United Kingdom

Island country in Northwestern Europe

"UK" redirects here. For other uses, see United Kingdom (disambiguation) and UK (disambiguation).

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Flag
Anthem: "God Save the King"[a]
Coats of arms: Used in relation to Scotland (right) and elsewhere (left)
Show globe Show map of Europe Show British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies Show its exclusive economic zones
Capital and largest city	London 51°30′N 0°7′W / 51.500°N 0.117°W / 51.500; -0.117
National language	English
Regional and minority languages Ethnic groups (2021/22)[c][4][5][6]	List 83.0% White 8.6% Asian 3.7% Black 2.7% Mixed 2.0% other
Religion (2021/22)[c][7][8][6]	List 46.5% Christianity 37.8% no religion 6.0% Islam 1.6% Hinduism 0.8% Sikhism 0.4% Buddhism 0.4% Judaism 0.6% other 5.9% not stated
Briton
Government	Unitary[d] parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	Charles III
• Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Legislature	Formation
• Laws in Wales Acts	1535 and 1542
• Union of the Crowns	24 March 1603
• Treaty of Union	22 July 1706
• Acts of Union of England and Scotland	1 May 1707
• Acts of Union of Great Britain and Ireland	1 January 1801
• Irish Free State Constitution Act	6 December 1922
£) (GBP)
Time zone	UTC+0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (BST[h])
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (AD)[i]
Drives on	left[j]
Calling code	+44[k]
ISO 3166 code	GB
Internet TLD	.uk[l]

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,

the continental mainland.^[21][22] It comprises England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.^[n][23] The UK includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and most of the smaller islands within the British Isles, a total area of 94,354 square miles (244,376 km²).^[f][12][24] Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland; otherwise, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the Irish Sea. The United Kingdom had an estimated population of nearly 68.3 million people in 2023.^[13] The capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom is London, whose wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million.^[25] The cities of Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast

are the national capitals of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, respectively.

The lands of the UK have been inhabited continuously since the

the Normans conquered England. With the end of the Wars of the Roses the English state stabilised and began to grow in power, resulting by the 16th century in the annexation of Wales, the domination of Scotland, and the establishment of the British Empire. Over the course of the 17th century, the role of the British monarchy was reduced, particularly as a result of the English Civil War. In 1707, the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland united under the Treaty of Union to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. The Acts of Union 1800 incorporated the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801. Most of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922 as the Irish Free State, and the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927

created the present United Kingdom.

The UK

decolonisation led to the independence of most British colonies.^[28][29][30]

The United Kingdom is a

fifth globally in military expenditure.^[35][36] The UK has been a permanent member of the UN Security Council since its first session in 1946. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, Council of Europe, G7, OECD, NATO, Five Eyes, AUKUS and CPTPP. British influence can be observed in the legal and political systems of many of its former colonies, and British culture remains globally influential, particularly in language, literature, music and sport. English is the world's most widely spoken language and the third-most spoken native language.^[37]

Etymology and terminology

See also: Britain (place name) and Terminology of the British Isles

The Acts of Union 1707 declared that the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland were "United into One Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain".^[p][38] The term "United Kingdom" has occasionally been used as a description for the former Kingdom of Great Britain, although its official name from 1707 to 1800 was simply "Great Britain".^[39] The Acts of Union 1800 formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Following the partition of Ireland and the independence of the Irish Free State in 1922, which left Northern Ireland as the only part of the island of Ireland within the United Kingdom, the name was changed in 1927 to the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".^[40]

Although the United Kingdom is a sovereign country, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also widely referred to as

NUTS 1 regions, refer to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as "regions".^[43] Northern Ireland is also referred to as a "province".^[44] With regard to Northern Ireland, the descriptive name used "can be controversial, with the choice often revealing one's political preferences".^[45]

The term "Great Britain" conventionally refers to the island of Great Britain, or politically to England, Scotland and Wales in combination.[46] It is sometimes used as a loose synonym for the United Kingdom as a whole.^[47] The word England is occasionally used incorrectly to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole, a mistake principally made by people from outside the UK.^[48]

The

Permanent Committee on Geographical Names recognises "United Kingdom", "UK" and "U.K." as shortened and abbreviated geopolitical terms for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in its toponymic guidelines; it does not list "Britain" but notes that "it is only the one specific nominal term 'Great Britain' which invariably excludes Northern Ireland".^[53] The BBC historically preferred to use "Britain" as shorthand only for Great Britain, though the present style guide does not take a position except that "Great Britain" excludes Northern Ireland.^[54]

The adjective "British" is commonly used to refer to matters relating to the United Kingdom and is used in law to refer to United Kingdom citizenship and nationality.^[55][q] People of the United Kingdom use several different terms to describe their national identity and may identify themselves as being British, English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, or Irish;^[58] or as having a combination of different national identities.^[59]

History

Main articles:

Formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and History of the British Isles

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of British history.

Prior to the Treaty of Union

Main articles: History of England, History of Wales, History of Scotland, and History of Ireland

Settlement by

Brittonic Britain and Gaelic Ireland.^[61]

The

region settled by the Anglo-Saxons became unified as the Kingdom of England in the 10th century.^[63] Meanwhile, Gaelic speakers in north-west Britain (with connections to the north-east of Ireland and traditionally supposed to have migrated from there in the 5th century)^[64] united with the Picts to create the Kingdom of Scotland in the 9th century.^[65]

In 1066, the

conquest of Wales and tried unsuccessfully to annex Scotland. Asserting its independence in the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath, Scotland maintained its independence thereafter, albeit in near-constant conflict with England

.

