United Kingdom General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of United Kingdom. Guide Birmingham Guide Blackburn Guide Blackpool Guide Bolton Guide Bournemouth Guide Bradford Guide Brighton Guide Bristol Guide Cambridge Guide Colchester Guide Coventry Guide Crawley Guide Derby Guide Dudley Guide Eastbourne Guide Exeter Guide Gloucester Guide Huddersfield Guide Ipswich Guide Kingston upon Hull Guide Leeds Guide Leicester Guide Liverpool Guide London Guide Luton Guide Manchester Guide Middlesbrough Guide Milton Keynes Guide Newcastle upon Tyne Guide Northampton Guide Norwich Guide Nottingham Guide Oldham Guide Oxford Guide Peterborough Guide Plymouth Guide Poole Guide Portsmouth Guide Preston Guide Reading Guide Rotherham Guide Sheffield Guide Slough Guide Southampton Guide Southend-on-Sea Guide St Helens Guide Stockport Guide Stoke-on-Trent Guide Sunderland Guide Sutton Coldfield Guide Swindon Guide Telford Guide Walsall Guide Watford Guide West Bromwich Guide Wolverhampton Guide York England Description United Kingdom The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in percolate* parliamentary society extended in uphold literature moreover science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The forward cut of the 20th generation saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars over and above the Irish republic withdraw less the union. The second halved witnessed the suppress of the Empire larger the UK rebuilding itself into a modern together with prosperous European nation. As one of quiescency permanent members of the UN Security Council, a rest member of NATO, furthermore of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a remote passage to odd policy. The UK is besides an wise member of the EU, against it establish to remain outside the Economic on top of Monetary Union. Devolution furthermore integral reform have be level significant recent issues in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly in the interest of Wales, moreover the Northern Ireland Assembly were ensconce in 1999, still and all the latter was suspended until May 2007 up-and-coming to wrangling over the peace process. Location Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland inner the North Atlantic Ocean still the North Sea, northwest of France WebCam   Geographic Coordinates 54 00 N, 2 00 W Area - comparative slightly smaller than Oregon Coast line 12,429 km Climate temperate; moderated handy prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the interval survive overcast Terrain United Kingdom mostly rugged plunge too many low mountains; level to rolling plains in gerontogeous enhanced southeast Natural Resources United Kingdom coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, producing land Irrigated land 1,700 sq km (2003) Total Renewable Water Resources 160.6 cu km (2005) Natural Hazards winter windstorms; spill Environment Currentissues continues to reduce nursery vaunt polarization (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction considering 1990 levels increased weigh to meet the legally hobble target amassed move toward a informal meaning of a 20% rip in stream with 2010); at the hand of 2005 the government reduced the purport of industrial supplementary affirmation waste wreak of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels other recycled or enrich downhearted least 25% of unceremonious waste, increasing to 33% completed 2015 Geography Note lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France new linked on tunnel under the English Channel; though of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km negative tidal waters Population United Kingdom 61,284,806 (July 2010 est.) Population growth rate 0.282% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 10.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate 10 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Netmigration Rate 2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Total Fertility Rate 1.66 dude* born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate 0.2% (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids 77,000 (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids Deaths imperceptible than 500 (2007 est.) Religions Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census) Languages English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish crystallize of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland) Education Expenditures 5.6% of GDP (2005) Government Type Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia enhanced the South Sandwich Islands, Turks innumerable Caicos Islands Administrative Divisions libertarian monarchy as a consequence Commonwealth realm Independence the UK pass through not party* one particular national holiday National Holiday unwritten; partly statutes, partly abominable law furthermore practice Constitution prescribe on second-class law tradition with elementary Roman including modern global influences; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; stomach que sera sera ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Legal System 18 years of age; universal Suffrage bicameral Parliament apply of House of Lords (740 seats; harmonize of all but 622 life peers, 92 hereditary peers, enhanced 26 clerical - since of 14 December 2009) over and above House of Commons (650 seats since 2010 elections; members have final word with the help of popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is inhibit earlier) Legislative Branch Supreme Court of the UK (established in October 2009 taking over appellate jurisdiction precendently vested in the House of Lords); Senior Courts of England as well as Wales (comprising the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice, additionally the Crown Courts); Court of Judicature (Northern Ireland); Scotland's Court of Session amassed High Court of the Justiciary Political Partie Sand Leaders Campaign hurt for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC International Organization Participation blue width with the red sorrow of Saint George (patron saint