1. What are the words of the National Anthem?

 

The British national anthem originated in a patriotic song first performed in 1745. There is no authorised version - the words used are a matter of tradition. On official occasions it is usual to sing the first verse only, the words of which are as follows:

 

"God save our gracious Queen!

Long live our noble Queen!

God save the Queen!

Send her victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us,

God save the Queen!"

 

 

2.  What is the difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain?

 

The United Kingdom is made up of the countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain, on the other hand, comprises only England, Scotland and Wales. It is the largest island of the British Isles. Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic form the second largest island.

The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are not part of the United Kingdom. They are largely self-governing with their own legislative assemblies and systems of law. The British Government is, however, responsible for their defence and international relations.

In this booklet the term 'Britain' is used informally to mean the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

 

3. Which religions are represented in Britain?

 

Everyone in Britain has the right to religious freedom. Britain is predominantly Christian – one British citizen in 10 is a member of the Roman Catholic Church and there are 1.7 million members of the Anglican church - the 'established church', that is the church legally recognised as the official church of the State.

In Scotland, there are 1.1 million members of the Presbyterian Church - the established church in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, about half the people regard themselves as Protestants and nearly 40 per cent as Roman Catholics.

In Wales, the Anglican church was disestablished in 1920. This means that there is no one officially established church, but Methodism and Baptism are the two most widespread religions.

Britain has one of the largest Muslim communities in Western Europe, estimated to be between 1 and 1.5 million people, with over 600 mosques and prayer centres. One of the most important Muslim institutions in the Western world is the Central mosque in London and its associated Islamic Cultural Centre.

The Sikh community in Britain comprises between 400,000 and 500,000 people, with the largest groups of Sikhs concentrated in Greater London, Manchester and Birmingham. The oldest Sikh temple was established in London in 1908.

The Hindu community in Britain accounts for a further 320,000 people. The first Hindu temple was opened in London in 1962, and there are now over 150 throughout Britain. Other religious groups include about 285,000 members of the Jewish faith.

 

4.  Does Britain have a National Day?

 

National Days in Britain are not celebrated to the same extent as National Days in countries like France or America.

 

Scotland's Notional Day is St. Andrew's Day (30 November), which has now largely been overshadowed by Burns' Night. St. Andrew, one of Christ's twelve apostles, is the patron saint of Scotland. Some of his bones are said to have been brought to what is now St. Andrews in Fife during the 4th century.

Since medieval times the X-shaped saltire cross upon which St. Andrew was supposedly crucified has been the Scottish national symbol.

 

St. David's Day (1 March) is the national day of Wales.

 

St. David (c.520-588), the patron saint of Wales, was the founder and first abbot-bishop of Menevia, now St. David's in Dyfed, South Wales. The day is commemorated by the wearing of daffodils or leeks by patriotic Welsh people. Both plants are traditionally regarded as the national emblems of Wales.

 

England's national day is St. George's Day (23 April).

 

St. George is the patron saint of England. A story that first appeared in the 6th century tells that St. George rescued a hapless maid by slaying a fearsome fire-breathing dragon! The saint's name was shouted as a battle cry by English knights who fought beneath the red-cross banner of St. George during the Hundred Years War (1338-1453). This is immortalised in Shakespeare's play Henry V in the lines:

 

"I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:

Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge Cry 'God for Henry! England and Saint George!'

 

Today the red cross of St. George still flies above every English parish church to mark the saint's day.

 

St. Patrick's Day (17th March) is an official Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland. The work of St. Patrick (c.389"c.461) was a vital factor in the spread of Christianity in Ireland. Born in Britain, he was carried off by pirates, and spent six years in slavery before escaping and training as a missionary. The day is marked by the wearing of shamrocks (a clover-like plant), the national badge of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

 

5.  How do the British celebrate traditional and religious holidays?

 

Christmas Day

 

In Britain, Christmas Day is normally spent at home, with the family, and it is regarded as a celebration of the family and its continuity.

Preparations start well in advance, with the sending of Christmas cards and installation of a decorated Christmas tree in a prominent place in the home. Although it is now a firmly established tradition, the Christmas tree was first popularised by Queen Victoria's husband. Prince Albert, who introduced the custom from his native Germany in 1840.

Some houses are decorated with evergreens (plants which do not lose their leaves in winter); a wreath of holly on the front door and garlands of holly, ivy and fir indoors. Bunches of mistletoe are often hung above doorways - any couple passing underneath must exchange kisses! Traditional food is prepared: sweet mince pies, a rich Christmas cake and the Christmas pudding. Everyone has their own favourite recipe, but they're all packed full of spices, nuts, dried fruit and brandy.

Presents are bought and wrapped, and traditionally placed under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. Christmas is both a secular and a religious holiday, and many families like to attend a midnight service at church on Christmas Eve, or celebrate Christmas in church on Christmas morning.

The excitement begins for children on Christmas Eve, when they hang up their stockings (an old sock or, more ambitiously, pillow cases) around the fireplace or at the foot of the bed for Father Christmas to fill with presents. The English Father Christmas or Santa Claus is first recorded in his traditional red and white outfit in a woodcut of 1653, but the story of Santa arriving in his reindeer-drawn sleigh and descending down the chimney to fill children's stockings with presents derives from the USA.

Practically everyone sits down to a Christmas dinner in the early afternoon of Christmas Day, traditionally roast turkey, but some families prefer goose or roast beef. The turkey is followed by the Christmas pudding, brought to the table flaming hot. Brandy is poured over the pudding, and then lit. The day ends with everyone relaxing, watching television or playing guessing-games like charades.

 

Boxing Day

 

Boxing Day (26 December) is so-called because it's a time when trades people receive a 'Christmas Box' - some money in appreciation of the work they've carried out all year.

Traditionally a time for visiting family and friends and indulging in more feasting, Boxing Day is a popular day for football matches and other sporting fixtures.

The day is a public holiday, so shops and banks are closed. More recently, some shops have broken with tradition and now open on Boxing Day to encourage shoppers who can't wait to spend their Christmas money!

 

New Year

 

New Year is often launched with a party - either at home with family and friends or a gathering in the local pubs and clubs. Merrymaking begins on New Year's Eve and builds up to midnight. The stroke of midnight is the cue for much cheering, hooting, whistling, kissing and the drinking of toasts.

