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{{Redirect|UK}}
{{About|the sovereign state}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{pp-move-indef}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2011}}
{{Infobox country
|conventional_long_name=United Kingdom of Great Britain<br>and Northern Ireland
|common_name=the United Kingdom
|image_flag=Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
|alt_flag=A flag featuring both cross and saltire in red, white and blue
|image_coat=Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg
|alt_coat=Coat of arms containing shield and crown in centre, flanked by lion and unicorn
|symbol_type=Royal coat of arms
|image_map=EU-United Kingdom.svg
|alt_map=Two islands to the north-west of continental Europe. Highlighted are the larger island and the north-eastern fifth of the smaller island to the west.
|map_caption={{map_caption |location_color=dark green |region=Europe |region_color=dark grey |subregion=the ] |subregion_color=green |legend=EU-United Kingdom.svg}}
|national_anthem=<center>]</center><br />"]"<ref group="note">No law was passed making ''God Save the Queen'' the official anthem. In the British tradition, such laws are not necessary; proclamation and usage are sufficient to make it the official national anthem. ''God Save the Queen'' also serves as the ] for several other countries.</ref>
|official_languages=English<ref name="direct.gov.uk">http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/LivingintheUK/DG_10012519</ref><ref name="thecommonwealth.org">http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookHomeInternal/139560/</ref>
|regional_languages=], ], ]<!-- Keep 'Scottish Gaelic' - people will find Gaelic confusing as the Irish language is also commonly called Gaelic -->, ], ], ]{{#tag:ref|Under the ]'s ], the Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, ], Irish, ] and its regional variant ] are officially recognised as ] or ]s by the ] for the purposes of the Charter.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Scottish Government|url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/ArtsCulture/gaelic/gaelic-english/17910/europeancharter|title=European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages|accessdate=11 December 2010}}</ref> See also ].|group="note"}}
|ethnic_groups=92.1% ]<br /> 4.0% South Asian<br /> 2.0% ]<br /> 1.2% ]<br /> 0.4% ]<br /> 0.4% ]
|ethnic_groups_year=]<br /><small> See: ]</small><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D6588.xls |title=United Kingdom population by ethnic group |publisher=Office for National Statistics |date=1 April 2001 |work=] |accessdate=15 April 2009 |format=XLS}}</ref>
|demonym=British or ]
|capital=London
|latd=51
|latm=30
|latNS=N
|longd=0
|longm=7
|longEW=W
|largest_city=London
|government_type=] ] and ]
|leader_title1=]
|leader_name1=]
|leader_title2=]
|leader_name2= ] ]
|sovereignty_type=]
|legislature=]
|upper_house=]
|lower_house=]
|state_religion=]
|sovereignty_note=
|established_event1=]
|established_date1=1 May 1707
|established_event2=]
|established_date2=1 January 1801
|established_event3=]
|established_date3=12 April 1922
|accessionEUdate=1 January 1973
|religion=]
|EUseats = 78
|area_rank = 79th
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|area_km2 = 243610
|area_sq_mi = {{convert|243610|km2|sqmi|disp=output number only}}
|percent_water = 1.34
|population_estimate = 62,008,048<ref>{{cite web |url= http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&language=en&pcode=tps00001&tableSelection=1&footnotes=yes&labeling=labels&plugin=1 |title=Total population at 1&nbsp;January |publisher=Eurostat |date =11 March 2011 |accessdate =29 April 2011}}</ref>
|population_estimate_year = 2010
|population_estimate_rank = 22nd
|population_census = 58,789,194<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/pop2001/united_kingdom.asp |title = Census 2001: Population estimates |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate =21 April 2011}}</ref>
|population_census_year = 2001
|population_density_km2 = 254.7
|population_density_sq_mi = 659.6
|population_density_rank = 51st
|GDP_PPP_year=2010
|GDP_PPP=$2.173&nbsp;trillion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web |url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007&ey=2010&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=112&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=25&pr.y=6 |title=United Kingdom |publisher=International Monetary Fund |month =April |year =2011 |accessdate=8 May 2011}}</ref>
|GDP_PPP_rank=7th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita=$34,920<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank=21st
|GDP_nominal_year=2010
|GDP_nominal_rank=6th
|GDP_nominal_per_capita=$36,120<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank=22nd
|GDP_nominal=$2.247&nbsp;trillion<ref name=imf2/>
|HDI_year=2010
|HDI=0.849<ref>{{cite web |url= http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Table1.pdf |title= Human Development Report 2010 |publisher=United Nations | accessdate =21 April 2011| page = 143 ff}}</ref>
|HDI_rank=26th
|HDI_category=<span style="color:#090;">very&nbsp;high</span>
|Gini=41<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.poverty.org.uk/09/index.shtml |title =Income inequalities |publisher=The Poverty Site |accessdate =21 April 2011}}</ref>
|Gini_year=2008–09
|currency=]
|currency_code=GBP
|country_code=GBR
|time_zone=]
|utc_offset=+0
|time_zone_DST=]
|date_format = dd/mm/yyyy (])
|utc_offset_DST=+1
|drives_on=left<ref group="note">British dependencies drive on the left except for ] and ].</ref>
|cctld=]<ref group="note">] states that this should be ] and ] was initially used by the Government, but registration has been suppressed in favour of ]. The ] domain is shared with other ] member states.</ref>
{{Refend}}
|calling_code=]
}}
The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'''<ref group="note">In the United Kingdom and Dependencies, ] have been officially recognised as legitimate ] ] under the ]. In each of these, the UK's official name is as follows:
* {{lang-kw|Rywvaneth Unys Breten Veur ha Kledhbarth Iwerdhon}};
* {{lang-ga|Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire agus Thuaisceart Éireann}};
* {{lang-sco|Unitit Kinrick o Great Breetain an Northren Irland}};
* {{lang-gd|Rìoghachd Aonaichte na Breatainne Mòire is Èireann a Tuath}};
* {{lang-cy|Teyrnas Unedig Prydain Fawr a Gogledd Iwerddon}}</ref> (commonly known as the '''United Kingdom''', the '''UK''' or '''Britain''') is a ] off the north-western coast of ]. The ] includes the island of ], the north-eastern part of the island of ] and many smaller islands. ] is the only part of the UK that shares a ] with another sovereign state—the ]. Apart from this land border the UK is surrounded by the ], the ], the ] and the ].


