Short Name: United Kingdom

Long Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Member of European Union: Yes, 1973

International Dialing Code: +44

Capital City: London

National Tourist Office: Visit Britain

Foreign Embassies in the U.K.: Australia | Canada | U.S.

Embassies and Visa Information: In Australia | In Canada | In the U.S.

Dependent Areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Nationality: Noun - Briton(s), British (collective plural), Adjective - British

Government Type: Constitutional monarchy

Ethnic Groups: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

Religions: Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000

Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Monetary Unit: 1 pound sterling = 100 pence

Area: 244,820 sq km – slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate: Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Population: 60,270,708 (July 2004 est.)

Sex Ratio: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Median Age: 38.7 years, male 37.6 years, female 39.8 years (2004 est.)

Life Expectancy: 78.27 years, male 75.84 years, female 80.83 years (2004 est.)

Population Growth Rate: 0.29% (2004 est.)

Net Migration Rate: 2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line: 17% (2002 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 5% (2003 est.)

Gross National Income: US$28,350 (2003, World Bank)

Export Commodities: Manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco

Export Partners: US 15.7%, Germany 10.5%, France 9.5%, Netherlands 6.9%, Ireland 6.5%, Belgium 5.6%, Spain 4.4%, Italy 4.4% (2003 est.)

Import Commodities: Manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

Import Partners: Germany 13.5%, US 10.2%, France 8.1%, Netherlands 6.3%, Belgium 4.9%, Italy 4.7% (2003 est.)

Natural Resources: Coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land

Television: BBC TV

Radio: BBC Radio


Countries of Europe - Facts and InformationAlbania | Andorra | Austria | Belarus | Belgium | Bosnia-HerzegovinaBulgaria | Croatia | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | EstoniaFaroe Islands | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | GreenlandHungary | Iceland | Ireland | Italy | Latvia | Liechtenstein | LithuaniaLuxembourg | Macedonia | Malta | Moldova | Monaco | NetherlandsNorway | Poland | Portugal | Romania | Russia | San MarinoSerbia & Montenegro | Slovakia | Slovenia | Spain | SwedenSwitzerland | Turkey | Ukraine | United Kingdom | Vatican City

---

Graphics and statistics are public domain courtesy of The CIA World Factbook.
Outline map courtesy of WorldAtlas.com.

---