In 1215 the

fair trial.^[68]

The English monarchs, through inheritance of substantial territories in France and claims to the French crown, were also heavily involved in conflicts in France, most notably the Hundred Years' War, while the Kings of Scots were in an alliance with the French during this period.^[69]

fully incorporated into the Kingdom of England,^[72] and Ireland was constituted as a kingdom in personal union with the English crown.^[73] In what was to become Northern Ireland, the lands of the independent Catholic Gaelic nobility were confiscated and given to Protestant settlers from England and Scotland.^[74]

In 1603, the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland were united in a

James VI, King of Scots, inherited the crowns of England and Ireland and moved his court from Edinburgh to London; each country nevertheless remained a separate political entity and retained its separate political, legal, and religious institutions.^[75]

In the mid-17th century, all three kingdoms

unitary republic of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland.^[76]

Although the

overseas colonies, particularly in North America and the Caribbean.^[78]

Though previous attempts at uniting the two kingdoms within Great Britain in 1606, 1667, and 1689 had proved unsuccessful, the attempt initiated in 1705 led to the Treaty of Union of 1706 being agreed and ratified by both parliaments.

Union of England and Scotland

Main articles: Treaty of Union and Kingdom of Great Britain

On 1 May 1707, the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed, the result of the

Scottish Highlanders were forcibly assimilated into Scotland by revoking the feudal independence of clan chiefs. The British colonies in North America that broke away in the American War of Independence became the United States. British imperial ambition turned towards Asia, particularly to India.^[80]

British merchants played a leading part in the

slave ships transported nearly 3.3 million slaves from Africa.^[81] The slaves were taken to work on plantations, principally in the Caribbean but also North America.^[82] However, with pressure from the abolitionism movement, Parliament banned the trade in 1807, banned slavery in the British Empire in 1833, and Britain took a leading role in the movement to abolish slavery worldwide through the blockade of Africa and pressing other nations to end their trade with a series of treaties.^[83]

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Main articles:

Acts of Union (1800), and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Empress of India

during the 19th century.

In 1800 the parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland each passed an Act of Union, uniting the two kingdoms and creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801.[84]

After the defeat of France at the end of the

controlled the economies of regions such as East Asia and Latin America.^[90]

Throughout the

suffragettes campaigned for women's right to vote.^[95]

World wars and partition of Ireland

Main articles:

United Kingdom home front during the Second World War, and Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II

Britain was one of the principal

First World War (1914–1918). Alongside their French, Russian and (after 1917) American counterparts,^[96] British armed forces were engaged across much of the British Empire and in several regions of Europe, particularly on the Western Front.^[97] The high fatalities of trench warfare caused the loss of much of a generation of men, with lasting social effects in the nation and a great disruption in the social order. Britain had suffered 2.5 million casualties and finished the war with a huge national debt.^[97] The consequences of the war persuaded the government to expand the right to vote in national and local elections to all adult men and most adult women with the Representation of the People Act 1918.^[97] After the war, Britain became a permanent member of the Executive Council of the League of Nations and received a mandate over a number of former German and Ottoman colonies. Under the leadership of David Lloyd George, the British Empire reached its greatest extent, covering a fifth of the world's land surface and a quarter of its population.^[98]

By the mid-1920s, most of the British population could listen to

Second World War

Nonetheless, "Britain was a very wealthy country, formidable in arms, ruthless in pursuit of its interests and sitting at the heart of a global production system."

Second World War. Winston Churchill became prime minister and head of a coalition government in 1940. Despite the defeat of its European allies in the first year, Britain and its Empire continued the war against Germany. Churchill engaged industry, scientists and engineers to support the government and the military in the prosecution of the war effort.^[105]

In 1940, the

liberation of Europe. The British Army led the Burma campaign against Japan, and the British Pacific Fleet fought Japan at sea. British scientists contributed to the Manhattan Project whose task was to build an atomic weapon.^[106] Once built, it was decided, with British consent, to use the weapon against Japan.^[107]

Postwar 20th century

Main articles: Post-war Britain (1945–1979) and Social history of post-war Britain (1945–1979)

The UK was one of the

IMF, World Bank and NATO.^[110] The war left the UK severely weakened and financially dependent on the Marshall Plan,^[111] but it was spared the total war that devastated eastern Europe.^[112]

In the immediate post-war years, the

decolonisation was unavoidable. Independence was granted to India and Pakistan in 1947.^[115] Over the next three decades, most colonies of the British Empire gained their independence, and many became members of the Commonwealth of Nations.^[116]

The UK was the third country to develop

Commonwealth countries. In the following decades, the UK became a more multi-ethnic society.^[119] Despite rising living standards in the late 1950s and 1960s, the UK's economic performance was less successful than many of its main competitors such as France, West Germany and Japan. The UK was the first democratic nation to lower its voting age to 18 in 1969.^[120]

In the decades-long process of European integration, the UK was a founding member of the Western European Union, established with the London and Paris Conferences in 1954. In 1960 the UK was one of the seven founding members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but in 1973 it left to join the European Communities (EC). In a 1975 referendum 67% voted to stay in it.^[121] When the EC became the European Union (EU) in 1992, the UK was one of the 12 founding member states.