]
The United Kingdom is a ] governed under a ] and a ], with its ] in the ] of ]. It is a country in its own right<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_compendia/britain2001.pdf |publisher=Office for National Statistics |title=Britain 2001: The Official Yearbook of the United Kingdom |page = vii |accessdate=12 September 2010}}</ref><ref name="page823">{{cite web |url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page823 |title =Countries within a country |publisher =Prime Minister's Office |date =10 January 2003}}</ref> and consists of ]: ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/uk_countries.asp |title=The Countries of the UK |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=10 October 2008}}</ref> There are three ] national administrations, each with varying powers,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7859034.stm |title= Fall in UK university students |work= BBC News|date =29 January 2009}}</ref><ref>. Transport Research Knowledge Centre. Retrieved 28 March 2010.</ref> situated in ], ] and ]; the capitals of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland respectively. Associated with the UK, but not constitutionally part of it, are three ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/LivingintheUK/DG_10012517 |title=Key facts about the United Kingdom |accessdate=3 May 2011 |publisher=]|quote=The full title of this country is 'the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. 'The UK' is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. 'Britain' is used informally, usually meaning the United Kingdom. 'Great Britain' is made up of England, Scotland and Wales. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK.}}</ref> and fourteen ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/overseas-territories |title= Working with Overseas Territories |publisher= ] |accessdate=3 May 2011}}</ref> These are remnants of the ] which, at its height in 1922, encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface and was the ]. British influence can still be observed in the ], ] and ] of many of its former territories.

The UK is a highly ] and has the world's ] by nominal GDP and ] by purchasing power parity. It was the world's first industrialised country<ref>Mathias, P. (2001). ''The First Industrial Nation: the Economic History of Britain, 1700–1914''. London: Routledge, 2nd edn. ISBN 0-415-26672-6</ref> and the world's ] during the 19th and early 20th centuries<ref name="ferguson">{{Cite book |last=Ferguson |first=Niall |year=2004 |title=Empire: The rise and demise of the British world order and the lessons for global power |publisher=Basic Books |location =New York |isbn=0465023282}}</ref> although the economic and social cost of two world wars and the decline of its empire in the latter half of the 20th century diminished its leading role in global affairs. The UK nevertheless remains a ] with leading economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/cameron-has-chance-to-make-uk-great-again/story-e6frg6zo-1225866975992 |title=Cameron has chance to make UK great again|accessdate=23 May 2011|work=The Australian |date =15 May 2010}}</ref> It is a ] ] and its ] in the world, depending on the method of calculation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/milex/resultoutput/15majorspenders |title =The 15 Major Spender Countries in 2008 |work=Military Expenditures |publisher=] |accessdate=30 March 2010}}</ref> It is a ], a ] of the ], and is also a member of: the ], ], ], ], the ], the ] and the ].

==Etymology and terminology==
{{See also|Britain (name)|Great Britain#Terminology|Terminology of the British Isles}}

The name "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" was introduced in 1927 by the ]. The ], uniting the ] and the ] in 1801, had given the new state the name of the ]. The 1927 legislation changed the name to reflect the granting of independence to the ] in 1922, leaving only Northern Ireland within the UK.<ref>Cottrell, P. (2008). ''The Irish Civil War 1922–23''. London: Osprey. p. 85. ISBN 1846032709</ref> Great Britain prior to 1801 is occasionally referred to as the "United Kingdom of Great Britain"<ref> nationalarchives.gov.uk, accessed 31 December 2010; ], accessed 2 September 2010</ref> However, section 1 of both of the 1707 ] declare that England and Scotland are "United into One Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain".<ref>, Hilaire Barnett, Robert Jago, 8th edition, 2011, ISBN 0 203 84388 6</ref><ref group="note">Compare to section 1 of both of the 1800 ] which reads: the ''Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland shall...be united into one Kingdom, by the Name of "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland"''</ref>

Although the United Kingdom, as a ], is a country, ], ], ] and ] are also referred to as countries, irrespective of their constitutional arrangements.<ref>, 1994, UK Office of Population Censuses and Surveys</ref><ref name= citizenship>, United Kingdom Home Office, 2007, ISBN 978 0 11 341313 3</ref> The British Prime Minister's website has used the phrase "countries within a country" to describe the United Kingdom.<ref name="page823"/> With regard to ], the descriptive name used "can be controversial, with the choice often revealing one's political preferences."<ref>{{Cite book |last1 =Whyte |first1 =John |authorlink1=John Henry Whyte|last2= FitzGerald |first2 =Garret| authorlink2=Garret FitzGerald|year=1991 |title= Interpreting Northern Ireland |location= Oxford |publisher= Clarendon Press |isbn= 9780198273806}}</ref> Other terms used for Northern Ireland include "region" and "province".<ref name="alphabeticalNI">{{Citation|author= S. Dunn and H. Dawson|editor=|title= An Alphabetical Listing of Word, Name and Place in Northern Ireland and the Living Language of Conflict|year= 2000|publisher= Edwin Mellen Press|place= Lampeter|id=|ref=}}</ref><ref name="placeApart">{{Citation|author= D. Murphy|editor=|title= A Place Apart|year= 1979|publisher= Penguin Books|place= London|id=|ref=}}</ref>

