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{{UK}}
{{NOINDEX}}
The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''' is a [[country]] located off the northwestern coast of [[Europe]], and is part of the [[European Union]]. The official name is normally shortened to '''United Kingdom''' ('''UK'''), '''Great Britain,''' or '''Britain'''. <ref>In articles on [[geography]] and 21st century characteristics, the preferred noun is '''United Kingdom''' or '''UK'''. In historical work the preferred noun is '''Great Britain''' or '''Britain.''' The preferred adjective is always '''British.'''.</ref> The main language is the '''English''' language. Citizens are called '''Britons''' or (informally) '''Brits.'''  Britain created the [[British Empire]] in the 16th to 19th centuries, making [[London]] a major world capital.<ref>Nowadays the UK is the most prominent member of the [[British Commonwealth]], along with most former colonies.</ref>
*[[:Category:Inactive CZ Authors]]
*[[:Category:Inactive Astronomy Authors]]
The UK is a political union of four countries<ref> [http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page823.asp Prime Minister's Website] Accessed 24 April 2007</ref>: [[England]], [[Scotland]], [[Wales]], and [[Northern Ireland]]. It controls only a few overseas territories, notably [[Gibraltar]], [[Saint Helena]] and the [[Falkland Islands]].<ref> The Crown dependency of the [[Isle of Man]] and the [[Channel Islands]], while possessions of [[the Crown]] and part of the [[British Isles]], are not
*[[:Category:Inactive Biology Authors]]
part of the UK. </ref>
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*[[:Category:Inactive Earth Sciences Authors]]
The UK is a member of the [[G8]] as a highly [[developed country]] with the fifth largest [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|gross domestic product]] in the world and a $1.833 trillion economy. It is the third most populous state in the [[European Union]] with a population of c60 million<ref> [http://epp.eurostat.cec.eu.int/portal/page?_pageid=1996,39140985&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&screen=detailref&language=en&product=Yearlies_new_population&root=Yearlies_new_population/C/C1/C11/caa10000 European Union population figures], Eurostat/US Bureau of the Census. Retrieved 15 May 2006.</ref> and is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ([[NATO]]) military alliance and the [[United Nations]] (UN), where it has a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The UK is also one of the world's major nuclear powers.
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{| align="left"
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  | __TOC__
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  |}
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==Geography==
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{{Infobox Country
*[[:Category:Inactive Geography Authors]]
| conventional_long_name = United Kingdom of [[Great Britain]] and [[Northern Ireland]]
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| common_name = United Kingdom, UK
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| image_flag =
*[[:Category:Inactive Politics Authors]]
| image_coat =
*[[:Category:Inactive Psychology Authors]]
| national_motto = ''Dieu et mon droit'' 'God and my right'
*[[:Category:Inactive Sociology Authors]]
| national_anthem = ''[[God Save the Queen]]''
*[[:Category:Inactive Classics Authors]]
| capital = [[London]]
*[[:Category:Inactive History Authors]]
| official_languages = [[English language|English]] (''de facto'')
*[[:Category:Inactive Literature Authors]]
| government_type = [[Constitutional monarchy]]; [[parliamentary democracy]]
*[[:Category:Inactive Philosophy Authors]]
| leader_title1 = [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Monarch]]
*[[:Category:Inactive Religion Authors]]
| leader_name1 = Queen [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Elizabeth II]] (since 1952)
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| leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
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| leader_name2 = [[Gordon Brown]] (since June 2007)
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| areami² = 94,526
*[[:Category:Inactive Visual Arts Authors]]
| area =  244,820
*[[:Category:Inactive Agriculture Authors]]
| population_estimate = 60,209,500
*[[:Category:Inactive Business Authors]]
| population_estimate_year = 2007
*[[:Category:Inactive Computers Authors]]
| population_estimate_rank = 22nd
*[[:Category:Inactive Engineering Authors]]
| population_density = 243
*[[:Category:Inactive Food Science Authors]]
| population_densitymi²= 629
*[[:Category:Inactive Health Sciences Authors]]
| population_density_rank = 48th
*[[:Category:Inactive Journalism Authors]]
| currency = [[Pound sterling]]
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| currency_code= GBP
*[[:Category:Inactive Media Authors]]
| HDI = 0.940
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| HDI_category = high
*[[:Category:Inactive Robotics Authors]]
| HDI_rank = 18th
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| HDI_year = 2006
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| time_zone = GMT
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| utc_offset =
*[[:Category:Inactive Eduzendium Authors]]
| time_zone_DST = BST
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| utc_offset_DST = +1
| cctld = uk
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}}
The UK today comprises the island of [[Great Britain]], [[Northern Ireland]] - on the island of [[Ireland]] - and numerous smaller islands in the surrounding seas.
 
The UK is bounded by the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and its ancillary bodies of water, including the [[North Sea]], the [[English Channel]], the [[Celtic Sea]], and the [[Irish Sea]]. On the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland has a land border with the [[Republic of Ireland]] to the south and west.
 
==History==
The "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" is the latest of several unions formed over the last 840 years. The [[Kingdom of England]] and the [[Kingdom of Scotland]] existed as separate states since the 9th century. The once independent Principality of Wales fell under the control of English monarchs in 1284, and was merged into the Kingdom of England in 1535. <ref> "[http://www.schoolshistory.org.uk/walesunion.htm The Act of Union with Wales]", SchoolsHistory.org.uk, 7 November 2004. Retrieved 15 May 2006.</ref> With the [[Act of Union 1707]],  England and Scotland, having been in a union of crowns under the same reigning monarch since 1603, agreed to a political union as the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]]. <ref> "[http://personal.pitnet.net/primarysources/act.html The Treaty (or Act) of Union, 1707]". Retrieved 15 May 2006.</ref>
The [[Act of Union 1800]] united the Kingdom of Great Britain with the [[Kingdom of Ireland]], which had been gradually brought under English control between 1541 and [[Treaty of Limerick|1691]], to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. <ref>"[http://www.actofunion.ac.uk/actofunion.htm#act The Act of Union]", Act of Union Virtual Library. Retrieved 15 May 2006.</ref> Independence for the [[Republic of Ireland]] in 1922 followed the [[Government of Ireland Act 1920|partition]] of the island of Ireland two years previously, with six of the nine counties of the province of [[Ulster]] remaining within the UK, which then changed to the current name in 1927. <ref> "[http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/docs/ait1921.htm The Anglo-Irish Treaty, 6 December 1921]", CAIN. Retrieved 15 May 2006.</ref>
 
The dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, the UK is sometimes credited with being the nation that "created the modern world", <ref>
{{cite book
| last = Ferguson
| first = Niall
| authorlink = Niall Ferguson
| year = 2003
| title = Empire: The Rise and Demise of the British World Order
| publisher = Basic Books
| id = ISBN 0-465-02328-2
}}</ref>
by playing a leading role in developing [[Western world|Western]] ideas of property, capitalism, and [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary democracy]] as well as making significant contributions to literature, the arts, and science and technology. At its zenith, the [[British Empire]] covered one-quarter of the Earth's surface and a third of its population, making it the largest empire in history. The first half of the 20th century saw the Empire's strength depleted from the effects of World War I and World War II. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern trading nation.
 
The UK has been a member of the European Union since 1973. The government has yet to choose whether to support the [[Euro]] currency, which could be adopted following a positive economic assessment and a future referendum;<ref name="fivetests"> "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2423783.stm The UK's five tests]", BBC News, 21 November 2002. Retrieved 16 May 2006.</ref> at present, the Euro is off the agenda.
 