From the late 1960s, Northern Ireland suffered communal and paramilitary violence (sometimes affecting other parts of the UK) conventionally known as

Belfast "Good Friday" Agreement.^[122] Following a period of widespread economic slowdown and industrial strife in the 1970s, the Conservative government of the 1980s led by Margaret Thatcher initiated a radical policy of monetarism, deregulation, particularly of the financial sector (for example, the Big Bang in 1986) and labour markets, the sale of state-owned companies (privatisation), and the withdrawal of subsidies to others.^[123]

In 1982, Argentina invaded the British territories of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, leading to the 10-week Falklands War in which Argentine forces were defeated. The inhabitants of the islands are predominantly descendants of British settlers, and strongly favour British sovereignty, expressed in a 2013 referendum. From 1984, the UK economy was helped by the inflow of substantial North Sea oil revenues.^[124] Another British overseas territory, Gibraltar, ceded to Great Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht,^[125] is a key military base. A referendum in 2002 on shared sovereignty with Spain was rejected by 98.97% of voters in the territory.

Around the end of the 20th century, there were major changes to the governance of the UK with the establishment of devolved administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.^[126] The statutory incorporation followed acceptance of the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK remained a great power with global diplomatic and military influence and a leading role in the United Nations and NATO.^[127]

21st century

Main articles: Political history of the United Kingdom (1979–present) and Social history of the United Kingdom (1979–present)

Brexit referendum

The UK broadly supported the United States' approach to the "war on terror" in the early 21st century.^[128] British troops fought in the War in Afghanistan, but controversy surrounded Britain's military deployment in Iraq, which saw the largest protest in British history in opposition to the government led by Tony Blair.^[129]

The Great Recession severely affected the UK economy.^[130] The Cameron–Clegg coalition government of 2010 introduced austerity measures intended to tackle the substantial public deficits.^[131] Studies have suggested that policy led to significant social disruption and suffering.^[132][133] A referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 resulted in the Scottish electorate voting by 55.3 to 44.7% to remain part of the United Kingdom.^[134]

In 2016, 51.9 per cent of voters in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.^[135] The UK left the EU in 2020.^[136] On 1 May 2021, the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement came into force.^[137]

The

Oxford University and AstraZeneca, which allowed the UK's vaccine rollout to be among the fastest in the world.^[141][142]

Geography

Main articles: Geography of the United Kingdom, Fauna of Great Britain, and Flora of Great Britain and Ireland

Satellite image of the United Kingdom (excluding Shetland

)

The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 94,354 square miles (244,376 km²),[f]^[12] with a land area of 93,723 square miles (242,741 km²).^[12] The country occupies the major part of the British Isles^[143] archipelago and includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland and some smaller surrounding islands. It lies between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea with the southeast coast coming within 22 miles (35 km) of the coast of northern France, from which it is separated by the English Channel.^[144]

The

Prime Meridian^[145] at the International Meridian Conference in 1884.^[146]

The United Kingdom lies between latitudes 49° and 61° N, and longitudes 9° W and 2° E. Northern Ireland shares a 224-mile (360 km) land boundary with the Republic of Ireland.^[144] The coastline of Great Britain is 11,073 miles (17,820 km) long,^[147] though measurements can vary greatly due to the coastline paradox.^[148] It is connected to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel, which at 31 miles (50 km) (24 miles (38 km) underwater) is the longest underwater tunnel in the world.^[149]

The UK contains four terrestrial ecoregions: Celtic broadleaf forests, English Lowlands beech forests, North Atlantic moist mixed forests, and Caledonian conifer forests.^[150] The area of woodland in the UK in 2023 is estimated to be 3.25 million hectares, which represents 13% of the total land area in the UK.^[151]

Climate

Main articles: Climate of the United Kingdom and Climate change in the United Kingdom

Most of the United Kingdom has a temperate climate, with generally cool temperatures and plentiful rainfall all year round.

subpolar oceanic climate. Higher elevations in Scotland experience a continental subarctic climate and the mountains experience a tundra climate.^[153]

The prevailing wind is from the southwest and bears frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Atlantic Ocean,[144] although the eastern parts are mostly sheltered from this wind. Since the majority of the rain falls over the western regions, the eastern parts are the driest. Atlantic currents, warmed by the Gulf Stream, bring mild winters, especially in the west where winters are wet and even more so over high ground. Summers are warmest in the southeast of England and coolest in the north. Heavy snowfall can occur in winter and early spring on high ground, and occasionally settles to great depth away from the hills.^[154]

The average total annual sunshine in the United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible.^[155] The hours of sunshine vary from 1200 to about 1580 hours per year, and since 1996 the UK has been and still is receiving above the 1981 to 2010 average hours of sunshine.^[156]

Climate change has a serious impact on the country. A third of food price rise in 2023 is attributed to climate change.

net zero by 2050.^[159]

Topography

England accounts for 53 per cent of the UK, covering 50,350 square miles (130,395 km²).^[160] Most of the country consists of lowland terrain,^[161] with upland and mountainous terrain northwest of the Tees–Exe line which roughly divides the UK into lowland and upland areas. Lowland areas include Cornwall, the New Forest, the South Downs and the Norfolk Broads. Upland areas include the Lake District, the Pennines, the Yorkshire Dales, Exmoor, and Dartmoor. The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames, Severn, and the Humber. England's highest mountain is Scafell Pike, at 978 metres (3,209 ft) in the Lake District; its largest island is the Isle of Wight.

Pembrokeshire Coast.^[147] Several islands lie off the Welsh mainland, the largest of which is Anglesey

(Ynys Môn).

