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England

geography Maturity 7-9

England is a big country. It sits on a large island. It is near Scotland and Wales. Many people live in the city of London. The land has low hills.

Malvern Hills - England.jpg
Malvern Hills - England.jpg
It is a very special place. Have you ever seen a map of it?

56 words

England is a country on a large island.

Canary Wharf Wide View 2, London - July 2009-2.jpg
Canary Wharf Wide View 2, London - July 2009-2.jpg
It sits near Scotland and Wales.

Many people live in the big city of London.

London - British Museum - 2453.jpg
London - British Museum - 2453.jpg
The land has many low hills and flat plains.

Some parts of the land are high and rocky.

Malvern Hills - England.jpg
Malvern Hills - England.jpg
These hills are in the north and west.

A long time ago, people lived here too. They built big stone circles like Stonehenge.

England is a very famous place in the world.

92 words

England is a country in the United Kingdom.

Canary Wharf Wide View 2, London - July 2009-2.jpg
Canary Wharf Wide View 2, London - July 2009-2.jpg
It sits on the island of Great Britain. To the north is Scotland. To the west is Wales. The North Sea is to the east. The English Channel is to the south.

Most of the land has low hills and flat plains.

Malvern Hills - England.jpg
Malvern Hills - England.jpg
Some areas in the north and west are much higher. These include the Pennines and the Lake District.
Glenridding, Cumbria, England - June 2009.jpg
Glenridding, Cumbria, England - June 2009.jpg

Many people live in England. About 56 million people live there. London is the largest city and the capital.

Palace of Westminster, London - Feb 2007.jpg
Palace of Westminster, London - Feb 2007.jpg
Many people live near London or in the Midlands.

England has a very long history. Long ago, people built huge stone circles like Stonehenge.

Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
Later, the Romans ruled the land. England is also home to very old schools. The University of Oxford was started in 1096. The University of Cambridge was started in 1209.

175 words

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom.

Canary Wharf Wide View 2, London - July 2009-2.jpg
Canary Wharf Wide View 2, London - July 2009-2.jpg
It sits on the island of Great Britain. England covers about 62% of that large island. It also includes more than 100 smaller islands nearby. To the north, England shares a border with Scotland. To the west, it shares a border with Wales. The North Sea sits to the east of the country.
London - British Museum - 2453.jpg
London - British Museum - 2453.jpg
The English Channel is to the south. The Celtic Sea is to the south-west. The Irish Sea is to the west.

The land in England looks very different depending on where you go. Much of the country is made of low hills and flat plains. These are mostly found in the centre and the south.

Malvern Hills - England.jpg
Malvern Hills - England.jpg
However, the north and west have much higher ground. You can find mountains and uplands there. These include the Pennines and the Lake District.
Glenridding, Cumbria, England - June 2009.jpg
Glenridding, Cumbria, England - June 2009.jpg
Other hilly areas include Dartmoor and the Shropshire Hills.

England has a history that goes back a very long time. Modern humans lived here during the Upper Paleolithic period.

Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
Long ago, people built famous monuments like Stonehenge. Later, the Romans invaded in 43 AD. They made the area part of the Roman Empire. After the Romans left, different groups of people arrived. The Angles settled here during the 5th and 6th centuries.
Sutton Hoo replica (face).jpg
Sutton Hoo replica (face).jpg
Their name is actually where the word "England" comes from.

Many people live in England today. At the 2021 census, the population was 56,490,048.

England counties population (crop).png
England counties population (crop).png
London is the capital and the largest city. The London metropolitan area has over 15 million people.
Palace of Westminster, London - Feb 2007.jpg
Palace of Westminster, London - Feb 2007.jpg
Most people live around London or in the South East. Other large groups live in the Midlands and the North. Many of these areas became big industrial regions in the 19th century.

England has shared many things with the rest of the world. It is the home of the English language.

Westminster Abbey, west facade, August 2014.jpg
Westminster Abbey, west facade, August 2014.jpg
It is also where association football began. The English legal system helped start laws in other countries. England was also the first industrialised nation. This happened during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.
St Pancras Railway Station 2012-06-23.jpg
St Pancras Railway Station 2012-06-23.jpg
The country also has two very old, famous universities. Oxford was founded in 1096, and Cambridge was founded in 1209.

428 words

England is a country that forms part of the United Kingdom.

Canary Wharf Wide View 2, London - July 2009-2.jpg
Canary Wharf Wide View 2, London - July 2009-2.jpg
It occupies approximately 62% of the island of Great Britain. The nation also includes more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. England shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west. To the east lies the North Sea. The English Channel sits to the south. The Celtic Sea is located to the south-west. Finally, the Irish Sea borders the country to the west.
London - British Museum - 2453.jpg
London - British Museum - 2453.jpg

The physical landscape of England varies by region. Much of the terrain consists of low hills and plains. These features are most common in the central and southern parts of the country. In contrast, the north and west contain upland and mountainous terrain. Notable examples include the Pennines and the Lake District.

