Chapter 2: What is the UK? — Set 5

The £50 note is the largest denomination Bank of England banknote in general circulation.

UK coins carry the portrait of the reigning monarch, a tradition going back centuries.

Bank of England notes are now made from a plastic polymer, which lasts longer and is harder to forge than paper.

Cornish is the Celtic language traditionally spoken in Cornwall and revived there in recent decades.

Ulster Scots is a traditional way of speaking in parts of Northern Ireland, and Irish (Gaelic) has been spoken in Ireland for centuries, so both have a long tradition there. Welsh is the language of Wales, and Manx is the traditional language of the Isle of Man.

Manx is the Gaelic language traditionally spoken on the Isle of Man.

Jèrriais is the traditional Norman language of Jersey and Guernésiais is the traditional Norman language of Guernsey, so both belong to the Channel Islands. Cornish is the traditional language of Cornwall in England, and Manx belongs to the Isle of Man.

The British monarch is Head of the Commonwealth, a symbolic role linking its member countries.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent states, most of them former parts of the British Empire, working together on shared values and development.

The UK is one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, each of which has the power of veto.

NATO was founded in 1949, with the UK among its founding members, as a mutual defence alliance.

The UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020, following the 2016 referendum. It remains a member of NATO, the Commonwealth and the Council of Europe.

Only some Commonwealth countries (the Commonwealth realms) have the monarch as head of state; most member countries are republics with their own head of state.

Yorkshire is the largest of the historic counties, traditionally divided into three ridings.

The Midlands is the region in the centre of England, around cities such as Birmingham, Leicester and Nottingham.

Leeds is in Yorkshire, in the north east of England's regions. Liverpool, Manchester and Chester are all in the North West.

The Pennines run down the centre of northern England and are often called the backbone of England.

Sheffield became world-famous for steelmaking and cutlery, using power from its fast-flowing rivers and local raw materials.

Manchester was the centre of the cotton textile industry, nicknamed 'Cottonopolis' for its mills and warehouses.

Portsmouth has been a major Royal Navy base and dockyard for centuries and is home to historic warships such as HMS Victory.

As its name says, Newcastle stands on the River Tyne, famous for its succession of bridges including the Tyne Bridge.

The Bristol Channel lies between South Wales and the South West of England, the counties of Devon and Somerset.

St George's Channel runs between Wales and Ireland, linking the Irish Sea with the Celtic Sea.

The Minch separates the north-west Scottish mainland from the Outer Hebrides, including Lewis and Harris.