Northern Ireland, separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea and North Channel, has an area of 5,470 square miles (14,160 km²) and is mostly hilly. It includes Lough Neagh which, at 150 square miles (388 km²), is the largest lake in the British Isles by area,^[167] Lough Erne which has over 150 islands and the Giant's Causeway which is a World Heritage Site. The highest peak in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains at 852 metres (2,795 ft).^[161]

Politics

Main articles: Politics of the United Kingdom, Government of the United Kingdom, and Monarchy of the United Kingdom

Charles III,
king since 2022

Keir Starmer,
prime minister since 2024

The UK is a

constitutional conventions.^[176] Nevertheless, the Supreme Court recognises a number of principles underlying the British constitution, such as parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law, democracy, and upholding international law.^[177]

ministers of the Crown responsible to Parliament and thence to the electorate. Nevertheless, in the performance of official duties, the monarch has "the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn".^[179] In addition, the monarch has a number of reserve powers at his disposal, albeit rarely used, to uphold responsible government and prevent constitutional crises.^[s]

For

general elections (elections to the House of Commons), the UK is currently divided into 650 constituencies, each of which is represented by one member of Parliament (MP) elected by the first-past-the-post system.^[181] MPs hold office for up to five years and must then stand for re-election if they wish to continue to be an MP.^[181] The Conservative Party, colloquially known as the Tory Party or the Tories, and the Labour Party have been the dominant political parties in the UK since the 1920s, leading to the UK being described as a two-party system. However, since the 1920s other political parties have won seats in the House of Commons, although never more than the Conservatives or Labour.^[182]

Privy Council, promulgates statutory instruments and tenders advice to the monarch.^{[184][185][186]} Nearly all prime ministers have served concurrently as First Lord of the Treasury^[187] and all prime ministers have continuously served as First Lord of the Treasury since 1905,^[188] Minister for the Civil Service since 1968,^[189] and Minister for the Union since 2019.^[190] While appointed by the monarch, in modern times the prime minister is, by convention, an MP, the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons, and holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the House of Commons.^{[191][192][193]} The current Prime Minister, as of July 2024, is Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party

.

Although not part of the United Kingdom, the three

Foreign Office.^[194]

Administrative divisions

Main articles:

List of counties in the United Kingdom

The geographical division of the United Kingdom into counties or shires began in England and Scotland in the early Middle Ages, and was completed throughout Great Britain and Ireland by the early Modern Period.^[195] Modern local government by elected councils, partly based on the ancient counties, was established by separate Acts of Parliament: in England and Wales in 1888, Scotland in 1889 and Ireland in 1898, meaning there is no consistent system of administrative or geographic demarcation across the UK.^[196] Until the 19th century there was little change to those arrangements, but there has since been a constant evolution of role and function.^[197]

Local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to local arrangements. The upper-tier subdivisions of England are the nine regions, now used primarily for statistical purposes.^[198] One of the regions, Greater London, has had a directly elected assembly and mayor since 2000 following popular support for the proposal in a 1998 referendum.^[199]

Local government in Scotland is divided into 32 council areas with a wide variation in size and population. The cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee are separate council areas, as is the Highland Council, which includes a third of Scotland's area but only just over 200,000 people. Local councils are made up of elected councillors, of whom there are 1,223.^[200]

Local government in Wales consists of 22 unitary authorities, each led by a leader and cabinet elected by the council itself. These include the cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, which are unitary authorities in their own right.^[201] Elections are held every four years under the first-past-the-post system.^[201]

Local government in Northern Ireland since 1973, has been organised into 26 district councils, each elected by single transferable vote. Their powers are limited to services such as waste collection, dog control, and maintaining parks and cemeteries.^[202] In 2008 the executive agreed on proposals to create 11 new councils and replace the present system.^[203]

Devolution

Main article: Devolution in the United Kingdom

Welsh Parliament

in Cardiff

In the United Kingdom a process of devolution has transferred various powers from the UK Government to three of the four UK countries - Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as to the regions of England. These powers vary and have been moved to the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and in England, the Greater London Authority, Combined Authorities and Combined County Authorities.^[204]

The UK has an uncodified constitution and constitutional matters are not among the powers that have been devolved. Under the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, the UK Parliament could, in theory, therefore, abolish the Scottish Parliament, Senedd or Northern Ireland Assembly.^[205] Though in the Scotland Act 2016 and the Wales Act 2017 it states that the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government "are a permanent part of the United Kingdom's constitutional arrangements".^[206][207]

In practice, it would be politically difficult for the UK Parliament to abolish devolution to the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd, because these institutions were created by referendum decisions.^[208] The political constraints placed upon the UK Parliament's power to interfere with devolution in Northern Ireland are greater still, because devolution in Northern Ireland rests upon an international agreement with the Government of Ireland.^[209] The UK Parliament restricts the three devolved parliaments' legislative powers in economic policy matters through an act passed in 2020.^[210]

Unlike Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, England does not have a separate devolved government or national parliament,^[211] rather a process of devolution of powers from the central government to local authorities has taken place, first in 1998.^[212] The Greater London Authority (GLA) was set up following a referendum in 1998. Colloquially known as City Hall, it is the devolved regional government body for Greater London. It consists of two political branches: an Executive Mayor and the London Assembly, which serves as a check and balance on the Mayor.

