United Kingdom

United Kingdom Background

Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter is suspended due to bickering over the peace process.

United Kingdom Information

• Population: 60,270,708 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective: British
• Location:: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
• 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
• 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%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km
• Area: total: 244,820 sq km water: 3,230 sq km note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands land: 241,590 sq km
• Coast Line: 12,429 km
• Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
• Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries
• Land Use: arable land: 23.46% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 76.33% (2001)
• Environmental Issues: continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to meet the legally binding target and move towards a domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government ai
• Natural Resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
• Highways: total: 371,913 km paved: 371,913 km (including 3,358 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999)
• Railways: total: 17,186 km standard gauge: 16,726 km 1.435-m gauge (5,243 km electrified) broad gauge: 460 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Ramsgate, Scapa Flow, Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport, Tyne
• Airports: 471 (2003 est.)