A Modern, Thriving Society
Modern Britain is diverse, creative and world-leading in sport, science, arts and culture.
Population and Religion
The UK has a population of around **67 million** people. London is the largest city (~9 million).
Religion in the UK (2011 Census):
•**59%** identify as Christian (Church of England, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist)
•Significant Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Buddhist communities
•Religion is a personal matter — freedom of religion is protected by law
The NHS and Welfare State
The **National Health Service (NHS)** was founded in **1948** to provide healthcare free at the point of use. It is funded through taxation.
The welfare state also provides:
•State pension
•Unemployment benefits
•Housing benefit
•Child benefit
The welfare state was built after WW2 largely based on the **Beveridge Report (1942)**, which identified the "five giant evils": Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor, and Idleness.
Education
Education in the UK is compulsory from **age 5 to 16** (or 18 in England and Wales).
Structure:
•**Primary school**: 5–11
•**Secondary school**: 11–16 (or 18)
•**Further/Higher education**: voluntary — universities, colleges
Public exams: GCSEs (age 16), A-levels (age 18), Scottish Highers.
Sport
The UK invented or codified many of the world's most popular sports:
•**Football** — most popular sport; Premier League watched worldwide
•**Cricket** — Test matches played since 1877
•**Rugby** — two codes: Union and League
•**Tennis** — Wimbledon Championships held annually
•**Golf** — originated in Scotland
Major events: Olympic Games (London 1908, 1948, 2012), Commonwealth Games, Six Nations Rugby, The Open golf championship.
Arts, Literature and Music
Literature:
•William Shakespeare (1564–1616) — playwright; Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth
•Jane Austen (1775–1817) — Pride and Prejudice
•Charles Dickens (1812–1870) — Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol
•J.K. Rowling — Harry Potter series
Music:
•The Beatles, The Rolling Stones — worldwide phenomenon
•Elton John, David Bowie — iconic British artists
**Awards:** Turner Prize (art), Booker Prize (fiction), BAFTA (film/TV)
Inventions and Science
Notable British inventions:
•**World Wide Web** — Tim Berners-Lee, 1989
•**Telephone** — Alexander Graham Bell, 1876
•**Penicillin** — Alexander Fleming, 1928
•**Television** — John Logie Baird, 1920s
•**Steam engine (improved)** — James Watt, 1769
•**Theory of evolution** — Charles Darwin, 1859
•**Laws of motion / gravity** — Isaac Newton, 1687