   #copyright

United Kingdom

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Countries; European
Countries; Geography of Great Britain

   United Kingdom of Great Britain
   and Northern Ireland^1

   Flag of the United Kingdom Coat of arms of the United Kingdom
   Flag                       Coat of arms
   Motto: Dieu et mon droit  (the Royal motto^3)
   (French for "God and my right")
   Anthem: " God Save the Queen" ^4
   Location of the United Kingdom
   Capital London
   51°30′N 0°7′W
   Most populous conurbation Greater London Urban Area
   Official languages English ( de facto^5)
   Government Constitutional monarchy
    - Queen Queen Elizabeth II
    - Prime Minister Tony Blair
   Formation
    - Union of the Crowns 24 March 1603
    - Acts of Union 1 May 1707
    - Act of Union 1 January 1801
    - Anglo-Irish Treaty 12 April 1922
   Accession to EU 1 January 1973
   Area
    - Total 244,820 km² ( 79th)
   94,526 sq mi
    - Water (%) 1.34
   Population
    - 2005 estimate 60,209,500^6 ( 21st)
    - 2001 census 58,789,194
    - Density 243/km² ( 48th)
   629/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2005 estimate
    - Total $1.833 trillion ( 6th)
    - Per capita $30,436 ( 18th)
   GDP (nominal) 2005 estimate
    - Total $2.201 trillion ( 5th)
    - Per capita $37,023 ( 13th)
   HDI  (2004) 0.940 (high) ( 18th)
   Currency Pound sterling (£) ( GBP)
   Time zone GMT ( UTC+0)
    - Summer ( DST) BST ( UTC+1)
   Internet TLD .uk^7
   Calling code +44
   ^1 In the UK, some other languages have been officially recognised as
   legitimate autochthonous (regional) languages under the European
   Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, the UK's
   official name is as follows:
   Welsh: Teyrnas Unedig Prydain Fawr a Gogledd Iwerddon
   Scottish Gaelic: An Rìoghachd Aonaichte na Breatainn Mhòr agus Eirinn a
   Tuath
   Irish: Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire agus Thuaisceart Éireann
   Scots: Unitit Kinrick o Great Breetain an Northren Ireland
   Cornish: An Rywvaneth Unys a Vreten Veur hag Iwerdhon Glédh
   ^2 There is also a variant for use in Scotland; see Royal coat of arms
   of the United Kingdom.
   ^3 The Royal motto used in Scotland is Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (Latin:
   "No-one provokes me with impunity").
   ^4 See #Symbols below. It also serves as the Royal anthem.
   ^5 In addition to English (use established by precedent), Welsh is
   recognised in Wales as a "language of equal standing". Since 2005,
   Scottish Gaelic in Scotland has the status of "an official language of
   Scotland commanding equal respect to the English language" . See also
   Languages in the United Kingdom.
   ^6 Official estimate provided by the UK Office for National Statistics
   .
   ^7 ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 is GB, but .gb is unused. The .eu domain is also
   shared with other European Union member states.

   The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (usually
   shortened to the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a country and
   sovereign state that is situated in north west Europe. Its territory
   and population are primarily situated on the island of Great Britain
   and in Northern Ireland on the island of Ireland, as well as numerous
   smaller islands in the surrounding seas. The United Kingdom 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. The
   mainland is linked to France by the Channel Tunnel and Northern Ireland
   shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland, while both countries
   are part of the Common Travel Area.

   The United Kingdom is a political union made up of four constituent
   countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The United
   Kingdom also has several overseas territories, including Bermuda,
   Gibraltar, Montserrat and Saint Helena among others. The dependencies
   of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, formally possessions of the
   Crown, form a federacy with the United Kingdom collectively known as
   the British Islands. A constitutional monarchy, the United Kingdom is a
   Commonwealth Realm, sharing the same person — Queen Elizabeth II — with
   the fifteen other Realms as monarch and head of state, forming a
   personal union with each.

   A member of the G8, the United Kingdom is a highly developed country
   with the fifth largest economy in the world and second largest in
   Europe, estimated at US$2.2 trillion. It is the third most populous
   state in the European Union with a population of 60.2 million and is a
   founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and
   the United Nations (UN), where it holds a permanent seat on the
   Security Council. The UK is also one of the world's major nuclear
   powers.

   After the end of the British Empire, the UK retains influence
   throughout the world because of the extensive use of the English
   language as well as through the world-spanning Commonwealth of Nations,
   headed by Queen Elizabeth II.

