We don't intend to give you a history lesson on the UK (with all that history, a lesson could take years!), but we thought you would like to know a little about the country(s) you'll be living in.

Great Britain consists of three different countries:

England, Scotland and Wales. The countries of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland make up what is referred to as the United Kingdom (UK).

Although relatively small, the countries within the UK have their own distinct identities. This is also applicable to the people. While most British people will understand if you are a little confused about the relationship between each country and the all-encompassing UK, it is important to realize that there are four different nationalities within the UK. Try to remember that just because someone is from the UK does not mean they are "English."  People from England are English, from Scotland are Scottish, and so forth.

Parliament and the Monarchy

Britain is a monarchy, with the Queen as the official head of government, but the laws of the land are in fact made by elected politicians. The main functions of Parliament are to review proposals for new laws and provide checks and balances on government policy and administration. The UK Parliament is made up of the House of Commons, which consists of 650 members elected by the people of the UK, and the House of Lords. Although members of the House of Lords previously inherited their positions, they are now only conferred by the Queen.

Political Parties

Almost every member of the House of Commons belongs to a political party, much like the United States Congress. The main political parties are the Labour Party (currently in government majority), the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democratic Party. There are many smaller parties that also have representatives in Parliament.

After a general election which can be at any time, but which normally takes place every five years, the political party which wins the most seats in the House of Commons forms the government. The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister. Like US citizens, British citizens can vote from the age of 18.

At the local level some administration is handled by elected local authorities. It is this system that makes it possible for even very large towns to have local administrations run by a different political party from the one in power at the national level.

Following the last elections in the four separate countries of the UK, a new tier of democratic government has evolved through the creation of local parliamentary bodies. For example, Scotland has always maintained a separate education and legal system from the rest of the country. In addition, the new Scottish Parliament is able to legislate over a very wide range of matters (including agriculture and environment). It will also be able to vary the income tax rate up or down within a range of three pence. In Wales, the Assembly does not have the power to initiate laws in the same way as the Scottish Parliament but it is able to modify some of them. Since devolution in the late 1990s, Northern Ireland has seen many changes to its governing body and will no doubt continue this process in the future.

Currency

The British pound is currently worth approximately $1.70*. This rate fluctuates so you need to remember to check it once in a while at a bank online or in one of the national papers.

British currency (sterling) consists of pounds (£) and pence (p), sometimes referred to as 'quid' and 'p'. One pound is divided into 100 pence. Notes are issued for £50, £20, £10, £5 and coins for £2, £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, and 1p.  Most Americans aren't used to having coins of such value like the £1 and £2.  Don't come back to the States with a pocketful of change; most banks and currency exchange companies won't let you change coins back into American currency.

Website: www.dollars2pounds.com