==Government and politics==
{{seealso|Government and politics of the United Kingdom}}
===Organisation===
The UK is a [[constitutional monarchy]], with executive power exercised on behalf of the monarch by the Prime Minister and other cabinet ministers. The cabinet, including the Prime Minister, and other ministers collectively make up [[Government of the United Kingdom|Her Majesty's Government]]. These ministers are drawn from and are responsible to [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]], the legislative body, which is traditionally considered to be 'supreme' (that is, able to legislate on any matter and is not bound by decisions of its predecessors). The UK does not have a single codified ('written') constitution, relying instead on custom and separate pieces of [[constitutional law]]<ref> "[http://www.llrx.com/features/uk2.htm#UK%20Legal%20System A Guide To the UK Legal System]" Carter, Sarah ([[University of Kent|University of Kent at Canterbury]]), retrieved May 16 2006</ref>.
 
The monarch is [[head of state]] but has virtually no [[power]]. The Prime Minister is the head of government. The government is answerable chiefly to the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]], from which constitutional convention requires that the Prime Minister be chosen. Cabinet members are drawn from the House of Commons and the [[House of Lords]], although the Prime Minister is legally free to appoint anybody as a minister.
 
The British system of government has been emulated around the world — a legacy of the British Empire — most notably in other [[Commonwealth Realms]]. The [[Member of Parliament]] (MP) who commands a majority in the House of Commons is normally appointed prime minister - usually the leader of the largest party or, if there is no majority party, the largest coalition. Since June 2007, the Prime Minister has been [[Gordon Brown]] of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]].
 
However, the monarch is also the fount of honour and all Judges, Military and Police Officers swear allegiance to her personally. The exercise of the Royal Prerogative by the Prime Minister gives him the power to wage wars without formal reference to Parliament. The monarch is formally an integral part of Parliament (as the "[[Crown-in-Parliament]]") and gives Parliament the power to meet and create legislation. An [[Act of Parliament]] becomes law when it has been signed by the monarch (known as [[Royal Assent]]); the last refusal of assent was by Queen Anne in 1708 <ref>See [http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld/ldcomp/hlctso29.htm Royal Assent] </ref>.
 
The monarchy remains popular in the UK. Support for a British republic usually fluctuates between 15% and 25% of the population, with roughly 10% undecided or indifferent. <ref>"[http://www.mori.com/mrr/2000/c000616.shtml Polls Apart? The Public and the Monarchy]", Market & Opinion Research International, 16 June 2000, Retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref> The current monarch is [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|HM Queen Elizabeth II]] who acceded to the throne in 1952 and was crowned in 1953.
 
Parliament is the national legislature of the UK. It is the ultimate legislative authority in the UK, according to the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty. It is bicameral, composed of the elected House of Commons and the House of Lords, whose members are now mostly appointed, but historically comprised mostly hereditary lords. The powers of the House of Lords are limited, with the Commons being the primary legislating body. The Commons houses 646 members, directly elected from single-member constituencies based on population. The House of Lords has 724 members (though this number is not fixed), constituted of [[hereditary peers]] (Note: The [[House of Lords Act 1999]] removed the inheritance of peerage and permitted just 92 hereditary peers to remain), life peers, and bishops of the [[Church of England]]. The Church of England is the [[established church]] of the state in England.
 
===Party politics===
Since the 1920s, the two largest political parties in British politics have been the Labour Party and the Conservative Party. Although there have been occasional coalition and minority governments, the [[Plurality electoral system|first-past-the-post]] electoral system used for [[Elections in the United Kingdom|general elections]] tends to maintain the dominance of these two parties, though each has in the past century relied upon a third party to deliver a working majority in Parliament <ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2005/past_elections/html/default.stm General Election results through time, 1945-2001] BBC News, Accessed May 19, 2006</ref>. The Liberal Democrats are the third largest party, and seek to reform the electoral system to address the dominance of the two-party system <ref> [http://www.libdems.org.uk/media/documents/policies/22Constitution.pdf Constitutional Reform] Liberal Democrats election change proposals, Accessed May 19, 2006</ref>.
 
===Internal political tensions===
Independence for the [[Republic of Ireland]] in 1922 provided the major solution the 'Irish Question'. Competing demands for a united Ireland or continued union with the UK have brought civil strife and political instability most notably since 1969 when then Prime Minister [[Harold Wilson]] sent troops to Northern Ireland as peacekeepers, embroiling them in the so-called "Troubles" for the next thirty years. There has been a gradual decrease in violence since the late 1980s, though the situation remains tense, with the hard line parties, such as [[Sinn Féin]] and the [[Democratic Unionist]]s, now holding the most parliamentary seats (see [[Demographics and politics of Northern Ireland]]) in the devolved [[Northern Ireland Assembly]].  The Assembly had been suspended since October 2002 due to a lack of cross-community support, but was fully restored on 8th May, 2007.<ref>See [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6634373.stm BBC news: 'Historic return for NI Assembly.] Retrieved 8th May, 2007.</ref>
 
Though 'nationalist' (as opposed to 'unionist') tendencies have shifted over time in Scotland and Wales, with the [[Scottish National Party]] founded in 1934 and [[Plaid Cymru]] (the Party of Wales) in 1925, a serious political crisis threatening the integrity of the UK as a state has not occurred since the 1970s. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each possess a legislature and government alongside that of the UK. However, this increased autonomy and devolution of executive and legislative powers has not contributed to a reduction in support for independence from the UK.
 
There is currently little appetite for a devolved English parliament, although senior Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have voiced concerns in regard to the [[West Lothian Question]] <ref>{{cite web|last=Jones |first=George | date=[[2006-01-17]] |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/17/nscot17.xml |title=Baker seeks end to West Lothian question |publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |accessdate=2006-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| date=[[2006-03-10]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4792120.stm |title=No English parliament - Falconer |publisher=[[BBC]] |accessdate=2006-05-16}}</ref>. Proposals for English regional government have stalled, following a poorly received proposals for devolved government for the North East of England, hitherto considered the region most in favour of the idea. The proposal were rejected by referenda in the regions. England is therefore governed according to the balance of parties across the whole of the UK.
 
Signs of small-scale resurgence in Celtic, Scottish, Welsh, Irish and Cornish culture, as well as 'regional' politics and development, have contributed to forces pulling against the unity of the state <ref> [http://www.manxman.co.im/cleague/ Celtic League Homepage] The Celtic League, Accessed May 20 2006 </ref>, there is little sign of any imminent 'crisis' (at the last General Election in 2005, both the [[Scottish National Party]] and [[Plaid Cymru]] saw their percentage of the overall vote drop, though the SNP gained two more seats and are the second largest party in the [[Scottish Parliament]] as well as official opposition). Nevertheless some in Scotland would like [[Scottish independence|independence]] <ref>{{cite web| date=[[2006-04-03]] |url=http://www.yougov.co.uk/archives/pdf/TOQ060101001_1.pdf |title=YOUGOV/SNP Survey results |publisher=[[Yougov]] |accessdate=2006-08-01|format={{PDFlink}}|pages=7}}</ref> although most English do not<ref>{{cite web|last=Lessware |first=Jonathan | date=[[2006-07-16]] |url=http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=1034962006 |title=English do not want to split Union, poll shows |publisher=[[Scotland on Sunday]] |accessdate=2006-08-01}}</ref>.
 
