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Flag of England	Royal Standard of England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It has land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west, and is otherwise surrounded by the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south, the Celtic Sea to the south-west, and the Irish Sea to the west. Continental Europe lies to the south-east, and Ireland to the west. At the 2021 census, the population was 56,490,048. London is both the largest city and the capital.

The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic. It takes its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the 10th century and has had extensive cultural and legal impact on the wider world since the Age of Discovery, which began during the 15th century. The Kingdom of England, which included Wales after 1535, ceased to be a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707, when the Acts of Union brought into effect a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland that created the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England is the origin of the English language, the English legal system (which served as the basis for the common law systems of many other countries), association football, and the Anglican branch of Christianity; its 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 is home to the two oldest universities in the English-speaking world: the University of Oxford, founded in 1096, and the University of Cambridge, founded in 1209. Both universities are ranked among the most prestigious in the world.

England's terrain chiefly consists of low hills and plains, especially in the centre and south. Upland and mountainous terrain is mostly found in the north and west, including Dartmoor, the Lake District, the Pennines, and the Shropshire Hills. The London metropolitan area has a population of 14.2 million as of 2021, representing the United Kingdom's largest metropolitan area. 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. (Full article...)

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A 17th century portrait of Fox

George Fox (July 1624 O.S. – 13 January 1691 O.S.) was an English Dissenter, who was a founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers or Friends. The son of a Leicestershire weaver, he lived in times of social upheaval and war. He rebelled against the religious and political authorities by proposing an unusual, uncompromising approach to the Christian faith. He travelled throughout Britain as a dissenting preacher, performed hundreds of healings, and was often persecuted by the disapproving authorities.

In 1669, he married Margaret Fell, widow of a wealthy supporter, Thomas Fell; she was a leading Friend. His ministry expanded and he made tours of North America and the Low Countries. He was arrested and jailed numerous times for his beliefs. He spent his final decade working in London to organise the expanding Quaker movement. Despite disdain from some Anglicans and Puritans, he was viewed with respect by the Quaker convert William Penn and the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. (Full article...)

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Crawford in Sydney, 2012

Michael Patrick Smith (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English actor, comedian and singer.

Crawford is best known for playing the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, Cornelius Hackl in the musical film Hello, Dolly!, and the titular character in the stage musical The Phantom of the Opera. His acclaimed performance in the latter earned him both the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical and Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. He has received international critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his acting career, which has included many film and television performances as well as stage work on both London's West End and on Broadway. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1King James I of England (from History of England)
Image 2The White Tower of the Tower of London, built in 1078 (from History of England)
Image 3King Henry VIII (from History of England)
Image 4Tomb of Richard I of England and Isabella of Angoulême (from History of England)
Image 5The English landscape garden at Stourhead, described as a 'living work of art' when first opened in the 1750s (from Culture of England)
Image 6Anglo-Saxon king with his Witan. Biblical scene in the Old English Hexateuch (11th century) (from History of England)
Image 7The Great Fire London, 1666. (from History of England)
Image 8Stonehenge, erected in several stages from c.3000–2500 BC (from History of England)
Image 9The Roman Baths in Bath; a temple was constructed on the site between 60–70CE in the first few decades of Roman Britain. (from Culture of England)
Image 10Gold torc from Snettisham, 70 BC (from History of England)
Image 11Chester, c. 1880 (from History of England)
Image 12Artefacts from Bush Barrow at Stonehenge. Wessex culture, Early Bronze Age, c. 1900 BC (from History of England)
Image 13First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. (from Culture of England)
Image 14The Procession Picture, c. 1600, showing Elizabeth I borne along by her courtiers (from History of England)
Image 15The wizard Merlin features as a character in many works of fiction, including the BBC series Merlin. (from Culture of England)
Image 16The 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 17England in 878 (from History of England)
Image 18King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 (from History of England)
Image 19The 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 20King'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 21Victory in Europe Day celebrations in London, 8 May 1945 (from History of England)
Image 22Alfred 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 23Flatford Mill ('Scene on a Navigable River') by John Constable, c. 1816 (from Culture of England)
Image 24Kingdoms and tribes in Britain, c. AD 600 (from History of England)
Image 25Countries where English is natively spoken or has official status (from Culture of England)
Image 26Canterbury 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 27The epic poem Beowulf, set in 6th century Scandinavia, composed c. 700–1000 AD. (from History of England)
Image 28King Charles II (from History of England)
Image 29The Fairy Ring by William Holmes Sullivan, c.1908 (from Culture of England)
Image 30Francis Bacon led the advancement of both natural philosophy and the scientific method and his works remained deeply influential in the Scientific Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 31View of the ramparts of the hillfort of Maiden Castle (450 BC), as they look today (from History of England)
Image 32Anglo-Saxon helmet from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, 625 AD (replica) (from History of England)
Image 33Dover Castle, 12th–13th century (from History of England)
Image 34Morris dancing (from Culture of England)
Image 35Portrait of the Royal Tudors. At left, Henry VII, with Prince Arthur behind him, then Prince Henry (later Henry VIII), and Prince Edmund, who did not survive early childhood. To the right is Elizabeth of York, with Princess Margaret, then Princess Elizabeth who didn't survive childhood, Princess Mary, and Princess Katherine, who died shortly after her birth. (from History of England)
Image 36The Mob Quad of Merton College, University of Oxford, 13th–14th century (from History of England)
Image 37Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers. (from Culture of England)
Image 38Josiah Wedgwood was a leading entrepreneur in the Industrial Revolution. (from Culture of England)
Image 39One of only four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 text, Cotton MS. Augustus II. 106, property of the British Library (from History of England)
Image 40The Battersea Shield (detail), 350 BC. (from History of England)
Image 41The Alfred Jewel, late 9th century (from History of England)
Image 42The Ruthwell Cross, 8th century AD (from History of England)
Image 43The Lady Chapel of Wells Cathedral (from Culture of England)
Image 44A pint of real ale (from Culture of England)
Image 45Jack In the Green, a traditional English folk custom being celebrated in Hastings Old Town, known for its many pre-Victorian buildings. (from Culture of England)
Image 46Durham Cathedral, dating from 1093 (from Culture of England)
Image 47Portrait of Edward VI, c. 1550 (from History of England)
Image 48The Billingsgate Fish Market in London in the early 19th century (from History of England)
Image 49Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1340s–1400, author of The Canterbury Tales (from History of England)
Image 50Christopher Lee (seen here as Dracula in 1958) starred in many of Hammer's British horror films. (from Culture of England)
Image 51Londinium (Roman London), c. 120 AD (from History of England)
Image 52Silbury Hill, c. 2400 BC (from History of England)
Image 53Remains of Hadrian's Wall (from History of England)
Image 54England 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 55Maps of territory held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (green) during the English Civil War (1642–1645) (from History of England)
Image 56Sir Francis Drake's voyage 1585–86 (from History of England)
Image 57A traditional Punch and Judy booth, at Swanage, Dorset, England (from Culture of England)
Image 58The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th-century, English School) (from History of England)
Image 59King 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 60Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill. (from Culture of England)
Image 61National performing arts are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as The Proms during the summer. (from Culture of England)
Image 62Whitehall by Francis Dodd (1920) displaying the Palace of Westminster (from Culture of England)
Image 63William 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 64Bronze coins of Cunobelin, called "King of the Britons" by Suetonius. 1–42 AD. (from History of England)
Image 65Shoulder clasp from Sutton Hoo, 625 AD (from History of England)
Image 66Remains of the Roman baths at Bath, England. (from History of England)
Image 67King Alfred the Great statue in Winchester, Hampshire. The 9th-century English king encouraged education in his kingdom. (from Culture of England)
Image 68Frontispiece 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 69Durham Cathedral. The Norman cathedral was built 1093–1133 (from History of England)
Image 70Stinking Bishop cheese (from Culture of England)
Image 71Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry (from History of England)
Image 72Canterbury Cathedral nave, 1377 (from History of England)
Image 73Elizabeth I (from History of England)
Image 74Interior of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford (from Culture of England)
Image 75Sir Isaac Newton is 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 76The Royal College of Music is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, established by royal charter in 1882. (from Culture of England)
Image 77Procession of characters from Shakespeare's plays (from Culture of England)
Image 78Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 720 AD (from History of England)
Image 79First English Civil War at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644 (from History of England)
Image 80The Lindisfarne Gospels (from Culture of England)