History

   Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the latest of several unions
   formed over the last 300 years. The Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom
   of England had existed as separate states with their own monarchs and
   political structures since the 9th century. The once independent
   Principality of Wales fell under the control of English monarchs from
   the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284, becoming itself part of the Kingdom of
   England by the Laws in Wales Act 1535. With the Act of Union 1707, the
   independent states of England and Scotland, having been in personal
   union since 1603, agreed to a political union as the Kingdom of Great
   Britain.

   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 1691, to form the United Kingdom of Great
   Britain and Ireland. Independence for the now Republic of Ireland in
   1922 followed the 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.

   The dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, the
   United Kingdom is often credited with being the nation that "created
   the modern world", by playing a leading role in developing Western
   ideas of property, capitalism, and parliamentary democracy as well as
   making significant contributions to literature, the arts, and science
   and technology. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over
   one-quarter of the Earth's surface and encompassed a third of its
   population, making it the largest empire in history. The first half of
   the 20th century, however, saw the Empire's strength seriously depleted
   from the effects of World War I and World War II. The second half
   witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the United Kingdom
   rebuilding itself into the modern, prosperous, and technologically
   advanced nation it is today.
   The British Empire in 1897.
   Enlarge
   The British Empire in 1897.

   The United Kingdom has been a member of the European Union since 1973.
   The attitude of the present government towards further integration with
   this organisation is mixed , with the Conservative Party favouring a
   return of some powers and competencies to the state . Plans are to hold
   a referendum on the issue if and when five economic tests indicate that
   entry into the Eurozone would be beneficial.

Government and politics

   The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, with executive power
   exercised on behalf of the monarch by the prime minister and other
   cabinet ministers who head departments. The cabinet, including the
   prime minister, and other ministers collectively make up Her Majesty's
   Government. These ministers are drawn from and are responsible to
   Parliament, the legislative body, which is traditionally considered to
   be "supreme" (that is, able to legislate on any matter and not bound by
   decisions of its predecessors). The United Kingdom is one of the few
   countries in the world today that does not have a codified
   constitution, relying instead on traditional customs and separate
   pieces of constitutional law.

   While the monarch is head of state and technically holds all executive
   power, it is the prime minister who is the head of government. The
   government is answerable chiefly to the House of Commons, from which
   constitutional convention requires that the prime minister be drawn.
   The majority of cabinet members are from the House of Commons, the rest
   from the House of Lords. Ministers do not, however, legally have to
   come from Parliament, though that is the modern day custom. The British
   system of government has been emulated around the world — a legacy of
   the British Empire's colonial past — most notably in the 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. The current prime minister is Tony Blair
   of the Labour Party, who has been in office since 1997.
   The Mall looking onto Buckingham Palace, The official residence of the
   British Monarch.
   Enlarge
   The Mall looking onto Buckingham Palace, The official residence of the
   British Monarch.

   In the United Kingdom, the monarch has extensive theoretical powers,
   but his/her role is mainly, though not exclusively, ceremonial . The
   monarch is an integral part of Parliament (as the "
   Crown-in-Parliament") and theoretically gives Parliament the power to
   meet and create legislation. An Act of Parliament does not become law
   until it has been signed by the monarch (known as Royal Assent),
   although not one has refused assent to a bill that has been approved by
   Parliament since Queen Anne in 1708 . Although the abolition of the
   monarchy has been suggested, the popularity of the monarchy remains
   strong in the United Kingdom. Support for a British republic usually
   fluctuates between 15% and 25% of the population, with roughly 10%
   undecided or indifferent. The current monarch is HM Queen Elizabeth II
   who acceded to the throne in 1952 and was crowned in 1953.

   Parliament is the national legislature of the United Kingdom. It is the
   ultimate legislative authority in the United Kingdom, according to the
   doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty (however, questions over
   sovereignty have been brought forward because of the UK's entry in to
   the European Union ). It is bicameral, composed of the elected House of
   Commons and the unelected House of Lords, whose members are mostly
   appointed. The House of Commons is the more powerful of the two houses.
   The House of Commons houses 646 members who are directly elected from
   single-member constituencies based on population. The House of Lords
   has around 700 members (though the number is not fixed), constituted of
   life peers, hereditary peers, and bishops of the Church of England.
   (Note: The House of Lords Act 1999 removed the automatic inheritance of
   seats in the Lords and permitted just 92 hereditary peers to remain.
   The Church of England is the established church of the state in England
   .)
   The Palace of Westminster, on the banks of the River Thames, London,
   houses the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
   Enlarge
   The Palace of Westminster, on the banks of the River Thames, London,
   houses the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

   Since the 1920s, the two largest political parties in British politics
   have been the Labour Party and Conservative Party. Though coalition and
   minority governments have been an occasional feature of Parliamentary
   politics, the first-past-the-post electoral system used for 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 . The Liberal Democrats are the third
   largest party in the British parliament and actively seek a reform of
   the electoral system to address the dominance of the two-party system .

