England

England is one of the four countries which make up the United Kingdom. To
the west of England is Wales and to the north is Scotland. All three countries are on
the island of Great Britain and are part of the UK.
About 54.8 million people live in England (2015 estimate). The capital city
of England is London, which is also the biggest city in the country. Other large cities
in England are Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, and Leeds.
The English flag is white, with a red cross. This cross is the cross of Saint
George, who is the patron saint of England. Some other symbols used for England
are a red rose and three lions.
England is the largest part of the island of Great Britain, and also the largest
constituent country of the United Kingdom. Scotland and Wales are also part of
Great Britain (and the UK), Scotland to the north and Wales to the west. To the east
and south, and part of the west, England is bordered by sea. France is to the south,
separated by the English Channel. The Channel Tunnel, under the English Channel,
connects England to northern France (and the rest of mainland Europe). Ireland is a
large island to the west, divided into Northern Ireland which is part of the United
Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland.
London is the largest city and the capital. Other large cities are Birmingham,
Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Bristol, Nottingham and Liverpool. The longest river
in England is the River Severn. Other large rivers are the Thames (which runs
through London), the Trent and the Humber.
England was named after a Germanic tribe called the "Angles", who settled
in Central, Northern, and Eastern England in the 5th century. A related tribe called
the "Saxons" settled in the south of England. That is why that period of English
history is called "Anglo-Saxon". For the majority of this time, England did not exist
as a united country. The Anglo-Saxons lived in many small kingdoms, which slowly
united. The later countries of England and Wales were formed from the earlier
Roman Britain.
For many centuries the religion of England was Roman Catholicism. The
bishops (church leaders) of England and all their churches obeyed the pope and the
church in Rome, Italy. During the Protestant Reformation many of the bishops did
not agree with this.