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Aerial view over northern Bath from a hot air balloon. The famous Royal Crescent is in the centre.

The buildings and architecture of Bath, a city in Somerset in the south west of England, reveal significant examples of the architecture of England, from the Roman Baths (including their significant Celtic presence), to the present day. The city became a World Heritage Site in 1987, largely because of its architectural history and the way in which the city landscape draws together public and private buildings and spaces. The many examples of Palladian architecture are purposefully integrated with the urban spaces to provide "picturesque aestheticism". In 2021, the city was added to a second World Heritage Site, a group of historic spa towns across Europe known as the "Great Spas of Europe". Bath is the only entire city in Britain to achieve World Heritage status, and is a popular tourist destination.

Important buildings include the Roman Baths; neoclassical architect Robert Adam's Pulteney Bridge, based on an unused design for the Rialto Bridge in Venice; and Bath Abbey in the city centre, founded in 1499 on the site of an 8th-century church. Of equal importance are the residential buildings designed and built into boulevards and crescents by the Georgian architects John Wood, the Elder and his son John Wood, the Younger – well-known examples being the Royal Crescent, built around 1770, and The Circus, built around 1760, where each of the three curved segments faces one of the entrances, ensuring that there is always a classical facade facing the entering visitor. (Full article...)

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Did you know?

...that the HMS Queen (1902) was fitted with Babcock and Wilcox cylindrical boilers due to service problems with the water service boilers?
...that the Charter Roll is the administrative record created by the medieval office of the chancery that recorded all the charters issued by the chancery?
...that Canterbury in eastern Kent was abandoned at the end of the Roman period, but was resettled by the Saxons?
...that English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams has sold more albums in the United Kingdom than any other British solo artist in history?

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In the news

29 January 2025 – Expansion of Heathrow Airport: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves approves the construction of a third runway at Greater London's Heathrow Airport after decades of delays. (Sky News)
23 January 2025 – 2024 Southport stabbing: A court in Liverpool, England, sentences the man who was found guilty of killing three children and injuring 10 others in a mass stabbing in Southport, Merseyside, to life imprisonment with a minimum of 52 years in prison. (DW)
22 January 2025 – Hunt family murders: Kyle Clifford, the perpetrator of the Hunt family killings in Bushey, England, in 2024, pleads guilty to three counts of murder. (BBC News)
20 January 2025 – 2024 Southport stabbing: Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty to all 16 charges, including three charges of murder in relation to a mass stabbing in Southport, Merseyside, England, in July 2024. Rudakubana is expected to be sentenced on Thursday. (ITV News)
18 January 2025 – Gaza war protests: More than 70 people are arrested at a pro-Palestine protest in London, England, United Kingdom for violating protest regulations. (BBC News)

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“

I have seen much to hate here, much to forgive. But in a world where England is finished and dead, I do not wish to live.

”

— Alice Duer Miller

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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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