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England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south. The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain, which lies in the North Atlantic, and includes over 100 smaller islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic period, but takes its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe deriving its name from the Anglia peninsula, who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the 10th century and has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century. The English language, the Anglican Church, and English law—the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world—developed in England, and the country's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the world's first industrialised nation.

England's terrain is chiefly low hills and plains, especially in central and southern England. However, there is upland and mountainous terrain in the north (for example, the Lake District and Pennines) and in the west (for example, Dartmoor and the Shropshire Hills). The capital is London, which has the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom. England's population of 56.3 million comprises 84% of the population of the United Kingdom, largely concentrated around London, the South East, and conurbations in the Midlands, the North West, the North East, and Yorkshire, which each developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century.

The Kingdom of England – which after 1535 included Wales – ceased being a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707, when the Acts of Union put into effect the terms agreed in the Treaty of Union the previous year, resulting in a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. In 1801, Great Britain was united with the Kingdom of Ireland (through another Act of Union) to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom, leading to the latter being renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (Full article...)

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The Isle of Portland is a tied island, 6 kilometres (4 mi) long by 2.7 kilometres (1.7 mi) wide, in the English Channel. The southern tip, Portland Bill lies 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of the resort of Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A barrier beach called Chesil Beach joins Portland with mainland England. The A354 road passes down the Portland end of the beach and then over the Fleet Lagoon by bridge to the mainland. The population of Portland is 13,417.

Portland is a central part of the Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site on the Dorset and east Devon coast, important for its geology and landforms. Portland stone, a limestone famous for its use in British and world architecture, including St Paul's Cathedral and the United Nations Headquarters, continues to be quarried here. (Full article...)

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The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present. The British Museum was the first public national museum to cover all fields of knowledge.