   Though many in the United Kingdom consider themselves 'British' as well
   as 'English', 'Scottish' 'Welsh', or 'Irish' (and increasingly also
   'Afro-Caribbean', 'Indian', or 'Pakistani'), there has long been a
   widespread sense of separate national identities in the nations of
   Scotland and Wales and amongst the Catholic and Protestant community in
   Northern Ireland . Independence for the Republic of Ireland in 1922
   provided only a partial solution to what had been termed in the 19th
   Century the 'Irish Question', and competing demands for a united
   Ireland or continued union with Great Britain have brought civil strife
   and political instability up to the present day.

   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 United Kingdom as a
   state has not occurred since the 1970s. Scotland, Wales, and Northern
   Ireland each possess a legislature and government alongside that of the
   United Kingdom. However, this increased autonomy and devolution of
   executive and legislative powers has not contributed to a reduction in
   support for independence from the United Kingdom, with the rise of new
   pro-independence parties. For example, the Scottish Green Party and the
   Scottish Socialist Party have gained popularity in recent years but
   have not significantly dented the parliamentary dominance on the three
   main parties.
   Parliament Buildings in Stormont, Belfast, seat of the Northern Ireland
   Assembly
   Enlarge
   Parliament Buildings in Stormont, Belfast, seat of the Northern Ireland
   Assembly

   Tendencies to devolution with the wider United Kingdom have had only
   little resonance in England. 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 ,
   which is raised where certain policies for England are set by MPs from
   all four constituent nations whereas similar policies for Scotland or
   Wales might be decided in the devolved assemblies by legislators from
   those countries alone. Alternative proposals for English regional
   government have stalled, following a poorly received referendum on
   devolved government for the North East of England, which had hitherto
   been considered the region most in favour of the idea. England is
   therefore governed according to the balance of parties across the whole
   of the United Kingdom.

   The resurgence in Celtic language and identity, as well as 'regional'
   politics and development, has contributed to forces pulling against the
   unity of the state . However, there is at present little sign of any
   imminent 'crisis' (at the last General Election, both the Scottish
   National Party and Plaid Cymru saw their percentage of the overall vote
   drop, though the SNP did gain two more seats and are the second largest
   party in the Scottish Parliament as well as official opposition).
   Nevertheless many in Scotland would like independence although most
   English do not. In Northern Ireland, there has been a significant
   decrease in violence over the last twenty years, though the situation
   remains tense, with the more hardline parties, such as Sinn Féin and
   the Democratic Unionists, now holding the most parliamentary seats (see
   Demographics and politics of Northern Ireland).

Law

   Parliament House, Edinburgh is the seat of the supreme courts of
   Scotland.
   Enlarge
   Parliament House, Edinburgh is the seat of the supreme courts of
   Scotland.

   The United Kingdom has three distinct systems of law. English law,
   which applies in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland law, which
   applies in Northern Ireland, are based on common-law principles. Scots
   law, which applies in Scotland, is a hybrid system based on 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 United Kingdom.

   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

   Map of the United Kingdom
   Enlarge
   Map of the United Kingdom

Topography

   Most of England consists of rolling lowland terrain, divided east from
   west by more mountainous terrain 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 Wolds
   and chalk downs of the Southern England Chalk Formation. The main
   rivers and estuaries are the Thames, Severn and the Humber Estuary. The
   largest urban area is Greater London. Near Dover, the Channel Tunnel
   links the United Kingdom with France. There is no peak in England that
   is 1,000 metres (3,300  ft) or greater, the highest mountain being
   Scafell Pike in England's Lake District, at some 978 metres (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 1,343 metres (4,406 ft). There are
   many long and deep-sea arms, firths, and lochs. Scotland has nearly 800
   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 .
   In total it is estimated that the UK includes around 1,000 islands,
   with 700 in Scotland alone .