The United Kingdom is often referred to by the short-form name of ''Britain''. ''Great Britain'' refers only to England, Scotland and Wales, and, particularly in the UK, is not favoured as an alternative name for the ''United Kingdom''.<ref>, Guardian News and Media Limited, 2007</ref><ref></ref> However, some foreign usage, particularly in the United States, uses ''Great Britain'' as a loose synonym for the ''United Kingdom''.<ref></ref><ref>]: "Great Britain: England, Wales, and Scotland considered as a unit. The name is also often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom.")</ref> In addition, in the UK and elsewhere, ''Britain'' is also sometimes used as an abbreviation for ''Great Britain'', meaning only England, Scotland and Wales.<ref name= citizenship/>

The adjective ''British'' is commonly used to refer to matters relating to the United Kingdom. Although the term has no definite legal connotation, it is used in legislation to refer to ].<ref name= Bradley>, Anthony Wilfred Bradley, Keith D. Ewing, 14th edition, 2007, ISBN 978 1 4058 1207 8</ref> However, ] use a number of different terms to describe their national identity. Some may identify themselves as British only, or British ''and'' English, Scottish, Welsh, or Northern Irish. Others may identify themselves as only English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish and not British. In Northern Ireland, some describe themselves as only Irish.<ref> Frans Schrijver, 2006, ISBN 978 90 5629 428 1</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt/2008/Community_Relations/NINATID.html
|title=Which of these best describes the way you think of yourself?
|year=2008
|work=Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey
|publisher=ARK&nbsp;– Access Research Knowledge
|accessdate=2 February 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt/2007/Community_Relations/index.html
|title=Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey 2007
|date=22 December 2009
|work=Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey
|publisher=ARK&nbsp;– Access Research Knowledge
|accessdate=9 October 2010}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|History of the British Isles}}

===Prior to 1707===
] in ], which was erected around 2500 BC]]

{{See also|History of England|History of Wales|History of Scotland|History of Ireland|History of the formation of the United Kingdom}}
Settlement by ] of what was to become the United Kingdom occurred ].<ref> BBC News 30 October 2007, Retrieved 27 April 2011</ref> By the end of the ], the population is thought to have belonged, in the main, to a culture termed ], comprising ] and ].<ref>"Celtic culture: a Historical Encyclopedia", p. 973, John. T. Koch, ISBN 978-1851094400</ref> The ], beginning in 43AD, and the 400 year ] was followed by an invasion by ] ] settlers, reducing the Brythonic area ].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |editor1-first=John |editor1-last=Davies|editor1-link=John Davies (historian) |editor2-first=Nigel |editor2-last=Jenkins |editor2-link=Nigel Jenkins |editor3-first=Menna |editor3-last=Baines|editor4-first=Peredur I. |editor4-last=Lynch
|editor4-link=Peredur Lynch |encyclopedia=] |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff |isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}}, page 915</ref> The ] became unified as the ] in the 10th century.<ref name="Short Athelstan biography on the BBC History website"></ref> Meanwhile, ] (with connections to the north-east of Ireland and traditionally supposed to have migrated from there in the 5th century<ref>], ''A History of Scotland.'' London: Penguin, 1991. ISBN 0-14-013649-5, pp. 18–19.</ref><ref>Campbell, Ewan, ''Saints and Sea-kings: The First Kingdom of the Scots.'' Canongate, Edinburgh, 1999. ISBN 0-82641-874-7 pp. 8–15</ref>) united with the ] to create the ] in the 9th century.<ref>{{cite book | last = Haigh | first = Christopher | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Cambridge Historical Encyclopedia of Great Britain and Ireland | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year = 1990 | location = | page = 30 | doi = | isbn = 978-0521395526 }}</ref>

] depicts the ] and the events leading to it]]
In 1066, the ] invaded England and after ], seized ], ] and ] bringing to each country ] on the Northern French model and ] culture.<ref>”Feudalism”, F.L. Ganshof, p.165 ISBN 978-0802071583</ref> The ] greatly influenced, but eventually assimilated with, each of the local cultures.<ref>“The Debate on the Norman Conquest”, pp. 115–122 Marjorie Chibnall, 1999. ISBN 0 7190 4912 1</ref> Subsequent ] completed the ] and made an ultimately unsuccessful ]. Thereafter, Scotland maintained its independence, albeit in ]. The English monarchs, through inheritance of ] and claims to the French crown, were also heavily involved in conflicts in France, most notably the ].<ref>, Maurice Keen, BBC History</ref>

