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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 approximately 62%, and over 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 a significant 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 country's capital is London, the metropolitan area of which 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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Portrait by Godfrey Kneller, 1690

Mary II (30 April 1662 – 28 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, King William III and II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. She was also Princess of Orange following her marriage on 4 November 1677. Her joint reign with William over Britain is known as that of William and Mary.

Mary was born during the reign of her uncle King Charles II. She was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York (the future James II of England), and his first wife, Anne Hyde. Mary and her sister Anne were raised as Anglicans at the behest of Charles II, although their parents both converted to Roman Catholicism. Charles lacked legitimate children, making Mary second in the line of succession. At the age of 15, she married her cousin William of Orange, a Protestant. Charles died in 1685 and James became king, making Mary heir presumptive. James's attempts at rule by decree and the birth of his son from a second marriage, James Francis Edward (later known as "the Old Pretender"), led to his deposition in the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the adoption of the English Bill of Rights. (Full article...)

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British Island Airways (BIA) was the legal successor to British United Island Airways (BUIA). It commenced operations under that name in mid-1970. Ten years later it merged with Air Anglia, Air Wales and Air Westward to form Air UK, at the time the United Kingdom's biggest regional airline and its third-largest scheduled operator. The first British Island Airways had its head office at Congreve House (1970–1972) and Berkeley House (1973–1979), which are respectively located in Station Road and on the high street in Redhill, Surrey.

In 1982 British Island Airways was reconstituted by splitting off the charter operation Air UK had inherited from BIA at the time of its creation into a separate company. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1Chester, c. 1880 (from History of England)
Image 2The Alfred Jewel, late 9th century (from History of England)
Image 3Anglo-Saxon king with his Witan. Biblical scene in the Old English Hexateuch (11th century) (from History of England)
Image 4The English landscape garden at Stourhead, described as a 'living work of art' when first opened in the 1750s (from Culture of England)
Image 5Portrait of Edward VI, c. 1550 (from History of England)
Image 6The Lindisfarne Gospels (from Culture of England)
Image 7Silbury Hill, c. 2400 BC (from History of England)
Image 8Depiction of the Battle of Hastings (1066) on the Bayeux Tapestry (from History of England)
Image 9Victory in Europe Day celebrations in London, 8 May 1945 (from History of England)
Image 10Folio 27r from the Lindisfarne Gospels, c. 720 AD (from History of England)
Image 11The wizard Merlin features as a character in many works of fiction, including the BBC series Merlin. (from Culture of England)
Image 12Canterbury 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 13The Billingsgate Fish Market in London in the early 19th century (from History of England)
Image 14Stinking Bishop cheese (from Culture of England)
Image 15Dover Castle, 12th–13th century (from History of England)
Image 16First played in 1877, the Wimbledon Championships is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. (from Culture of England)
Image 17The Great Fire London, 1666. (from History of England)
Image 18Morris dancing (from Culture of England)
Image 19Frontispiece 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 20Durham Cathedral. The Norman cathedral was built 1093–1133 (from History of England)
Image 21The Lady Chapel of Wells Cathedral (from Culture of England)
Image 22View of the ramparts of the hillfort of Maiden Castle (450 BC), as they look today (from History of England)
Image 23One of only four surviving exemplifications of the 1215 text, Cotton MS. Augustus II. 106, property of the British Library (from History of England)
Image 24Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1340s–1400, author of The Canterbury Tales (from History of England)
Image 25Tomb of Richard I of England and Isabella of Angoulême (from History of England)
Image 26The Battersea Shield (detail), 350 BC. (from History of England)
Image 27The 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 28Kingdoms and tribes in Britain, c. AD 600 (from History of England)
Image 29The Spanish Armada and English ships in August 1588, (unknown, 16th-century, English School) (from History of England)
Image 30A traditional Punch and Judy booth, at Swanage, Dorset, England (from Culture of England)
Image 31The Ruthwell Cross, 8th century AD (from History of England)
Image 32National performing arts are held annually at the Royal Albert Hall, as well as The Proms during the summer. (from Culture of England)
Image 33Portrait 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 34The Royal College of Music is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, established by royal charter in 1882. (from Culture of England)
Image 35The epic poem Beowulf, set in 6th century Scandinavia, composed c. 700–1000 AD. (from History of England)
Image 36Procession of characters from Shakespeare's plays (from Culture of England)
Image 37Whitehall by Francis Dodd (1920) displaying the Palace of Westminster (from Culture of England)
Image 38Elizabeth I (from History of England)
Image 39Gold torc from Snettisham, 70 BC (from History of England)
Image 40Interior of Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford (from Culture of England)
Image 41The Procession Picture, c. 1600, showing Elizabeth I borne along by her courtiers (from History of England)
Image 42A pint of real ale (from Culture of England)
Image 43Francis 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 44King James I of England (from History of England)
Image 45England in 878 (from History of England)
Image 46Bronze coins of Cunobelin, called "King of the Britons" by Suetonius. 1–42 AD. (from History of England)
Image 47Jack 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 48First English Civil War at the Battle of Marston Moor, 1644 (from History of England)
Image 49Alfred 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 50King Henry VIII (from History of England)
Image 51Sir Francis Drake's voyage 1585–86 (from History of England)
Image 52Durham Cathedral, dating from 1093 (from Culture of England)
Image 53Maps of territory held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (green) during the English Civil War (1642–1645) (from History of England)
Image 54Countries where English is natively spoken or has official status (from Culture of England)
Image 55The 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 56Anglo-Saxon helmet from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, 625 AD (replica) (from History of England)
Image 57King Alfred the Great statue in Winchester, Hampshire. The 9th-century English king encouraged education in his kingdom. (from Culture of England)
Image 58William 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 59Edward Elgar is one of England's most celebrated classical composers. (from Culture of England)
Image 60King 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 61Artefacts from Bush Barrow at Stonehenge. Wessex culture, Early Bronze Age, c. 1900 BC (from History of England)
Image 62King Charles II (from History of England)
Image 63The Mob Quad of Merton College, University of Oxford, 13th–14th century (from History of England)
Image 64King Charles I, who was beheaded in 1649 (from History of England)
Image 65The White Tower of the Tower of London, built in 1078 (from History of England)
Image 66Londinium (Roman London), c. 120 AD (from History of England)
Image 67Canterbury Cathedral nave, 1377 (from History of England)
Image 68England 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 69Remains of Hadrian's Wall (from History of England)
Image 70Stonehenge, erected in several stages from c.3000–2500 BC (from History of England)
Image 71Flatford Mill ('Scene on a Navigable River') by John Constable, c. 1816 (from Culture of England)
Image 72Shoulder clasp from Sutton Hoo, 625 AD (from History of England)
Image 73Christopher Lee (seen here as Dracula in 1958) starred in many of Hammer's British horror films. (from Culture of England)
Image 74Sir 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 75Remains of the Roman baths at Bath, England. (from History of England)
Image 76King'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 77The 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 78Charles Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol played a major role in reviving the "spirit" of Christmas and seasonal goodwill. (from Culture of England)