   Wales (Cymru in Welsh) is mostly mountainous, the highest peak being
   Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) above sea level. North
   of the mainland is the island of Anglesey (Ynys Môn). The largest and
   capital city is Cardiff (Caerdydd); it has been the Welsh Capital city
   since 1955, located in South Wales. 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), with
   other major cities being Derry ('Doire' in Irish) and Newry ('Iúr Cinn
   Trá' in Irish). The province is home to 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, by surface area
   (388 km² / 150 mi²), can be found in Northern Ireland. . The highest
   peak is Slieve Donard at 849 metres (2,786 ft) in the province's Mourne
   Mountains.

Climate

   England has a temperate climate, with plentiful rainfall all year
   round, though the seasons are quite variable in temperature. However,
   temperatures rarely fall below −5 °C (23 °F) or rise above 32 °C
   (90 °F). The prevailing wind is from the southwest, bringing mild and
   wet weather to England regularly, from the Atlantic Ocean. It is driest
   in the east and warmest in the southeast, which is closest to the
   European mainland. Snowfall can occur in Winter and early Spring,
   though it is not that common 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, Kent. . The lowest temperature
   ever recorded in England is −26.1 °C (−15.0 °F) on 10 January 1982 at
   Edgmond, near Newport, Shropshire.

   Wales' climate is much like that of England with the highest maximum
   temperature recorded at 35.2 °C (95.4 °F) in Hawarden Bridge,
   Flintshire on 2 August 1990, and the lowest minimum temperature at
   -23.3 °C (-10 °F) in Rhayader, Radnorshire on 21 January 1940.

   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 as
   such 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 (-17.0 °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 (91.2 °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 120
   inches (3,000 mm). In comparison, much of lowland Scotland receives
   less than 31 inches (800 mm) annually. Heavy snowfall is not common in
   the lowlands, but becomes more common with altitude. Braemar
   experiences an average of 59 snow days per year, while coastal areas
   have an average of less than 10 days.

   The whole of Northern Ireland has a temperate maritime climate, rather
   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 although the seasons are distinct, they are considerably 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.

   The United Kingdom, along with the rest of Europe, has been hit by
   heatwaves during the summer in recent years. The heatwaves have been
   the reason for many deaths in the past years, with temperatures 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 four capitals of the United
   Kingdom's constituent countries are London (England), Edinburgh
   (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales) and Belfast (Northern Ireland). London is
   by far the UK's largest city. After that, the definition of largest is
   dependent upon the criteria used, but no one city stands out as larger
   than the others.

Demographics

   Trafalgar Square in London is one of the most famous public places in
   the United Kingdom.
   Enlarge
   Trafalgar Square in London is one of the most famous public places in
   the United Kingdom.

Population

   At the April 2001 UK Census, the United Kingdom's 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 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.

   Its overall population density is one of the highest in the world.
   About a quarter of the population lives in England's prosperous
   south-east and is predominantly urban and suburban, with an estimated
   7,517,700 in the capital of London. The United Kingdom's high literacy
   rate (99%) 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, see Education in Scotland).
   Education is mandatory from ages five to sixteen.

Immigration

   Located as they are on a group of islands close to Continental Europe,
   the lands now constituting the United Kingdom have been subject to many
   invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the
   continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. Present
   day Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that
   settled there before the eleventh century. The pre-Celtic, Celtic,
   Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse influences were blended on Great Britain
   under the Normans, Scandinavian Vikings who had lived in Northern
   France. Between the various constituent countries, there has been
   sufficient internal migration to mix the population.

   Immigration has come through interaction with continental Europe and
   international 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, 7.9% of the
   UK's population identified themselves as an ' ethnic minority'. The
   United Kingdom has amongst the highest immigration rates in Europe,
   along with Italy and Spain it is now believed that the percentage of '
   ethnic minorities' is some 9% of the total UK population. In some UK
   cities the percentage of ' minority groups' is large but is still less
   than half, for example; Birmingham (UK's 2nd largest city) has 29.6% ,
   Leicester 36% . The latest figures (for 2005) show net imigration to
   the UK of 185,000, down from a record high of 223,000 in 2004.

   The latest wave of immigration to hit the UK began in May 2004 when the
   European Union was expanded. From May 2004 to September 2006, around
   500,000 people from Central and Eastern Europe immigrated to the UK to
   work. This figure is for arrivals only and does not take account of
   people leaving, hence net migration is likely to be lower. In 2005 net
   migration from the new EU states stood at 64,000.

   In addition, there are a large number of Indians, mainly from northern
   India, who make up about 2.0% of the population.

