The United Kingdom, made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, is an island nation in northwestern Europe. England – birthplace of Shakespeare and The Beatles – is home to the capital, London, a globally influential centre of finance and culture. England is also site of Neolithic Stonehenge, Bath’s Roman spa and centuries-old universities at Oxford and Cambridge.

Scotland is a land of renowned whisky distillers and golf courses, typified by the 15th-century Old Course at St Andrews. It’s also known for its Highland mountains, offshore islands like Skye and Lewis, and the legendary monster of Loch Ness. Wales has mountainous Snowdonia National Park, miles of beaches and castles at Cardiff, Caernarfon, Caerphilly and Conwy. Northern Ireland is known for Celtic folk music, the lush Glens of Antrim and a craggy coastline featuring the Giant’s Causeway, a striking natural formation of hexagonal rock columns.