A Combined Authority (CA) is a type of local government institution introduced in England outside Greater London by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. CAs allow a group of local authorities to pool appropriate responsibility and receive certain devolved functions from central government in order to deliver transport and economic policy more effectively over a wider area.^[213]

A Combined County Authority (CCA) is a similar type of local-government institution introduced in England outside Greater London by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, but may only be formed by upper-tier authorities: county councils and unitary authorities.^[214]

Since 1999, Scotland has had a devolved national government and parliament with wide-ranging powers over any matter that has not been specifically

The current Scottish Government is a Scottish National Party minority government,^[224] led by First Minister John Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party. In 2014, the Scottish independence referendum was held, with 55.3% voting against independence from the United Kingdom and 44.7% voting in favour, resulting in Scotland staying within the United Kingdom. Local government in Scotland is divided into 32 council areas with a wide variation in size and population. Local councils are made up of elected councillors, of whom there are 1,223.^[200]

The Scottish Parliament is separate from the Scottish Government. It is made up of 129 elected

The UK is a

The United Kingdom does not have a single legal system as Article 19 of the

Crime in England and Wales increased in the period between 1981 and 1995, though since that peak there has been an overall fall of 66 per cent in recorded crime from 1995 to 2015,[246] according to crime statistics. As of June 2023, the United Kingdom has the highest per-capita incarceration rate in Western Europe.^{[247][248][249]}

HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales

Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Defender

Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon Jet

British Army Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank

The

The UK is the 34th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index.^[256]

According to sources which include the

HM Treasury, led by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is responsible for developing and executing the government's public finance policy and economic policy. The Department for Business and Trade is responsible for business, international trade, and enterprise. The Bank of England is the UK's central bank and is responsible for issuing notes and coins in the pound sterling. 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 their issue. In 2022, the UK became the world's fourth-largest exporter behind only China, the US, and Germany.^[269] The estimated nominal GDP of the UK for 2024 is £2.765 trillion.^[270] This value is 23% higher than the 2019 figure of £2.255 trillion^[271] before leaving the EU (at similar US and EU exchange rates to 2019).^[272][t] Inflation in the UK rose by 2% in the year to May 2024 which was the governments target.^[274][275]

The service sector made up around 80% of the UK's GVA in 2021.^[276] As of 2022, the UK is the world's second-largest exporter of services.^[277] London is one of the world's largest financial centres, ranking second in the world in the Global Financial Centres Index in 2022. London also has the largest city GDP in Europe.^[278] Edinburgh ranks 17th in the world, and sixth in Western Europe in the Global Financial Centres Index in 2020.^[279]

The country's tourism sector is very important to the British economy; London was named as Europe's most popular destination for 2022.^[280][281] The creative industries accounted for 5.9% of the UK's GVA in 2019, having grown by 43.6% in real terms from 2010.^[282] Creative industries contributed more than £111bn to the UK economy in 2018, growth in the sector is more than five times larger than growth across the UK economy as a whole as reported in 2018.^[283] Lloyd's of London is the world's largest insurance and reinsurance market and is located in London.^[284] WPP plc, the world's biggest advertising company, is also based in the UK. The UK is one of the leading retail markets in Europe and is home to Europe's largest e-commerce market.^[285] With consumption expenditures of over $2 trillion in 2023, the UK has the second-largest consumer market in Europe.^[286] John Lewis is the UK's largest employee-owned business.^[287]

The British automotive industry employs around 800,000 people, with a turnover in 2022 of £67 billion, generating £27 billion of exports (10% of the UK's total export of goods).^[288] In 2023, the UK produced around 905,100 passenger vehicles and 120,400 commercial vehicles, output was up 17.0% on the previous year.^[289] Britain is known for iconic cars such as Mini and Jaguar,^[290] also other luxury cars such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Range Rover. The UK is a major centre for engine manufacturing: in 2022 around 1.5 million engines were produced.^[288] It is also the world's fourth-largest exporter of engines, as of 2021.^[291] The UK motorsport industry employs more than 40,000 people, comprises around 4,300 companies and has an annual turnover of around £10 billion.^[292] 7 of the 10 Formula One teams are based in the UK, with their technology being used in supercars and hypercars from McLaren, Aston Martin and Lotus.^[u]

The aerospace industry of the UK is the second-largest national aerospace industry in the world depending upon the method of measurement^{[clarification needed]} and has an annual turnover of around £30 billion.^[293] The UK space industry was worth £17.5bn in 2020/21 and employed 48,800 people. Since 2012, the number of space organisations has grown on average nearly 21% per year, with 1,293 organisations reported in 2021.^[294][295] The UK Space Agency has stated in 2023 that it is investing £1.6 billion in space-related projects.^[296]

England and Scotland were leading centres of the

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for helping to encourage, develop and manage the UK's scientific, research, and technological outputs. Scientific research and development remains important in British universities, with many establishing science parks to facilitate production and co-operation with industry.^[306] In 2022 the UK retained its number one spot for technology in Europe reaching a combined market value of $1 trillion. Cambridge was named the number one university in the world for producing successful technology founders.^[307]

In 2024 the UK is in the 5th place ranking in the

A radial road network totals 29,145 miles (46,904 km) of main roads, 2,173 miles (3,497 km) of motorways and 213,750 miles (344,000 km) of paved roads.^[144] The M25, encircling London, is the largest and busiest bypass in the world.^[311] In 2022, there were a total of 40.8 million licensed vehicles in Great Britain.^[312]