The museum was established in 1753, largely based on the collections of the Anglo-Irish physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. It first opened to the public in 1759, in Montagu House, on the site of the current building. The museum's expansion over the following 250 years was largely a result of British colonisation and resulted in the creation of several branch institutions, or independent spin-offs, the first being the Natural History Museum in 1881. The right to ownership of some of its most well-known acquisitions, notably the Greek Elgin Marbles and the Egyptian Rosetta Stone, is subject to long-term disputes and repatriation claims. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various England-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1England playing Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground in the 2009 Ashes series. After winning the 2019 Cricket World Cup, England became the first country to win the World Cups in football, rugby union and cricket. (from Culture of England)
Image 2First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. (from Culture of England)
Image 3The Lady Chapel of Wells Cathedral (from Culture of England)
Image 4First English Civil War at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644 (from History of England)
Image 5View of the ramparts of the hillfort of Maiden Castle (450 BC), as they look today (from History of England)
Image 6Anglo-Saxon helmet from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, 625 AD (replica) (from History of England)
Image 7Canterbury Cathedral is the seat of the Primate of All England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior bishop of the Church of England. (It was the property of the Roman Catholic Church before the English Reformation.) (from Culture of England)
Image 8The Billingsgate Fish Market in London in the early 19th century (from History of England)
Image 9Durham Cathedral, dating from 1093 (from Culture of England)
Image 10One of only four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 text, Cotton MS. Augustus II. 106, property of the British Library (from History of England)
Image 11Alfred Hitchcock is often regarded as the greatest British filmmaker, and was described as "a straightforward middle-class Englishman who just happened to be an artistic genius." (from Culture of England)
Image 12The Procession Picture, c. 1600, showing Elizabeth I borne along by her courtiers (from History of England)
Image 13King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 (from History of England)
Image 14Canterbury Cathedral nave, 1377 (from History of England)
Image 15Francis Bacon in a portrait by Pourbus the Younger, (1617). His works are seen as developing the scientific method and remained highly influential through the Scientific revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 16King James I of England (from History of England)
Image 17King Charles II (from History of England)
Image 18King Henry VIII (from History of England)
Image 19Astley's Amphitheatre, London circa 1808. Astley performed stunts in a 42 ft diameter ring; the standard size used by circuses ever since. (from Culture of England)
Image 20William Hogarth's depiction of a scene from Shakespeare's The Tempest is an example of how English literature influenced English painting in the 18th century. (from Culture of England)
Image 21A pint of real ale (from Culture of England)
Image 22Flatford Mill ('Scene on a Navigable River') by John Constable, c. 1816 (from Culture of England)
Image 23Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry (from History of England)
Image 24Artefacts from Bush Barrow at Stonehenge. Wessex culture, Early Bronze Age, c. 1900 BC (from History of England)
Image 25The Palace of Westminster, a landmark of English architecture (from Culture of England)
Image 26Elizabeth I (from History of England)
Image 27King Charles II, a patron of the arts and sciences, supported the Royal Society, a scientific group whose early members included Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle and Sir Isaac Newton. (from Culture of England)
Image 28Chester, c. 1880 (from History of England)
Image 29Tomb of Richard I of England and Isabella of Angoulême (from History of England)
Image 30Dover Castle, 12th-13th century (from History of England)
Image 31Sir Isaac Newton, 1689. Regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time and as a key figure in the Scientific Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 32The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th-century, English School) (from History of England)
Image 33Christopher Lee (seen here as Dracula in 1958) starred in many of Hammer's British horror films. (from Culture of England)
Image 34The Alfred Jewel, late 9th century (from History of England)
Image 35The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London. (from Culture of England)
Image 36The first general laws against child labour, the Factory Acts, were passed in Britain in the first half of the 19th century. Children younger than nine were not allowed to work and the work day of youth under the age of 18 was limited to twelve hours. (from History of England)
Image 37The White Tower of the Tower of London, built in 1078 (from History of England)
Image 38Procession of characters from Shakespeare's plays (from Culture of England)
Image 39Remains of the Roman baths at Bath, England. (from History of England)
Image 40Maps of territory held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (green) during the English Civil War (1642–1645) (from History of England)
Image 41The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork yet found^[update]. It consists of almost 4,600 items and metal fragments. (from Culture of England)
Image 42Caesar's first invasion of Britain (from History of England)
Image 43Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1340s-1400, author of The Canterbury Tales (from History of England)
Image 44Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill. (from Culture of England)
Image 45England in 878 (from History of England)
Image 46Morris dancing (from Culture of England)
Image 47Anglo-Saxon king with his Witan. Biblical scene in the Old English Hexateuch (11th century) (from History of England)
Image 48Londinium (Roman London), c. 120 AD (from History of England)
Image 49King's College in Cambridge is regarded as one of the greatest examples of late English Gothic architecture. It has the world's largest fan vault, while the chapel's stained-glass windows and wooden chancel screen are considered some of the finest from their era. (from Culture of England)
Image 50Frontispiece of Bede's Life of St Cuthbert, showing King Æthelstan presenting a copy of the book to the saint himself. c. 930 (from History of England)
Image 51The wizard Merlin features as a character in many works of fiction, including the BBC series Merlin. (from Culture of England)
Image 52Portrait of Edward VI, c. 1550 (from History of England)
Image 53Hampton Court Palace (from Culture of England)
Image 54A traditional Punch and Judy booth, at Swanage, Dorset, England (from Culture of England)
Image 55The Ruthwell Cross, 8th century AD (from History of England)
Image 56Durham Cathedral, built 1093–1133 (from History of England)
Image 57Sir Francis Drake's voyage 1585–86 (from History of England)
Image 58Victory in Europe Day celebrations in London, 8 May 1945 (from History of England)
Image 59Silbury Hill, c. 2400 BC (from History of England)
Image 60Shoulder clasp from Sutton Hoo, 625 AD (from History of England)
Image 61The Roman Baths in Bath; a temple was constructed on the site between 60–70CE in the first few decades of Roman Britain. It is a lasting monument from Roman Britain. (from Culture of England)
Image 62Stonehenge, erected in several stages from c.3000-2500 BC (from History of England)
Image 63National performing arts are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as The Proms during the summer. (from Culture of England)
Image 64Remains of Hadrian's Wall (from History of England)
Image 65The English landscape garden at Stourhead, described as a 'living work of art' when first opened in the 1750s (from Culture of England)
Image 66Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 720 AD (from History of England)
Image 67Kingdoms and tribes in Britain, c. AD 600 (from History of England)
Image 68Stinking Bishop cheese (from Culture of England)
Image 69The Great Fire London, 1666. (from History of England)
Image 70The Mob Quad of Merton College, University of Oxford, 13th-14th century (from History of England)
Image 71Countries where English has official status or is widely spoken (from Culture of England)
Image 72The Battersea Shield (detail), 350 BC (from History of England)
Image 73The Lindisfarne Gospels (from Culture of England)
Image 74Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers. (from Culture of England)
Image 75King Alfred the Great statue in Winchester, Hampshire. The 9th-century English king encouraged education in his kingdom, and proposed that primary education be taught in English, with those wishing to advance to holy orders to continue their studies in Latin. (from Culture of England)
Image 76Large miniature of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland by Nicholas Hilliard, c. 1590, after his appointment as the Queen's Champion, in tilting attire with the Queen's glove as her favour pinned to his hat (from Culture of England)

