9 Fascinating Things the United Kingdom Has That the United States Doesn’t

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The United Kingdom and the United States may share the same language, but certainly not the same culture or history.

Encompassing England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, the land of the United Kingdom has a rich history dating back several centuries. The United States, created out of rebellion from Great Britain, is a relatively new country at just 247 years old. As a result, the two countries share some similarities, but in many ways, they couldn’t be more different.

When asked, “What does Britain have that America doesn’t have?” the internet pointed out all of the ways that the United States falls short compared to its ally across the pond.

These are all of the things the United Kingdom has that Americans are missing out on:

1. Roman Ruins

To this day, the UK is still discovering Roman ruins. According to one resident, “Within an hour’s drive of me, they’ve found numerous villas, forts, a lighthouse (now in the sea) and a road.

“I still laugh at the number of places I’ve gone to where they find a fort or some other Roman infrastructure, and they’re surrounded by bungalows.”

See also: 7 of the Best 2-Day Trips from London

2. Public Healthcare

While the United States has a few government-subsidized healthcare initiatives, they pale in comparison to the United Kingdom’s robust National Health Service (NHS). All UK residents are entitled to free healthcare coverage through the NHS, helping them avoid those hefty medical bills that US citizens rack up.

Described a Brit who benefitted from the NHS, “My dad spent some time in [the emergency room] yesterday after a bad fall, and we won’t be getting a bill.”

An American agreed that the UK beats the US in healthcare sharing, “I lived in Scotland briefly and had to get my birth control renewed. Had the appointment with the GP, and he said, ‘Okay, you can grab your prescription from the front desk.’ I asked him if I paid there, and he said, ‘Oh, love. No. It’s a human right.'”

3. Pubs

Wistfully said an American of the United States’ lack of British pubs, “Not just pubs, but the pub culture. I’d love to be able to see all my ‘mates’ at the pub after work for a pint and some laughs.”

See also: Top 18 Most Instagrammable Restaurants in London

4. Generous Vacation Days

It’s no secret that paid time off tends to be way longer in Europe than in the United States. The United Kingdom is no exception to this rule, requiring employers to give their workers 28 paid days off, including public holidays, as a minimum annually.

One Brit added, “Some companies like the NHS offer 35 [paid days off] (including public holidays) and allow you to take more when your length of service hits certain milestones,” also clarifying that 28 paid days off is the bare minimum—employees still receive increases for length of employment like in the United States.

5. Medieval Castles

The closest thing the United States has to a medieval castle might just be the Cinderella Castle at Disneyland. The United Kingdom, on the other hand, has the real deal.

“Does Medieval Times and White Castle not count?” sarcastically asked an American to this response.

See also: The 34 Best Hotels in London

6. Consistent Sidewalks

“I don’t understand living in a place where you can’t walk down the street to the shops,” said a Brit baffled by the lengthy stretches of road missing sidewalks in the United States.

7. Robust Public Transportation

“I know Londoners aren’t always happy with the Underground, but as an American, it was the cleanest, safest, and most efficient rail system I have ever seen, especially for the scale of the operation. Of course, I’m from Boston, so there is a very low bar with ours, but still,” raved one supporter of the United Kingdom’s public transportation.

Managing expectations, another individual replied, “Kinda. Compared to the rest of Western/Northern Europe, it’s pretty terrible, but yeah, compared to America, it’s great.”

See also: Ireland or Norway: Which Country in Northern Europe Should You Visit?

8. Blackcurrant

“Blackcurrant was illegal for years in the US because it can get some kind of disease that can spread to trees we have here. It is no longer illegal, but because it was illegal for so long, Americans have no idea what it is, and there’s no demand,” wrote one fan of the berry.

9. Irn-Bru

For my fellow Americans out of the loop, Irn-Bru (pronounced “Iron brew”) is a carbonated soft drink that’s ultra-popular in Scotland.

Chimed a Scot, “It’s not a drink from those crazy Yanks. Because it’s made right here, you know it’s tougher than tanks. Made in Scotland from Girders!”

This article was written and syndicated by What the Fab.

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