==Law==
The UK has three distinct systems of law. [[English law]], which applies in England and Wales; Northern Ireland law, which applies in Northern Ireland, and [[Scots Law]] in Scotland. The first two are based on common-law principles. Scots law, which applies only in Scotland, combines both common-law and civil-law principles. The Act of Union 1707 guarantees the continued existence of a separate law system for Scotland.
 
The Appelate Committee of the House of Lords (usually just referred to, confusingly, as "The House of Lords") is the highest court in the land for all criminal and civil cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and for all civil cases in Scots law. Recent constitutional changes will see the powers of the House of Lords transfer to a new Supreme Court of the UK. <ref> "[http://www.dca.gov.uk/consult/supremecourt/supreme.pdf Constitutional reform: A Supreme Court for the United Kingdom]", [[Department for Constitutional Affairs]], Accessed May 22, 2006. {{PDFlink}} </ref>
 
In England and Wales, the court system is headed by the Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice (for civil cases) and the Crown Court (for criminal cases). In Scotland, the chief courts are the Court of Session, for civil cases, and the High Court of Justiciary, for criminal cases, while the [[sheriff court]] is the Scottish equivalent of the county court.
 
The "Judicial Committee of the Privy Council" is the highest court of appeal for several independent Commonwealth countries, the UK overseas territories, and the British crown dependencies.
 
==Geography==
Most of England consists of rolling lowland, divided east from west by mountains in the Northwest ([[Cumbrian Mountains]] of the [[Lake District]]) and north (the upland moors of the [[Pennines]]) and [[limestone]] hills of the [[Peak District]] by the [[Tees-Exe line]]. The lower [[limestone]] hills of the [[Isle of Purbeck]], [[Cotswolds]], [[Lincolnshire]] and [[chalk]] downs of the [[Southern England Chalk Formation]]. The main rivers and estuaries are the [[Thames]], [[Severn]] and the [[Humber|Humber Estuary]]. The largest urban area is [[Greater London]]. Near [[Dover, England|Dover]], the [[Channel Tunnel]] links the UK to [[France]]. <ref> [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html#Geo Geography of the United Kingdom] CIA, Accessed May 22 2006</ref> The highest mountain in England is [[Scafell Pike]] in the [[Lake District]], at 978m (3,208 ft).
 
[[Scotland's geography]] is varied, with lowlands in the south and east and highlands in the north and west, including [[Ben Nevis]], the highest mountain in the British Isles at 1,343m (4,406&nbsp;ft). There are many long and deep-sea arms, [[firth]]s, and [[loch]]s. Scotland has nearly 800 [[Scottish islands|islands]], mainly west and north of the mainland, notably the [[Hebrides]], [[Orkney Islands]] and [[Shetland Islands]]. The capital city is [[Edinburgh]], the centre of which is a [[World Heritage Site]]. The largest city is [[Glasgow]] <ref> [http://www.heritage-of-scotland.com/geog.htm Geography of Scotland] Heritage of Scotland, Accessed May 22 2006</ref>.  The UK has about 1,000 islands, with 700 in Scotland alone <ref> [http://www.celticlegend.co.uk/dialysis/scotland.htm Dialysis Scotland] Accessed May 22, 2006</ref>.
 
Wales (''Cymru in [[Welsh language|Welsh]]'') is mostly mountainous, the highest peak being [[Snowdon]] (Yr Wyddfa) at 1,085m (3,560&nbsp;ft) above sea level. North of the mainland is the island of [[Anglesey]] (Ynys Môn). The largest city, [[Cardiff]] (Caerdydd), has been the Welsh capital since 1955.<ref> [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/culture/sites/aboutwales/pages/geography.shtml Geography of Wales] [[BBC]] Wales, Accessed May 22 2006</ref> The greatest concentration of people live in the south, in the cities of [[Swansea]] and [[Newport]], as well as Cardiff, and the South Wales Valleys. The largest town in North Wales is [[Wrexham]].
 
Northern Ireland, making up the north-eastern part of Ireland, is mostly hilly. The capital is [[Belfast]] ('Béal Feirste' in [[Irish language|Irish]]), with other major cities being [[Derry|Londonderry/Derry]] ('Doire' in [[Irish language|Irish]]) and Armagh. The province includes one of the UK’s [[World Heritage Sites]], the [[Giant's Causeway]], which consists of more than 40,000 six-sided basalt columns up to 40 feet (12 m) high. [[Lough Neagh]], the largest body of water in the [[British Isles]] (388&nbsp;km²&nbsp;/&nbsp;150&nbsp;mi²), can be found in [[Northern Ireland]]. <ref> [http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/ni/geog.htm Geography of Northern Ireland] [[University of Ulster]] Accessed May 22 2006]] </ref>. The highest peak is [[Slieve Donard]] at 849m (2,786 ft) in the [[Mourne Mountains]].
 
===Climate===
England has a temperate climate, with plentiful rainfall all year round. The seasons are quite variable in temperature, but temperatures rarely fall below −5°C (23°F) or rise above 30°C (86°F). The prevailing wind is from the southwest, bringing mild and wet weather regularly from the Atlantic Ocean. It is driest in the east and warmest in the southeast. Snowfall can occur in Winter and early Spring, though it is uncommon away from high ground. The highest temperature recorded in England is 38.5 °C (101.3 °F) on 10 August 2003 at Brogdale, near Faversham, in Kent. [1]. The lowest temperature recorded  is −26.1 °C (−15.0 °F) on 10 January 1982 at Edgmond, near Newport, in Shropshire. [2]
 
Wales' climate is similar, with the highest temperature recorded at 35.2°C (95.4°F) in Hawarden Bridge, Flintshire on 2 August 1990, and the lowest temperature at -23.3°C (-10°F) in Rhayader, Radnorshire on 21 January 1940. [1]
 
The climate of Scotland is temperate and oceanic, and tends to be very changeable. It is warmed by the Gulf Stream from the Atlantic, and is much warmer than areas on similar latitudes, for example Oslo, Norway. However, temperatures are generally lower than in the rest of the UK, with the coldest ever UK temperature of -27.2°C (-16.96°F) recorded at Braemar in the Grampian Mountains, on 11 February 1895 and 10 January 1982 and also at Altnaharra, Highland, on 30 December 1995. Winter maximums average 6°C (42.8°F) in the lowlands, with summer maximums averaging 18°C (64.4°F). The highest temperature recorded was 32.9°C (91.22°F) at Greycrook, Scottish Borders on 9 August 2003.
 
Generally, western Scotland is warmer than the east because of the influence of the Atlantic ocean currents and the colder surface temperatures of the North Sea. Tiree, in the Inner Hebrides, is the sunniest place in Scotland: it had 300 days with sunshine in 1975. Rainfall varies widely across Scotland. The western highlands of Scotland are the wettest place, with annual rainfall exceeding 3,000 mm (120 inches),while much of lowland Scotland receives less than 800 mm (31 inches) annually. Heavy snowfall is not common in the lowlands, but becomes more common with altitude. Braemar has an average of 59 snow days per year, while coastal areas have an average of fewer than 10 days.
 
Northern Ireland has a temperate maritime climate, wetter in the west than the east, although cloud cover is persistent across the region. The weather is unpredictable at all times of the year, and the seasons are less pronounced than in interior Europe or the eastern seaboard of North America. Average daytime maximums in Belfast are 6.5°C (43.7°F) in January and 17.5°C (63.5°F) in July. The damp climate and extensive deforestation in the 16th and 17th centuries resulted in much of the region being covered in rich green grassland. The highest maximum temperature was set at 30.8°C (87.4°F) at Knockarevan, near Belleek, County Fermanagh on 30 June 1976 and at Belfast on 12 July 1983, whilst the lowest minimum temperature recorded at -17.5°C (0.5°F) in Magherally, near Banbridge, County Down on 1 January 1979. [16]
 
The UK, like the rest of Europe, has been in recent years, hit by many freak heatwaves during the summer. The heatwaves have been the reason for many deaths in the past years when temperatures easily soar past 30°C (86°F), nearing the 40°C (104°F) mark.
 