The ] saw religious conflict resulting from the ] and the introduction of ] state churches in each country.<ref> and , Encyclopedia Britannica Online</ref> Wales was ]<ref name="BBC Tudors">{{cite web|title=BBC&nbsp;– History&nbsp;– British History in Depth&nbsp;– Wales under the Tudors |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/wales_tudors_01.shtml|accessdate=21&nbsp;September 2010|publisher=BBC|date=5 November 2009|work=BBC website}}</ref> and Ireland was constituted as a ].<ref>"A history of the modern British Isles, 1529–1603", pp.171–172, Mark Nicholls, 1999 ISBN 0 631 19333 2</ref> In what was to become Northern Ireland, the lands of the independent Catholic ] were confiscated and ] from England and Scotland.<ref>Canny,Nicholas, Making Ireland British 1580–1650, (pp189-200) Oxford University Press, Oxford 2003.</ref> In 1603, the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, were united in a ] when ], 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 institutions.<ref name="D. Ross, 2002 p. 56">Ross, D. (2002). ''Chronology of Scottish History''. Glasgow: Geddes & Grosset. p. 56. ISBN 1855343800</ref><ref name="J. Hearn, 2002 p. 104">Hearn, J. (2002). ''Claiming Scotland: National Identity and Liberal Culture''. Edinburgh University Press. p. 104. ISBN 1902930169</ref> In the mid-17th century, all three kingdoms ] (including the ]) which led to the temporary overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the short-lived ] of the ].<ref> Encyclopedia Britannica Online</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archontology.org/nations/scotland/01_laws.php |title=Scotland and the Commonwealth: 1651–1660 |publisher=Archontology.org |date=2010-03-14 |accessdate=2010-04-20}}</ref> Although the monarchy was restored, it ensured (with the so-called ] of 1688) that, unlike much of the rest of Europe, ] would not prevail. The ] would develop on the basis of ] and the ].<ref>{{Citation|last=Lodge |first=Richard| year=2007 |title=The History of England&nbsp;– From the Restoration to the Death of William III (1660–1702) |publisher=Read Books| isbn=}}, p.8</ref> During this period, particularly in England, the development of ] (and the interest in ]) led to the acquisition and settlement of ], particularly in ].<ref> retrieved 24 December 2010</ref><ref>{{Cite book| first=Nicholas| last=Canny| title=The Origins of Empire, The Oxford History of the British Empire Volume I| publisher=Oxford University Press| year=1998| isbn=0-19-924676-9| url=http://books.google.com/?id=eQHSivGzEEMC| ref=refOHBEv1| accessdate=1 May 2011}}</ref>

===Since the creation of Great Britain===
{{Main|History of the United Kingdom}}

] led to a single united kingdom encompassing all Great Britain.]]
In 1707, the ] was created by the ] of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland in accordance with the ] that had been negotiated the previous year and ratified by the English and Scottish Parliaments passing ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/rise_parliament/docs/articles_union.htm |title=Articles of Union with Scotland 1707 |publisher=UK Parliament |accessdate=19 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/legislativescrutiny/ |title=Acts of Union 1707 |publisher=UK Parliament |accessdate=6 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/union.html |title=Treaty (act) of Union 1706 |publisher=Scottish History online |accessdate=3 February 2011}}</ref>

In the 18th century, the country played an important role in developing ] ideas of the ] as well as making significant contributions to literature, the arts, and science.<ref name="ferguson"/> The British-led ] transformed the country and fuelled the growing ]. During this time Britain, like other ]s, was involved in ] exploitation, including the ], although with the passing of the ] in 1807 the UK took a leading role in combating the ].<ref>Loosemore, Jo (2007). . BBC Devon.</ref> The colonies in North America had been the main focus of British colonial activity. However, with their loss following the ], imperial ambition turned to other parts of the globe, particularly ].<ref> Library of Congress</ref>

In 1800, the Parliaments of Great Britain and of Ireland each passed ], uniting the two kingdoms and creating the ], which came into being on 1 January 1801.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.actofunion.ac.uk/actofunion.htm#act |title=The Act of Union |publisher=Act of Union Virtual Library |accessdate=15 May 2006}}</ref>
] marked the end of the ] and the start of ].]]
After the defeat of ] in the ] and ] (1792–1815), the UK emerged as the principal naval and economic power of the 19th century (with London the largest city in the world from about 1830 to 1930)<ref>Tellier, L.-N. (2009). ''Urban World History: an Economic and Geographical Perspective''. Quebec: PUQ. p. 463. ISBN 2760515885</ref> and remained a ] into the mid 20th century.<ref>Sondhaus, L. (2004). ''Navies in Modern World History''. London: Reaktion Books. p. 9. ISBN 1861892020</ref> ], Britain adopted the role of global policeman, a state of affairs later known as the '']''.<ref>{{Cite book| first=Andrew| last=Porter| title=The Nineteenth Century, The Oxford History of the British Empire Volume III| publisher=Oxford University Press| year=1998| isbn=0-19-924678-5| url=http://books.google.com/?id=oo3F2X8IDeEC| ref=refOHBEv3| accessdate=22 July 2009}}, p.&nbsp;332.</ref> It was also a period of rapid economic, colonial, and industrial growth. Britain was described as the "workshop of the world"<ref> BBC History, retrieved 11 May 2011</ref> and the ] grew to include ], large ], as well as many other territories across the world. Alongside the formal control it exerted over its own colonies, Britain's dominant position in world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of many countries, such as ], ] and ].<ref>{{Cite book| first=Andrew| last=Porter| title=The Nineteenth Century, The Oxford History of the British Empire Volume III| publisher=Oxford University Press| year=1998| isbn=0-19-924678-5| url=http://books.google.com/?id=oo3F2X8IDeEC| ref=refOHBEv3| accessdate=22 July 2009}}, p.&nbsp;8.</ref><ref>{{Cite book| first=PJ| last=Marshall| title=The Cambridge Illustrated History of the British Empire| publisher=Cambridge University Press| year=1996| isbn=0-521-00254-0| url=http://books.google.com/?id=S2EXN8JTwAEC| ref=refMarshall| accessdate=22 July 2009}}, pp.&nbsp;156–57.</ref> Domestically, there was a shift to ] and ] policies and a very significant widening of the voting franchise. The country saw a huge population increase during the century accompanied by rapid urbanization, resulting in significant social and economic stresses.<ref>, Richard S. Tompson, 2003, ISBN 0 8160 4474 0</ref> By the end of the century, other states began to challenge Britain's industrial dominance.<ref>World War I: People, Politics, and Power, America at War, p.21, Britannica Educational Publishing, William L Hosch, The Rosen Publishing Group, 2009. ISBN 9781615300488</ref>