Tradition has it that the first person over the threshold on New Year's Day will dictate the luck brought to the household in the coming year. This is known as First Footing. At midnight on 31 December, particularly in Scotland and northern England, 'first footers' (traditionally a tall, dark, good-looking man) step over the threshold bringing the New Year's Luck. The first footer usually brings a piece of coal, a loaf and a bottle of whisky. On entering he must place the fuel on the fire, put the loaf on the table and, pour a glass for the head of the house, all normally without speaking or being spoken to until he wishes everyone A Happy New Year'. He must, of course, enter by the front door and leave by the back.

In Wales the back door is opened to release the Old Year at the first stroke of midnight. It is then locked up to 'keep the luck in' and at the last stroke the New Year is let in at the front door.

In Scotland the New Year remains the greatest of all annual festivals. Called 'Hogmanay' (a word whose meaning has never been satisfactorily established), it's marked by an evening of drinking and merrymaking, culminating at the stroke of midnight when huge gatherings of people at Edinburgh's Tron Kirk and Glasgow's George Square greet the New Year by linking arms and singing 'Auld Kang Syne'.

 

Halloween

 

Halloween (31 October) and its associations with witches and ghosts derives from the Celtic Old Year's Night - the night of all witches, when spirits were said to walk the earth. Witches and supernatural beings are still remembered all over Britain, when bands of children roam the streets in ghoulish costumes, carrying Halloween lanterns - pumpkins hollowed out with a ghostly face into one side, which glows when a candle is placed inside. In recent years the custom of trick or treating' has gained in popularity. Although we commonly associate this practice with America, the custom originated in England as 'Mischief Night' when children declared one 'lawless night' of unpunished pranks (usually May Day eve or Halloween).

Halloween parties (usually for children) include games such as apple bobbing, where apples are either floated in water or hung by a string. The object of the game is for the players to put their hands behind their back and try to seize an apple with their teeth alone.

 

 

Easter

 

Easter day is named after the Saxon goddess of spring, Easter, whose feast took place at the spring equinox. Easter is now the spring feast of the Christian church, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus. It falls on a Sunday between 22 March and 25 April, according to the church calendar.

Traditionally Easter eggs, dyed and decorated or made of chocolate, are given as presents symbolising new life and the coming of spring.

Egg rolling competitions take place in northern Britain on Easter Monday; hard-boiled eggs are rolled down a slope, with the winner being - according to local preference - the one which rolls the furthest, survives the most rolls, or is successfully aimed between two pegs! The best publicised event takes place at Avenham Park in Preston, Lancashire.

Easter parades are also pan of the Easter tradition, with those taking part wearing Easter bonnets or hats, traditionally decorated with spring flowers and ribbons.

 

6. What and when are 'bank' holidays?

 

Many public holidays in Britain are known as 'bank' holidays - so called because these are days on which banks are legally closed. Most fall on a Monday.

In England and  'Wales there are six bank holidays: New Year's Day, Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily 1 May), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and August respectively, and Boxing Day. There are also two common law holidays on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

In Scotland there are nine public holidays: New Year's Day, January 2, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily 1 May), spring and Summer Holidays at the end of May and the beginning of August respectively, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

In Northern Ireland there are seven bank holidays: New Year's Day, St. Patrick's Day (17 March), Easter Monday, May Day (not necessarily 1 May), Spring and Late Summer Holidays at the end of May and August respectively, and Boxing Day. There are also two common law holidays on Good Friday and Christmas Day and a public holiday on the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne (12 July).

There are holidays in lieu of those public holiday; which fall at weekends. Shops, museums and other public attractions, such as historic houses and sports centres, may close on certain public holidays, particularly Christmas Day. As this varies, it is advisable to check with the individual establishment beforehand.

 

7. What is Pancake Day?

 

Pancake Day or 'Shrove Tuesday' (the Tuesday which falls 41 days before Easter) is the eve of the Lenten fast. On this day in earlier times all Christians made their compulsory confessions or 'shrifts' from which the name 'Shrove Tuesday' derives, and took their last opportunity to eat up all the rich foods prohibited during Lent. Thus all eggs, butter and fat remaining in the house were made into pancakes, hence the festival's usual nickname of Pancake Day.

Though the strict observance of Lent is now rare, everyone enjoys eating the customary pancakes and some regions celebrate the day with pancake races. The oldest and most famous is held at Olney in Buckinghamshire. The race is run over 415 yards (about 380 metres) by women over sixteen, wearing a cap and apron. They must 'toss' their pancake (flip it over in the frying pan) at least three times during the race. The winner receives a kiss from the Pancake Bell Ringer - church bells were traditionally rung to remind parishioners to e come to confession - and a prayer book from the vicar!

 

8. What is Guy Fawkes Night?

 

In 1605 Guy Fawkes, a Roman Catholic, and his fellow conspirators attempted to blow up King James I and the Houses of Parliament, as they disagreed with the King's Protestant policies. They succeeded in storing some 30 barrels of gunpowder in a cellar under the Houses of Parliament, but before Parliament opened on November 5th, the 'gunpowder plot', as it has come to be known, was discovered.

Guy Fawkes and his colleagues were executed for treason.

Since then, the 5th of November has been celebrated in England by the burning bonfires of stuffed figures of Guy Fawkes, usually accompanied by firework displays. These may be large organised events open to members of the public, or smaller, private gatherings of family and friends held in people's gardens.

'Guy Fawkes Night' is also known as 'Bonfire Night' or 'Firework Night'. In the days leading up to the 5th of November children traditionally take their home-made Guys out onto the streets of their town or village and ask passers-by for "a penny for the Guy'. This money is supposedly used as a contribution towards their fireworks.

 

9. What are the most common superstitions in Britain?

 

There are many superstitions in Britain, but one of the most widely-held is that it is unlucky to walk under a ladder - even if it means stepping off the pavement into a busy street!

If you must pass under a ladder you can avoid bad luck by crossing your fingers and keeping them crossed until you've seen a dog.

Alternatively, you must lick your finger and make a cross on the toe of your shoe, and not look again at the shoe until the mark has dried.