===Cities===
Due to differences between the administrative boundaries and metropolitan areas of cities, and because of merging of settlements into conurbations, there are many different statistics and debates on which cities are the UK's largest. The capitals of the UK's constituent countries are London (England), Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales) and Belfast (Northern Ireland). London is by far the UK's largest city, whilst [[Birmingham]] is considered, population-wise, the 'second city'.
 
==Demographics==
In the April [[2001 UK Census]], the UK population was 58,789,194, the third largest in the European Union (behind Germany and France) and the twenty-first largest in the world. This had been estimated up to 59,834,300 <ref>"[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=6 UK population approaches 60 million]", Office for National Statistics, 25 August 2005; Retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref> by the [[Office for National Statistics]] in 2004. Two years later it had increased to 60.2 million, largely from net immigration, but also because of a rising birth rate and increasing life expectancy. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1857779,00.html |title=Rising birth rate, longevity and migrants push population to more than 60 million |publisher=The Guardian |accessdate=2006-08-25}}</ref>
 
Its overall population density is one of the highest in the world. About a quarter of the population lives in the south-east <ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/pyramids/pages/j.asp Census 2001: South East], Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref> and is predominantly urban and suburban, with an estimated 7,517,700 in the capital of London. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/2038431860/subreports/pop_time_series/report.aspx |title=All people population: City of London |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=2006-08-31}}</ref> The United Kingdom's high literacy rate (99%) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.humana.org/Article.asp?TxtID=223&SubMenuItemID=183&MenuItemID=43 |title=United Kingdom |publisher=Humana |accessdate=2006-05-18}}</ref> is attributable to universal public education introduced for the primary level in 1870 and secondary level in 1900 (except in Scotland where it was introduced in 1696). Education is mandatory from ages five to sixteen.
 
The lands now constituting the UK have been subject to many invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. The Romans, however, left a minimal long-term impact on the culture.  The Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse cultural traditions were blended under the Normans after this French-speaking group invaded and conquered England in 1066.  Between the various constituent countries, there has been sufficient internal migration to mix the population.
 
Immigration has come through interaction with continental Europe and ties forged by the British Empire. Constant waves of immigration hit the UK, with Europe, Africa and South-East Asia being the biggest areas from where people emigrate. As of [[2001 British Census|2001]], 7.9% of the UK's population identified themselves as an 'ethnic minority'.<ref> [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=273 Ethnicity] National Statistics Online, Accessed [[June 3]] [[2006]] </ref>
The UK has amongst the highest immigration rates in Europe, along with [[Italy]] and [[Spain]] <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/immigration/story/0,,1852513,00.html|title=Immigration fails to stem European population loss | date=2006-08-17| accessdate=2006-08-20| publisher=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> it is now believed that the percentage of 'ethnic minorities' is some 9% <ref name="ethnic britain">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/2758453.stm|date=2003-02-13|accessdate=2006-05-21|title=A picture of ethnic Britain|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref>of the total UK population. In some UK cities the percentage of '[[minority group]]s' is large but is still less than half, for example; Birmingham (UK's 2nd largest city) has 29.6% <ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/publications/papers/Birmingham%20Background%20Paper%200206.pdf |title=Race Equality in the City of Birmingham| date=2005| accessdate=2006-05-21| publisher=[[University of Oxford]]| pages=23|format={{PDFlink}} }}</ref>, Leicester 36% <ref name="ethnic britain"/>.
The latest figures (for 2004) show a record level of immigration, with net migration to the UK of 223,000. <ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/intermig1005.pdf Office for National Statistics Press] release dated 20th Oct 2005.</ref>
The latest wave of immigration began in May 2004 when the European Union was expanded. From May 2004 to June 2006, around 600,000 people from [[Central Europe|Central]] and [[Eastern Europe]] emigrated to the UK to work;  this figure is for arrivals only and does not take account of people leaving, so net migration will be lower. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5273356.stm 'Nearly 600,000' new EU migrants], [[BBC]], 22 August 2006. Retrieved 22 August 2006.</ref>. In 2004 net migration from EU states stood at 74,000. <ref>[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1311 International migration: Net inflow rose in 2004], [[ONS]], 15 December 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2006.</ref> Along with this, there is a large number of Indians, mainly from northern India, which make up about 2% of the population. <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html][[CIA]], 9 September 2006, Retrieved 9 September 2006 </ref>
 
===Language===
[[English language|English]] is understood and used everyday by the vast majority of British people. Its continued use is therefore of some cultural importance; the British enjoy the prestige and status of being a major English-speaking nation whose language acts as a ''[[lingua franca]]'' for millions worldwide.
 
Various laws and procedures award some degree of recognition to other indigenous languages of the UK: for example, the [[Scottish Parliament]] and [[Welsh Assembly]] are devolved political bodies which have named [[Scots Gaelic]] and [[Welsh language|Welsh]] as ''[[official language]]s'' of their nations. [[European Union]] legislation designed to protect ''[[minority language]]s'' has also granted some legislative protection to such languages as [[Scots language|Scots]], [[Cornish language|Cornish]] and [[British Sign Language]] (BSL). In contrast, though English is recognised in Scotland and Wales, no legal document explicitly defines it as an official language of the whole UK, meaning that the tongue of the overwhelming majority is protected by its sheer number of speakers rather than any act of parliament.
 
The UK's native languages, aside from BSL, can be divided into two families: English and Scots are two closely-related [[Germanic languages]], while Welsh, Scots Gaelic, [[Irish language|Irish]] and Cornish are [[Celtic languages|Celtic]].<ref> The [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan language]] [[Romani language|Romani]], which is spoken by the [[Roma]] minority, is not native to the UK, though its speakers are mostly British.</ref>
 
Romani is a language brought to the UK's shores through immigration, but in the UK the term ''[[immigrant languages]]'' is generally reserved for more recent arrivals. The open passport system in the Commonwealth enabled immigration from former colonies.  The UK includes the largest groups of Hindi and Punjabi speakers outside Asia. Such groups may maintain ties with historic homelands while playing an active part in all aspects of British life.
 
Even more recently, the expansion of the [[European Union]] in 2004 to accommodate ten mainly Eastern European countries has led to increased, although predominantly temporary, immigration. In a typical British urban area, therefore, languages such as Polish may be heard alongside Urdu and Bengali; likewise, English as a first or second language will be common to most of these speakers.
 
 
=== Religion ===
The UK has one of the lowest levels of worship in the world; fewer than 8% of people attend any form of worship regularly. <ref>"[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2004/12/27/nfaith27big.gif God and the secular society]", ''Telegraph'' YouGov Poll, retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref>
<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.christian-research.org.uk/res.htm |title=Percentage of population attending church on Sunday by age-group |publisher=Christian Research |accessdate=2006-05-30}}</ref>. The main religion  is Christianity <ref name="Christians">"[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=293 Census shows 72% identify as Christians]", Office for National Statistics, Retrieved 14 May 2006</ref> first introduced by the [[Roman Britain|Romans]]. Although 72% of Britons identify themselves as 'Christian', relatively few attend public worship every week.
 