Language

   Whilst the UK does not have an official language, the predominant
   tongue is English. This is a West Germanic language, descended from Old
   English, which features a large number of borrowings from Norman
   French. The other main indigenous languages are the Insular Celtic
   languages, i.e. the Celtic languages of the British Isles. These fall
   into two groups: the P-Celtic languages ( Welsh and the Cornish
   language); and the Q-Celtic languages ( Irish and Scottish Gaelic).

   The English language has spread to all corners of the world (primarily
   because of the British Empire) and is referred to as a "global
   language". Worldwide, it is taught as a second language more than any
   other. The United Kingdom's Celtic languages are also spoken by small
   groups around the globe, mainly Gaelic in Nova Scotia, Canada, and
   Welsh in Patagonia, Argentina.

   Additional indigenous languages are Scots (which is closely related to
   English); Romany ; and British Sign Language ( Northern Ireland Sign
   Language is also used in Northern Ireland). Celtic dialectal influences
   from Cumbric persisted in Northern England for many centuries, most
   famously in a unique set of numbers used for counting sheep.

   Recent immigrants, especially from the Commonwealth, speak many other
   languages, including Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali,
   Cantonese, Turkish and Polish. The United Kingdom has the largest
   number of Hindi and Punjabi speakers outside Asia.

Religion

   Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest and most famous Christian
   structures in the UK.
   Enlarge
   Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest and most famous Christian
   structures in the UK.

   Unlike many countries today, which are officially secular, the UK is an
   officially Christian country. This is reflected throughout British
   public life, for instance, there are established state churches in
   England and Scotland and the Head of State is a Christian monarch
   crowned by an Arch-bishop in a church. British society is said to
   belong to the Judaeo-Christian tradition.

   A majority of Britons, 72%, identify themselves as Christian.
   Christianity was first introduced to Britain by the Romans.

   Despite this, a relatively small proportion of the population attends
   public worship on a weekly basis. The United Kingdom has one of the
   lowest levels of public worship attendance in the world, with less than
   8% of people attending any form of worship on a regular basis (of whom
   the majority are of middle-aged and older generations).

   Each home nation has its own church hierarchy.

   The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in
   England, and acts as the 'mother' and senior branch of the worldwide
   Anglican Communion. Originally established as part of the Roman
   Catholic Church in 597AD by Augustine of Canterbury on behalf of Pope
   Gregory I, the Church split from Rome in 1534 during the reign of Henry
   VIII of England. The Church of England is a state church, and some of
   her bishops sit in the House of Lords. The British monarch is required
   to be a member of the Church of England under the Act of Settlement
   1701 and is the Supreme Governor. Roman Catholics are expressly
   forbidden from becoming monarch, stemming from conflict over the crown
   and whether Britain was in the past, Catholic or Protestant. The Church
   of England is based at Canterbury Cathedral and the Archbishop of
   Canterbury is the senior clergyman.
   Westminster Abbey is used for the Coronation of all British Monarchs,
   who are also made the head of the Church of England.
   Enlarge
   Westminster Abbey is used for the Coronation of all British Monarchs,
   who are also made the head of the Church of England.

   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, although the
   monarch 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.

   The Church of England was established in Wales until the 1920s, when
   the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England and
   disestablished. The Church in Wales remains in the Anglican Communion.
   The Church of Ireland was disestablished in the 19th century.

   The 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 Catholic Church in Ireland is the largest
   single denomination. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland is the largest
   Protestant denomination and is in terms of theology and history very
   closely linked to the Church of Scotland. Other large Christian groups
   are the Methodists and the Baptists.
   Hindu temple at Neasden is the largest temple of Hinduism in Europe.
   Enlarge
   Hindu temple at Neasden is the largest temple of Hinduism in Europe.

   Modern day Britain is much more diverse in terms of religion. As well
   as Christianity, Islam and Hinduism have many followers in the UK.
   Sikhism, Judaism and other religions have smaller numbers.

   Muslims are believed to number over 1.8 million, with many of them
   living in towns and cities including London, Birmingham, Bradford and
   Oldham. Mosques are a common sight in some parts of modern day Britain.
   The biggest groups of British Muslims are of Pakistani, Indian and
   Bangladeshi origin. More recently, the wave of Somali and
   Middle-Eastern asylum seekers has increased Britain's Muslim
   population. The 2006 controversy over the burqa, brought up IN comments
   by Jack Straw, reflects a split between some Britons who are
   questioning the extent to which Islam is compatible with British
   society, and others who are happy with the widespread presence of Islam
   in Britain.