Another common superstition is that it is unlucky to open an umbrella in the house - it will either bring misfortune to the person that opened it or to the household. Anyone opening an umbrella in fine weather is unpopular, as it inevitably brings rain!

The number 13 is said to be unlucky for some, and when the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday, anyone wishing to avoid an inauspicious event had better stay indoors. The worst misfortune that can befall you is incurred by breaking a mirror, as it brings seven years of bad luck! The superstition is supposed to have originated in ancient times, when mirrors were considered to be tools of the gods.

Black cats are generally considered lucky in Britain, even though they are associated with witchcraft - a witch's animal-familiar is usually a black cat. It is especially lucky if a black cat crosses your path - although in America the exact opposite belief prevails.

Finally, a commonly-held superstition is that of touching wood for luck. This measure is most often taken if you think you have said something that is tempting fate, such as 'my car has never broken down - touch wood!'

 

10. What is the most popular food in Britain?

 

Britain's most popular 'fast food' has got to be fish and chips. Fish and chip shops first made an appearance at the end of the 19th century and since then have been a firm favourite up and down the country. The dish is simplicity itself: fish (usually cod, haddock or plaice) is dipped in a batter made from flour, eggs and water and then deep fried in hot fat. Chips are made from thick batons of potato and deep fried.

Fish and chips are served over the counter wrapped in paper, and traditionally prefer to eat them straight out of the paper because they taste better that way!

The best-known British dish eaten at home has been roast beef, traditionally eaten on Sunday. The dish used to be so popular in England that the French still refer to the British as ''les rosbifs'! Roast beef is served with roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy - a sauce made from meat juices and stock, thickened with flour. Yorkshire pudding - batter baked in hot fat in the oven - is a favourite accompaniment to roast beef.

 

11. Why do the British like drinking tea?

 

Everything in Britain, says a popular song, 'stops for tea'. It's certainly true that tea is the most popular drink in Britain - far more popular than coffee, which is favoured throughout Europe and America. The Dutch brought the first tea to Europe in about 1610, but it was not until 1658 that the first advertisement for tea appeared in a London newspaper. By 1750, tea had become the principal drink of all the classes in Britain, yet at that time a pound of the cheapest tea cost about one-third of a skilled worker's weekly wage! Tea was jealously guarded by the lady of the house, and kept in special containers called tea-caddies, often with a lock, and carefully doled out by the teaspoon.

Gradually, tea-drinking developed into a fashionable social ritual and tea gardens blossomed in places like Vauxhall and Marylebone in London, where couples could stroll in the afternoon and enjoy a cup of tea with bread and butter and cakes. Tea parties were also popular at home, and soon the ritual of 'afternoon tea' was firmly established. Today, throughout the homes, tea-shops and hotels of Britain, the custom of tea-time continues, and it remains a feature of any cricket match or summer fete.

High Tea is a more substantial evening meal, popular in northern England and Scotland.

Tea in Britain is traditionally brewed in a china teapot, adding one spoonful of tea per person and one for the pot. Great importance is attached to the use of freshly boiled water, which is poured onto the leaves and then the tea is left to 'brew' for a few minutes. Most people in Britain prefer a rich, strong cup of tea with milk, and sugar is sometimes added to taste.

 

12. What are the origins of the Wimbledon tennis championships?

 

The famous international tennis tournament at Wimbledon in south west London had humble beginnings as a small championship competition for some 20 players (all men) who paid an entrance fee of one guinea each to enter.

That first Lawn Tennis Championship was held at Worple Road, Wimbledon in 1877, home of the All England Croquet Club later to become the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (originally croquet was considered a more important sport than tennis!). Spencer Gore became the first men's singles champion, winning 12 guineas and a silver cup. In 1884 Miss Maud Watson became the first women's singles champion.

In 1922 the Club moved to its present ground at Church Road, Wimbledon, with its famous Centre Court building designed by Captain Stanley Peach. Centre Court currently has a capacity for over 13,000 spectators.

Today Wimbledon fortnight takes place in June each year, with most of the world's top-class tennis players competing for honours. During Wimbledon fortnight over 12 tons of salmon, 23 tons of strawberries and 285,000 cups of tea are supplied by caterers, together with 12,500 bottles of champagne!

 

13. What are the Highland Games?

 

The popularity of the Highland Games dates back to Queen Victoria's patronage of them, which began in the middle of the last century, although before that time many Highland clans had long held annual gatherings which included traditional sports and games.

One of the most gatherings is held each year at Braemar in Aberdeenshire during early September, opening with a spectacular march of kilted clansmen accompanied by pipers playing the bagpipes.

The Games at Braemar and elsewhere in Scotland usually feature displays of highland dancing and hard-fought contests for players of the bagpipes, as well as gruelling athletic events. These include 'throwing the hammer' - flinging an iron ball on a chain as far as possible, and 'tossing the caber' - tossing a long and unwieldy wooden pole, like a tree trunk, said to have originated as a way of heaving felted tree-trunks over ravines or streams!

14.  Now do the British spend their leisure time?

 

Britain's most common leisure activities are home-based or social. Watching television and videos, and listening to the radio are by far the most popular leisure pastimes, with an average of 20 hours a week devoted to these. Britain's regular weekly dramas or 'soap operas' such as 'Easy Enders' and 'Coronation Street' have more viewers than any other programme.

Listening to music is also a popular pastime, with nearly 140 million compact discs (CDs) bought in 1995. Pop and rock albums are the most common type of music bought, and pop is by far the most popular form of musical expression in Britain.

The most common free-time activity outside the home amongst adults is a visit to the pub. Other popular leisure activities include visits to the theatre or cinema. There are over 1,500 cinemas in Britain, and in 1995 nearly one in five adults visited the cinema two or three times. Britain also has about 300 theatres, of which about 100 are in London. Britain's most famous theatre company. The Royal Shakespeare Company performs in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace, and in London.

Of all sporting activities, walking is by far the most popular for men and women of all ages. Whilst men tend to dominate golf and cue sports such as snooker and billiards, women generally prefer swimming, keep-fit classes and yoga.

