According to militarynous, the United Kingdom is a country in Europe consisting of the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland. The capital of the United Kingdom is London (London). A number of major cities in the United Kingdom are: Birmingham, Glasgow, Belfast, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Bradford and Leeds. The United Kingdom also includes the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Both areas are designated as British Crown Dependencies.
The United Kingdom is known for many things. Think of English pubs, double-decker buses, red telephone boxes, tea, King Arthur and the royal family. The landscape of the United Kingdom is known for its many green highlands and rocky beaches. Some famous buildings are the Stonehenge, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace (with the famous guards), London Bridge, London Eye and Big Ben. Sports that are common in the United Kingdom are football, rugby, cricket and golf.
Overview of the Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom:
Anguilla, Bermuda, Gibraltar, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Pitcairn Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Saint Helena, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
Where is the United Kingdom?
Travel information of United Kingdom
Official name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Continent: Europe
Area: 242,900 km²
Capital: London (London)
Country code: GB, GBR
Population: 65,761,117 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Constitutional monarchy
Highest point: 1,344 m (Ben Nevis)
Distance (Amsterdam – London): 359 km
Flight time: approximately 1 hour
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place in the United Kingdom that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of the United Kingdom, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to the United Kingdom. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about the United Kingdom?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in the United Kingdom at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
The United Kingdom has a temperate climate. The temperatures are around 5 degrees during the winter months and around 15 to 20 degrees during the summer months.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for the United Kingdom can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of the United Kingdom can be found at Climate info.
Best time
June, July and August are the best months to travel to the United Kingdom. In these months you have the best chance of summer temperatures.
Language
English is the official language in the United Kingdom.
Would you like to translate from or into English for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid passport.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in the United Kingdom:
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in the United Kingdom:
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of the United Kingdom in the Netherlands: ukinnl.fco.gov.uk.
United Kingdom Consulate in the Netherlands: ukinnl.fco.gov.uk.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations for a visit to the United Kingdom.
Money and Currency
In the United Kingdom, payments are made with the pound sterling (GBP).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in the UK can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in the United Kingdom are slightly lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -2% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (5% cheaper), food (0.5% more expensive), imported beer in catering (20% more expensive), cigarettes (66% more expensive) and public transport (4% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In the United Kingdom it is customary to tip. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 10%.
Time difference
In the United Kingdom it is 1 hour earlier than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in the United Kingdom is the same as in the Netherlands.
The local time, date and time zone for the United Kingdom can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In the United Kingdom you must drive on the left.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in the United Kingdom.
There are toll roads in the United Kingdom. An overview of all toll roads in the United Kingdom can be found on ANWB.
If you want to use public transport in the UK, check out the Traveline website.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within the United Kingdom.
Electricity
In the United Kingdom you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in the UK can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 999
– Fire: 999
– Ambulance: 999
The international number 112 can also be used.
Tap water
Tap water is safe to drink.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to the United Kingdom can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from the United Kingdom can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from the United Kingdom end in.co.uk.
United Kingdom official websites: direct.gov.uk and visitbritain.com.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in the UK is 0044 or +44.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from the United Kingdom (with the exception of Northern Ireland)? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31. From Northern Ireland, the number is 01031.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
All United Kingdom area codes can be found on Wikipedia.
Telephone numbers can be found in the United Kingdom Telephone Directory .
Company details can be found in the UK Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from the United Kingdom.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from the United Kingdom.
Public holidays and school holidays
An overview of all public holidays in the United Kingdom can be found on Beleven.org.
You will find an overview of all school holidays in the United Kingdom in the Eurydice school guide.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in the United Kingdom, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about the United Kingdom?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited the United Kingdom. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in the United Kingdom can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in the United Kingdom can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to the United Kingdom? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Doing business and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with the United Kingdom, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about the United Kingdom, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in the United Kingdom? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to the United Kingdom.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.8.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoke from the age of 16.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…The name of ‘Big Ben’ refers to the 13-tonne bell?
…William Shakespeare was British?
…Uk residents drink the most tea in the world?
…The tallest Ferris wheel in the world is in London?
…Everyone who turns 100 in the UK gets a card from the Queen?
…nearly 400 million people worldwide speak English?