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     The United Kingdom includes Great 
Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) 
and Northern Ireland. It is 500km wide 
and 1,000 km long. 
It has a population of about 59 million. 
Great Britain is the largest island in 
Europe and the eighth largest in the 
world. English is the official language. 
London is one of the biggest cultural 
centres in the world. It has around 
100 theatres which show musicals, 
modern dramas, classical plays and 
comedies. At the famous Globe 
Theatre, where William Shakespeare 
performed, visitors can enjoy one 
of his plays and feel the 
atmosphere of his time. 
  Children in Britain must attend school
from the age of 5 until they are 16.
Around 93% of children in the UK get
free education. The rest attend private
schools. The average weight of a
British child's  
school bag is 5.5 kilos.
There is a National Curriculum for all pupils. English,
mathematics and science are ‘core' subjects and students spend
more time on them. 
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      The most common leisure activities among 
people in the UK are home-based, like 
entertaining or visiting relatives and friends. 
Watching television is by far the most popular 
leisure pastime. They also like listening to the 
radio or to music and reading books (6 out of 
10 people are members of public libraries). 
Finally, they are good at gardening and do-it 
yourself activities. 
     About 29 million 
people over the 
age of 16 in the UK 
take part in sport or 
exercise. Walking is 
the most popular 
physical activity. 
The sport which the British love watching is 
football. The Football Association Cup Final, 
the Wimbledon tennis tournament, the Open 
Golf Tournament and the Grand National (a 
world-famous horserace over fences) are the 
most important sporting events in the UK. 
    
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