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The United Kingdom (UK) comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The nation is currently gearing up for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, which will take place in London and the surrounding area. Recently, a BBC news report discussed the route for the traditional Torch relay.

The Olympic Torch relay begins in Athens, Greece, the location of the first modern Olympic Games, and ends in whatever location is hosting the Games in a given year. The torch is lit in Athens, using heat from the sun reflected using a parabolic mirror, and then carried on a plane to its destination country. The Torch relay has taken place since 1936, when the Summer Olympics were held in Berlin.

For the 2012 Torch relay, 1018 sites around the UK will be visited. The Torch will arrive at Land’s End on the 19th of May, 2012. It will then travel around the country, reaching London on the 27th of July for the opening ceremony.

The organizers have said that the Torch will come within 10 miles of 95 percent of the population, giving everyone a chance to come out to see it. It will travel through every county in England and every local authority area in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. For the 2012 relay, the organizers have come up with some creative twists. The torch will be carried in an Isle of Man TT sidecar, on a rigid inflatable boat on Loch Ness, ride a Ceredigion Cobb horse in Abaraeron, carried down a zip line in Newcastle, and more.

The final leg of the relay will take the Torch by boat from Hampton Court Palace to Olympic Park. It has not yet been announced who the final torchbearer will be. The honor is often given to a well-known athlete. The course has been designed to not only permit most residents the opportunity to see the torch in person, but also to highlight the historical and natural wonders of the UK.

The UK news media is some of the most trusted in the world. The BBC World Service grew out of the Empire Service, which had been founded in 1932 as a shortwave radio service. It has now become a worldwide provider of content including news and entertainment programming. It broadcasts in 27 languages worldwide.

There are 11 daily newspapers in the UK, both national and local. There are seven television channels, all of which provide some level news coverage. BBC Radio provides news in national and local services, including foreign language programming.