   The religions of Indian origin, like Hinduism and Sikhism in Britain
   are also increasing in number, with over 500,000 Hindus and 320,000
   Sikhs in the country. However, these figures are likely to have
   increased, as they are based on the 2001 census.

Economy

   The City of London, the largest financial centre in Europe
   Enlarge
   The City of London, the largest financial centre in Europe

   The British economy is the home of the Anglo-Saxon model, focusing on
   the principles of liberalisation, the free market, 'common law'
   relating to property, and low taxation and regulation. Based on market
   exchange rates, the United Kingdom 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.

   The British were the first in the world to enter the Industrial
   Revolution, and, like most industrialising countries at the time,
   initially concentrated on heavy industries such as shipbuilding, coal
   mining, steel production, and textiles. The empire created an overseas
   market for British products, allowing the United Kingdom to dominate
   international trade in the 19th century. However, as other nations
   industrialised and surplus labour from agriculture began to dry up, the
   United Kingdom started to lose its economic advantage. As a result,
   heavy industry declined throughout the 20th century. The British
   service sector, however, has grown substantially, and now makes up
   about 73% of GDP.

   The service sector of the United Kingdom 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
   Docklands area, with HSBC, Citigroup, and Barclays Bank all relocating
   their head offices there. The Scottish capital, Edinburgh also has one
   of the large financial centres of Europe .

   Tourism is very important to the British economy. With over 27 million
   tourists a year, the United Kingdom is ranked as the sixth major
   tourist destination in the world.

   The British manufacturing sector, however, has greatly diminished since
   World War II. It is still a significant part of the economy, but only
   accounted for one-sixth of national output in 2003.. 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 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 United Kingdom's agriculture sector is small by European standards,
   accounting for only 0.9% of GDP. The UK though has large coal, natural
   gas, and 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. Currently UK public opinion is against the notion.

   Government involvement over the economy is exercised by the Chancellor
   of the Exchequer (currently Gordon Brown) who heads HM Treasury, but
   the Prime Minister (currently Tony Blair), 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, headed by the
   Governor of the Bank of England, has control of interest rates and
   other monetary policy. The UK government has greatly increased public
   sector spending (i.e.: government spending of taxes) since 1995, and
   annual spending on investment in infrastructure has grown from £5.6bn
   in 1997 to £29bn in 2006.

Administrative subdivisions

   The United Kingdom is divided into four parts, commonly referred to as
   the home nations or constituent countries. Each nation is further
   subdivided for the purposes of 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:
   Manchester Town Hall. Many towns and cities in the UK have impressive
   town or city hall buildings as administrative headquarters for local
   government
   Enlarge
   Manchester Town Hall. Many towns and cities in the UK have impressive
   town or city hall buildings as administrative headquarters for local
   government
   Flag Country Status Population Subdivisions Cities
   England England Kingdom 50,431,700 Regions
   Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties
   Lieutenancy areas English Cities
   Scotland Scotland Kingdom 5,094,800 Council areas
   Lieutenancy areas Scottish Cities
   Wales Wales Principality 2,958,600 Unitary authorities
   Lieutenancy areas Welsh Cities
   Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Province 1,724,400 Districts
   Traditional counties Northern Irish Cities

   Historically, the four nations were divided into 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 Government Office Regions. Each region is made up of
   counties and unitary authorities, apart from London, which consists of
   London boroughs. 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 region
   rejected its proposed assembly in a referendum.

   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 Crown has sovereignty over the Bailiwicks 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 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 most cases
   the local populations have British citizenship and the right to abode
   in the UK. This has been the case since 2002.

Military

   The Royal Navy operates four nuclear submarines armed with the Trident
   II nuclear missile.
   Enlarge
   The Royal Navy operates four nuclear submarines armed with the Trident
   II nuclear missile.

   The armed forces of the United Kingdom 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, HM The
   Queen and they are managed by the Ministry of Defence. The armed forces
   are controlled by the Defence Council currently headed by Air Chief
   Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup.

   The United Kingdom fields one of the most powerful and comprehensive
   armed forces in the world. Its global power projection capabilities are
   deemed second only to the United States military, and its navy is the
   world's second strongest. Further, the Royal Navy's total naval tonnage
   is second only to the United States military and the third largest
   share of tactical combat aircraft to the US and France. The UK has the
   fifth highest military expenditure in the world.