The [[Church of England]] is the officially established Christian church in England, and is the senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Originally established as part of the [[Roman Catholic]] Church in 597 CE by [[Augustine of Canterbury]] on behalf of [[Pope Gregory I]], the Church split from Rome in 1534 during the reign of Henry VIII. The Church of England is a state church, and some of her bishops sit in the House of Lords. The British monarch must be a member of the Church of England<ref> According to the [[Act of Settlement 1701]]</ref> and is the Supreme Governor. Roman Catholics are forbidden from becoming monarch. The Church of England is based at [[Canterbury Cathedral]] and the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] is the senior clergyman.
 
The [[Church of Scotland]] (known informally as The Kirk) is the national church of Scotland. It is a [[Presbyterian]] church and is not subject to state control. The British monarch is an ordinary member, but is required to swear an oath to "defend the security" of the Church at their coronation. Splits in the Church since the Reformation have led to the creation of various other Presbyterian churches in Scotland including the [[Free Church of Scotland]] and the [[Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland]].
 
In Wales, the [[Church in Wales]] was disestablished in the 1920s, although it remains in the Anglican communion. The Anglican [[Church of Ireland]] was disestablished in the 19th century.
 
The [[Roman Catholic Church in Great Britain|Roman Catholic Church]] is the second largest denomination of Christianity in the UK. After the Reformation, strict laws were passed against Catholics; these were removed by the [[Catholic Emancipation]] laws in the 1850s. The Catholic hierarchy is separate in England and Wales, Scotland.
 
In Northern Ireland, the [[Roman Catholicism in Ireland|Catholic Church in Ireland]] is the largest denomination. The [[Presbyterian Church in Ireland]] is the largest Protestant denomination and in theology and history is very closely linked to the Church of Scotland. Other large Christian groups are the Methodists and the Baptists.
 
As well as Christianity, [[Islam]], [[Hinduism]] and [[Sikhism]] have many followers in the UK., [[Judaism]] and other religions have smaller numbers. Muslims are believed to number over 1.8 million, with many of them concentrated in urban areas including London, Birmingham, Bradford and Oldham. <ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3933-2299410,00.html |title=We need imams who can speak to young Muslims in their own words |accessdate=2006-08-09 |date=2006-08-05 |publisher=The Times}} </ref>
Mosques are a common sight in modern day Britain. The biggest groups of British Muslims are of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin.
 
The religions of Indian origin are also increasing, with over 500,000 Hindus and 320,000 Sikhs in the country. <ref>
{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/14/AR2006071401320.html |title=Hindus in Britain Stage Rare Open-Air Cremation
|accessdate=2006-08-09 |date=2006-07-15 |publisher=[[Washington post]]}}</ref>
 
==Economy==
After [[World War II]], the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] [[Government of the United Kingdom|government]] [[nationalisation|nationalised]] leading sectors of the [[economy]], such as [[coal]], [[rail]] and [[steel]]. The [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] under [[Margaret Thatcher]] de-nationalized in the 1980s and promoted a policy of growth, liberalisation, deregulation, low [[tax]]ation and [[free trade]], which has been continued under the current 'New' Labour government. Based on market exchange rates, the UK is the fifth largest economy in the world; the second largest in Europe after [[Germany]], and the sixth-largest overall by [[purchasing power parity]] (PPP) exchange rates.
 
[[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] created the [[Industrial Revolution]] in the late eighteenth century and was the world leader in industrialisation for over a century (until about 1900). Initially, it concentrated on [[heavy industry|heavy industries]] such as [[textiles]], [[shipbuilding]], [[coal mining]], [[iron]] and steel production, and [[railway]]s. The [[British Empire]] provided an overseas market for British products and [[engineering]]. Using the financial leadership of the City (London), Britain dominated international trade until [[World War I]]. Heavy industry declined throughout the twentieth century. The [[service sector]], however, has grown substantially, and now makes up about 73% of GDP. <ref>{{cite web| date=[[2006-04-26]] |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=9333 |title=Index of Services (experimental) |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=2006-05-24}}</ref>
 
The service sector of the UK is dominated by [[financial services]], especially in banking and insurance. London is one of the world's largest financial centres with the [[London Stock Exchange]], the [[London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange]], and the [[Lloyd's of London]] insurance market all based in the city. It also has the largest concentration of foreign bank branches in the world. In the past decade, a rival financial centre in London has grown in the [[London Docklands|Docklands]] area, with [[HSBC]], [[Citigroup]], and [[Barclays plc|Barclays Bank]] all relocating their head offices there. The Scottish capital, [[Edinburgh]] also has a large financial sector, the sixth largest in [[Europe]] <ref>"[http://www.marklazarowicz.org.uk/parliament/speeches2003/4.30(WH).htm Debate on Scottish financial services industry]", [[Mark Lazarowicz]] Labour MP, 30 April 2003. Retrieved 16 May 2006.</ref>.
 
Tourism is very important to the British economy. With over 27 million tourists a year, the UK is the sixth major tourist destination in the world. <ref>{{cite web|last= |first= |url=http://www.world-tourism.org/facts/eng/pdf/highlights/2005_eng_high.pdf |title=International Tourism Receipts |format={{PDFlink}} |work=UNWTO Tourism Highlights, Edition 2005 |pages=12 |publisher=[[World Tourism Organization]] | language= |accessdate=2006-05-24}}</ref>
 
The British manufacturing sector, however, has greatly diminished since World War II, and accounted for just one-sixth of national output in 2003.<ref>[http://www.dti.gov.uk/ministers/speeches/hewitt150704b.html TUC Manufacturing Conference], [[Patricia Hewitt]] speech, Department for Trade and Industry, 15 July. Retrieved 16 May 2006.</ref>. The [[British motor industry]] is a significant part of this sector, although all large-volume producers are now foreign-owned. Civil and defence aircraft production is led by the United Kingdom's largest aerospace firm, [[BAE Systems]], and the pan-European consortium known as [[Airbus]]. [[Rolls-Royce plc|Rolls-Royce]] holds a major share of the global aerospace engines market. The chemical and pharmaceutical industry is also strong in the UK, with the world's second and third largest pharmaceutical firms ([[GlaxoSmithKline]] and [[AstraZeneca]], respectively) being based in the UK.
 
The UK's agriculture sector is small by European standards, accounting for only 0.9% of GDP. The UK though has large coal, natural gas, and [[Petroleum|oil]] reserves. Primary energy production accounts for about 10% of [[Gross domestic product]] (GDP), one of the highest shares of any industrial state.
 
The currency of the UK is [[pound sterling]], represented by the symbol £. The [[Bank of England]] is the central bank and is responsible for issuing currency, although banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland retain the right to issue their own notes, subject to retaining enough Bank of England notes in reserve to cover the issue. The UK chose not to join the [[Euro]] on the currency's launch, although the government has pledged to hold a public referendum for deciding membership if "five economic tests" are met. <ref name="fivetests" /> Currently UK public opinion is against the notion. <ref>{{cite web| date=[[2005-02-28]] |url=http://www.mori.com/polls/2005/citigroup-feb.shtml |title=EMU Entry And EU Constitution |publisher=[[MORI]] |accessdate=2006-05-17}}</ref>
 
Government involvement over the economy is exercised by the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] (currently [[Alistair Darling]]) who heads the [[Treasury]], but the Prime Minister (currently [[Gordon Brown]]), is [[First Lord of the Treasury]] (the [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] being the [[Second Lord of the Treasury]]). However since 1997, the Bank of England has had control of interest rates and other monetary policy.
 