The UK has an extensive railway network of 10,072 miles (16,209 km). In Great Britain, the British Rail network was privatised between 1994 and 1997, followed by a rapid rise in passenger numbers. Great British Railways is a planned state-owned public body that will oversee rail transport in Great Britain. The UK was ranked eighth among national European rail systems in the 2017 European Railway Performance Index assessing intensity of use, quality of service and safety.^[313]

The UK has a direct train between London and Paris which takes 2hrs 16mins

In 2014, there were 5.2 billion bus journeys in the UK, 2.4 billion of which were in London.[320] The red double-decker bus has entered popular culture as an internationally recognised icon of England.^[321] The London bus network is extensive, with over 6,800 scheduled services every weekday carrying about six million passengers on over 700 different routes making it one of the most extensive bus systems in the world and the largest in Europe.^[322]

During 2023,

In 2021, the UK was the world's 14th-largest consumer of energy and the 22nd-largest producer.^[326] The UK is home to many large energy companies, including two of the six major oil and gas companies – BP and Shell.^[327]

The total of all renewable electricity sources provided 43% of the electricity generated in the UK in 2020.^[328] Wind power production is the country's fastest-growing supply; in 2022, 26.8% of the UK's total electricity was generated by wind power.^[329] The UK has the largest offshore wind farm in the world, which is located off the coast of Yorkshire.^[330]

In 2023, the UK had 9 nuclear reactors normally generating about 15 per cent of the UK's electricity.

Access to improved water supply and sanitation in the UK is universal. It is estimated that 96 per cent of households are connected to the sewer network.

In England and Wales water and sewerage services are provided by 10 private regional water and sewerage companies and 13 mostly smaller private "water only" companies. In Scotland, water and sewerage services are provided by a single public company, Scottish Water. In Northern Ireland water and sewerage services are also provided by a single public entity, Northern Ireland Water.^[341]

In the

England's population in 2011 was 53 million, representing some 84 per cent of the UK total.[346] It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with 420 people per square kilometre in mid-2015,^[343] with a particular concentration in London and the south-east.^[347] The 2011 census put Scotland's population at 5.3 million,^[348] Wales at 3.06 million and Northern Ireland at 1.81 million.^[346]

In 2017 the total fertility rate across the UK was 1.74 children born per woman.^[349] While a rising birth rate is contributing to population growth, it remains considerably below the baby boom peak of 2.95 children per woman in 1964,^[350] or the high of 6.02 children born per woman in 1815,^[351] below the replacement rate of 2.1, but higher than the 2001 record low of 1.63.^[352] In 2011, 47.3 per cent of births in the UK were to unmarried women.^[353] The Office for National Statistics reported in 2015 that out of the UK population aged 16 and over, 1.7 per cent identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual (2.0 per cent of males and 1.5 per cent of females); 4.5 per cent of respondents responded with "other", "I don't know", or did not respond.^[354] The number of transgender people in the UK was estimated to be between 65,000 and 300,000 by research between 2001 and 2008.^[355]

Historically, indigenous British people were thought to be

Ethnic diversity varies significantly across the UK. 30.4 per cent of London's population and 37.4 per cent of Leicester's was estimated to be non-white in 2005^[update],^[367] whereas less than 5 per cent of the populations of North East England, Wales and the South West were from ethnic minorities, according to the 2001 census.^[368] In 2016^[update], 31.4 per cent of primary and 27.9 per cent of secondary pupils at state schools in England were members of an ethnic minority.^[369]

The

Three indigenous

Forms of Christianity

The Church of England is the established church in England.^[398] It retains a representation in the UK Parliament, and the British monarch is its Supreme Governor.^[399] In Scotland, the Church of Scotland is recognised as the national church. It is not subject to state control, and the British monarch is an ordinary member, required to swear an oath to "maintain and preserve the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government" upon his or her accession.^{[400][2][401]} The Church in Wales was disestablished in 1920 and, because the Church of Ireland was disestablished in 1870 before the partition of Ireland, there is no established church in Northern Ireland.^[402] Although there are no UK-wide data in the 2001 census on adherence to individual Christian denominations, it has been estimated that 62 per cent of Christians are Anglican, 13.5 per cent Catholic, 6 per cent Presbyterian, and 3.4 per cent Methodist, with small numbers of other Protestant denominations.^[403]

Immigration is now^[when?] contributing to a rising UK population,^[404][405] with arrivals and UK-born children of migrants accounting for about half of the population increase between 1991 and 2001. According to official statistics released in 2015, 27 per cent of UK live births in 2014 were to mothers born outside the UK.^[406] The ONS reported that net migration rose from 2009 to 2010 by 21 per cent to 239,000.^[407]

In 2013, approximately 208,000 foreign nationals were naturalised as British citizens, the highest number since 1962. This figure fell to around 125,800 in 2014. Between 2009 and 2013, the average number of British citizenships granted annually was 195,800. The most common previous nationalities of those naturalised in 2014 were Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Nigerian, Bangladeshi, Nepali, Chinese, South African, Polish and Somali.^[408] The total number of grants of settlement, which confer permanent residence in the UK but not citizenship,^[409] was approximately 154,700 in 2013, higher than the previous two years.^[408] Long-term net migration (the number of people immigrating minus the number emigrating) reached a record high of 764,000 in 2022, with immigration at 1.26 million and emigration at 493,000.^[410] In 2023 net migration was 685,000; 10% of the total who came to the UK in that year were EU Nationals.^[405] More EU Nationals left the UK than arrived.^[405]

