Деякі цікаві факти про Великобританію

Some Facts about Great Britain

It is considered an act of treason to put a postage stamp with the queen’s head upside down on an envelope!

The British eat over 11.5 billion (1,500,000,000) sandwiches every year!!

England’s first telephone directory was published in 1880 and had only 248 names and addresses (there were no telephone numbers as you had to call the operator and ask for someone’s name to get connected).

Our wonderful city London has not always had this name. In the past it has been called Londonium, Ludenwic, and Ludenburg!

In 1945, a flock of birds landed on the minute hand of Big Ben and put the time back by 5 minutes.

Big Ben is not actually the name of the clock, it is the name of the bell which is inside the clock.

Black cab (taxi) drivers in London have to memorise every street and important building in London within six miles from Charing Cross and they need to take a test called ‘The Knowledge’ before they can drive a cab.

It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament.

The picture of the Queen on £1 coins show her age at the time they were made.

England was part of the shortest war in history. They fought Zanzibar in 1896 and Zanzibar surrendered after just 38 minutes!

England is the most populated country in the United Kingdom. The other countries that make up the United Kingdom are Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The capital city of England is London. Other major cities include Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool, Newcastle and Leeds.

Famous English scientists include Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking among many others.

The largest lake in England is named Windermere.

There have been a number of influential English authors but perhaps the most well-known is William Shakespeare, who wrote classics such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Hamlet.

Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in England but others such as cricket and rugby have large followings.

The official London home of the British monarch (king or queen) is Buckingham Palace. It is the oldest royal residence in the world that is still being used by the royal family.