During the Middle Ages, a Parliament similar to that of England developed in Scotland. It had three Houses, called Estates: the lords, the commons and the clergy.

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.

In 1921 a peace treaty was signed and in 1922 Ireland became two countries. The six counties in the north which were mainly Protestant remained part of the UK under the name Northern Ireland. The rest of Ireland became the Irish Free State. It had its own government and became a republic in 1949.

The Irish Nationalist movement had grown strongly through the 19th century. Some, such as the Fenians, favoured complete independence. Others, such as Charles Stuart Parnell, advocated ‘Home Rule’ in which Ireland would remain in the UK but have its own parliament.

The Welsh government and the Senedd are based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. There are 60 members of the Senedd (MSs) and elections are held every four years using a form of proportional representation.

In 1789, there was a revolution in France and the new French government soon declared war on Britain.

Political parties are particularly busy at election times. Members work hard to persuade people to vote for their candidates - for instance, by handing out leaflets in the street or by knocking on people’s doors and asking for their support. This is called ‘canvassing.

On Remembrance Day, people wear poppies (the red flower found on the battlefields of the First World War).

Mary was a devout Catholic and persecuted Protestants (for this reason, she became known as ‘Bloody Mary’).

Clement Attlee was born in London in 1883. His father was a solicitor and, after studying at Oxford University, Attlee became a barrister. He gave this up to do social work in East London and eventually became a Labour MP.

British authors are well known in popular fiction. In 2003, The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien was voted the country’s best-loved novel.

In Northern Ireland elected members, known as MLAs (members of the Legislative Assembly), meet in the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont, in Belfast.

By applying to become a permanent resident or citizen of the UK you will be agreeing to accept the responsibilities which go with permanent residence and to respect the laws, values and traditions of the UK.

The longest distance on the mainland is from John O’Groats on the north coast of Scotland to Land’s End in the south-west corner of England. It is about 870 miles (approximately 1,400 kilometres).

Sir William Walton (1902-83) wrote a wide range of music, from film scores to opera. He wrote marches for the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth |I but his best-known works are probably Façade, which became a ballet, and Belshazzar’s Feast, which is intended to be sung by a large choir.

During the civil war, the king’s army was defeated at the Battles of Marston Moor and Naseby. By 1646, it was clear that Parliament had won the war. Charles was held prisoner by the parliamentary army. He was still unwilling to reach any agreement with Parliament and in 1649 he was executed.

A non-UK national living in the UK and looking for work, starting work or setting up as self-employed will need a National Insurance number. However, you can start work without one.

The Anglo-Saxons were not Christians when they first came to Britain but, during this period, missionaries came to Britain to preach about Christianity.

Ellie Simmonds is a Paralympian who won gold medals for swimming at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games and holds a number of world records. She was the youngest member of the British team at the 2008 Games.

The job of the police in the UK is to protect life and property, prevent disturbances (also known as keeping the peace), and to prevent and detect crime.

The Lake District is England’s largest national park. It covers 885 square miles (2,292 square kilometres).

The traditions of comedy and satire, and the ability to laugh at ourselves, are an important part of the UK character. Medieval kings and rich nobles had jesters who told jokes and made fun of people in the Court. Later, Shakespeare included comic characters in his plays. In the 18th century, political cartoons attacking prominent politicians - and, sometimes, the monarch or other members of the Royal Family - became increasingly popular. In the 19th century, satirical magazines began to be published.

A constitution is a set of principles by which a country is governed. It includes all of the institutions that are responsible for running the country and how their power is kept in check. The constitution also includes laws and conventions.

The Commonwealth is based on the core values of democracy, good government and the rule of law. Most member states were once part of the British Empire, although a few countries which were not have also joined.