The British Empire began to grow at the beginning of the 17th century and expanded all over the globe, particularly in North America and India. The Empire was built on colonial trade, which went hand in hand with slavery. Slaves were bought in West Africa and shipped to the Americas in appalling conditions, then sold to plantation owners in exchange for produce which was then returned to Britain. Slavery was finally abolished in all the British colonies in 1834. The 19th century was dominated by the industrial revolution which was supported by the development of the railway network. Twentieth century UK history has seen rapid technological developments, thanks in part to the First and Second World Wars (1914-18 and 1939-45).

The UK is a parliamentary monarchy, and is part of the European Union. Everyone over the age of 18 can vote. The UK does not have a written constitution. The current head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, the hereditary monarch.

Since World War II, the government has been formed by one of two parties: Labour or Conservative. The Labour government came to power in a landslide victory in May 1997 after 18 years of Conservative rule, 12 years of which was under Margaret Thatcher. Tony Blair is the current Prime Minister.

The United Kingdom comprises Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland) and Northern Ireland:

England:

England emerged late in the first millennium AD as the Anglo-Saxon influence spread after the collapse of the Roman Empire. In 1066 England was conquered by Duke William of Normandy. His was the last successful invasion of the country. The English language evolved as a mixture of Norman French, which was spoken by the nobility, and Anglo-Saxon, spoken by the rest of the population.

Wales:

In 1536 England and Wales were formally united. Although the Welsh retained their language and culture, English became the main language. In 1999 the Welsh National Assembly was established.

Scotland:

The English made several attempts to conquer Scotland, which was inhabited by the Celts, and in 1707 the Scottish Parliament and English Parliaments were united. On 6 May 1999, the Scots elected their own Parliament.

The builders of Armagh delighted in the warm-coloured local limestone that makes the city glow on the dullest day. They called it 'Armagh marble'.

Northern Ireland:

The island of Ireland was conquered by the Normans in the late 12th century and ruled from England until 1921, when the country was divided. Northern Ireland remained part of the UK, and the remainder of the country became the Republic of Ireland. Violent conflict between Nationalists and Unionists has been a feature of life in Northern Ireland since 1969. In 1973 the people voted in a referendum to remain part of the UK rather than join a united Ireland. A Peace Agreement was signed in 1998 but the situation has still not been completely resolved.