Celsius during the summer. Todd: Wow. Meg: Yeah. Todd: Does it rain? Meg: It does rain. Todd: So what about Belize? Meg: Belize is very small, but it's also hot similar to Spain in the summer. Todd: Why did you go to Belize? Meg: I went to Belize on a study trip for school, and I stayed there for about two weeks. Todd: Okay. Meg: Belize also has good food. Todd: Oh really? Todd: So the last country is Indonesia. Todd: Oh wow. Todd: Oh yeah? Todd: Yeah.