The Culture of United Kingdom

The social structure of Britain acted as the main cultural role all through the history of British culture. In effect, the history of the country, the cultures of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England have their own protected and unique traditions and symbolism.

The United Kingdom was formed as a Protestant Christian country. Other religions practiced in the country include Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Roman Catholicism and Sikhism. English is the official language and other existing languages in the country are Cornish, French, Irish, Gaelic, Scottish, German, Welsh, British Sign Language and etc.

Football is the national sport of the country, which started in England. Other major sports originated in the country are badminton, billiards, boxing, curling, cricket, field hockey, golf, tennis, rugby, snooker, and squash.

In 20th century, English novel expand much greater range and terribly improved by immigrant writers and up to now the leading English literary form still continues. Famous novelists are Arthur Conan Doyle, C. S. Lewis, D. H. Lawrence, George Orwell, Ian Fleming, J. K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, Mary Shelley, Salman Rushdie and Virginia Woolf. Significant writers include Alexander Pope, Alfred Tennyson, Dylan Thomas, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, John Milton, Philip Larkin, Rudyard Kipling, T. S. Eliot and Ted Hughes.

The country has no national dress. In England, the national symbols which they considered are military uniforms like Beefeater or the Queen's Guard. While, kilt and Tam o'shanter in Scotland.

Music in the country includes rock music (rock bands are The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Duran Duran, The Rolling Stones, etc), electronic dance music (trip hop, acid house, drum and bass) and classical music (one of the world's major center is in London). The living musicians include Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Arnold, Harrison Birtwistle, James MacMillan, John Rutter, John Tavener and Oliver Knussen.