Who’s Who?The United Kingdom is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The terms English and British are not interchangeable. British denotes someone who is from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. English refers to people from England. People from Scotland are referred to as Scottish or Scots, and those from Wales are Welsh.

The Welsh take pride in their heritage. They retain their language, literature, and traditions. In 1999 they were granted a degree of autonomy from English rule with the establishment of the Welsh Assembly. The Scots, too, are fiercely independent and nationalistic. They won even greater autonomy than Wales in 1999, with the establishment of the Scottish Parliament. Recent attempts to establish a Northern Ireland assembly as a move towards long-term peace in the province have stalled. Northern Ireland’s affairs are still administered by the British Government.

Although part of the EU, the UK retains its own currency and there have been movements to withdraw from the union.

Sense of Identity/MulticulturalismFormerly an extremely homogenous society, since World War II the UK has become home to over 200 nationalities. There have been influxes of immigrants from its Commonwealth countries, including the West Indies, Pakistan, India, and several African nations. Recently, there has been immigration from Central and Eastern Europeans.

The British DemeanourThe British have been known historically for their reserve, "stiff upper lip", and courage under fire. While they have become significantly more informal since then, many retain a level of formality and reserve.

As a group, the British do not use superlatives and are not animated speakers. In fact, if you insult someone, their facial expression may not change. This restraint does not mean that they don't have strong emotions but that they do not believe in putting their innermost thoughts on display.

The British are generally not demonstrative. Unless you know them well, most do not touch when speaking, although will often shake hands as a greeting.. Kissing is generally reserved for family members and very close friends, but more likely in the privacy of their homes than in public. The British maintain a few feet of distance between people during discussions.

Privacy is extremely important to the British. Even close friends do not ask pointedly personal questions, especially about personal finances or relationships. Friendships may take longer to build. However, once established, they tend to be deep and may last over time and distance.

The Monarchy: A Symbol of Continuity, Tradition, and ServiceThe government is a constitutional monarchy, and the Royal Family is a source of national identity. Queen Elizabeth II traces her roots to the first King of England, which makes the current royal family the most continuous monarchy in Europe.

The Royals have increasingly come under public scrutiny and criticism in the last two decades. As a result, they have become more responsive to public opinion. They have started paying taxes and have reduced the number of minor royal family members supported by taxpayer money.

Comfort Food/Sophisticated DiningLondon is a restaurant mecca and is now recognized as one of the dining capitals of the world. The old-fashioned notion of mediocre British food is long-gone and has been replaced by trendsetting restaurants. Traditional British food is fairly plain, but the nation (and especially London) is world-renowned as highly sophisticated and adventurous in its choice, scope, and quality of restaurants.

In addition to the many ethnic restaurants, there is a surge in specialty cuisine. Sophisticated restaurants serving culinary delights are especially popular in the larger cities. The corner fish and chips vendor has often been replaced by fast food restaurants. Pub grub (food served in pubs) is generally inexpensive and can be unpredictable in quality. While the typical ploughman’s lunch still exists, haute cuisine is also readily available. Beer (ale) is often served at room temperature, while lighter beer (lager) tends to be served chilled.