Fun and Interesting Facts About England for Kids

The etymology of England is derived from the old English name Englaland which means the Land of the Angles. Angles were the Germanic people who settled in Great Britain after the Roman period in Medieval England. While it is a country that is highly revered for its literature-rich culture and elite accents, there is much more to England than that. It is a stunning country that is a hub of modern arts and business and boasts of a modern multicultural society. Have a look at some England facts for kids here!

England History Facts

England’s history dates back to the Stone Age. Humans have been living in England for more than 780,000 years. Modern humans have inhabited England since the Paleolithic times. Various archaeological remnants from the Neolithic, Mesolithic, Bronze Age, and even Stonehenge are found in England.

England was conquered by the Normans in 1066, followed by the Anarchy period until 1154. Then came the Hundred Years’ War, followed by the War of Roses, which ended in 1845. After the English Civil War, King Charles I was executed, and the Commonwealth of England, the first government, was formed in 1649. In 1707 England, along with Wales and Scotland, unified to form Great Britain. Post Industrial Revolution, Great Britain has governed as the world’s greatest Colonial Empire, known in history. World Wars I & II deteriorated Great Britain, and the overseas colonies of the Colonial Empire gained independence and grew into sovereign countries.

Geography of England

England is not an independent country but part of the home nation of The United Kingdom. It is located on the continent of Europe. Two-thirds of the island of Great Britain make up England – the offshore areas like the Isles of Scilly and Isles of Wight are part of England. Additionally, England is bordered by Scotland to its North and Wales to the west. The coastline includes North, Celtic and Irish seas along with the English Channel.

Further geographic facts include:

• England is divided into two geographic zones: the Highland and Lowland zones.

• The highland zone includes the counties of Cornwall and Devon and is characterized by mountains, plains, valleys, and rocky hills. Pennine, Cumbrian, and Lake District mountains are found here.

• The lowland zone is where most English citizens live. The zone also includes the North Downs, South Downs, Chiltern & Cotswold hills.

• The land area of England is 130,395 square km (50,301 square miles) and has a coastline of 3246 km (2,016 miles).

• There is only a small gap of about 21 miles that separates England and France. This gap is the English Channel.

Facts About England’s Flag

Here are some fun facts about England’s flag. We bet you didn’t know about most of them!

• England’s flag comprises a cross of red color on top of a white background.

• This cross is connected to Saint George as an emblem from the Late Middle Ages.

• The first use of England’s flag was as a maritime flag in the year 1545, during the rule of Henry VIII.

• The red cross on England’s flag is also an integral part of the Union Jack or Union Flag.

Facts About England’s Climate and Food

Anyone familiar with England would know it to be a considerably wet country with frequent rainfall. However, there is much more to know about it, than there is to know about food in England. Here are some climate and food facts on England:

Climate Facts

• The weather in England is Temperate Maritime type.

• It experiences mild temperatures with rainfall spread consistently throughout the year.

• Temperature doesn’t fall below 0 °C (32 °F) in winters and doesn’t rise above 32 °C (90 °F) in summers.

• January and February are the coldest months, while July is the warmest month.

• May, June, September & October typically experience mild to warm weather.

• The Northern latitude, Gulf Stream, and the Atlantic Ocean predominantly influence the climatic conditions of England.

• Rainfall is spread evenly throughout the year.

Food Facts

• English cuisine has different cooking styles, recipes, and traditions associated with England.

• English people have three meals a day. Breakfast is had between 7:00-9:00 am, Lunch between 12:00-1:30 pm, and Dinner (also known as supper) between 6:30-8:00 pm.

• English Breakfast is widely known across the world. This dish includes fried bacon, scrambled or poached eggs, fried mushrooms, grilled tomato, butter toast, and sausages.

• Fish and chips are a hot dish. And so are Bangers and Mash.

• Apple Pie is a traditional English cuisine and has been consumed since the Middle Ages.

• Café and tea shops are popular amongst the streets, offering a variety of fried and grilled food (burgers, sausages, pudding, baked beans, etc.) Fast food joints have been taking over the traditional café and tea shops in modern England.

• Today, sandwich, a globally famous convenience food, was named after John Montagu, who was also the 4th Earl of Sandwich. He was a passionate gambler, and one night during a game, he ordered some beef and put it between two slices of bread to avoid interruption of the game.

• Joseph Fry invented the first solid chocolate in the world in the 1850s. He was also an English type-founder.

• The traditional English food includes the Sunday roast, which is a roasted joint (usually lamb, beef, pork, or chicken) with a side of vegetables, gravy, and Yorkshire pudding.

Languages Spoken In England

While it seems evident that English would be the only widespread language spoken in the country, here are some exciting language facts about England for kids:

• With the introduction of the English Language, the previously used British language was considerably replaced.

• Inhabitants of England belong to different racial and ethnic groups and, hence speak many languages.

• While English is the first language, Polish has become the second most spoken language in England. Interestingly, 140,000 residents cannot speak English at all.

• With its regional influence, people speak English in different dialects and accents.

• Besides English and Polish, other languages spoken in England include Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Urdu, Arabic, French, Portuguese, Welsh, Cornish, etc.

England Government

In 1707 the Kingdom of England was unified with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. England, as such, has never had a government of its own. In 1801 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was formed, when the Kingdom of Ireland combined with Great Britain. In 1922 most parts of Ireland got independence, and then they formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Eventually, the UK, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland formed their own parliaments, assemblies, and governments, while England continued to remain under the complete authority of the UK Government. Some interesting facts about the government are:

• The United Kingdom is a Constitutional Monarchy; however, the reigning King or Queen does not make any political decisions. Regarding governance, England has been divided into different regions: Nine government office regions, Geographical or ceremonial counties, and metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties, which act like local authorities.

