England

One of three countries that make up the island of Great Britain, England is among the oldest continually existing states in the world. Since Athelstan of Wessex united England as a single kingdom in the tenth century A.D., this northwestern European country has played a prominent rote in world affairs. Much of England's fortune can be attributed to the fact that it has not been invaded by a foreign country since 1066. In repelling such European military threats as the Spanish Armada in 1588 and the German Luftwaffe more than three-and-a-half centuries later, England has been able to preserve its unique character. Moreover, English culture has spread well beyond the shores of the British Isles. During the height of the British Empire, in the nineteenth century, English influence reached every corner of the globe: from Canada in North America to Hong Kong in East Asia, and from India in South Asia to Nigeria in Africa. Around the same time, England became the epicenter of the Industrial Revolution, which ensured that English manufactured goods dominated the global market. Book jacket.Allport, Alan is the author of 'England ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780791095140 and ISBN 0791095142.