Emigration was an important feature of British society in the 19th century. Between 1815 and 1930, around 11.4 million people emigrated from Britain and 7.3 million from Ireland. Estimates show that by the end of the 20th century, some 300 million people of British and Irish descent were permanently settled around the globe.^[411] Today,^[when?] at least 5.5 million UK-born people live abroad,^[412][413] mainly in Australia, Spain, the United States and Canada.^[412][414]

Education in the United Kingdom is a

University education has varied tuition fees between the different regions of the UK. England and Wales have a fixed maximum annual fee for all UK citizens, contingent on attaining a certain level of income. Only those who reach a certain salary threshold (£21,000) pay this fee through general taxation. Northern Ireland and Scotland have a reduced maximum fee or no fee for citizens where it is their home region. Some NHS courses have bursaries which pay the fee and in 2017 it was stated that each doctor gets subsidised by £230,000 during their training.^[418][419]

In 2022, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), coordinated by the OECD, ranked the overall knowledge and skills of British 15-year-olds as 14th in the world in reading, mathematics and science. The average British student scored 494, well above the OECD average of 478.^[420][421]

The modern system of universal publicly funded in the United Kingdom has its origins in the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1949 which still exists to this day and is the primary healthcare provider in the United Kingdom. The widespread popularity of the NHS has led to it being described as a "national religion".^[422][423] Healthcare in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter and each country has its own system of universal publicly funded healthcare, although private healthcare is also available. Public healthcare is provided to all UK permanent residents and is mostly free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation. The World Health Organization, in 2000, ranked the provision of healthcare in the United Kingdom as fifteenth best in Europe and eighteenth in the world.^[424]

Since 1979, expenditure on healthcare has been increased significantly.

The culture of the United Kingdom is influenced by many factors including: the nation's island status;

British literature includes literature associated with the United Kingdom, the

Scotland's contributions include Arthur Conan Doyle (the creator of Sherlock Holmes), Sir Walter Scott, J. M. Barrie, Robert Louis Stevenson and the poet Robert Burns. More recently Hugh MacDiarmid and Neil M. Gunn contributed to the Scottish Renaissance, with grimmer works from Ian Rankin and Iain Banks. Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, was UNESCO's first worldwide City of Literature.^[437]

Welsh literature includes Britain's oldest known poem,

Northern Ireland's most popular writer is

C.S. Lewis who was born in Belfast and wrote The Chronicles of Narnia.^[443] Irish writers, living at a time when all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, include Oscar Wilde,^[444] Bram Stoker^[445] and George Bernard Shaw.^[446] There have been many authors whose origins were from outside the United Kingdom but who moved to the UK, including Joseph Conrad,^[447] T. S. Eliot,^[448] Kazuo Ishiguro,^[449] Sir Salman Rushdie^[450] and Ezra Pound.^[451]

Philosophy

Main article: British philosophy

The United Kingdom is famous for the tradition of '

Scottish School of Common Sense'.^[452] The most famous philosophers of British Empiricism are John Locke, George Berkeley^[x] and David Hume; while Dugald Stewart, Thomas Reid and William Hamilton were major exponents of the Scottish "common sense" school. Two Britons are also notable for the ethical theory of utilitarianism, a moral philosophy first used by Jeremy Bentham and later by John Stuart Mill in his short work Utilitarianism.^[453]

Music

Main article: Music of the United Kingdom

The Proms is a classical music festival, most closely associated with Henry Wood and held at the Royal Albert Hall, which regularly plays music by Edward Elgar

and other British composers.

Various styles of music have become popular in the UK, including the indigenous

coronation of George II; it became the traditional ceremonial music for anointing all future monarchs. Handel's many oratorios, such as his famous Messiah, were written in the English language.^[454] In the second half of the 19th century, as Arthur Sullivan and his librettist W. S. Gilbert wrote their popular Savoy operas, Edward Elgar's wide range of music rivalled that of his contemporaries on the continent. Increasingly, however, composers became inspired by the English countryside and its folk music, notably Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Benjamin Britten, a pioneer of modern British opera. Among the many post-war composers, some of the most notable have made their own personal choice of musical identity: Peter Maxwell Davies (Orkney), Harrison Birtwistle (mythological), and John Tavener (religious).^[455] Today, recent classical singers include: Alfie Boe, Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins, Michael Ball, Roderick Williams, Russell Watson and Sarah Brightman, while Nicola Benedetti and Nigel Kennedy are renowned for their violin ability.^[456]

According to

Kano, Yxng Bane, Ramz, Little Simz and Skepta.^[467]

The Beatles have international sales of over 1 billion units and are the biggest-selling and most influential band in the history of popular music.^{[468][469][470][471]} Other prominent British contributors to have influenced popular music over the last 50 years include the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Queen, Led Zeppelin, the Bee Gees, and Elton John, all of whom have worldwide record sales of 200 million or more.^[472] The Brit Awards are the BPI's annual music awards, and some of the British recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Music award include the Who, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, the Police, and Fleetwood Mac (who are a British-American band).^[473] More recent UK music acts that have had international success include George Michael, Oasis, Spice Girls, Radiohead, Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Robbie Williams, Amy Winehouse, Susan Boyle, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi, One Direction, Harry Styles and Dua Lipa.^[474]

A number of UK cities are known for their music. Acts from Liverpool have had 54 UK chart number 1 hit singles, more per capita than any other city worldwide.^[475] Glasgow's contribution to music was recognised in 2008 when it was named a UNESCO City of Music.^[476] Manchester played a role in the spread of dance music such as acid house, and from the mid-1990s, Britpop. London and Bristol are closely associated with the origins of electronic music sub-genres such as drum and bass and trip hop.^[477]

UK dance music traces its roots back to the Black British

Sasha.^[482]

Visual art

Main articles: Art of the United Kingdom and Architecture of the United Kingdom

Major British artists include: the

Sam Taylor-Wood and the Chapman Brothers

are among the better-known members of this loosely affiliated movement.

