The population is very unequally distributed over the four parts of the UK. England more or less consistently makes up 84% of the total population, Wales around 5%, Scotland just over 8% and Northern Ireland less than 3%.

In November 2012, the public first elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales. These are directly elected individuals who are responsible for the delivery of an efficient and effective police force that reflects the needs of their local communities. PCCs set local police priorities and the local policing budget. They also appoint the Chief Constable, who heads the police force.

When Charles I could not get Parliament to agree with his religious and foreign policies, he tried to rule without Parliament at all. For 11 years, he found ways in which to raise money without Parliament’s approval but eventually trouble in Scotland meant that he had to recall Parliament.

The Monarch represents the UK to the rest of the world. She receives foreign ambassadors and high commissioners, entertains visiting heads of state, and makes state visits overseas in support of diplomatic and economic relationships with other countries.

In May 2010, and for the first time in the UK since February 1974, no political party won an overall majority in the General Election. The Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties formed a coalition and the leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, became Prime Minister.

The outbreak of the First World War led the British government to postpone any changes in Ireland. Irish Nationalists were not willing to wait and in 1916 there was an uprising (the Easter Rising) against the British in Dublin. The leaders of the uprising were executed under military law.

In the 18th century, political cartoons attacking prominent politicians - and, sometimes, the monarch or other members of the Royal Family - became increasingly popular.

‘Great Britain’ refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, not to Northern Ireland.

The decade of the 1960s was a period of significant social change. It was known as the ‘Swinging Sixties.

In 1284 King Edward I of England introduced the Statute of Rhuddlan, which annexed Wales to the Crown of England.

Diwali normally falls in October or November and lasts for five days. It is often called the Festival of Lights. It is celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. It celebrates the victory of good over evil and the gaining of knowledge.

A million people in Ireland died from disease and starvation. Another million and a half left Ireland.

There are many museums in the UK, which range from small community museums to large national and civic collections. Famous landmarks exist in towns, cities and the countryside throughout the UK. Most of them are open to the public to view (generally for a charge).

Anglo-Saxon kings continued to rule what is now England, except for a short period when there were Danish kings. The first of these was Cnut, also called Canute.

The Northern Ireland Assembly has 90 elected members, known as MLAs (members of the Legislative Assembly). Note: The Northern Ireland Assembly initially had 108 members, but it was reduced to 90 in 2017.

Charles I| was interested in science. During his reign, the Royal Society was formed to promote ‘natural knowledge’. This is the oldest surviving scientific society in the world. Among its early members were Sir Edmund Halley, who successfully predicted the return of the comet now called Halley’s Comet, and Sir Isaac Newton.

The jury has to listen to the evidence presented at the trial and then decide a verdict of ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ based on what they have heard. If the jury finds a defendant guilty, the judge decides on the penalty.

The Welsh government and the Senedd are based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales.

In the UK, you must be at least 17 years old to drive a car or motor cycle and you must have a driving licence to drive on public roads.

Skiing is increasingly popular in the UK. Many people go abroad to ski and there are also dry ski slopes throughout the UK. Skiing on snow may also be possible during the winter. There are five ski centres in Scotland, as well as Europe’s longest dry ski slope near Edinburgh.

The Bill of Rights, 1689, confirmed the rights of Parliament and the limits of the king’s power. These changes meant that, to be able to govern effectively, the monarch needed to have advisers, or ministers, who would be able to ensure a majority of votes in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Thomas Gainsborough (1727-88) was a portrait painter who often painted people in country or garden scenery.

The annual Chelsea Flower Show showcases garden design from Britain and around the world.

If you have children, there are many ways in which you can help at their schools. Parents can often help in classrooms, by supporting activities or listening to children read.