Currency
The currency in England is based around the pound. Unlike many other western European countries, England does not use the Euro. The current types of coins are one penny, two pence, five pence, ten pence, twenty pence, fifty pence, one pound, and two pounds. The current banknotes in England are the five pound note, ten pound note, twenty pound note, and the fifty pound note. The retired coins and banknotes are the shilling, six pence, guinea, and half a crown. One US Dollar is equal to 1.67 pounds. You can transfer money in England. You are not able to use American money so it is best to go to a bank to change your US dollars into pounds right away.
Food
The food in England is very different from the food here in the US. The pudding in Britain is very different from what we know of pudding. It is meat and resembles a sausage. When traveling to England you should be prepared to eat lots of meat as most foods are based off of beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. England is also known for their teas this being the most popular drink there. The English diet contains a lot of different types of meats prepared in different ways. The three most popular dishes are lemon cardamom syllabub, reform lamb cutlets, and bacon-wrapped toads in a leek-filled hole. Make sure to try the deviled kidneys on toast.
Cultures
The cultures in England are not very diverse. Most people are Christian and the second most are either not religious or between religions. England is known for its literature. From William Shakespeare to J.K. Rowling England writers, poets, and playwrights have achieved major fame. Some of the earliest literature in England was written in Celtic. England is also famous for its theatre. The most British playwright was William Shakespeare. As plays turned into movies there was a whole new generation of great British actors and actresses. Some of the most famous ones are Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and Alfred Hitchcock. The music of England is very special. Music is a big part of ceremonies and of life in England. There are the servants playing fan fears announcing the Queen's arrival to minstrels following Eric Idle as he runs through the woods of England. Some of the most popular nursery rhymes are English. From the Beatles to the Wanted, from Stairway to Heaven to What Makes you Beautiful, British music spans many genres and quality levels.
Languages
The national language of England is English. This makes communicating very easy. Although the English speak English they do have other words for things that we might think is strange. For example, bathroom is water closet, garbage is rubbish, chips are fries, and fries are chips. There are different dialects and accents for every region of England you visit. People in London it is easiest to understand because that is what we hear most often. People from Liverpool sound like the Beatles. Before traveling to England I recommend learning a couple terms that they use for items you might find yourself talking about.
Major Cities
There are many big cities in England. By far the biggest is London which is also the countries capital. There are over eight million people living in London currently. It is very crowded here so you should be prepared for a lot of noise. This is where the Queen mum lives and the river Thames runs through it. It is known for its clock tower, Ferris wheel and modern architecture. The second and third biggest cities are Birmingham and Manchester. These cities are known for their old castles and Manchester is famous for two great soccer teams. The fourth biggest city is Yorkshire and the fifth largest city is Tyneside. Liverpool is the sixth biggest city. Known for its port and musical history it is one of the faster growing cities.
Transportation
British transportation is pretty common with the types of transportation that we use here in America but it does have its own forms of getting people around. Just like here there are trains and subways and buses. One thing that is rare here in the states is a double-decker bus. In London especially double-deckers are very common and a popular way to get to and from work. In Britain it is still common for there to be mounted policemen. One way British police get around is on roller blades.
Sports Teams
The most popular English sports are soccer, croquet, and rugby. In England soccer is referred to as football. Football has the most fans across England and some of the biggest teams in the world are from England. The biggest English soccer teams are Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Everton. These are the most popular teams and also the teams with the most awards. Croquet is a popular one on one sport. You can play on teams but those are not the official rules. The top player is Keith Aiton. Rugby is one of the most dangerous sports and is very rough. It is a popular sport in Europe, especially England.
Weather
Out of the whole United Kingdom England is the warmest and sunniest country. It is warmest in July and coldest in January. There is an average 132.8 inches of rainfall each year in England. The average minimum temperature is 42.6 degrees Fahrenheit and the average maximum temperature is 56.3 degrees Fahrenheit. It is estimated that it is only sunny for 1492.7 hours a year. There are 8765.81 hours in a whole year. London is not a very warm place for most of the year and experiences less of a change in temperature during the summer season as in the U.S.A. It is considered hot in England when it is just seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Bring lots of warm clothes so that you are not cold while visiting.
Geographic Location
England is in the north-eastern and north-western semi-spheres, The divider between east and west runs though London. It is part of Europe but is not attaches to the mainland. It is part of the United Kingdom consisting of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England and Great Britain which is made up of Wales, Scotland, and England. The south part of England is very flat but the farther north you go, the more hills you see.
Population
According to a 2011 census there are 53,012,456 people living in England. There are 26,069,148 male citizens and 26,943,308 female citizens. The most crowded city is England which has over two million people living in it. The most people in one age group are between the ages of forty and forty-four. Most people are white Brits. They are eighty-seven percent of the British population. Next is white Irishman, or white gypsy. They make up three percent. Whits are over ninety percent of the population in England. Asians make up five and one tenth percent. Blacks are two and three tenths and mixed are one and a fourth of England population. Four tenths of people are classified as other.
Customs
There are many British customs that are important and have lots of meaning to the English. An older British custom is to have tea everyday with others between four and six o'clock. Also it is expected that young adults spend about one year traveling the rest of Europe with money that they have received throughout their lives to be used for this purpose. Some greeting or social customs are not to have eye contact for too long, introduce a young friend to an older friend (age wise) rather than the other way around, introduce a person of lower class to higher class, and introduce a friend that you have known longer to a friend you have not known quite as long. If you are like me you might learn a few of these the hard way. A few other customs are that when you receive a present open it right away, when someone invites you for dinner at their house arrive around ten minutes late, do not sit down at a dinner party until the host invites you to, and if someone invites you to their house, bring chocolates or a bottle of wine.
Holidays
There are many holidays in England that are different from those here. The English have variations of other holidays. One holiday is pancake day in place of Fat Tuesday, Some only in England holidays are coronation day, the Queens birthday, Apple day, Trafalgar Day, Punky Night, Yorkshire Day, Empire Day, and Commonwealth Day. Some of these holidays are national and others are religious but only in England. The English have more national holidays than we do here but some of them are only holidays for the fun of celebrating.