UK Country Guide

The Union Kingdom comprises four constituent nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It occupies all of the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern portion of the island of Ireland and most of the remaining British Isles.

 
It is a constitutional monarchy and one of the world's wealthiest nations, and has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science.
At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface.
During the first half of the 20th century the UK's strength was seriously depleted in two World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation.
As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The UK is also an active member of the EU, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union and the question of whether it will join any time soon appears to have receded for the moment.

Did you know?

1. In London the tube route from Leicester Square to Covent Garden is the most popular tube route for tourists despite the fact that it is actually quicker to cover this distance on foot!
2. Contrary to popular belief that Big Ben refers to the world famous clock, it is actually the name of the thirteen ton bell. The tower itself is known as St. Stephen’s Tower.
3. The first modern Olympic Games were in Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England in 1850. The Olympic Games in Athens were held in 1896, almost half a century later.
4. Queen Elizabeth II is the second longest serving head of state, after the Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was crowned in 1946.

Economy of the UK

The UK is the world's sixth-largest national economy measured by both nominal GDP and purchasing power parity (PPP). The UK has the third-largest national economy in Europe measured by nominal GDP (after Germany and France) and the second-largest measured by PPP (after Germany). Its GDP per capita is ranked the 20th highest in the world in nominal terms and the 17th highest in PPP terms.
The UK is one of the world's most globalised countries. London is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York, has the largest city GDP in Europe and is home to the headquarters of more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies. The aerospace industry of the UK is the second- or third-largest aerospace industry in the world, depending upon the method of measurement. The British economy is boosted by North Sea oil and gas reserves, overall worth an estimated £250 billion in 2007.
The UK entered its worst recession since World War II in 2008. However the UK economy grew by 1.2 per cent in Q2 of 2010 and 0.8 per cent in Q3, the fastest consecutive growth in over 10 years, accelerating from the 0.4 per cent growth recorded in Q1 of 2010 and 0.4 per cent growth in Q4 of 2009. The U.K. economy has grown 2.8% since the end of the recession; the UK economy has recovered twice as fast as expected so far. The UK is currently ranked fourth in the world (and first in Europe) in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index.
The UK nevertheless remains a great power with leading economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence. It is a recognised nuclear weapons state while its military expenditure ranks third or fourth in the world, depending on the method of calculation. It is a Member State of the European Union, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, G8, G20, NATO, OECD, the Council of Europe and the World Trade Organization.

Economy

• GDP (at current market prices, 2009): $2.184 trillion.
• Annual growth rate (2009): -4.8%.
• Per capita GDP (at current market prices, 2009): $35,334.
• Natural resources: Coal, oil, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica.
• Agriculture (1.2% of GDP): Products--cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry, fish.
• Industry: Types--steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles, motor vehicles and aircraft, construction (23.8% of GDP), electronics, chemicals.
• Services (75% of GDP): Types--financial, business, distribution, transport, communication, hotels.
• Trade (2009): Exports of goods and services--$351.3 billion: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco. Major markets--U.S., European Union. Imports of goods and services--$473.6 billion: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs. Major suppliers--U.S., European Union, and China.