The

National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain and Tate Modern (the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year).^[484]

Cinema

Main articles: Cinema of the United Kingdom and Theatre of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has had a considerable influence on the history of the cinema. The British directors

James Bond).^[491]

2019 was a particularly good year for British films which grossed around £10.3 billion globally which was 28.7% of global box office revenue.[492] UK box-office takings totalled £1.25 billion in 2019, with around 176 million admissions.^[493] In 2023 UK film and television studio stage space stands at 6.9 million sq ft, with 1 million sq ft added in the past year with more in development.^[494] The annual BAFTA Film Awards are hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.^[495]

Cuisine

Main article: British cuisine

Further information: English cuisine, Northern Irish cuisine, Scottish cuisine, and Welsh cuisine

British cuisine developed from various influences reflective of its land, settlements, arrivals of new settlers and immigrants, trade and colonialism. The food of England has historically been characterised by its simplicity of approach and a reliance on the high quality of natural produce.^[496] The traditional Sunday roast is one example, featuring a roasted joint, usually of beef, lamb, chicken or pork, often free range (and generally grass-fed, in the case of beef). Roasts are served with either roasted or boiled vegetables, Yorkshire pudding, and gravy. Other traditional meals include meat pies and various stews. A 2019 YouGov poll rated classic British food, the following had more than 80% of people like them who had tried them: Sunday roast, Yorkshire pudding, Fish and chips, Crumpets, and Full English breakfast.^[497]

The UK is home to a large selection of

vegetarian diets have increased in Britain in recent years.^[500]

The

settled in Britain, producing hybrid dishes, such as chicken tikka masala.^[501]

The British have embraced world cuisine and regularly eat recipes or fast food from Europe, the Caribbean and Asia.

Media

Main article:

Media of the United Kingdom

The BBC, founded in 1922, is the UK's publicly funded radio, television and Internet broadcasting corporation, and is the oldest and largest broadcaster in the world.^{[502][503][504]} It operates numerous television and radio stations in the UK and abroad and its domestic services are funded by the television licence.^[505] The BBC World Service is an international broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC. It is the world's largest of any kind.^[506] It broadcasts radio news, speech and discussions in more than 40 languages.^[507]

Other major players in the UK media include ITV, which operates 11 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network,^[508] and Sky.^[509] Newspapers produced in the United Kingdom include the Daily Mail, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times, and the Financial Times.^[510] Magazines and journals published in the United Kingdom that have achieved worldwide circulation include The Spectator, The Economist, New Statesman, and Radio Times.

London dominates the media sector in the UK: national newspapers and television and radio are largely based there, although

Anglophone countries.^[513]

In 2010, 82.5 per cent of the UK population were Internet users, the highest proportion among the 20 countries with the largest total number of users in that year.

largest video game market in Europe by sales, overtaking Germany.^[515] It is the world's third-largest producer of video games after Japan and the United States.^[516]

Sport

Main articles: Sport in the United Kingdom and Great Britain at the Olympics

Manchester United

Victorian Britain.^[y]

A 2003 poll found that football is the most popular sport in the UK.

Football Association is the oldest of its kind, with the rules of football first drafted in 1863 by Ebenezer Cobb Morley.^[520] Each of the Home Nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) has its own football association, national team and league system, and each is individually a governing member of the International Football Association Board alongside FIFA. The English top division, the Premier League, is the most watched football league in the world.^[521] The first international football match was contested by England and Scotland on 30 November 1872.^[522] England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland usually compete as separate countries in international competitions.^[523]

In 2003, rugby union was ranked the second most popular sport in the UK.

British and Irish Lions

which tours Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The United Kingdom hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1908, 1948 and 2012, with London acting as the host city on all three occasions. Birmingham hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the seventh time a constitute country in the United Kingdom hosted the Commonwealth Games (England, Scotland and Wales have each hosted the Commonwealth Games at least once).^[527]

Symbols

Main article:

Symbols of the United Kingdom

The

Saint Patrick's Flag.^[529] Wales is not represented in the Union Flag, as Wales had been conquered and annexed to England prior to the formation of the United Kingdom. The possibility of redesigning the Union Flag to include representation of Wales has not been completely ruled out.^[530] The national anthem of the United Kingdom is "God Save the King

", with "King" replaced with "Queen" in the lyrics whenever the monarch is a woman.

Britannia is a national personification of the United Kingdom, originating from Roman Britain.^[531] Beside The Lion and the Unicorn and the dragon of heraldry, the bulldog is an iconic animal and commonly represented with the Union Flag.^[532] A now rare personification is a character originating in the 18th century, John Bull.^[533]

England, Wales, and Scotland each have a number of their own national symbols, including their national flags. Northern Ireland also has a number of symbols, many of which are shared with the Republic of Ireland.

See also

• Outline of the United Kingdom
  • Outline of England
  • Outline of Northern Ireland
  • Outline of Scotland
  • Outline of Wales
• Index of United Kingdom-related articles
• International rankings of the United Kingdom
• Historiography of the United Kingdom
• Historiography of the British Empire
• United Kingdom–Crown Dependencies Customs Union

Notes