• England has its own flag, which is a red-colored cross on a white background. The red cross, as an emblem of England, is traced back to the Middle Ages. Another one of the most interesting England flag facts is that the cross is linked to Saint George’s cross, which is represented as a crusader.

• At present, Queen Elizabeth II the British Monarch does not head the government. However, she continues to be the head of the state and the sovereign. The prime minister leads the government and gets to select other ministers to run the government

England Culture and Economy Facts

Economy and culture form a crucial part of any country, likewise in England. So, some astonishing facts about the economy and culture of England are:

Economy Facts

• England is one of the largest and most dynamic economies in the world.

• The official currency of England is the British Sterling Pound, and the ISO Code is GBP.

• The average GDP per capita of England is £28,100.

• Until the 18th century, England was a major agricultural economy. However, post-industrial revolution, England became an extremely industrialized country.

• England has been a crucial leader in aerospace, pharmaceutical, agriculture, chemical, technical, textile, arms, space industry, automobile manufacturing, software industries, and many more.

• UK’s main stock exchange, the London Stock Exchange, is one of the largest in Europe and has made London a significant financial hub of Europe and the second-largest in the world.

• The Bank of England is the United Kingdom’s central bank and is located in London.

• Natural resources like iron ore, petroleum, coal, natural gas, gypsum, clay salt, etc., are found in abundance in England.

• The Chancellor of the Exchequer leads Her Majesty’s Treasury, which is responsible for expanding and executing the government’s economic policy and public finance policy.

• Though regarded as a mixed market economy, England has adopted many free market principles and still maintains a progressive social welfare infrastructure.

Culture Facts

• England has always had its own unique culture since the time of the Anglos-Saxons.

• Good social behaviors, humor, upholding traditions, and following norms have always been associated with English culture.

• England’s culture has strongly influenced the rest of the United Kingdom’s culture and is often difficult to distinguish.

• England has played a crucial role in art, literature, cinema, music, science, engineering, technology, and philosophy for the UK and the rest of the world.

• The culture of England includes architecture, fashion, clothing, performing arts, cuisine, sports, folklore, media, education, and multiple religious and other festive celebrations.

• William Shakespeare to Agatha Christie from the world of literature, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Royal Academy of Visual Arts, Architectural Marvels, the Sport of Cricket, Classical music composers like Edward Elgar, and Alfred Hitchcock from the cinema, Theatre, Isaac Newton, and many more have helped in shaping the art, history, and culture of England and impacted the rest of the world too.

• Common folkloric beings in English folklore include elves, pixies, trolls, giants, dwarves, bogeymen, and goblins.

• Georgian architecture followed in a more refined style, evoking a simple Palladian form; the Royal Crescent at Bath is one of the best examples of this.

• An English Gothic architecture grew throughout the Plantagenet period. The medieval cathedrals like Westminster Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral, and York Minster are excellent examples.

Famous Things About England

England is famous for a lot of things, some you may know, some you may not. Here is a mixed bag of some things that England is renowned for:

• The Royal Family – Queen Elizabeth II and her Royal Family

• City of London – Famous for the Royal Residences of the Monarch, Queen of England, famous for its century-old traditions and ceremonies

• Educational Institutes – Cambridge, Oxford, Other universities of London that have made it to the top world rankings

• The Famous Writer of All Times – William Shakespeare and his plays Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo, and Juliet

• Famous Landmarks – Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Eye, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Cathedrals and Palaces

• Pop Stars – Beatles, Phill Collins, Rolling Stone, Spice Girls, David Bowie, Elton John, and many more

• Climate – England is famous for its climate and lush green countryside

• Pubs – English pubs are a part of everyday living and have become an essential place for community gatherings

• Delectable Cheese – The world-famous cheese varieties like Cheddar, Cheshire, Gloucester, Stilton, and red Leicester are from England.

• Wimbledon – The world-famous Tennis Tournament

Other Important Facts and Information of England For Children

Some other fun facts to grasp the interest of children are:

• The capital of England is London.

• The longest river in England is The River Thames.

• London’s Big Ben is not a clock; however, the bell inside it is.

• The highest Mountain in England is Scafell Pike (3,209 ft).

• Lake Windermere is the largest lake in England.

• France and England are at a distance of 34 Km (21 miles) from each other, connected by an underwater tunnel known as the Channel Tunnel.

• The London Bridge is in Arizona, which was sold for $3M and was taken brick by brick to its new owner.

• Tim Berners-Lee from England invented the World Wide Web (www).

• England has fought the shortest war in History with Zanzibar which lasted for about 38 to 45 minutes.

• Chicken Tikka Masala, an Indian dish, is considered the National Dish.

• It is illegal to get drunk in English pubs.

• Champagne, which is sparkling wine, was first invented in England and not in France.

• Leeds in England is one of its rainiest cities.

• Putting a postage stamp on an envelope with the Queen’s head upside down is a punishable crime.

• The Queen owns all the whales in the surrounding waters of the UK.

• The stamp of England lacks its name.

FAQs

1. Which Is the National Animal of England?

The lion is the national animal of England.

2. What Is the National Sport of England?

Cricket is the national sport of England.

England is one of the most important countries in the world and for the world economy. The information here can help kids get a good insight into England. You get to know about the rich culture, history, heritage, tradition and transformation to the modern times and keep pace with the new generation. In this way, kids can learn a lot about England’s history, climate, government, culture, economy, and other historical facts about England for preschoolers.

Also Read:

Japan Facts for Children
Georgia Facts for Kids
Australia Facts for Children
Interesting Facts about India for Kids