England

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups and languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Traditional regions
  - The South West
  - The South East
  - The West Midlands
  - The East Midlands
  - East Anglia
  - The North West
  - Yorkshire
  - The North East
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
  - Major crops
  - Livestock
  - Forestry
  - Fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Services
- Transportation
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
  - Historic counties
  - Geographic counties
  - Administrative counties and districts
  - Unitary authorities
  - Metropolitan counties and districts
  - Greater London
  - Parishes and towns
- Justice
- Political process
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
  - Literature
  - Architecture
  - Visual arts
    - Sculpture
    - Painting
  - Performing arts
    - Theatre
    - Film
    - Music
    - Dance
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images & Videos

Cathedral of Saint Mary

Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, England

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Esthwaite Water in the Lake District, England

For Students

Big Ben, London.

England summary

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Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day (June 2, 1953) holding the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross in her right hand the Orb in her left, in an embroidered and beaded dress by Norman Hartnell, a crimson velvet mantle edged with ermine fur, with the Coronation ring, the Coronation necklace, and the Imperial State Crown. The backdrop depicts the interior of Westminster Abbey; photograph by Cecil Beaton. (British royals)

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla (Camilla, Queen Consort) wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Coronation of King Charles in London, England on May 6, 2023

British Royal Line of Succession

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The Battle of New Orleans, by E. Percy Moran, c. 1910. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812.

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Amendments 1-10 to the Constitution of the United States constitute what is known as the Bill of Rights on an American flag.

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Portrait of Marie Antoinette by Jean-Francois Janinet, 1777. Color etching and engraving with gold leaf printed on two sheets, 30x13.5 in.

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England: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

6 Bulgarians convicted in UK of spying for Russia get prison terms up to nearly 11 years • May 12, 2025, 2:16 PM ET (AP)

Arsenal and Newcastle to meet in Premier League showdown as Champions League race intensifies • May 11, 2025, 7:39 PM ET (AP)

Haaland returns yet Man City stumbles to leave Champions League hopes in doubt • May 10, 2025, 2:45 PM ET (AP)

England's record six teams in next Champions League set to fuel wealth gap in European soccer • May 9, 2025, 12:47 PM ET (AP)

Deliberations begin in UK trial of men accused of felling Sycamore Gap tree • May 8, 2025, 11:53 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Population	(2011) 53,012,456
Form Of Government¹
Official Language	none
National Religion	Church of England
Total Area (Sq Km)	130,278
Total Area (Sq Mi)	50,301
Monetary Unit	pound sterling (£)
Leading City	London
¹England does not have a formal government or constitution, and a specifically English role in contemporary government and politics is hard to identify in any formal sense, for these operate on a nationwide British basis.

Photos and Videos

Cathedral of Saint Mary

Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, England

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Esthwaite Water in the Lake District, England

Take a look into the rolls featuring the Act of Union with Scotland (1707) and the Articles of Union with Scotland (1706)

Sir Francis Drake: Admiral, pirate, and explorer

See the Bill of Rights 1689 and the Draft Declaration of Rights (1689) kept in the United Kingdom Parliamentary Archives Search Room

Uncover how the new United States fought with the British over naval impressment and their history of conflict

The conflicting legacies of King Henry VIII

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

First Fleet house of Plantagenet House of Tudor Protectorate Anglo-Dutch War Holy League Hundred Years’ War War of the Spanish Succession Battle of the Boyne Battle of Agincourt

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John Bunyan, pencil drawing on vellum by Robert White; in the British Museum

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Lord Nelson, detail of an oil painting by J.F. Rigaud; in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, Eng.

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Henry II and Thomas Becket

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Diarist Samuel Pepys

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Richard III

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William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley

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Edward I

Edward I

king of England

Sir Francis Walsingham, detail of a panel painting attributed to John de Critz the Elder, last quarter of the 16th century; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

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Murder of St. Thomas Becket

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Preston

district, England, United Kingdom

Sunderland

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United Kingdom

London

London

national capital, United Kingdom

Saint Helens

district, Merseyside, England, United Kingdom

Coventry

district, England, United Kingdom

Lynmouth

England, United Kingdom

Harlow

district, England, United Kingdom

Eastleigh

district, England, United Kingdom

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Quiz

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English language school promotion illustration. Silhouette of a man advertises or sells shouts in a megaphone and emerging from the flag of the United Kingdom (Union Jack).

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Front of a bullet train in the station in Zurich, Switzerland. High speed train. Hompepage blog 2009, geography and travel, science and technology passenger train transportation railroad

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King Charles III and Queen Camilla (Camilla, Queen Consort) wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Coronation of King Charles in London, England on May 6, 2023

British Royal Line of Succession

Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day (June 2, 1953) holding the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross in her right hand the Orb in her left, in an embroidered and beaded dress by Norman Hartnell, a crimson velvet mantle edged with ermine fur, with the Coronation ring, the Coronation necklace, and the Imperial State Crown. The backdrop depicts the interior of Westminster Abbey; photograph by Cecil Beaton. (British royals)

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Demystified

Union Jack flag of Great Britain, united kingdom

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Union Jack flag of Great Britain, united kingdom

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