] during the ]. More than 885,000 British soldiers lost their lives on the battlefields of ].]]
The UK, along with Russia, France and (after 1917) the USA, was one of the major powers opposing ] and its allies in World War I (1914–18).<ref>Turner, J. (1988). ''Britain and the First World War''. Abingdon: Routledge. pp. 22–35. ISBN 004445109</ref> The UK armed forces grew to over five million people<ref name=Westwell&Cove/> engaged across much of its empire, several regions in Europe and increasingly took a major role on the ]. The nation suffered an estimated two and a half million casualties and finished the war with a huge national debt.<ref name=Westwell&Cove>Westwell, I.; Cove, D. (eds) (2002). ''History of World War I, Volume 3''. London: Marshall Cavendish. pp. 698 and 705. ISBN 0761472312</ref> After the war the United Kingdom received the ] mandate over former German and ] colonies and the ] had expanded to its greatest extent, covering a fifth of the world's land surface and a quarter of its population.<ref>Turner, J. (1988). ''Britain and the First World War''. Abingdon: Routledge. p. 41. ISBN 0044451091</ref> However, the rise of ] and disputes within Ireland over the terms of ] led eventually to the ] in 1921,<ref>SR&O 1921, No. 533 of 3 May 1921.</ref> with the ] becoming independent with ] in 1922 and Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom.<ref name="CAIN">{{cite web |url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/politics/docs/ait1921.htm |title=The Anglo-Irish Treaty, 6&nbsp;December 1921 |publisher=CAIN |accessdate=15 May 2006}}</ref> The ] (1929–32) occurred at a time when the UK was still far from having recovered from the effects of the war and led to hardship as well as political and social unrest.<ref>Rubinstein, W. D. (1004). ''Capitalism, Culture, and Decline in Britain, 1750–1990''. Abingdon: Routledge. p. 11. ISBN 0415037190</ref>

The United Kingdom was one of the three main ]. Following the defeat of its European allies in the first year of the war, the United Kingdom continued the fight against Germany, notably in the ] and the ]. After the victory, the UK was one of the Big Three powers that met to plan the post-war world. The war left the United Kingdom financially damaged. However, ] and loans from both the United States and Canada helped the UK on the road to recovery.<ref>{{Cite news |url= http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/28/business/worldbusiness/28iht-nazi.4042453.html |title= Britain to make its final payment on World War II loan from U.S. |work= The New York Times |date= 28 December 2006}}</ref>
], countries in east Africa, India, most of Australasia, and some other countries are highlighted in pink.|Territories that were at one time part of the ]. Current ] are underlined in red.]]
The ] in the immediate post-war years initiated a radical programme of changes having a significant impact on British society for the following decades.<ref>"Ideas and policies under labour, 1945–1951: building a new Britain", Martin Francis, pp225-233, 1997 ISBN 0 7190 4833 9</ref> Domestically, major industries and public utilities were ], a ] was established, and a comprehensive publicly-funded healthcare system, the ], was created.<ref>"Aspects of British political history, 1914–1995", Stephen J. Lee, 1996 pp.173–199, 0 415 13102 2</ref> In response to the rise of local nationalism, the Labour government's own ideological sympathies and Britain's now diminished economic position, a policy of ] was initiated with the granting of independence to India and ] in 1947.<ref>, Klaus Larres, 2009, ISBN 978 1 4051 0612 2</ref> Over the next three decades most territories of the Empire gained independence and became sovereign members of the ].

Although the new post-war limits of Britain's political role were illustrated by the ] of 1956, the UK nevertheless became one of the five permanent members of the ] and was the third country to develop ] (with its ] in 1952). The international spread of the ] also ensured the continuing international influence of its ] and ], while from the 1960s its ] also found influence abroad. As a result of a shortage of workers in the 1950s, the British Government encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries, thereby transforming Britain into a multi-ethnic society in the following decades.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=s3RQ4dsFEkoC&pg=PA84&dq=government+policy+in+post+war+britain+brought+people+from+the+commonwealth+to+create+a+multiethnic+society#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Contemporary British identity: English language, migrants, and public discource |first=Christina | last = Julios |accessdate=26 December 2010 |page=84 |isbn=9780754671589 |year=2008}}</ref> In 1973, the United Kingdom joined the ] (EEC), and when it became the ] (EU) in 1992, the UK was one of its 12 founding members. From the late 1960s Northern Ireland suffered communal and paramilitary violence (sometimes affecting elsewhere in the UK and also the ]) which is conventionally known as ]. It is usually considered to have ended with the ] of 1998.<ref>''The Politics of Northern Ireland: Beyond the Belfast Agreement'' by Arthur Aughey (ISBN 978-0415327886), page 7</ref><ref name = Hope>"The troubles were over, but the killing continued. Some of the heirs to Ireland's violent traditions refused to give up their inheritance." Holland, Jack: ''Hope against History: The Course of Conflict in Northern Ireland.'' Henry Holt & Company, 1999, page 221. ISBN 0805060871</ref><ref>Elliot, Marianne: ''The Long Road to Peace in Northern Ireland: Peace Lectures from the Institute of Irish Studies at Liverpool University.'' University of Liverpool Institute of Irish Studies, Liverpool University Press, 2007, page 2. ISBN 1846310652</ref>