 

15.  Why do the British like going to the pub?

 

One of the main attractions of the pub for all regular pub goers is that it offers good company in friendly surroundings. Where else can you appear as a complete stranger and at once be able to join in a conversation with a diverse group of people? Often the style of the pub and its locality will dictate the kind of clientele you can expect to find there. Village pubs with their country furnishings and real ales attract not only local folk but city dwellers out for a drive, hikers fresh from a long day's walk and pensioners enjoying a pub lunch. City pubs tend to have a more mixed clientele - businessmen and women discussing the latest deal, theatergoers or groups of friends enjoying a drink together before going off to a restaurant or nightclub.

Good conversation and good beer are two essential items provided by the pub. The drinking of beer in a public house is not compulsory, but as any publican will tell you, beer remains the mainstay of the trade. It is said that beer is the perfect drink for the pub - it conies in large measures (one pint glasses) so that just one drink provides plenty of conversation time! Many pubs also serve food, from snacks to full meals.

Other attractions offered by city and country pubs alike include a game of darts (short, weighted steel darts are thrown at a circular dartboard numbered in sections) and snooker, a game similar to billiards.

The lure of the pub can lie in the variety of pub names; each pub has its own name, depicted on a painted inn sign hung outside the premises.

A pub name can refer to historical events, landmarks, sundry beasts or its meaning can be a complete puzzle. Some include references to animals, man) with their origins in heraldry - The White Hart, the Nag's Head, the Black Bull, and the Bear to name but a few!

 

16. What is British 'humour'?

 

The British sense of humour is often a source of mystification for other nations, and visitors to Britain may claim that our humour is incomprehensible; however, possessing 'a sense of humour' is usually regarded as a favourite virtue of the British.

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact components of our 'sense of humour', but it may be loosely defined as an attitude of mind which is readily responsive to the incongruous and ridiculous. Thus the humorous qualities of Dickens' novels lie in the fact that many of his characters are 'larger than life' - their appearance and personal qualities are highly exaggerated. This is also true today of many of our favourite television comedies, where the lead characters are often wonderfully eccentric and 'over the top' - for example, Patsy and Edina in 'Absolutely Fabulous', played by Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders.

Bawdy or slapstick comedy can trace its roots back to Chaucer and Shakespeare, and continued through the early films of Charlie Chaplin, the 'Carry On' film series of the 1960s and 1970s and is found today in characters such as Rick and Eddie in the television comedy 'Bottom', played by Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmonson, or the long-running 'Benny Hill Show'.

More subtle humour can be found in the satire of Thackeray, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen, which highlights the faults and weaknesses of the society of the period, and is found today in the novels of Kingsley Amis or the popular television comedy series 'Yes, Minister' and 'Yes, Prime Minister', and currently in the quiz show 'Have I Got News For You'.

Finally, British humour has an ever-present but hard to define appreciation of the absurd, originating in programmes like 'The Goon Show', a radio comedy of the 1950s starring comedians Michael Bentine (1922-1996), Peter Sellers (1925-1980), Spike Milligan |b. 1918) and Ham Sercombe (b. 1921) and continuing in television's legendary 'Mono Python's Flying Circus' and 'Fawlty Towers'.

 

17. Why is Big Ben so called?

 

Although the name 'Big Ben' is commonly used to refer to the famous clock at the top of St. Stephen's Tower of the Houses of Parliament in London, the nickname is more correctly applied to the bell within the tower. It was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was the Chief Commissioner of Works at the time.

The original bell, cast in 1856 and weighing some 15 tons, was being tested in Palace Yard when it developed serious cracks and had to be scrapped. The new bell, weighing a mere 13 tons, was installed in 1858. There are also four Quarter bells in the clock tower weighing between 4 tons and 1 ton.

 

18.  What is the Giant's Causeway?

 

The Giant's Causeway lies on the north coast of Northern Ireland, near Portrush, County Antrim. It is an impressive formation of some 40,000 basalt columns (basalt is a type of hard, igneous rock) descending like a giant staircase into the sea. The columns are mainly hexagonal in shape, and were formed by lava flows pouring into the sea many millions of years ago.

According to legend the columns are the start of a causeway constructed by the terrible Irish Giant Finn MacCool, in an attempt to cross the sea to the Scottish coast!

 

19. How old is Stonehenge?

 

Stonehenge, the most famous prehistoric monument in Britain, is situated on Salisbury Plain in the county of Wiltshire. At various times regarded as a site built by the Druids, the Romans, the Danes and even the French, the first stage - a circular ditch and bank with an entrance flanked by a pair of small standing stones -is believed to have been built around 3,000 ВС. The site was subsequently abandoned and rebuilt between 2100 ВС and 1800 ВС.

There are many mysteries surrounding this ancient Site. Some of the stones used are thought to have come from the Preseli mountains in Pembroke shire, Wales - yet exactly how they were transported to the site in such a primitive age is a puzzle. Experts believe they may have been transported for most of the way by water, before being dragged overland the last stage of the journey.

It has been suggested that Stonehenge once operated as a massive astronomical clock, and there are even suggestions that it was a landing site for UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects)! A more likely explanation is that Stonehenge was an important centre of worship connected with the sun.

 

20.  Is Hadrian's Wall still standing?

 

Hadrian's Wall is a Roman wall that runs for about 75 miles (120 kilometres) across northern England between Wallsend-on-Tyne

in the East and Bowness in the Solway Firth in the West. Begun in 122 AD on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian, it was the northernmost frontier defence of Roman Britain.

It was hoped that the wall would help to control the fearsome Scottish tribes, but it was attacked and overrun in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, and abandoned in the 4th century.

Originally about 3m wide and 4.5m high, substantial sections of the wall were plundered for building materials over the centuries. However, the wall and remains of Roman forts along the way still stand today, with the finest surviving stretch being in the Northumberland National Park around the village of Gilsland. One of the best preserved Roman forts can be seen at Housesteads (Roman Vercovicium), six miles (9.7 kms) north east of Haltwisle.

 

21.  Why is the Tower of London so popular with tourists?

 

The Tower of London is one of the most popular and imposing of London's historical sites. It comprises not one, but 20 towers, the oldest of which, the White Tower, dates back to the 11th century and the time of William the Conqueror. It is the Tower's evil reputation as a prison that ensures it remains a much visited tourist spot today, together with the rich and varied history that surrounds it.

