The UK Basics Quiz

Sitting in the fields of Wiltshire, England, the Stonehenge monument has been dated 3,000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids. Each of the structure's 13 stones weighs over 25 tons. Historians still debate its purpose and its origin.

Elected as prime minister in 1979, Margaret Thatcher was the country's first leader. She also holds the record as being the longest-serving Member of Parliament in history. She held her seat for 33 years!

The flag of the United Kingdom is often called the Union Jack, and it first appeared in 1625. Its red, white and blue design is made by combining the crosses of Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

Champagne is often credited as being invented by the French monk named Dom Perignon. However, there are records of a similar fermentation recipe being used in England 30 years before the monk's invention.

Those who are fascinated by the Titanic would feel right at home in Belfast. The legendary ship was built there, and there's an entire section of the city dedicated to celebrating the workers who built it.

Fans of cryptozoology know that you would have to head to Loch Ness to hope to get a glimpse of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. Sightings of the beast have been reported since the year 565!

Windsor Castle might be the biggest royal residence, but the Queen lives at Buckingham Palace. If you are visiting and you see the Union Jack flying above it, it means that she is not home.

You probably wouldn't get close to the door, but if you knocked at 10 Downing Street, you would meet the Prime Minister. As of 2019, you would find Boris Johnson greeting you.

In the event of Queen Elizabeth II's passing, the throne will be passed down to the next royal in line. At that moment, Prince Charles will become King, but he will need to be appointed by the Accession Council before it's official.

While life expectancy in other English speaking nations has fallen, it's gone up in the United Kingdom. If you live to be a centenarian, Queen Elizabeth will, upon request, send you a personalized greeting card.

London has over 8 million citizens, and it takes a lot of transportation power to move them. The London Underground has over 200 working stations, 70 dormant stations and a fleet of red buses that get the job done.

Any fan of the Harry Potter series knows the author's name. J.K. Rowling is certainly not the first or the most famous writer in British in history, but she is the first to make over $1 billion in sales.

Cardiff wasn't recognized as the capital city until 1955, but it has always been a hub of industrial activity. Now famous for the world-renown Cardiff University, it was once a huge coal exporting town.

It's true! The Queen issues British passports, and citizens are considered her subjects. Because of her endorsement, she herself is not required to hold a passport. She has visited over 100 countries without ever needing a stamp or a visa.

"God Save the Queen" became the national anthem in the 18th century, but it was originally called "God Save the King." When the next king takes the throne, the word queen will be swapped out, and the song will have its original title again.

When a royal wedding occurs, citizens of the UK have more to celebrate than the addition of a new royal family member. The day is declared a national holiday, and everyone gets the day off.

Drinking laws in the UK are a little different than those in the United States. At the age of 18, you can legally drink there. You can drink when you are younger, but you must be at home with your parents.

There are two things they love in the town of Liverpool, England — The Beatles and the Liverpool Football Club! Whether you're a sports fan or a fan of the British invasion, the city of nearly 500,000 has a lot to offer to any visitor.

Built in 1080, Windsor Castle is the world's oldest standing royal residence. It's also the largest. With 484,000 feet of living space spread across 13 acres, there are over 1,000 rooms!

Pub culture is very much a part of life in the United Kingdom. With over 40,000 across the country, London has the most at 3,500. There, over 500 of them are given the popular name of The Red Lion.

At a height of 1,016 feet, The Shard stands 95 stories tall. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, you'll also hear the building called The Shard of Glass and the Shard London Bridge.

There are six ravens, and one bonus raven, kept at the Tower of London. They are named Jubilee, Harris, Gripp, Rocky, Merlina, Poppy and Erin, and it's believed that the country will fall into a state of disarray should they ever leave.

If you were looking for a similar-sized US city, you would have to look at New York. Both cities are home to upwards of 8 million people, but London sprawls over a bigger area of land.

Many things have changed throughout the nation's history, but the Pound Sterling has held strong for centuries. It was redesigned in 2017, and many places also accept the Euro as payment.

Affectionately called "The Chunnel," The Channel Tunnel connects England and France through a series of three separate tubes that lie 150 feet below the water's surface. You can't drive a car through it, but you can take a 20-minute ride on the Eurostar.

Cricket has roots that date back to the 16th century, but it did not become the national sport for another 200 years. On any given sunny day, you can find a local cricket team practicing in the UK.

Found in Grampian Mountains of Scotland, Ben Nevis is the country's highest peak. When translated back to the original Gaelic language, the name means "malicious mountain." Still, you can scale it in under four hours.

Despite popular misconceptions, Big Ben is not the name of the clock found at the Tower of London. Named after Benjamin Hall, the man who installed the giant bell inside, Big Ben is actually the name of the Great Bell that's housed inside the tower.

Every household in the UK is required to pay a TV licensing fee every year. The funds are used to pay for programming on the nation's publicly owned network, the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Erected in 1973, the British Library houses more titles than any other library in the world. At last count, the number of books from around the world totaled an impressive 180 million!

Every year, dozens of charitable souls walk or bike the entire length of the UK for charity. From John o' Groats to Land's End, the journey measures 874 miles, and it can be completed in around two weeks.

You can find plenty of great coffee in the United Kingdom, but you're much more likely to be offered a cup of tea. Black tea is the most popular kind on the island nation, but other varieties are readily available.

The River Thames is the longest river in England, but the River Severn is the longest in the United Kingdom. It starts in the Cambrian Mountains of Wales and runs all the way through the English area of Gloucestershire.

You can find a chip shop on nearly any corner in the UK, but fish and chips is not the national dish. In 1971, citizens voted. The clear winner was chicken tikka masala. There are over 100 languages spoken in the UK, but the dish reflects the nation's international appeal.

Scotland gets the credit for inventing the game of golf, and it might have some of the world's most beautiful courses. England, however, has nearly twice as many holes as its northern neighbor.