==Administrative subdivisions==
The UK is divided into four parts, commonly referred to as the ''[[home nations]]'' or ''[[constituent country|constituent countries]]''. Each nation is further subdivided for the purposes of [[Local government in the United Kingdom|local government]]. The Queen appoints a [[Lord-Lieutenant]] as her personal representative in lieutenancy areas across the UK; this is little more than a ceremonial role. The following table highlights the arrangements for local government, lieutenancy areas and cities across the home nations of the UK:
 
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor=cccccc
!Flag!!Country!!Status!!Population!!Subdivisions!!Cities
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} || [[England]] || [[Kingdom]] || 50,431,700 || [[Regions of England|Regions]] <br>[[Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties]]<br>[[Ceremonial counties of England|Lieutenancy areas]] || [[:Template:English Cities|English Cities]]
|-
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} || [[Scotland]] || [[Kingdom]] || 5,094,800 || [[Subdivisions of Scotland|Council areas]]<br>[[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|Lieutenancy areas]] || [[:Template:Scottish Cities|Scottish Cities]]
|-
|{{flagicon|Wales}} || [[Wales]] || [[Principality]] || 2,958,600 || [[Subdivisions of Wales|Unitary authorities]] <br> [[Preserved counties of Wales|Lieutenancy areas]]|| [[:Template:Welsh Cities|Welsh Cities]]
|-
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} || [[Northern Ireland]] || [[Province]] || 1,724,400 || [[Districts of Northern Ireland|Districts]] <br> [[Counties of Northern Ireland|Traditional counties]] || [[:Template:IrishCities|Northern Irish Cities]]
|}
Historically, the four nations were divided into [[Traditional counties of the British Isles|counties]] as areas for local government administration. Although these are still used to some extent for this purpose and as geographical areas, they are no longer the sole basis for [[local]] government administration.
 
In recent years, England has for some purposes been divided into nine intermediate-level [[Regions of England|Government Office Regions]]. Each region is made up of [[metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|counties]] and [[unitary authorities]], apart from [[London]], which consists of [[London borough]]s. Although at one point it was intended that each or some of these regions would be given its own elected regional assembly, the plan's future is uncertain, [[as of 2004]], after the [[North East England|North East]] region rejected its proposed assembly in a referendum.
 
[[City status in the United Kingdom|City status]] is governed by [[Royal Charter]]. There are currently 66 British cities (50 in England; 6 in Scotland; 5 in Wales; and 5 in Northern Ireland).
 
The [[British crown|Crown]] has sovereignty over the [[Bailiwick]]s of [[Jersey]] and [[Guernsey]], and the [[Isle of Man]], known collectively as the [[crown dependencies]]. These are lands historically owned by the British monarch, but are not part of the United Kingdom itself. They are also not in the European Union. However, the Parliament of the United Kingdom has the authority to legislate for the dependencies, and the British government manages their foreign affairs and defence.
 
The UK also has fourteen [[British overseas territory|overseas territories]] around the world, the last remaining territories of the [[British Empire]]. The overseas territories are also not considered part of the UK, but in some cases the local populations have British citizenship and the right to abode in the UK.
 
==Armed Forces==
The [[armed force]]s of the UK are known as the '''British Armed Forces''' or '''Her Majesty's Armed Forces''', but officially '''Armed Forces of the Crown'''. Their [[Commander-in-Chief]] is the British monarch, [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|HM The Queen]] and they are managed by the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]. The armed forces are controlled by the [[Defence Council]] currently headed by [[Air Chief Marshal]] [[Jock Stirrup|Sir Jock Stirrup]].
 
The UK fields one of the most powerful and comprehensive armed forces in the World. Its global power projection capabilities are second only to those of the [[United States Military]]. The UK has the 2nd highest military expenditure in the world after the USA.
 
The UK has a comprehensive nuclear arsenal, one of the few countries to do so, using the submarine-based [[Trident missile|Trident II]] ballistic missile system with nuclear warheads. These [[Vanguard class submarine]]s were designed and built by [[Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd|VSEL]] (now [[BAE Systems Submarines]]) at [[Barrow-in-Furness]].
 
The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the UK and its overseas territories, promoting the UK's wider security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. They are active and regular participants in the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organisation]] (NATO) and other coalition operations.
[[Image:Trident II missile image.jpg|thumb|right|One of the [[Royal Navy]]'s Nuclear Submarines launches a [[Trident II]] Nuclear Missile.]]
The [[British Army]] had a reported strength of 102,440 in 2005 <ref>"[http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/6FBA7459-7407-4B85-AA47-7063F1F22461/0/modara_0405_s1_resources.pdf Annual Reports and Accounts 2004-05]", Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 14 May 2006. {{PDFlink}}</ref> and the [[Royal Air Force]] a strength of 49,210. The 36,320-member [[Royal Navy]] operates the UK,s nuclear deterrent, which consists of four [[Trident missile]]-armed submarines, while the [[Royal Marines]] are the Royal Navy's [[Light Infantry]] units for [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious]] operations and for specialist reinforcement forces in and beyond the [[NATO]] area. This puts total active duty military troops in the 190,000 range, currently deployed in over 80 countries.
 
There are also reserve forces supporting the regular military. These include an army reserve, the [[Territorial Army]] (TA); the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR), [[Royal Marines Reserve]] (RMR) and the [[Royal Auxiliary Air Force]] (RAuxAF).
About 9% of the regular armed forces are comprised of women, a figure that is higher for the reserve forces.
 
The [[United Kingdom Special Forces]], principally the [[Special Air Service]] (SAS) and [[Special Boat Service]] (SBS), but including others, provide troops trained for quick, mobile, military responses in Counter-Terrorism, land, maritime and amphibious operations; often where secrecy or covert operations are required. The Royal Navy is the second largest navy in the Western World in terms of gross tonnage. Despite the United Kingdom's wide-ranging capabilities, recent pragmatic defence policy has a stated assumption that "the most demanding operations" would be undertaken as part of a coalition. <ref>Office for National Statistics "UK 2005: The Official Yearbook of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" p. 89 </ref> [[Bosnian War|Bosnia]], [[Kosovo War|Kosovo]], [[United States invasion of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]], [[2003 invasion of Iraq|Iraq]] ([[Operation Granby|''Granby'']], [[Iraqi no-fly zones|no-fly zones]], [[Operation Desert Fox|''Desert Fox'']], and [[Operation Telic|''Telic'']]) may all be taken as precedent; indeed the last war in which the British military fought alone was the [[Falklands War]] of 1982, with full-scale combat operations lasting almost three months.
 
==Culture==
 
 
===Education and science===
The UK has some of the world's leading universities <ref>"[http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2005/ARWU2005_Top100.htm Top 500 World Universities (1-100)]", Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2005. Retrieved 15 May 2006</ref>, including the [[University of Oxford]] and the [[University of Cambridge]]. It has produced many great scholars, scientists and engineers including [[Isaac Newton]], [[Adam Smith]], The Lord [[Kelvin]], [[Humphry Davy]], [[Joseph John Thomson]], [[Michael Faraday]], [[Charles Darwin]], [[Alexander Fleming]], [[Francis Crick]], [[Joseph William Bazalgette]] and [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]]; the nation is credited with numerous inventions including the steam [[locomotive]], [[vaccination]], [[television]], the modern [[railway]], the [[lawn mower]], [[electric lighting]], the [[electric motor]], the [[screw propeller]], the [[internal combustion engine]], the [[jet engine]], the modern [[bicycle]], the third mechanical and electronic [[computer]], along with the later development of the [[World Wide Web#Origins|World Wide Web]].
 