Many stories associated with British history come from the Tower. In 1483 King Edward IV's two sons were murdered in the so-called Bloody Tower, and over two centuries later the skeletons of two little boys were found buried beneath steps in the White Tower, assumed to be the bodies of the princes.

Traitor's Gate, set in the southern wall of the Tower, has steps leading down to the River Thames. Countless prisoners, including the future Queen Elizabeth I of England, were brought to the Tower by barge, and ascended  the steps before being imprisoned - for many it was their last moment of freedom before their death. Fortunately, Elizabeth was released from the Tower and became Queen.

Elizabeth I's father, Henry VIII, made the Tower the dread destination of his enemies. Sir Thomas More was beheaded there in 1535 and the King's second wife, Anne Boleyn, was brought to trial there in 1536 and beheaded on Tower Green. Six years later her cousin, Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, suffered the same fate.

The Tower is famous as home of the Crown Jewels. Today they can be viewed in their new jewel house from a moving pavement, a designed to cope with the huge numbers of tourists. They include the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother which contains the celebrated Indian diamond, the Kohinoor (mountain of light), Edward’s Crown which is used for the actual crowning of the Sovereign and weighs over two kilograms.

Everyone has heard of the Yeoman Warders of the Tower or 'Beefeaters', whose striking Tudor uniform has changed little since 1485. The uniform consists of a knee-length scarlet tunic, scarlet knee-breeches and stockings, and a round brimmed hat called a Tudor bonnet. Their distinctive white neck ruff was introduced by Queen Elizabeth I.

No visit to the Tower would be complete without seeing the ravens; huge black birds who are an official part of the Tower community.

Legend states that if the ravens were to leave the Tower the Crown will fall and Britain with it. Under the special care of the Raven Master, the ravens are fed a daily diet of raw meat paid for out of a special fund set aside by Parliament. There is no danger of them flying away, as their wings are clipped!

 

22. How old is London's tube?

 

The London Underground, or ‘tube’ as it is often known, was the world's first urban underground railway. It began operating in 1863, when the Metropolitan Railway opened a line between Paddington and Farringdon. Even in those days traffic jams caused by the congestion of horse drawn vehicles generated complaints and letters to The Times, and as a result construction work began on the underground railway in I860.

Although Londoners were originally sceptical about the project, calling it 'the sewer railway', the service was an immediate success. Trains were steam operated, and travel must have been murky, sulphurous and extremely grimy compared with today's electrically operated trains.

London's buses carry around four million passengers every day, and bus routes cover over 1,800 miles (nearly 2,900 kms) of the capital's roads. The familiar double-decker buses are one of the most distinctive sights in London, and no visit to London would be complete without a trip on one. The most famous design, with an open passenger platform at the rear of the bus, dates back to the 1950s, although now they are being replaced with more modern types with the entrance at the front.

 

23. What is Speakers' Corner?

 

Speakers' Corner in the north-east corner of Hyde Park in London is by tradition an area where public speeches can be made by anyone who has anything they want to say -no matter how eccentric or implausible. The area was set aside for such use in 1872, after Hyde Park itself became a popular centre for public speaking.

Speakers talk to the crowds from a soapbox - an improvised platform once made from wooden packing crates used for soap and other items. Individual speakers or representatives of various organisations or special causes deliver their speeches at weekends - to the amusement or bewilderment of passers by. Crowds often gather around a speaker, and generally feel free to make comments on the speech or simply to heckle the speaker if they don't agree with what is being said!

Speakers' Corner is often taken as a symbol of free speech.

 

24. Can you drive through the Channel Tunnel?

 

No, you cannot drive through the Channel Tunnel. You can travel on the Euro star train or Le Shuttle. Those wishing to take their car through the tunnel arrive at the terminal in Folk stone, England, or Calais in France and pay a toll before driving onto Le Shuttle - 800m long rail freight vehicles - the largest purpose designed rail wagons in the world.

There are three different types of shuttle: a double-decker for carrying cars, motorbikes and bicycles; a single-deck shuttle for carrying coaches, cars with caravans and campers; and another single deck shuttle for carrying fully loaded freight vehicles up to 44 tonnes in weight.

Tickets for Le Shuttle can be bought in advance, although it is not necessary to book services. Services through the tunnel work on a 'turn up and go' basis so there is no fixed check-in time. Drivers of cars, coaches and heavy goods vehicles can all expect departures up to four tunes per hour. The journey time from platform to platform is 35 minutes, with 27 minutes in the tunnel.

 

25.  What is the British weather like?

 

Despite its reputation for grey skies and rain, the climate in Britain is generally mild and temperate. The weather from day to day is mainly influenced by depressions moving eastwards across the Atlantic. Although the weather changes frequently, the temperature is subject to few extremes - it is rarely above 32°C or below -10°C.

Rain is fairly well distributed throughout the year, but, on average March to June are the driest months and September to January the wettest. If you visit the mountainous areas of the west and north you can expect more rainfall than in central parts of Britain. During May, June and July - the months of longest daylight - the mean daily duration of sunshine varies from five hours in northern Scotland to eight hours in the Isle of Wight on the south coast. November, December and January have the least sunshine - only an hour a day in northern Scotland or two hours a day on the south coast of England.

 

26. How many people speak English worldwide?

 

English is one of the most widely used languages in the world. Recent estimates suggest that over 337 million people speak English as their first language, with possibly some 350 million speaking it as a second language. America has the largest number of English speakers - over 226 million speak the language as a mother tongue. English is an official language in India, alongside Hindi, and some 3,000 English newspapers are published throughout the country. English is also the favoured language of the world's major airlines and international commerce. Over 80 per cent of the world's electronically stored information is in English and two-thirds of the world's scientists read in English. English is an official language, or has a special status in over 75 of the world's territories.

If the rest of the world isn't talking English, they're borrowing English words to add to their own language: the Japanese go on a 'pikunikku' (picnic), Italians program their computers with 'il software', Germans talk about 'ein Image Problem' and 'das Cashflow' and Czechs say 'ahoy!' for 'hello' - a greeting traditionally used by English sailors, which is interesting as there's no sea in the Czech Republic!

 

27.  Why are many English words pronounced differently from the way they are spelt?

 

Beware of heard, a dreadful word,

That looks like beard and sounds like bird,

And dead: it's said like bed, not bead,

For Goodness' sake, don't call it deed!

