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| Introduction to England |
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Until recently England was generally thought of as a gentle, fabled land freeze-framed sometime in the 1930s, home of the post office, country pub and vicarage. It's now better known for vibrant cities with great nightlife and attractions, contrasted with green and pleasant countryside. |
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From Stonehenge and Tower Bridge to Eton and Oxford, England is loaded with cherished icons of a past era. But it also does modernity with a confidence and panache left over from its days in the never-setting sun. Fashion, fine dining, clubbing, shopping - England 's rates with the world's best. |
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| Full country name |
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England |
| Area |
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129,720 sq km |
| Population |
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51 million |
| Capital City |
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London |
| People |
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Anglo-Saxons, Scots, Welsh, Irish, West Indians, Pakistanis, Indians |
| Language |
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English |
| Religion |
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Church of England, Catholic, Methodist, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Hindu. |
| Government |
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constitutional monarchy |
| Head of State |
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Queen Elizabeth II |
| Head of Government |
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Prime Minister Tony Blair |
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| GDP |
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US$1.25 trillion |
| GDP per capita |
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US$22,800 |
| Inflation |
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2.7% |
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Major Industries |
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Banking and finance, steel, transport equipment, oil and gas, coal, tourism |
| Major Trading Partners |
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EU (especially Germany, France, Netherlands, Ireland), USA
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| Member of EU |
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Yes |
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| Public Holidays |
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| 1 Jan - New Year's Day |
| Mar/Apr - Good Friday |
| Mar/Apr - Easter Monday |
| last Monday in May - Spring Bank Holiday |
| last Monday in Aug - Summer Bank Holiday |
| 25 Dec - Christmas Day |
| 26 Dec - Boxing Day |
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| Money & Costs |
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Relative Costs:
Meals |
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Budget
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£3-10 |
Mid-range
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£10-20 |
| High |
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£20-45 |
| Deluxe |
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£45+ |
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| Lodging |
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Budget
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£10-30 |
Mid-range
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£30-50 |
| High |
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£50-120 |
| Deluxe |
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£120+ |
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| Getting There & Away |
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London 's Heathrow and Gatwick are the two main airports for international flights, although some do go direct to Manchester and Birmingham. |
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You can get a coach and/or ferry from mainland Europe, or a very swift train through the Channel Tunnel. |
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London 's Heathrow and Gatwick are the two main airports for transcontinental flights, though some also zip direct to Manchester and Birmingham. All the major, and many minor, English airports are served by numerous continental European and Irish flights. Most of the world's major airlines serve London at least. |
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There are also now several discount no-frills airlines serving European destinations. To check their fares visit their websites (which often have extra discounts for tickets bought online) or call them direct. |
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Heathrow airport is accessible by bus, London Underground (Piccadilly line) and the Heathrow Express. A cab to or from the airport is quite expensive. |
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The Gatwick Express runs between Gatwick airport and Victoria station in 30 minutes. The Stansted Express will get you to Stansted airport from Liverpool Street station in 60 minutes. |
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The Channel Tunnel has made travel between England and continental Europe faster, more pleasant and less tiring, with two different services: Eurostar (or Le Shuttle) for walk-on passengers, and Eurotunnel for people with vehicles. |
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