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Welcome to the United Kingdom
A Note on Terminology: Britain (or Great Britain) refers to England, Scotland and Wales. When Northern Ireland is included, the proper terminology is the United Kingdom. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are officially dependencies of the United Kingdom, but in many ways they are regarded as parts of the United Kingdom. For practical purposes, the Isle of Man is included with England on this web site.
Capital: London
Currency: There are 100 pence to one British pound (£). For the current rate of exchange visit the Olson and Anderson web site.
Time Zones: Current local time. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is standard time. Daylight savings time is observed from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
Weather: The Met Office is the national weather service office for the United Kingdom. Met Éireann - The Irish Meteorological Service is the official weather service for the Republic of Ireland.
Visit the CIA World Fact Book for a large variety of particulars regarding the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.
The World Heritage Centre of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has a list of heritage sites in the United Kingdom.
Travel Advisories: Travelers should check the web sites listed on our international pages that provide advice of possible security and health risks when visiting this region.
Languages: English is the predominant language. Forms of Gaelic are also spoken in Ireland, Wales and in parts of Scotland.
Go to the British and Irish links page for a collection of links to web sites for the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
Recommended Reading: The Oxford History of Britain is regarded as one the best one-volume histories of this nation.
Guides: The following books published by the Automobile Association (UK) - Exploring Britain, the Illustrated Guide to Britain, Village Walks in Britain, Weekend Walks in Britain; Baedeker - Great Britain; Eyewitness Travel Guide - Great Britain; Let's Go - Britain and Ireland; Lonely Planet - Britain | Walking in Britain; Rough Guides - Britain