Following a period of global economic slowdown and industrial strife in the 1970s, the ] initiated a radical policy of deregulation, particularly of the financial sector, flexible labour markets, the sale of state-owned companies (]), and the withdrawal of subsidies to others.<ref>"British politics since 1945",
Peter Dorey, 1995, pp.164–223, ISBN 0 631 19074 0</ref> Aided, from 1984, with the inflow of substantial ] revenues, the UK saw a period of significant economic growth.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://vig.pearsoned.co.uk/catalog/uploads/Griffiths_C01.pdf |title=Applied Economics |publisher=Financial Times Press |year=2007 |edition=11th|accessdate=26 December 2010 |page=6 |author1 =Griffiths, Alan |author2 =Wall, Stuart |location =Harlow}}</ref> The end of the 20th century saw major changes to the governance of the UK with the establishment of ] national administrations for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales following pre-legislative ],<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://publius.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/1/217|title=Reforging the Union: Devolution and Constitutional Change in the United Kingdom|accessdate=4 February 2009 |journal=Publius: the Journal of Federalism |volume=28 |issue=1 |page=217 |last=Keating |first=Michael |date=1 January 1998}}</ref> and the ] of the ]. Domestic controversy surrounded some of Britain's overseas military deployments in the first decade of the 21st century, particularly in ] and ].<ref>, Financial Times, 3 April 2011.</ref>

==Geography==
{{Main|Geography of the United Kingdom}}
]
The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately {{convert|243610|km2|sqmi|-1}}. The country occupies the major part of the ]<ref>Oxford English Dictionary: "British Isles: a geographical term for the islands comprising Great Britain and Ireland with all their offshore islands including the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands."</ref> ] 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 south-east coast coming within {{convert|35|km|mi|0}} of the coast of northern France, from which it is separated by the ].<ref name=factbook>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html|title=United Kingdom|work=]|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|accessdate=23 September 2008}}</ref> As of 1993 10% of the UK was forested, 46% used for pastures and 25% used for agriculture.<ref name="Atlapedia">{{cite web|author=Latimer Clarke Corporation Pty Ltd |url=http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/unitedki.htm |title=United Kingdom&nbsp;– Atlapedia Online |publisher=Atlapedia.com |accessdate=26 October 2010}}</ref> The ] in London is the defining point of the ].

The United Kingdom lies between latitudes ] to ], and longitudes ] to ]. Northern Ireland shares a {{convert|360|km|mi|0|adj=on}} land boundary with the Republic of Ireland.<ref name=factbook/> The coastline of Great Britain is {{convert|17820|km|mi|0}} long.<ref>{{cite web |author=Neal, Clare |url=http://www.cartography.org.uk/default.asp?contentID=749 |title=How long is the UK coastline? |publisher=British Cartographic Society |accessdate=26 October 2010}}</ref> It is connected to ] by the ], which at {{convert|50|km|mi|0}} ({{convert|38|km|mi|0}} underwater) is the longest underwater tunnel in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eurotunnel.com/ukcP3Main/ukcCorporate/ukcTunnelInfrastructure/ukcInfrastructure/ |title =The Channel Tunnel |publisher=Eurotunnel |accessdate=29 November 2010}}</ref>

] accounts for just over half of the total area of the UK, covering {{convert|130395|km2|sqmi|-1}}.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/7327029.stm |work=BBC News | title=England&nbsp;– Profile | date=11 February 2010}}</ref> Most of the country consists of lowland terrain,<ref name="Atlapedia"/> with mountainous terrain north-west of the ]; including the ] of the Lake District, the ] and ] hills of the ], ] and ]. The main rivers and estuaries are the ], ] and the ]. England's highest mountain is ] ({{convert|978|m|ft|0}}) in the ]. Its principal ] are the Severn, Thames, Humber, Tees, Tyne, Tweed, Avon, Exe and Mersey.<ref name="Atlapedia"/>

], in Scotland, is the highest point in the ]]]

] accounts for just under a third of the total area of the UK, covering {{convert|78772|km2|sqmi|-1}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotland.org/about/fact-file/index.html|title=Scotland Facts|publisher=Scotland Online Gateway|accessdate=16 July 2008| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080621045248/http://www.scotland.org/about/fact-file/index.html| archivedate = 21 June 2008}}</ref> and including nearly eight hundred ],<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/the-complete-guide-to--scottish-islands-754070.html |title =The complete guide to Scottish Islands |work=The Independent |location =London |date =19 May 2001 |first =Jon |last= Winter}}</ref> predominantly west and north of the mainland; notably the ], ] and ]. The topography of Scotland is distinguished by the ] {{ndash}} a ]{{ndash}} which traverses Scotland from ] in the west to ] in the east.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst7728.html |title= Overview of Highland Boundary Fault |work=Gazetteer for Scotland |publisher=University of Edinburgh |accessdate = 27 December 2010}}</ref> The faultline separates two distinctively different regions; namely the ] to the north and west and the ] to the south and east. The more rugged Highland region contains the majority of Scotland's mountainous land, including ] which at {{convert|1343|m|ft|0}} is the highest point in the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bennevisweather.co.uk/index.asp|title=Ben Nevis Weather|publisher=Ben Nevis Weather|accessdate=26 October 2008}}</ref> Lowland areas, especially the narrow waist of land between the ] and the ] known as the ], are flatter and home to most of the population including ], Scotland's largest city, and ], its capital and political centre.