Watch out for meat and great and threat,

They rhyme with suite and straight and debt.

 

English spelling is unpredictable at the best of times, and occasionally totally chaotic - an opinion no doubt shared by British schoolchildren and those studying English around the world alike. However, studies of the language claim that there are only about 400 words in English whose spelling is wholly irregular. Unfortunately many of them are among the most frequently used in the language.

The problems with the English spelling system came about as the language developed over a period of 1,000 years. Some complications arose early on, when the Romans tried to write down Old English using the 23 letter Latin alphabet. Old English contained nearly 40 vowels and consonants.

The influence of French after the Norman Conquest also made an impact on English spelling. French scribes introduced 'qu' where Old English had used 'cw' e.g. queen, and 'gh' instead of 'h' e.g. night, amongst other changes.

The introduction of the printing press in 1476 meant that a standard spelling i¹ system began to emerge. The system reflected the speech of the London area.

The pronunciation of vowels underwent further changes during the 15th century, but because of the advent of the printing press, spelling never caught up.

Previously, scribes would have simply written down a new spelling to reflect the new pronunciation. Thus modern spelling in many ways reflects outmoded pronunciation of words dating back to the Middle Ages.

Despite many attempts to reform the English spelling system, so far no changes have been made since the 16th century - mainly because nobody can agree on what the best alternative may be!

 

28. Do Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own languages?

 

At the start of the 20th century half of the population of Wales was able to speak Welsh, a language belonging to the Celtic family. However, the numbers of Welsh-speaking people have steadily declined, and today only about a fifth of the population of Wales speaks the language.

Both the government and voluntary groups have taken steps to revive the use of Welsh. Bilingual education in schools is encouraged, and there has been an extended use of Welsh for radio and television programmes.

Gaelic, also a language of Celtic origin, is still spoken by some 70,000 people in Scotland, with the greatest concentration of Gaelic speakers in the islands of the Hebrides. The word 'whisky', the famous Scottish alcoholic drink, is derived from Gaelic uisce beatha or 'water of life'!

People in the Lowlands of Scotland have for centuries spoken Scots, a dialect derived from the Northumbrian branch of Old English and a completely separate language from Gaelic. This has its own recognised literary tradition as in the poetry of Robert Burns and has seen a revival in poetry in the 20th century.

Gaelic is also the language of the Irish people. It is still taught in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland at the time of the 1991 census there were 142,000 speakers of Irish Gaelic.

 

29.  Why is English spoken with different accents?

 

Most British people can recognise where someone was brought up by their accent. Every region has its own way of pronouncing the words and sentences of English that identifies the speaker with that particular geographical area. Differences arose from the time when English was spoken in a variety of different forms during the Middle Ages - Northern (developed from Northumbrian Old English), West and East Midlands (diverging from Mercian Old English), South Western (West Saxon) and South Eastern (Kentish).

After 1500 the language of London gradually emerged as the most dominant form, and today the London or Southern accent is usually accepted as Standard English. This is sometimes referred to as 'ВВС English' since at one time all announcers on ВВС radio and TV were required to speak it.

Regional accents have persisted and diversified over the centuries. Today the identification of an accent can place the speaker in a general area of Britain - such as West Country or South Wales, or be quite specific, referring to individual counties or cities; e.g. Liverpool, Yorkshire or Glasgow accents.

Although Standard English was once the accepted form of English for public speaking or broadcasting, today regional accents are widely used on television and radio.

 

30. What is cockney rhyming slang?

 

True cockneys traditionally come from a very small part of London. In fact, only those born within the sound of Bow Bells, which ring out from the church of St Mary-le-Bow, in the City of London, could by tradition consider themselves 'cockneys'. In reality the cockney heartland lies in the East End of London.

Like many other small communities, cockneys had a large number of words and phrases which had special meanings for them, but they took this to extremes by inventing a whole new dialect - 'rhyming slang' - which has been in use since the mid 19th century. Rhyming slang uses a phrase that rhymes with a word, instead of the word itself- thus 'stairs' becomes 'apples and pairs', 'phone' becomes 'dog and bone' and 'word' becomes 'dicky bird'! To add to the confusion for the uninitiated, the rhyming part of the word is often dropped: thus 'daisies' are "boots' (from 'daisy roots').

Some people complain that rhyming slang is simply spoken to give the cockney an unfair advantage over strangers - the wily cockney spots an attentive or enquiring stranger and lapses into rhyming slang so that he or she can't be understood! However, numerous colloquial expressions derive from rhyming slang, and have even been heard in use in the House of Commons, such as 'let's get down to brass tacks' means 'lets talk facts'!

 

31.  At what age do children go to school in Britain?

 

Children in Britain must attend school from the age of 5 (4 in Northern Ireland) until they are 16. Before the start of formal schooling, many children attend nursery schools or nursery classes attached to primary schools. In addition, some parents elect to send their children to private (fee-paying) nursery schools or kindergartens. In England and Wales, many primary schools also operate an early admission policy where they admit children under 5 into what are called reception classes.

Children first attend the infants' school or department. At 7 they move to the junior school and the usual age for transfer from junior to secondary school is 11 (12 in Scotland). In some areas, however, 'first' schools take pupils aged 5 to 8, 9 or 10, and pupils within the 8 to 14 age range go to 'middle' schools.

 

32.  What are the different types of Secondary school?

 

Over 85 per cent of secondary school pupils go to comprehensive schools. These take children of all abilities, and provide a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a district from the age of 11 to 16 or 18.

There are also other types of secondary school. Grammar schools offer a mainly academic education for the 11 to 18-year age group. Children enter grammar schools on the basis of their abilities, first sitting the '11' plus or entrance examination. Grammar schools cater for four per cent of children secondary education.

A small minority of children attend secondary modern schools (around four per cent). These schools provide a more general and technical education for children aged 11-16.

 

33. At what age do children go to school in Britain?

 

Children in Britain must attend school from the age of 5 (4 in Northern Ireland) until they are 16. Before the start of formal schooling, many children attend nursery schools or nursery classes attached to primary schools. In addition, some parents elect to send their children to private (fee-paying) nursery schools or kindergartens. In England and Wales, many primary schools also operate an early admission policy where they admit children under 5 into what are called reception classes.

