Overview
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, simply abbreviated to the UK, is a sovereign country located in northwestern Europe. As of 2022, the current monarch is King Charles III.
The UK's capital (and largest) city is London - which is also one of the largest and most popular cities within Europe.
Constituent Countries
The United Kingdom is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
England is almost entirely situated in the south of Great Britain, and is the largest constituent country in the UK by both size and population. Southern England has seen more urban growth than the north, which has led to an industrial and budgeting contrast between the two areas known as the north-south divide.
Of all the countries located in the UK, England has been the most popular game setting, and has also been referenced numerous times in a variety of games. Many considerably iconic characters, such as Lara Croft, Captain Price and James Bond, originate from England.
The capital city of England is London. Some of he largest cities in England include Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds.
To the west of England is Wales, which is the second smallest country in the UK. Known for its unique language and culture which is influenced by the early Britons, Wales is a relatively rural country with most of its urban growth being situated in the south.
Despite being infrequently used, Wales has featured as a game setting for a multitude of sports games - particularly rally racing games, due to the country's extensive mountainous regions.
The capital city of Wales is Cardiff.
The northern area above England is Scotland, the second largest constituent country in the UK by both size and population.
Similar to England, Scotland is a frequently mentioned and visited setting in games. Several notable game characters are of Scottish origin.
The capital city of Scotland is Edinburgh.
Also known as Ulster, Northern Ireland is a region located north of the Republic of Ireland. It is the smallest constituent country in the UK by size.
The capital city of Northern Ireland is Belfast.
Outside of sports games themed around soccer, Northern Ireland is rarely seen as a game setting. A small number of games take place in Northern Ireland and have a focus on the political tensions during the Troubles, but not frequently as it is a sensitive topic for many in the region.
Trivia
- Before the 1930s, the Republic of Ireland was considered to be a part of the United Kingdom. The nation sought for independence and became a free state after the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in 1921.
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