   The United Kingdom possesses a comprehensive nuclear arsenal, one of
   the small number of countries to do so, utilising the submarine-based
   Trident II ballistic missile system with nuclear warheads. These
   Vanguard class submarines were designed and built by VSEL (now BAE
   Systems Submarines) at Barrow-in-Furness.

   The strength of British armed forces and their role overseas, has led
   some to call the era a British Moment, where the nation has a unique
   and growing role in world affairs.

   The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom
   and its overseas territories, promoting the United Kingdom'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.

   The British Army had a reported strength of 102,440 in 2005 and the
   Royal Air Force a strength of 49,210. The 36,320-member Royal Navy
   operates the United Kingdom'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 operations and for
   specialist reinforcement forces in and beyond the NATO area. This puts
   total active duty military personnel 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 is made up 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.
   Bosnia, Kosovo, United States invasion of Afghanistan, Iraq ( Granby,
   no-fly zones, Desert Fox, and 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 United Kingdom contains some of the world's leading, and oldest,
   seats of higher education , such as the ancient multifaculty
   universities at Oxford and Cambridge. It has produced many great
   scholars, scientists and engineers including Sir Isaac Newton, Bertrand
   Russell, Adam Smith, James Clerk Maxwell, Lord Kelvin, Sir Humphry
   Davy, Joseph John Thomson, Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher, Michael Faraday,
   Charles Darwin, Alexander Fleming, Francis Crick, Sir Joseph William
   Bazalgette and Isambard Kingdom Brunel; the nation is credited with
   numerous scientific discoveries including hydrogen, gravity, the
   electron, structure of DNA, antibiotics and inventions including the
   chronometer, steam locomotive and the modern railway, vaccination,
   television, electric lighting, the electric motor, the screw propeller,
   the internal combustion engine, the jet engine, the modern bicycle, the
   electronic computer, along with the later development of the World Wide
   Web.

   In 2006, it was reported that the UK was the most productive source of
   research after the United States; with the UK producing 9% of the
   world's scientific research papers with a 12% share of citations.

Literature

   The Chandos portrait, believed to depict William Shakespeare, famed
   playwright
   Enlarge
   The Chandos portrait, believed to depict William Shakespeare, famed
   playwright

   The countries that make up the United Kingdom have provided some of the
   world's most notable and popular authors, poets and literary figures.
   The English playwright and poet William Shakespeare is arguably the
   most famous writer in the English language.

   Many world-famous writers and poets lived and wrote in the United
   Kingdom. England is particularly well represented in the history of the
   novel. Early English writers who could be described as novelists
   include Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Malory and Geoffrey of Monmouth. These
   romantic writers were followed by a wave of more realistic writers in
   later centuries, including Jane Austen (often credited with inventing
   the modern novel), Charles Dickens, the Brontë sisters, Thomas Hardy,
   Joseph Conrad, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H. G. Wells. In the 20th
   century, Virginia Woolf, D. H. Lawrence, J. R. R. Tolkien, George
   Orwell, Graham Greene and Ian McEwan all excelled. Tolkien became one
   of the most popular writers of the modern world, returning to a
   Romantic view of fiction. Childrens' author J. K. Rowling has had huge
   recent success.

   Wales and Scotland have also contributed many fine writers to the UK's
   stock of great literature, particularly in poetry. In the early
   medieval period, Welsh writers composed the famous Mabinogion. In
   modern times, the poets R.S. Thomas and Dylan Thomas bring Welsh
   culture and ideas to a world audience. In Romantic literature, Scotland
   offers Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson's epic adventures
   and the leading poet of his day, Robert Burns. Modern Scottish writers
   like Hugh MacDiarmid and Neil M. Gunn helped develop a distinct
   modernist and nationalist Scottish voice, sometimes termed the Scottish
   Renaissance. A more grim outlook is found in Ian Rankin's detective
   stories set in Edinburgh.

   Many authors from other nationalities, particularly the Irish, and from
   Commonwealth countries, have also lived and worked in the UK.
   Significant examples through the centuries include Jonathon Swift,
   Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, George Bernard Shaw, Joseph Conrad and Salman
   Rushdie. Kazuo Ishiguro offers another viewpoint, that of a Japanese
   author working in the United Kingdom and writing on British themes such
   as social class.

   The history of the theatre in the United Kingdom is particularly vivid.
   Shakespeare's contemporaries Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson add
   depth to the early theatre. More recently Alan Ayckbourn, Harold
   Pinter, Michael Frayn, Tom Stoppard and David Edgar have combined
   elements of surrealism, realism and radicalism.