Children first attend the infants' school or department. At 7 they move to the junior school and the usual age for transfer from junior to secondary school is 11 (12 in Scotland). In some areas, however, 'first' schools take pupils aged 5 to 8, 9 or 10, and pupils within the 8 to 14 age range go to 'middle' schools.

34.  What are the different types of Secondary school?

 

Over 85 per cent of secondary school pupils go to comprehensive schools. These take children of all abilities, and provide a wide range of secondary education for all or most of the children in a district from the age of 11 to 16 or 18.

There are also other types of secondary school. Grammar schools offer a mainly academic education for the 11 to 18-year age group. Children enter grammar schools on the basis of their abilities, first sitting the '11' plus or entrance examination. Grammar schools cater for four per cent of children secondary education.

A small minority of children attend secondary modern schools (around four per cent). These schools provide a more general and technical education for children aged 11-16.

 

35. What is the oldest university in Britain?

 

The University of Oxford was the first university to be established in Britain. Dating from the 12th century, it is organised as a federation of colleges which are governed by their own teaching staff known as 'Fellows'. The oldest college, University College, was founded in 1249. Other notable colleges include All Souls (founded in 1438), Christ Church (founded in 1546 by Cardinal Wolsey), the college chapel of which is also Oxford Cathedral, and Lady Margaret Hall (founded in 1878), which was the first women's college.

Today Oxford University is made up of 35 separate colleges, of which two are for women students only, and the rest take both men and women.

In 1208, scholars running away from riots in Oxford set up the first academic community in Cambridge. The University is also organised as a federation of colleges; the oldest, Peterhouse, dates from 1284. The largest college. Trinity was founded by King Henry VIII in 1546.

Scotland also boasts a number of long-established universities. By the end of the Middle Ages Scotland had four universities at Edinburgh (founded 1583), Glasgow (founded 1450), Aberdeen (founded 1494) and St Andrew's (founded 1411) compared to England's two!

The University of Wales was founded in 1893. It consists of six colleges, the oldest one being St David's University College in Lampeter, founded in 1822.

Queen's University, Belfast was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Belfast, part of the Queen's University of Ireland which had other colleges at Cork and Galway. It received its charter as a separate university in 1908.

 

36.  Why doesn't Britain have a written constitution?

 

The British constitution has evolved over many centuries. Unlike the constitutions of America, France and many Commonwealth countries, the British constitution has not been assembled at any time into a single, consolidated document. Instead it w made up of common law, statute law and convention.

Of all the democratic countries in the world, only Israel is comparable to Britain in having no single document codifying the way its political institutions function and setting out the basic rights and duties of its political institutions function and setting out the basic rights and duties of its citizens. Britain does, however, have certain important constitutional documents, including the Magna Carte (1215) which protects the rights of the community against the Crown; the Bill of Rights (1689) which extended the powers of Parliament, making it impracticable for the Sovereign to ignore the wishes of the Government; and the Reform Act (1832), which reformed the system of parliamentary representation.

Common law has never been precisely defined - it is deduced from custom or legal precedents and interpreted in court cases by judges. Conventions are rules and practices which are not legally enforceable, but which are regarded as indispensable to the working of government. Many conventions are derived from the historical events through which the British system of government has envolved. One convention is that Ministers are responsible and can be held to account for what happens in their Departments. The constitution can be altered by Act of Parliament, or by general agreement to alter a convention.

The flexibility of the British constitution helps to explain why it has developed so fully over the years... However, since Britain joined the European Community in 1973, the rulings of the European Court of justice have increasingly determined and codified sections of British law in those areas covered by the various treaties to which Britain is a party. In the process British constitutional and legal arrangements are beginning to resemble those of Europe.

 

37.  What was the Magna Carta?

 

The Magna Carta (Latin for 'Great Charter') is Britain's best known constitutional document. In 1215 feudal barons forced the 'tyrannical' King John (1199-1216) to agree a series of concessions embodied in a charter which became known as the Magna Carta. Sixty-one clauses set out a clear expression of the rights of the community against the Crown. The contents deal with the 'free' Church; feudal law; towns, trade and merchants; the reform of the law and justice; the behaviour of royal officials; and royal forests.

The King was forced to fix his seal to the Magna Carta in a meadow next to the River Thames at Runnymede between Windsor and Staines. It is said that he behaved pleasantly to the nobles at the time, but as soon as he returned to his own chamber he threw himself on the floor in a mad rage.

Since that day the Magna Carta has become part of English Law and established the important principle that the King is, not above the law.

Original copies of the charter exist in Salisbury Cathedral, Lincoln Castle and the British Museum in London.

 

38.  What are the origins of the names of the main political parties?

 

The Conservative and Unionist Party dates back to the Tory Party of the late eighteenth century. This broadly represented the interests of the country gentry, merchant classes and official administerial groups. After Britain's 1832 (electoral) Reform Act, members of the old Tory Party began forming 'conservative associations'. The name Conservative was first used as a description of the Party in the Quarterly Review of January 1830 - 'conservative' because the Party aims to conserve traditional values and practices. The Conservative Party today is the leading right-wing party. The term 'Tory' is still used today to refer to somebody with conservative political views.

The original title of the Labour Party, the Labour Representation Committee, makes the origins of the party clear - to promote the interests of the industrial working class. In 1900 the Trades Union Congress co-operated with the Independent Labour Party (founded 1893) to establish The Labour Representation Committee with Ramsay MacDoland as First Secretary. This took the name Labour Party in 1906.

The Liberal Party emerged in the mid-nineteenth century as a successor to the historic Whig party. 'Whig' was originally a Scottish Gaelic term applied to horse thieves! In the late eighteenth century the Whig Party represented those who sought electoral, parliamentary and philanthropic reforms. However, the term 'Whig' does not survive today. After 1832 the mainly aristocratic Whigs were joined by increasing numbers of middle-class members. By 1839 the term Liberal Party was being used, and the first unequivocally Liberal government was formed in 1868 by William Gladstone. In 1988 the old Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) merged into a single party called the Liberal Democrats.

