British rain is legendary, but in practice, it rarely rains more than two or three hours at a time and sometimes parts of the country stay dry for weeks, especially in the East. The UK is an extremely diverse and progressive nation with a strong culture of social integration and tolerance. Britain was the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century and played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. Ferries link the mainland to the many offshore islands including the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Orkneys, and Shetland islands. There are also numerous car and passenger ferry routes between England and France and between Ireland and the UK. t. British Airways operates a wide range of services from its Heathrow and Gatwick hubs throughout the country including Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Manchester, and Newcastle.