In Great Britain, English is the main language. Welsh on the other hand is also officially recognized in Wales and Gaelic in Scotland. As Great Britain consist of Islands, it obviously has a sea climate.

Great Britain has got fairly quite cool summers and mild winters. The weather can be very different from one day to another. The climate is temperate ­and it does not have long periods when it is either hot or cold. The western part of Britain receives more rain and snow during the year than the south and the east.

Southwesterly winds bring water from the Atlantic Ocean to the west, which drops as rain where it meets the mountains. Large amounts of water can be found in this area whereas there’s a shortage in the south and the east of Britain.

Great Britain consists of several areas: the formerly separate realms of England and Scotland, and the principality of Wales. Apart from that, Northern Ireland (also known as Ulster) and numerous smaller islands including the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, and the Orkney, Shetland, Scilly, and Hebridean archipelagos. No one in the United Kingdom lives more than 120 km from the sea. Great Britain is bordered by four seas: in the south you’ll find the English Channel. The Channel separates it from continental Europe to the east by the North Sea and to the west by the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean The one land border connecting the UK to another country is between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Shopping

During your time studying in the UK, You’ll find there is a lot of choice when it comes to shopping.When you find yourself in London, the best-known street for shopping is Oxford Street.
It is the most famous street in London where you can go out and buy souvenirs, clothes, etc. The good news about shopping at Oxford Street is that so many big retailers are represented here that you will be spoilt for choice. The second street in London that you’ll most likely visit to do your shopping is Regent’s Street. With Oxford Circus tube station on one end, and Piccadilly Circus on the other. You’ll see that this street is packed with all kinds of shops.During your exciting study-time in the UK as a student, you’ll find that each city in the UK has its own charm with its local, national and international fashion scene. Best is to find out for yourself wondering around the long-stretched shopping streets with your study buddies.

Parks in the UK

The Lake District
National ParkEngland’s finest landscape

The Lake District National Park in the northwestern part of England is the largest of England’s National Parks. Its 2,292 square kilometers cover high fells, rocky crags, lush green dales, long still lakes, vibrant villages and quiet hamlets. The National Park also covers part of the West Coast, with its sandy beaches and rocky tide pools.England’s highest mountain can be found at this park, called Scafell Pike and Wast Water is its deepest lake. This National Park is best loved for the variety and contrast of its´ landscape.Even though the Lake District countryside may seem wild, its appearance is because of human activity, particularly farming. People have used the area for at least 10,000 years and in the year 1951, it was designated as a National Park to guard its protection for future generations.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
This National Park is around 720 sq miles (1,865 sq km) of some of the finest scenery in Scotland.It’s an area of contrasts, from rolling lowland landscapes in the south to high mountains in the north, and has many lochs and rivers, forests and woodlands. It is also a living, working landscape which has been influenced by mans' activities and is visited and enjoyed by many for its recreational value. The Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park has become fully operational on the 19th July 2002 and has officially been opened by Princess Anne on 24th July 2002.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
This is Britain’s only real coastal national park. It has a spectacular landscape of rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, wooded estuaries and wild inland hills, and a place of sanctuary for wildlife.

People have left their marks here as well. They have shaped the landscape over the centuries, leaving their mark in tombs and castles, crosses and cottages, quarries and quays. Today this is a living, working landscape where people and nature co-exist. The National Park Authority looks after it, helps the public to enjoy and understand it, and works with local communities towards a sustainable future.