 

39.  What powers does the Queen have?

 

The Crown, which represents both the Sovereign (the person on whom the Crown is constitutionally conferred) and the Government, is the symbol of supreme executive power. The Crown is vested in the Queen, but in general its functions are exercised by Ministers responsible to Parliament and thus Britain is governed by Her Majesty's Government in the name of the Queen. However, the Queen's involvement is still required in many important acts of government.

 

Parliament

 

The Queen summons, prorogues (discontinues until the next session without dissolving) and dissolves Parliament. She normally opens the new session of Parliament with a speech from the throne which is written for her by the Government and outlines her Government's programme. Before a Bill becomes law the Queen must give it her Royal Assent, which is announced to both Houses of Parliament.

 

Justice

 

The Queen can, on ministerial advice, pardon or show mercy to those convicted of crimes. In law the Queen as a private person can do no wrong: she is immune from civil or criminal proceedings and cannot be sued in courts of law. This immunity is not shared by other members of the royal family.

 

Honours and appointments

 

The Queen has the power to confer peerages, knighthoods and other honours. She normally does this on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, although a few honours are conferred by the Sovereign personally. The Queen makes appointments to many important state offices, on the advice of the Prime Minister or the relevant Cabinet Minister.

 

Foreign policy

 

Foreign diplomatic representatives in London are accredited to the Queen, and she has the power to conclude treaties, to declare war and to make peace, to recognise foreign states and governments and to annex and cede territory.

 

Privy Council

 

The Queen presides over meetings of the Privy Council. At these, among other things. Orders in Council made under the Royal

Prerogative or under statute arc approved. The Royal Prerogative mainly comprises executive government - powers controlled by constitutional conventions (rules which are not part of the law, but which are regarded as indispensable to the machinery of government).

In nearly all cases acts involving the Royal Prerogative are performed by Ministers who are responsible to Parliament and can be questioned about policies. Parliament has the power to abolish or restrict a prerogative right.

In addition to being informed and consulted about all aspects of national life, the Queen is free to put forward her own views, in private, for the consideration of her Ministers.

 

40.   Why does the Queen have two birthdays?

 

The Queen was actually born on 21 April, but it has long been customary to celebrate the Sovereign's birthday on a day during the summer. Since 1805 the Sovereign's 'official' birthday has been marked by the Trooping the Colour ceremony, normally held on the second Saturday in June.

This is a ceremony which originated when it was essential for soldiers to recognise the flag or 'Colour' of their regiment so that they could follow it into battle. Each year one of the five regiments of the foot guards (Grenadiers, Coldstream Guards, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards) take turns to display their Colour in the ceremony.

The ceremony begins with the Queen leaving Buckingham Palace escorted by the Household Cavalry. She rides down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade and inspects the 500 guardsmen.

The Colour is trooped by being carried along the ranks of guardsmen, and the Colour party then leads the guards on a march past the Queen, accompanied by the massed bands of the foot guards.

No particular annual ceremony is held on the Queen's true birthday, although the Union Flag is flown on public buildings and the national anthem is sung.

 

41.  How does the honours system work?

 

British honours are awarded on merit, for exceptional achievement or service. In 1993 the then Prime Minister, John Major, ended the automatic practice of conferring awards on the holders of certain posts, opening the honours system to more people - particularly those in the voluntary sector - who qualify on merit.

Most honours are announced in one of the two annual sets of honours lists - one at New Year and the other in June, on the Queen's official birthday. The Queen chooses the recipients of honours on the advice of the Prime Minister and other relevant ministers, to whom recommendations are made by their departments or members of the public.

 

The various honours include:

Life Peers: These titles are not hereditary and are the only form of peerage regularly created by the Queen nowadays.

Baronetcies: A baronetcy is a heritable honour - a title that is passed on to male heirs.

Knighthoods: Knights may be either Knights Bachelor, or members of one of the Orders of Chivalry. The honour of knighthood derives from the usages of medieval chivalry, as does the method normally used to confer the knighthood: the accolade, or touch of a sword by the Sovereign.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: this award is given mainly to civilians and service personnel for public service and other distinctions. The OBE and MBE are the two orders most commonly awarded to men and women for services to their country.

 

42. What does 'Right Honourable' mean?

 

Right Honourable (Rt Hon) is the form of address used for people holding the following titles or offices: an earl or countess, a viscount, a baron, a Lord Mayor (the title given to the Mayor of London and other large cities) and a Privy Councillor. All Cabinet ministers are members of the Privy Council, the private council of the Sovereign.

The full title appears in the form 'The Right Honourable the Earl of Derby', for example.

 

How should I address someone with a title?

 

Information on the protocol of addressing holders of honours and titles can be found in 'Whitaker's Almanac' (published annually) and 'Debrett's Correct Form' (Webb and Bower, Exeter).

 

Some examples are:

The Queen is addressed as "Your Majesty" and subsequently "Ma'am".

 

A Royal Prince is addressed as "Your Royal Highness" and subsequently "Sir".

A Knight is addressed as "Sir" and the wife of a Knight as "Lady".

 

An Archbishop is addressed as "Your Grace" and a Bishop is addressed as "My Lord".

 

An Ambassador is addressed as "Your Excellency". In writing they should be addressed as "Dear Ambassador" or "Dear High Commissioner" if a representative of a Commonwealth country, or very formally as "Your Excellency".

 

43. Where are Britain's Overseas Territories?

 

There are 14 British overseas territories, mostly with considerable self-government, with a legislature and a civil service. Britain has general responsibility for their defence, internal security and foreign relations. British policy is to give independence to those overseas territories that want it, and not to force it on those which do not.

The territories are: Anguilla; Bermuda; British Antarctic Territory; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn Islands (Dude, Henderson and Oeno); South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; St Helena; St Helena Dependencies (Ascension and Tristan da Cunha); and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In July 1997, the 99-year lease which China granted Britain for 92 per cent of Hong Kong under the Second Convention of Peking in 1898 expired. Hong Kong was returned to the People's Republic of China under the terms of the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984. Under this agreement Hong Kong is able to maintain a high degree of autonomy, including independent finances, for 50 years as a Special Administrative Region of China.

 

44.  What is the Commonwealth?

 

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent states which originated in the progressive dismantling of the British Empire after 1945. It works to promote such principles as democracy, economic development and international understanding, mainly through intergovernmental consultations and the Commonwealth organisations. There are no legal or constitutional obligations involved in membership.