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Barrett playing for Ebbsfleet United in 2007

Neil William Barrett (born 24 December 1981) is an English former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder. He played in the Football League for Portsmouth and in the Scottish Premier League for Dundee and Livingston.

Barrett started his career in the youth system of Chelsea, before joining Portsmouth in 2001. He made over 20 appearances in his first season with Portsmouth, but having not played over a season-and-a-half he moved to Dundee on loan. He joined them permanently in 2004, but left a year later following their relegation from the Scottish Premier League. Following a period with Livingston, he signed for Conference National club Woking in 2007. After half a season with them he joined Ebbsfleet United, and played for them in their victory in the 2008 FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium. (Full article...)

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Did you know?

...that the Mendip Hills (commonly called The Mendips) are a range of limestone hills situated to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset?
...the England and Wales Cricket Board was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB), the National Cricket Association (NCA) and the Cricket Council?
...that the Flag of England is the St George's Cross?
...that the Tudor rose (pictured) is a traditional heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty?

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In the news

4 June 2024 –: The National Health Service declares a "critical incident" after several hospitals in London, including King's College Hospital, say they have cancelled appointments and turned away patients after a cyberattack on their Synnovis IT systems. (AP)
1 June 2024 – 2023–24 UEFA Champions League: In association football, Real Madrid win a record 15th Champions League title after defeating Borussia Dortmund 2–0 in the final at Wembley Stadium in London, England. (CNN)
29 May 2024 –: Four people are injured in a mass shooting in Dalston, London, UK. (BBC News)
25 May 2024 – 2023–24 FA Cup: Manchester United win their 13th FA Cup title after beating the defending champions, Manchester City, by a score of 2–1 in the final at Wembley Stadium in London, England. (The Guardian)
21 May 2024 – Singapore Airlines Flight 321: A Singapore Airlines flight from London, England, to Singapore makes an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, after experiencing severe air turbulence over the Bay of Bengal, resulting in one death and at least 30 injuries. (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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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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