In 2006, it was reported that the UK was the most productive source of research after the USA, producing 9% of the world's scientific research papers and attracting 12% of all citations.<ref>"[http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/research/story/0,,1736095,00.html Britain second in world research rankings]", ''Guardian'', 21 March 2006, retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref>
 
=== Literature ===
The plays of [[William Shakespeare]] crowd the stage of English letters. Other major writers include [[Daniel Defoe]], [[Sir Walter Scott]], [[Jane Austen]], [[Charles Dickens]], the [[Brontë|Brontë sisters]], [[Thomas Hardy]], [[Joseph Conrad]], [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]], [[Virginia Woolf]], [[D. H. Lawrence]], [[T.S. Eliot]], [[George Orwell]] and [[Graham Greene]] Contemporary British writers include [[Salman Rushdie]] and [[J. K. Rowling]].
 
Important playwrights include [[Christopher Marlowe]], [[Ben Jonson]] and, more recently [[Alan Ayckbourn]], [[Harold Pinter]] and [[Tom Stoppard]]. Important poets include [[Geoffrey Chaucer]], Shakespeare, [[John Milton]], [[William Blake]], [[Robert Burns]], [[William Wordsworth]], [[George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron|Lord Byron]], [[John Keats]], [[Alfred, Lord Tennyson|Lord Tennyson]], [[T. S. Eliot]], [[R. S. Thomas]], [[Wilfred Owen]], [[John Betjeman]], [[W. H. Auden]], [[Dylan Thomas]] and [[Ted Hughes]].
 
=== Design and architecture ===
The UK has produced a number of important architects, including  Sir [[Christopher Wren]], and [[Sir Norman Foster]] along with designers [[Charles Rennie Mackintosh]] and [[Jonathan Ive]].
 
=== Music ===
George Frideric Handel, especially with his English oratorios (notably "Messiah"), is the most performed British composer. Others include [[Henry Purcell]], [[Edward Elgar]], [[Arthur Sullivan]] (most famous for working with librettist [[W. S. Gilbert]]), [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]], and [[Benjamin Britten]].
 
Britain was, with the USA, one of the two main contributors in the development of [[rock and roll]], and the UK has provided some of the world's most famous rock bands including [[The Beatles]], [[Led Zeppelin]], [[Pink Floyd]] and [[The Rolling Stones]]. The UK was at the forefront of [[punk rock]] with bands like [[The Sex Pistols]] and [[The Clash]], music in the 1970s as well as the subsequent rebirth of [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]]. The late-1970s and 1980s saw the rise of [[New Wave music|New Wave]]. The so-called 'Second British Invasion' into the US popular music scene took place from 1982 to 1984 when UK bands flooded the US Billboard charts. In the mid to late-1990s, the [[Britpop]] phenomenon saw bands such as [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] and [[Blur]] attain considerable national and international success. The 1990s also saw the rise of major Welsh bands such as [[The Stereophonics]] and [[Manic Street Preachers]]. The UK is also at the forefront of [[electronica]], with British artists such as [[The Prodigy]] and [[The Chemical Brothers]] helping this mainly underground genre to cross over into the mainstream (having originated in the early-90's with techno bands such as [[Orbital]]). Also British pop producers [[Stock Aitken Waterman]] - dominated the charts in the late-80's and early-90's with their instantly recognisable brand of pop from acts including today's pop superstar, [[Kylie Minogue]]. The 1990s charts were also dominated by the [[boy band]] phenomenon, with groups such as [[Take That]] thriving amongst countless others. Girl groups such as the [[Spice Girls ]] also found considerable success. From 1997 onwards, so-called 'soft rock' bands have dominated the serious popular music scene including [[Coldplay]], although after 2003 a high number of 'indie rock' bands emerged and have found considerable success.
 
=== Media ===
The UK has a large and diverse media, and the prominence of the English language gives it an international dimension.
 
The [[BBC]] is the UK's publicly-funded [[radio]] and [[television]] broadcasting corporation, and is the oldest broadcaster in the world. Funded by the compulsory [[television licence]], the BBC operates several [[BBC Television|television]] channels and [[BBC Radio|radio]] stations both in the UK and abroad. The [[BBC World Service]] radio channel is broadcast in 33 languages around the world. [[BBC News]] is also broadcast around the world. The main, free-to-air television channels in the UK are [[BBC1]], [[BBC2]], [[ITV]]1 (STV in scotland), [[Channel 4]] and [[Five (TV)|Five]]. The main satellite broadcaster is [[Sky Digital (UK)|British Sky Broadcasting]], the vast majority of digital [[Cable television|cable]] services are provided by [[NTL|NTL:Telewest]] (created by the merger of NTL and Telewest in March 2006), and [[free-to-air]] digital terrestrial television by [[Freeview]].
 
Radio in the UK is dominated by [[BBC Radio]], which operates 10 national and 40 regional radio stations. The most popular radio station, by number of listeners, is [[BBC Radio 2]] which specialises in popular music aimed at the '[[middle aged]]' age bracket; it is closely followed by [[BBC Radio 1]], aimed at the 15-24 aged bracket and the previous market leader. Commercial radio tends to be regionalised, although [[Virgin Radio]], [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]] and [[talkSPORT]] are broadcast nationally. Popular regional stations include [[Capital Radio]] in London; [[Heart FM|Heart]] in London and Midlands; [[Galaxy FM|Galaxy]] in Birmingham and the north of England; [[Magic Radio|Magic]] in London and the north of England; and [[Radio Clyde]] in [[Glasgow]].
 
Traditionally, British newspapers could be split into "quality", serious-minded newspapers (usually referred to as ''[[broadsheets]]'' because of their large size) and ''[[tabloid]]'', popular newspapers. However, because of considerations of convenience of reading, many traditional broadsheets have both switched to a '[[Compact (newspaper)|compact]]'-sized format, traditionally used by [[tabloid]]s. [[The Sun (newspaper)|''The Sun'']] has the highest circulation of any daily newspaper in the UK, with approximately a quarter of the market; its sister paper, ''[[The News of The World]]'' similarly leads the Sunday newspaper market <ref> [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,1782,00.html ABC Newspaper Circulation Figures] ''[[The Times]]'', May 12 2006, accessed May 16 2006.</ref>, and traditionally focuses on celebrity-led stories. The ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', a [[Right-wing politics|right-of-centre]] paper, is the highest selling of the ''qualities'' (former broadsheets), having overtaken ''[[The Times]]'' in circulation figures.
<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.abc.org.uk/
| title = Audit Bureau of Circulation ''Interactive Analysis National Newspaper Selection - Average Net Circulation (UK) 03-Jul-2006 to 30-Jul-2006''
| accessdate = 2006-09-04
}}  Lists ''Daily Telegraph'' as 844,929 and ''The Times'' as 620,456.</ref>
''[[The Guardian]]'' is a more [[Liberalism_in_the_United_Kingdom|liberal]] or left-wing former broadsheet. The ''[[Financial Times]]'' is the main business paper, printed on distinctive salmon-pink broadsheet paper.
 
===Sport===
{{main|Sport in the United Kingdom}}
 
A number of major [[sport]]s originated in the United Kingdom, including [[association football]] (football, or soccer), [[rugby football]] (rugby), [[golf]], [[cricket]], [[tennis]] and [[boxing]].
 
