About the UK

London is the most important city in the UK; it is the capital of England and host of the 2012 Olympics. The monarchy and government are also based here, with political issues being debated by MPs in the House of Commons.

Located in the West Midlands, Birmingham is often referred to as the UK’s second city. It is the biggest core city in England and is home to several famous businesses, including Typhoo Tea, Cadbury's chocolate and Brylcreem.

Sheffield, situated in South Yorkshire, is a big city renowned for its industrial heritage, most famously its steel production.

As well as Sheffield, Leeds is one of the largest cities in the UK and was granted city status back in 1893. Situated in West Yorkshire, Leeds is home to various sports teams and an abundance of entertainment and retail venues, and is in close proximity to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Leeds has something for everyone, attracting millions of visitors each year.

What also attracts people to the country is the diversity of UK property. Many attractions can be found in London, with landmarks such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey frequently visited and photographed buildings.

The main UK sport is football, with matches called off due to only the harshest UK weather conditions. Many teams from the country compete in internationally renowned competitions such as the European Champions League, with victories in this tournament making big UK news.

On a more local level, Birmingham City have a fierce rivalry with Aston Villa, as do Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United. Tottenham Hotspur versus Arsenal is the main London derby. Other keenly contested football matches include the Manchester and Merseyside derbies, while in Scotland Glasgow Celtic and Glasgow Rangers battle it out for local supremacy.

Interestingly, Sheffield is the home of Sheffield FC, the first football team in the UK dating back to 1857. This also makes Sheffield FC the world’s oldest football club!

There are numerous UK entertainment venues of distinguished stature, with its splendid theatrical venues probably the best of them all. Popular venues include the London Apollo,London Palladium and Savoy Theatre in London’s West End; Birmingham’s Hippodrome and Repertory Theatre; the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield; theGrand Theatre and West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds; and Glasgow’s Theatre Royal and Pavilion Theatre.

The UK also has an illustrious motoring history. UK motors are produced by many companies, the better known being manufacturing giants Rolls Royce, Jaguar and Lotus. Such UK traffic is served by major motorways and ‘A’ roads, carrying vehicles of all shapes and sizes the length and breadth of the country.

Those wanting to travel to the UK from abroad have a good selection of airports. London’s Heathrow Airport is the busiest in the country, handling several million passengers every year. Gatwick and Stanstead are London’s other principal airports. Birmingham International Airport and East Midlands Airport are also popular choices due to their central location, while Leeds Bradford International Airport and Glasgow Airport are amongst those situated in the north.

The UK is one of the most sought after locations for foreign students due to the quality of its universities. The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge are the most exalted institutions in the UK, closely followed by the country’s other big city universities, such as the University of Sheffield, the University of Leeds, the University of Birmingham, UCL and the University of Glasgow.