Glenridding, Cumbria, England - June 2009.jpg
Glenridding, Cumbria, England - June 2009.jpg
Other significant hilly areas are Dartmoor and the Shropshire Hills.
Malvern Hills - England.jpg
Malvern Hills - England.jpg
This diverse geography shapes how people live and travel across the land.

Human history in the area began in the Upper Paleolithic period.

Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
Evidence shows that Homo antecessor lived there about 780,000 years ago. Modern humans arrived much later. Permanent settlements were established within the last 6,000 years. During the Neolithic period, people built massive monuments like Stonehenge and Avebury.
Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
The Beaker culture arrived around 2,500 BC. They introduced clay vessels and used copper and tin to make bronze. Later, the development of iron smelting improved agriculture and weapons.

Roman influence arrived in 43 AD during the reign of Emperor Claudius. The Romans incorporated the area into the Roman Empire as the province of Britannia. This era introduced Roman law, architecture, and new agricultural items. Native tribes sometimes resisted Roman rule. Notable leaders included Caratacus and Queen Boudica. After the Roman withdrawal in 410 AD, the region faced new arrivals. Germanic tribes, including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, began settling during the 5th and 6th centuries.

Sutton Hoo replica (face).jpg
Sutton Hoo replica (face).jpg
The name "England" comes from the Angles, meaning "land of the Angles."

Political organization changed significantly through the Middle Ages. By the 7th century, many small tribal territories had become roughly a dozen kingdoms. These included Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, and East Anglia.

Sutton Hoo replica (face).jpg
Sutton Hoo replica (face).jpg
Conflicts between these kingdoms shaped the nation. In the 9th century, Danish attacks conquered the north and east. Wessex remained the only surviving English kingdom under Alfred the Great. His successors eventually achieved political unification. On 1 May 1707, the Acts of Union joined England and Scotland. This created the Kingdom of Great Britain.
JamesIEngland (cropped).jpg
JamesIEngland (cropped).jpg

England has had a massive global impact through several key developments. It is the birthplace of the English language and the English legal system. This legal system served as the basis for common law in many other nations.

Royal Courts of Justice (6201094569).jpg
Royal Courts of Justice (6201094569).jpg
The country also saw the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. This transformed England into the world's first industrialised nation.
St Pancras Railway Station 2012-06-23.jpg
St Pancras Railway Station 2012-06-23.jpg
Additionally, England is the origin of association football and the Anglican branch of Christianity. Its parliamentary system of government has also been widely adopted by other countries.

Today, England is a highly populated nation. The 2021 census recorded 56,490,048 people.

England counties population (crop).png
England counties population (crop).png
This population makes up 84% of the total United Kingdom population. London is the capital and the largest city. The London metropolitan area holds over 15 million people as of 2025.
Palace of Westminster, London - Feb 2007.jpg
Palace of Westminster, London - Feb 2007.jpg
Most residents live in the South East or around London. Other major populations live in the Midlands, the North West, the North East, and Yorkshire. These areas grew as major industrial regions during the 19th century.
England and Wales population cartogram districts.svg
England and Wales population cartogram districts.svg

Education and culture remain central to English identity. England is home to two of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world. The University of Oxford was founded in 1096. The University of Cambridge followed in 1209. Both institutions are considered among the most prestigious globally. These centers of learning have contributed to the country's long history of intellectual influence. From ancient stone monuments to modern metropolitan hubs, England remains a significant part of global history.

734 words
🖼️ Images & Media (40)
File:Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire, Inglaterra, 2014-08-12, DD 18.JPG
Stonehenge, Condado de Wiltshire,...
File:London - British Museum - 2453.jpg
London - British Museum - 2453.jpg
File:Housesteads Roman Fort aerial.jpg
Housesteads Roman Fort aerial.jpg
File:Sutton Hoo replica (face).jpg
Sutton Hoo replica (face).jpg
File:King Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt.jpg
King Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt.jpg
File:JamesIEngland (cropped).jpg
JamesIEngland (cropped).jpg
File:Charles II of England.jpeg
Charles II of England.jpeg
File:CanalettoSomersetHouseTerrace.jpg
CanalettoSomersetHouseTerrace.jpg
File:Turner, The Battle of Trafalgar (1822).jpg
Turner, The Battle of Trafalgar (1822).jpg
File:Frith A Private View.jpg
Frith A Private View.jpg
File:Palace of Westminster, London - Feb 2007.jpg
Palace of Westminster, London - Feb 2007.jpg
File:Royal Courts of Justice (6201094569).jpg
Royal Courts of Justice (6201094569).jpg

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