Quezi

Jun
17
2009

What are the key facts about the United Kingdom?

London, England, United Kingdom (photo by René Ehrhardt - CC-BY, flag by Zscout370 - PD)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (“the UK”) lies to the west of continental Europe. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The national anthem is God Save The Queen.

How big is the United Kingdom?

The United Kingdom has an area of 244,820 square kilometers (94,525 square miles), a little smaller than New Zealand or Italy.^C09

What is the population of the United Kingdom?

In July 2009 the population of the UK was estimated at 61,113,205 – and growing at 0.279% per year. 16.7% of those are under 15, and 16.2% are over 65. The median age is 40.2 years. There are around 1.02 females for every male.^C09

What is the UK’s climate?

Most of the UK is damp overcast temperate, with the east coast being drier and sunnier but colder. It’s the second windiest country in Europe, after the Netherlands.

The south-east is generally warmer and less windy; the south-west is generally warmer and sunnier.

What currency is used in the United Kingdom?

The UK uses a pound of one hundred pence. Prior to decimalisation it used a pound of twenty shillings, each of twelve pence.

What is the political structure of the UK?

The United Kingdom is a hereditary monarchy with two houses of parliament. The lower house, the House of Commons, is elected under a “first-past-the-post” system. The upper house, the House of Lords, is unelected. For most of its existence, the House of Lords was hereditary but nowadays its members are political appointees and sit for life.

The Queen is chief of state and appoints the Prime Minister (normally the leader of the parliamentary majority) as head of government, who then appoints a cabinet of ministers.

Some powers have been devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, the Scottish Parliament, and Northern Ireland Assembly.

What are the constituent parts of the United Kingdom?

England (capital London)
Wales (capital Cardiff)
Scotland (capital Edinburgh)
Northern Ireland (capital Belfast)

What powers the United Kingdom economy?

1.4% of the labor force work in agriculture, producing cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry and fish.

18.2% of the labor force work in industry: machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railway equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper, food processing, textiles, clothing, and consumer goods.

80.4% of the labor force work in services.^C09

What does the UK export and import?

Major exports are manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, food, beverages, and tobacco—primarily to the US, Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Italy.

Major imports are manufactured goods, machinery, fuels and food—primarily from Germany, the US, China, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Norway and Italy.^C09

What sports and recreations are popular in the UK?

Sports include cricket (particularly in England), football (soccer), rugby union, rugby league (particularly in the north of England), tennis, snooker, rowing, golf, horse racing and motor racing.

Recreational opportunities include sailing, walking (either “fell walking” in the mountains, or “rambling” along public rights-of-way in lowland areas), orienteering, mountain biking, rock climbing and horse-riding, not to mention bowls, train-spotting and pigeon racing.

What are the tourism and travel highlights of the UK?

The cities overflow with cultural sites, palaces, galleries, castles and museums. Mountain and hill scenery abounds in the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Peak District, Dartmoor and other national parks.

There’s a rich archaeological heritage to be explored, both ancient monuments such as Stonehenge, and more recent industrial archaeology as the birthplace of the industrial revolution.