] accounts for less than a tenth of the total area of the UK, covering {{convert|20779|km2|sqmi|-1}}.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/6233450.stm |title=Profile: Wales |work=BBC News |date=9 June 2010 |accessdate =7 November 2010}}</ref> Wales is mostly mountainous, though ] is less mountainous than ] and ]. The main population and industrial areas are in South Wales, consisting of the coastal cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport, and the ] to their north. The highest mountains in Wales are in ] and include ] ({{lang-cy|Yr Wyddfa}}) which, at {{convert|1085|m|ft|0}}, is the highest peak in Wales.<ref name="Atlapedia"/> The 14, or possibly 15, Welsh mountains over 3,000&nbsp;feet (914&nbsp;m) high are known collectively as the ]. Wales has over 1,200&nbsp;km (750&nbsp;miles) of coastline. There are several islands off the Welsh mainland, the largest of which is ] (''Ynys Môn'') in the northwest.

] accounts for just {{convert|14160|km2|sqmi|-1}} and is mostly hilly. It includes ] which, at {{convert|388|km2|sqmi|0}}, is the largest lake in the British Isles by area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/ni/geog.htm|title=Geography of Northern Ireland|publisher=University of Ulster|accessdate=22 May 2006}}</ref> The highest peak in Northern Ireland is ] in the ] at {{convert|852|m|ft|0}}.<ref name="Atlapedia"/>

===Climate===
{{Main|Climate of the United Kingdom}}
The United Kingdom has a temperate ], with plentiful rainfall all year round.<ref name=factbook/> The temperature varies with the seasons seldom dropping below {{convert|-11|C|lk=on}} or rising above {{convert|35|C}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/ |title=UK climate summaries |date= |publisher=Met Office |accessdate=1 May 2011}}</ref> The prevailing wind is from the south-west and bears frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Atlantic Ocean,<ref name=factbook/> although the eastern parts are mostly sheltered from this wind {{ndash}} as the majority of the rain falls over the western regions the eastern parts are therefore the driest. Atlantic currents, warmed by the ], bring mild winters; especially in the west where winters are wet and even moreso over high ground. Summers are warmest in the south-east of England, being closest to the European mainland, and coolest in the north. Snowfall can occur in winter and early spring, though it rarely settles to great depth away from high ground.

===Administrative divisions===
{{Main|Administrative geography of the United Kingdom}}
]
Each country of the United Kingdom has its own system of administrative and geographic demarcation, which often has origins that pre-date the formation of the United Kingdom itself. Consequently there is "no common stratum of administrative unit encompassing the United Kingdom".<ref name="UN">{{cite web |url=http://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/9th-UNCSGN-Docs/E-CONF-98-48-Add1.pdf |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5lhCIacyi |archivedate=1 December 2009 |title=Ninth United Nations Conference on the standardization of Geographical Names |month=August |year=2007|author=] |publisher=United Nations Statistics Division |accessdate =21 October 2008}}</ref> Until the 19th century there was little change to those arrangements, but there has since been a constant evolution of role and function.<ref name=barlow>{{cite book |last= Barlow |first =I.M. |title= Metropolitan Government |year=1991 |publisher=Routledge |location =London |isbn =9780415020992}}</ref> Change did not occur in a uniform manner and the devolution of power over local government to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland means that future changes are unlikely to be uniform either.

The organisation of ] is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the UK parliament and the ], as England does not have a devolved parliament. The upper-tier ] are the nine ] or European Union government office regions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gos.gov.uk/national/ |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5hYQkeu1p |archivedate=15 June 2009 |publisher=Government Offices |accessdate=3 July 2008 |title= Welcome to the national site of the Government Office Network}}</ref> One region, ], has had a directly elected assembly and mayor since 2000 following popular support for the proposal in a ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/london-life/city-government/history.jsp |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080421023053/http://www.london.gov.uk/london-life/city-government/history.jsp |archivedate=21 April 2008 |title=A short history of London government |publisher=Greater London Authority |accessdate=4 October 2008}}</ref> It was intended that other regions would also be given their own elected ] but the rejection of a proposed assembly in the ] region, by a ], stopped this idea in its tracks.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article503255.ece |title=Prescott's dream in tatters as North East rejects assembly |accessdate =15 February 2008 |work=The Times |location=London |first1=Jill |last1=Sherman |first2=Andrew |last2=Norfolk |date=5 November 2004 |quote= The Government is now expected to tear up its twelve-year-old plan to create eight or nine regional assemblies in England to mirror devolution in Scotland and Wales.}}</ref> Below the region level England has either ] and district councils or ] and London which consists of 32 ]s. Councillors are elected by the ] system in single-member wards or by the ] in multi-member wards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/aio/39780|title=Local Authority Elections|publisher=Local Government Association|accessdate=3 October 2008}}</ref>

] is divided on a basis of ], with wide variation in both size and population. The cities of ], Edinburgh, ] and ] are separate council areas as is the ] which includes a third of Scotland's area but just over 200,000&nbsp;people. The power invested in local authorities is administered by elected councillors, of which there are currently 1,222<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.psa.ac.uk/2007/pps/Bennie.pdf |title=STV in Scotland: Local Government Elections 2007 |publisher=Political Studies Association |accessdate =2 August 2008}}</ref> and are each paid a part-time salary. Elections are conducted by ] in multi-member wards that elect either three or four councillors. Each council elects a ], or ], to chair meetings of the council and to act as a figurehead for the area. ]s are subject to a ] enforced by the ].<ref>Ethical Standards in Public Life framework: {{cite web|title=Ethical Standards in Public Life|url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/ethical-standards|publisher=The Scottish Government|accessdate=3 October 2008}}</ref> The representative association of Scotland's local authorities is the ] (COSLA).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cosla.gov.uk/index.asp?leftId=10001D0EF-10766726|title=About COSLA|publisher=Convention of Scottish Local Authorities|accessdate=3 October 2008}}{{dead link|date=April 2011}}</ref>