   Important poets include Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton, William Blake,
   Robert Burns, William Wordsworth, Lord Byron, John Keats, Lord
   Tennyson, T. S. Eliot, R. S. Thomas, Wilfred Owen, John Betjeman,
   Philip Larkin, W. H. Auden and Ted Hughes.

Cinema

   The United Kingdom has been influential in the development of cinema.
   Despite a history of important and successful productions, the industry
   is characterised by an ongoing debate about its identity, and the
   influences of American and European cinema.

Design and architecture

   The British Airways London Eye.
   Enlarge
   The British Airways London Eye.

   The United Kingdom 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

   Notable composers from the United Kingdom have included Henry Purcell,
   Sir Edward Elgar, Sir Arthur Sullivan (most famous for working with
   librettist Sir W. S. Gilbert), Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Lord
   Benjamin Britten who pioneered British opera.

   The UK was, with the US, 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, Queen, Led
   Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Who, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Depeche
   Mode, Iron Maiden 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 creation of heavy metal along with being the
   birthplace of the Goth youth culture. The late-1970s and 1980s saw the
   rise of Post-Punk and 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 Radiohead, 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 like the
   Spice Girls and Sugababes also found considerable success. UK Garage
   developed out of the urban music scene towards the end of the decade,
   through popular acts such as the Artful Dodger. The popularity of '
   soft rock' bands such as Coldplay has increased, whilst indie music has
   grown in profile, with Arctic Monkeys enjoying chart success and Pete
   Doherty gaining newspaper headlines. ' Reality-TV' have also produced a
   new generation of popstars.

Visual art

   William Turner's "Flint Castle".
   Enlarge
   William Turner's " Flint Castle".

Sport

   Tennis originated in the UK. The Wimbledon Championships Grand Slam
   tournament is held in London every July.
   Enlarge
   Tennis originated in the UK. The Wimbledon Championships Grand Slam
   tournament is held in London every July.

   A number of major sports 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 association football (known as
   soccer in North America and Australia), 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,
   Scotland, Wales and 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, there is talk of a
   united team taking 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 so far declined to participate.

   The UK is home to many world-renowned football clubs, such as
   Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal in England, and
   Celtic and Rangers in Scotland. Clubs compete in 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 (five times), Manchester United (twice), Nottingham Forest
   (twice), Aston Villa and Celtic.
   Wembley Stadium when completed will be the largest football stadium in
   the United Kingdom.
   Enlarge
   Wembley Stadium when completed will be the largest football stadium in
   the United Kingdom.

   The early reference to the separate national identities in the UK is
   perhaps best illustrated by the game of cricket. Cricket was invented
   in England. There are league championships but the English national
   team dominates the game in England. There is no UK team. Although some
   Welsh and Scottish players have played for England, it is in England
   where cricket retains its major fan base in the UK. English cricket
   grounds include Lords, The Brit Oval, Headingly, Old Trafford,
   Edgbaston and Trent Bridge. However Cardiff's Sophia Gardens ground has
   become increasingly popular in recent years.

   The UK has proved successful in the international sporting arena in
   rowing. It is widely considered that the sport's most successful rower
   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, it is considered the national sport of Wales. In
   rugby league the UK plays as one nation – Great Britain – 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 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. Here, 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 Wimbledon Championships are international tennis events held in
   Wimbledon in south London every summer and are seen as the most
   prestigious of the tennis calendar.
   The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews regarded as the worldwide
   "Home of Golf".
   Enlarge
   The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews regarded as the worldwide
   "Home of Golf".

   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, the Epsom Derby and Royal Ascot.

   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 – Scotland
   independently, Wales as part of the English team, and Northern Ireland
   as part of All-Ireland.

   Shinty or camanachd (a sport derived from the same root as the 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 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 Statue of Britannia in Plymouth.
   Enlarge
   The Statue of Britannia in Plymouth.
     * The flag of the United Kingdom is the Union Flag (commonly known as
       the "Union Jack", though this is technically only correct when at
       sea). Created from the 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 to this in 1801.

     * The national anthem of the UK is " God Save the Queen".

     * Britannia is a personification of the UK, originating from the
       Roman occupation of southern and central Great Britain. 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 devices many times, including in the royal arms of both
       the kingdoms of England, 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 Great Britain.

     * Britain (especially England) is also personified as the character
       John Bull.

     * The ancient British landscape, and especially some of its
       distinctive fauna such as the oak tree and the rose, have long been
       a widely-used proxy for the visual representation of British
       identity.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