The most popular sport in the UK is [[Football (soccer)|association football]] (known as soccer in North America), commonly referred to as just "football". The UK does not compete as a nation in any major football tournament. Instead, the home nations compete individually as [[England national football team|England]], [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]], [[Wales national football team|Wales]] and [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]]. It is because of this unique four-team arrangement that the UK currently does not compete in football events at the [[Olympic Games]]. However, a united team will probably take part in the [[2012 Summer Olympic Games]], which are to be hosted in London. The English and Northern Irish football associations have confirmed participation in this team while the [[Scottish FA]] and the [[Welsh FA]] have declined to participate. It is in this way that rugby football differs internationally to association football, as the England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland (including Northern Ireland) teams do come together to form the [[British and Irish Lions]], though they do all compete separately internationally for the most part.
 
The UK football clubs compete in [[Football in the United Kingdom|national leagues and competitions]] and some go on to compete in European competitions. British teams are generally successful in European Competitions and several have become European Cup/UEFA Champions League winners: [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] (five times), [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] (twice), [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] (twice), [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] and [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]].
 
By far the UK's most successful sport, if judged by the number of wins in the international arena, is [[rowing]] which holds a strong presence amongst other rowing nations such as [[Australia]], [[Canada]] and [[Germany]]. It is widely considered that the UK's most successful sportsperson is [[Steven Redgrave]] who won five gold and one bronze medals at five consecutive [[Olympic Games]] as well as numerous wins at the [[World Rowing Championships]] and [[Henley Royal Regatta]].
 
Both forms of rugby are national sports. [[Rugby league]] originates from and is generally played in the North of England, whilst [[Rugby Union]] is played predominantly in [[Wales]], [[Northern Ireland]] and [[Southern England]]. Having supposedly originated from the actions of [[William Webb Ellis]] at the town of [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]], it is considered the national sport of Wales. In [[rugby league]] the UK plays as one nation &ndash; [[Great Britain national rugby league team|Great Britain]] &ndash; though in union it is represented by four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (which consists of players from the [[Republic of Ireland]] and Northern Ireland). [[England national rugby union team|England]] is the current holder of the [[Rugby World Cup]]. Every four years the [[British and Irish Lions]] tour either Australia, New Zealand or South Africa.
 
The [[Wimbledon Championships]] are international [[tennis]] events held in [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]] in south London every summer and are seen as the most prestigious of the tennis calendar.
 
[[Thoroughbred racing]] is also very popular in England. It originated under [[Charles II of England]] as the "Sport of Kings" and is a royal pastime to this day. World-famous horse races include the [[Grand National]] and the [[Epsom Derby]].
 
Golf is one of the most popular participation sports played in the UK, and [[St Andrews]] in Scotland is the sport's home course. Cricket is also popular; although the popularity of the game is dramatically greater in England than in other parts of the UK, all four constituent nations [[as of 2006]] compete at the One-Day International level &ndash; Scotland independently, Wales as part of the English team, and Northern Ireland as part of All-Ireland.
 
[[Shinty|Shinty or camanachd]] (a sport derived from the same root as the [[Ireland|Irish]] [[hurling]] and similar to [[bandy]]) is popular in the [[Scottish Highlands]], sometimes attracting crowds numbering thousands in the most sparsely populated region of the UK.
 
The country is closely associated with [[motorsport]]. Many teams and drivers in [[Formula One]] and the [[World Rally Championship]] are based in the UK. The country also hosts legs of the F1 and World Rallying Championship calendars and has its own [[Touring Car Racing]] championship, the [[BTCC]].
 
British [[Formula One World Championship|Formula One World Champions]] include [[Mike Hawthorn]], [[Graham Hill]] (twice), [[Jim Clark]] (twice), [[John Surtees]] (who was also successful on motorcycles), [[Jackie Stewart]] (three times), [[James Hunt]], [[Nigel Mansell]], and Graham Hill's son, [[Damon Hill]]. British drivers have not been as successful in the World Rally Championship, with only [[Colin McRae]] and the late [[Richard Burns]] winning the title.
 
==Symbols==
 
* The '''flag''' of the UK is the [[Union Jack|Union Flag]] (commonly known as the "Union Jack"), which is a superimposition of the flags of England ([[St George's Cross]]) and Scotland ([[Saint Andrew's Cross]]); the [[Saint Patrick's cross]], representing Ireland, was added in 1801.
 
* The '''national anthem''' is ''God Save the Queen''.<ref> It is sometimes asserted by those used to a legislative tradition that ''God Save the Queen'' is not the actual national anthem of the UK, (or sometimes that it is the ''de facto'' national anthem) because no law has ever been passed to say so. In the UK however such laws are unnecessary; custom, practice and proclamation are sufficient to establish it as the official national anthem.</ref>
 
* [[Britannia]] is a personification of the UK, originating from the Roman occupation of southern and central Great Britain<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.24carat.co.uk/britanniaframe.html |title=Britannia on British Coins |publisher=Chard |accessdate=2006-06-25}}</ref>. Britannia is symbolised as a young woman with brown or golden hair, wearing a [[Corinthian]] helmet and white robes. She holds [[Poseidon]]'s three-pronged trident and a shield, bearing the Union Flag. Sometimes she is depicted as riding the back of a lion. In modern usage, Britannia is often associated with maritime dominance, as in the patriotic song ''[[Rule Britannia]]''.
 
* The [[lion]] has also been used as a symbol of the UK; one is depicted behind Britannia on the 50 pence piece and one is shown crowned on the back of the 10 pence piece, it is also used as a symbol on the non-ceremonial flag of the [[British Army]]. Lions have been used as [[heraldic device]]s many times, including in the royal arms of both the kingdoms of [[Coat of Arms of England|England]], [[Royal coat of arms of Scotland|Scotland]] and [[Kingdom of Gwynedd]] in Wales. The lion is featured on the emblem of the [[England national football team]], giving rise to the popular football anthem ''[[Three Lions]]''.
 
* The [[bulldog]] is sometimes used as a symbol of the Great Britain.
 
*Britain (especially England) is also personified as the character [[John Bull]].
 
==Miscellaneous data==
* Cellular [[frequency]]: GSM 900, GSM 1800, UMTS 2100
* Cellular [[technology]]: [[Global System for Mobile Communications|GSM]]/[[General Packet Radio Service|GPRS]]/[[Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution|EDGE]]/[[Universal Mobile Telecommunications System|UMTS]]/[[HSDPA|HSDPA]]
* [[Calendar date|Date]] format: DD/MM/YY (example: 22/12/05) or 22 December 2005
* [[Time]] format: Generally 12-hour format when spoken or in writing (example: 5.15 pm), 24-hour format is used in some official documentation and in timetables (example: 17:15 or 1715).
* [[Decimal]] separator is a [[full stop]]: 123.45
* Thousands are separated (formal) by a comma: 10,000. (To avoid confusion with continental countries which use the comma as the decimal separator, a space may be used, e.g. 10 000.)
* [[Voltage]]: 230V (+10% / -6%), 50 Hz; [[Domestic AC power plugs and sockets|Power connector]]: [[Domestic AC power plugs and sockets#Type G (British 3-pin)|3 rectangle pins]]
 
== References ==
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==External links==
* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/ Official website of the British Monarchy]
* [http://www.direct.gov.uk/ Official website of the United Kingdom Government]
* [http://www.visitbritain.com/ Official tourist guide to Britain]
* [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5703 Official Yearbook of the United Kingdom]

Latest revision as of 16:39, 4 March 2021


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