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The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, in Trafalgar Square since 1838, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director of the National Gallery is Gabriele Finaldi.

The National Gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Its collection belongs to the government on behalf of the British public, and entry to the main collection is free of charge. (Full article...)

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Did you know?

...that the Rev. Arthur Wagner, the first curate of the Church of St. Paul, Brighton, England, commissioned stained glass windows of his mother, father and aunt for the church?
...that Scots' Dike was constructed by the English and the Scots in 1552 to mark the division of the Debatable Lands and thereby settle the exact boundary between the kingdoms of Scotland and England?
...that the famed message "England expects that every man will do his duty" is misquoted on Nelson's Column in London?

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In the news

25 January 2023 – Iran–European Union relations, Iran–United Kingdom relations: Iran places sanctions on more than 30 UK and EU-affiliated individuals in a tit-for-tat response to a new round of sanctions by the European Union over the Mahsa Amini protests. Sanctioned individuals include UK Attorney General Victoria Prentis, UK Army Chief of Staff Sir Patrick Sanders, and three staff members of Charlie Hebdo. (RFE/RL)
16 January 2023 –: Metropolitan Police Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection officer David Carrick pleads guilty to 49 offences, including 24 rapes, at Southwark Crown Court in London, UK. (BBC News)
14 January 2023 – Euston shooting: Six people are injured by a mass drive-by shooting in London, United Kingdom. (BBC News)
13 January 2023 –: The British government announces a ban on single-use plastic cutlery, plates, polystyrene cups, bowls, and balloon sticks in England beginning in October as part of an effort to reduce plastic pollution. The ban will apply to all retailers, takeaways, and food vendors. (BBC News)
9 January 2023 – British space programme: Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne fails to reach the Low Earth orbit with a payload of several small satellites after the rocket suffered a second-stage engine anomaly on its ascent to space, resulting in the loss of the payload. The mission, which launched from Spaceport Cornwall in South West England, would have been the first rocket launched from United Kingdom territory. (AFP via Hindustan Times)

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“

England... is a nation of shopkeepers

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— Napoleon

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Related WikiProjects

England • Bedfordshire • Brighton • Cheshire • Cornwall • Derbyshire • Dorset • Greater Manchester • Hampshire • Lincolnshire • London • Merseyside • Northamptonshire • North East England • Sheffield • Surrey. Warwickshire • West Midlands • Worcestershire • Yorkshire

Topics

Cities and major towns: Blackpool • Birmingham • Bristol • Chelmsford • Leeds • Liverpool • London • Manchester • Newcastle • Nottingham • Oxford • Portsmouth • Sheffield • Southampton • Stoke-on-Trent

Culture: The Football Association • Rugby Football Union • England and Wales Cricket Board • English inventions and discoveries

Geography: Geology • Climate • Mountains and hills • Islands • Rivers

Economy: Bank of England • London Stock Exchange • Chancellor of the Exchequer • Monetary Policy Committee • HM Treasury

History: Timeline of English history • Prehistoric Britain • Roman Britain • Anglo-Saxon England • Norman England • Plantagenet England • House of Lancaster • House of York • House of Tudor • House of Stuart

Governance: Kingdom of England • Prime Minister of the United Kingdom • Parliament of the United Kingdom • Home Secretary • Local Government Boundary Commission for England • Administrative divisions of England • English law

Symbols: Flags • Flag of England • St George's Cross • Tudor rose • Coat of arms of England

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