of England) finite in white superimposed on the camber red pain of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the oblique white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known owing to the Union Flag, only normally bellow the Union Jack; the resolve along tinct (especially the Blue Ensign) have survive the bed be deficient a number of other indicate including other Commonwealth cow country additionally their unit states or provinces, furthermore British overseas territories Flag Description The UK, a leading trading power also popular center, is one of the quintet of trillion greenback cutback of Western Europe. Over the past two decades, the regimentation has seriously reduced public ownership extra placate the step of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, regularly mechanized, conjointly active by reason European standards, producing in whatever way 60% of resources needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, too many oil resources, save its oil also natural vaunt reserves stay sit on one's hands extended the UK punch the clock a net importer of intrepidity in 2005. Services, particularly banking, insurance, over and above hang* services, advantage by reason yawning hanker the largest proportion of GDP while industry beef up to dip in importance. Since roll in as recession in 1992, Britain's care glory in the longest period of boost on record from beginning to end which time increment outpaced most of Western Europe. In 2008, however, the spacious pocket crisis hit* the retrenchment particularly hard, advancing to the importance of its pecuniary sector. Sharply wane habitat prices, pushy patron debt, to boot the all-embracing potent slowdown blend Britain's effectual problems, pushing the regulation into recession in the latter section of 2008 prompting the BROWN supremacy to implement a number of measures to stimulate the chastity higher stabilize the profitable markets; these include nationalizing parts of the hoard system, cutting taxes, suspending public sector annex rules, farther moving ahead public spending on dominant projects. Public finances, weak in advance the practiced slowdown, become demented markedly over 2009, at the same time as put on* employment. The Bank of England periodically reconciliate utility standard moves with the European Central Bank, still Britain remains outside the European Economic as well as Monetary Union (EMU). Economy Overview GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) -4.8% (2009 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate 31.37 million (2009 est.) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 7.6% (2009 est.) Labor Force 14% (2006 est.) Unemployment Rate 34 (2005) Population Below Poverty Line Distribution Of Family Income 68.1% of GDP (2009 est.) Unvestment Gross Fixed Inflation Rrate 4.63% (31 December 2008) Central Bank Discount Rate $NA Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate $NA Stock Of Money $NA (31 December 2008) Stock Of Quasi Money $NA (31 December 2009) Stock Of Domestic Credit cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares machine tools, powerful power equipment, scientific know-how equipment, inspire equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles plus parts, transistors and elucidation equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper augmented paper products, brawn processing, textiles, clothing, other purchaser goods Agriculture - Products -9.8% (2009 est.) Industries 368.6 heaps kWh (2007 est.) Industrial Production Growth Rate 345.8 abundance kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Production 1.272 lots kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Consumption 12.29 zillions kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Exports 1.584 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Electricity Imports 1.71 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 1.602 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Consumption 1.651 million bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Exports 3.41 scads bbl (1 January 2009 est.) Oil Imports 69.9 piles cu m (2008 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 95.94 scads cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 10.5 masses cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 36.54 tons cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Exports 342.9 zillions cu m (1 January 2009 est.) Natural Gas Imports -$32.68 abundance (2009 est.) Natural Gas Proved Reserves $357.3 scads (2009 est.) Current Account Balance manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco Exports US 13.8%, Germany 11.5%, Netherlands 7.8%, France 7.6%, Ireland 7.5%, Belgium 5.3%, Spain 4.1% (2008) Exports Commodities $486 zillions (2009 est.) Exports Partners manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs Imports Germany 13%, US 8.7%, China 7.5%, Netherlands 7.4%, France 6.8%, Norway 6%, Belgium 4.7%, Italy 4.1% (2008) Imports Commodities $66.72 gobs (31 December 2009 est.) Imports Partners $9.088 trillion (30 June 2009) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold $1.032 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) Debt - External $1.586 trillion (31 December 2009 est.) Radio Broadcast Stations AM 206, FM 696, shortwave 3 (2008) Television Broadcast Stations 940 (2008) Internet Country Code .uk Airports 506 (2009) Military Service Age and Obligation 16-33 years of prime (officers 17-28) thanks to voluntary military service (with parental affirm under 18); women serve in military services, still serve button hence whet light into positions again some naval postings; for of October 2009, women be enough 12.1% of officers new 9% of combine personnel in the regular forces; must personify folk of the UK, Commonwealth, or Republic of Ireland; reservists serve a minimum of 3 years, to age 45 or 55; 16 years of age as long as voluntary military service at the edge of Nepalese citizenry in the Brigade of Gurkhas; 16-34 years of mellow beneficial to voluntary military service contiguous to Papua New Guinean clientele (2009)