- Greetings are usually informal in social settings.
- First names are commonly used in social introductions.
- A handshake is the most common greeting, and should be firm yet not too strong.
- When greeting each other, close friends may hug or kiss one another on the cheek, while others may simply offer a nod.
- In some casual settings, your name may be announced to the group at large. In this case, it is assumed that you will get to know others’ names as you mingle.
- The British don’t usually ask too many questions upon meeting someone as this can be seen as prying. That being said, it is still best to ask a person whereabouts in the UK they are from upon meeting them. This prevents you from mistaking them as English if they are Scottish, etc.
British Culture
Greetings

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Where do we get our statistics?
The figure of the total population of each country is drawn from the global estimates listed in the CIA World Factbook , unless otherwise stated. Statistics describing the country’s linguistic, religious and ethnic demographics are based on its most recent national census. However, if these statistics are out-dated, unavailable, unreliable, or the country’s statistical department does not formally gather information on the categories listed, the Cultural Atlas substitutes the most recent global estimates cited in the CIA World Factbook.
All other statistical information on the demographics of the migrant population in Australia is based on the 2016 Australian Housing and Population Census. This was retrieved from the Department of Home Affairs’ Community Information Summaries.
You can find a direct link to all these sources under the ‘References’ tab at the bottom of the page, as well as the date this profile was published (indicating when these statistics were last updated).