The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – that’s the UK or Britain to most people – comprises of two main island land masses and four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Sitting on the north-western tip of Europe the UK has just the one land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and has coastal borders on the North Sea, the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Britain is home to some beautiful natural landscapes throughout – nowhere really has anything that pushes the extremes though (for example the highest peak is Ben Nevis, which only reaches to 1,343m) but nevertheless, there are countless regions through the UK that are world famous for one reason or another. The British public are somewhat legendary the world over – the English are still generally viewed as posh, charmingly befuddled introverts, for example – and the small island nation still manages to produce some of the most well-known personalities in the world. The country is home to a high standard of living, high levels of literacy and a booming economy, making the UK an ideal place for a holiday home, retirement home or rental property – as long as the weather isn’t a main selling point!

British history stretches back thousands of years and involves some of the biggest historical events that the world has ever seen – whilst the might of the Empire has been dwindling for more than half a century, the influence that the nation holds is something that has never been in doubt. The first people to occupy the British Isles were bands of hunter-gatherer tribes, soon followed by Stone Age settlers who erected strange constructions such as that at Stonehenge around 3200BC. Around 800BC saw the arrival of the Celts, whose Gaelic language is still used by some to this day. By the first century AD the Romans arrived, bringing their civilisation to a great deal of the country – by the time they left in the fifth century they had left the islands with a solid framework on which to build. Next in the long line of visitors were the Angles, Jutes and Saxons which, by the seventh century, had formed an Anglo-Saxon series of kingdoms and thought of themselves as English – the Viking invasions of the ninth century saw English power concentrated in Wessex, and from here the push to reclaim the country from the Scandinavian invaders was spearheaded. The Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the arrival of William the Conqueror saw a French system of governance installed throughout the country and another assimilation of cultures began in earnest. Centuries of wars (including a certain Hundred Year’s War), plagues and unrest followed, along with a far stronger sphere of influence from the crown and efficient management of national affairs. By the time the 16^th century rolled around it was once again time for a change, and King Henry VIII’s split with Catherine of Aragon was the precursor to the monarchy’s split with Roman Catholicism, with Henry taking the reigns as the head of the Church of England – thus ensuring his annulment would go through. Another notable occurrence during this Tudor period (1485-1603) was the union of England and Wales – the Welsh did not enjoy the greatest of privileges from the partnership, but it at least kept them safe from English aggressions. The mid 16^th century saw the outbreak of civil war, with royalists pitted against Oliver Cromwell’s parliamentarians – though Cromwell’s side were victorious, the subsequent fall into a dictatorship and numerous confused republics forced the powers that be to reinstate the monarchy to help reclaim stability. The reigns of both Charles II and James II convinced parliament that absolute power was not the best of ideas for a reigning monarch, and from William III onwards the powers of the reigning king or queen became drastically reduced. Not long after the throne was succeeded by a Scottish heir, James VI, the union between England and Scotland became official and from 1707 the region was known as Great Britain. The expansion that had been at the heart of the (now British) Empire continued, and the country continued to grow in force, influence and prosperity – the Industrial Revolution and Britain’s place at the forefront of it just solidified the country as one of the most powerful in the world, and it wasn’t until 1781 and the American Revolution that Britain felt its first real stumbling block. Great Britain and Ireland joined together formally in 1801 and became the United Kingdom, and by the time Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837 it was the most powerful nation in the world, dominating the oceans and expanding to cover vast amounts of the planet. The 20^th century was to see the downfall of this Empire though, as the First World War and Second World War took their collective toll on the population and economy, as well as bringing to a head social conflicts between the ruling and working classes – by the end of WWII the country had a sense of national pride that still holds to this day, but the economy was shattered from war and the Empire’s decline went into freefall, with colonies asserting independence one after the other for decades to come. From the early breakaway of most of Ireland in 1921 (leaving the six counties of Northern Ireland) to the independence of India and Kenya, amongst others, Britain came to realise it was no longer the be-all end-all on the world stage. By the 1960s the post-war recovery was complete and a new generation came into a public eye – the arts were producing some of the best examples in the world, London was the cultural centre of the world and people were generally happy, free and prosperous. By the late 60s and 70s however, the realities began to set in, with troubles in Northern Ireland requiring military deployment in the country (still standing to this day) and something of an economic crash bringing people back down to earth with a bump – it wasn’t until Margaret Thatcher came to power in the late 70s that the country began to turn things around. Opinions on the Iron Lady vary wildly from one end of the spectrum to the next, but Thatcher did bring about sweeping reforms – some good, some bad, but Britain re-established itself and gained stability that has been present ever since. Eventually she was ousted from office by her own party and succeeded by John Major, who managed to have no real affect on anything, by 1997 the public had had enough with the Conservative Party and (New) Labour were brought into power, under the leadership of Tony Blair – Blair has remained in office for ten years, though intends to stand down in the near future (as of May 2007). The Blair/Labour era has brought about as much controversy as it has prosperity, but the public disapproval of acts such as the invasion of Iraq in 2003 haven’t done enough to damage Labour’s overall popularity.

Britain is a country at the forefront of the arts, culture and (more recently) cuisine – a country throwing off the past shackles of conservatism and opening itself, slowly at least, to a bigger world around it. Potential off plan investors looking at the UK will surely know already that it isn’t a place to look for bargains – real estate in London is amongst the most expensive in the world, for example – and living costs are relatively high. But those that can afford it are sure to be enthralled by the delights offered by the UK and her four nations.

The standards of healthcare in the UK are excellent throughout. The National Health Service (NHS) may be much-maligned by the populace, but emergency treatment is free to all – regardless of nationality. Regular prescriptions do have to be paid for, and medical insurance is still recommended for visitors.

Mobile phone coverage stretches across the country, with coverage for all major networks and handsets types. Landlines are widely available and lines are of an excellent standard. Internet cafes are widespread throughout the country.