] consists of 22 unitary authorities. These include the cities of ], ] and ] which are unitary authorities in their own right.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/localgovernment/localauthorities/?lang=en|title=Local Authorities |publisher=The Welsh Assembly Government|accessdate=31 July 2008}}</ref> Elections are held every four years under the first-past-the-post system.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/how_do_i_vote/voting_systems/local_government_elections_i3.aspx |title=Local government elections in Wales |publisher=] |year=2008 |accessdate=8 April 2011}}</ref> The most recent elections were held in May 2008. The ] represents the interests of local authorities in Wales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wlga.gov.uk/|title=Welsh Local Government Association|publisher=Welsh Local Government Association|accessdate=20 March 2008}}</ref>

] has, since 1973, been organised into 26 district councils, each elected by ]. Their powers are limited to services such as collecting waste, controlling dogs, and maintaining parks and cemeteries.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4449092.stm |title=NI local government set for shake-up |work=BBC News |date=18 November 2005 |accessdate=15 November 2008 |first =Mark |last= Devenport}}</ref> On 13 March 2008 the executive agreed on proposals to create 11 new councils and replace the present system.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-doe/news-doe-130308-foster-announces-the.htm |title=Foster announces the future shape of local government |publisher=NI Executive |date =13 March 2008 |accessdate=20 October 2008}}</ref> The next local elections were postponed until 2011 to facilitate this.<ref>{{cite press release |url= http://www.nio.gov.uk/local-government-elections-to-be-aligned-with-review-of-public-administration/media-detail.htm?newsID=15153 |title=Local Government elections to be aligned with review of public administration |publisher=Northern Ireland Office |date =25 April 2008 |accessdate =2 August 2008}}</ref>

===Dependencies===
{{Main|British Overseas Territories|Crown Dependencies}}
]
The United Kingdom has sovereignty over seventeen territories which do not form part of the United Kingdom itself: 14 British Overseas Territories<ref name=fco14Terr>{{cite web |url= http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/what-we-do/overseas-territories/ |title=Working with Overseas Territories |publisher=Foreign & Commonwealth Office |date=6 October 2010 |accessdate=5 November 2010}}</ref> and three Crown Dependencies.

The fourteen British Overseas Territories are: ]; ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; the ]; ]; ]; ]; the ]; the ]; ]; and the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://collections.europarchive.org/tna/20080205132101/www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front%3fpagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1013618138295 |title= Overseas Territories |publisher=Foreign & Commonwealth Office |accessdate=6 September 2010}}</ref> British claims in Antarctica are not universally recognised.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ay.html |title= The World Factbook |publisher=CIA |accessdate=26 December 2010}}</ref> Collectively Britain's overseas territories encompass an approximate land area of {{convert|667018|sqmi|km2}} and a population of approximately 260,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/ |title=Country profiles |publisher=Foreign & Commonwealth Office |date =21 February 2008 |accessdate=6 September 2010}}</ref> They are the remnants of the ] and several have specifically voted to remain British territories.

The Crown Dependencies are British possessions of ], as opposed to overseas territories of the UK.<ref>{{cite web|author=The Committee Office, House of Commons |url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmjust/56/5604.htm |title=House of Commons&nbsp;– Crown Dependencies&nbsp;– Justice Committee |publisher=Publications.parliament.uk |accessdate=7 November 2010}}</ref> They comprise the ] ]s of ] and ] in the ] and the ] in the ]. Being independently administered jurisdictions they do not form ] or of the ], although the UK government manages their foreign affairs and defence and the UK Parliament has the authority to legislate on their behalf. The power to pass legislation affecting the islands ultimately rests with their own respective legislative assemblies, with the assent of the Crown (] or, in the case of the Isle of Man, in certain circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://classic-web.archive.org/web/20060902092534/http://www.gov.je/ChiefMinister/International+Relations/Profile+of+Jersey.htm|title=Profile of Jersey|publisher=]|accessdate=31 July 2008|quote=The legislature passes primary legislation, which requires approval by The Queen in Council, and enacts subordinate legislation in many areas without any requirement for Royal Sanction and under powers conferred by primary legislation.}}</ref> Since 2005 each Crown dependency has had a ] as its ].

==Politics==
{{Main|Politics of the United Kingdom|Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Elections in the United Kingdom}}
], ] and the other ]]]

The United Kingdom is a ] under a ]. ] ] is the head of state of the UK as well as of fifteen other independent ]. The United Kingdom has an ],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.llrx.com/features/uk2.htm#UK%20Legal%20System|title=A Guide To the UK Legal System|first=Sarah|last=Carter|publisher=]|accessdate=16 May 2006}}</ref> as do only three other countries in the world.<ref group="note">New Zealand, Israel and ]</ref> The ] thus consists mostly of a collection of disparate written sources, including ]s, judge-made ] and international treaties, together with ]. As there is no technical difference between ordinary statutes and "constitutional law" the ] can perform "constitutional reform" simply by passing ] and thus has the political power to change or abolish almost any written or unwritten element of the constitution. However, no Parliament can pass laws that future Parliaments cannot change.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/sovereignty.cfm|title=Official UK Parliament web page on parliamentary sovereignty|publisher=UK Parliament}}</ref>

===Government===
The UK has a ] based on the ] that has been emulated around the world—a legacy of the ]. The ] that meets in the ] has two houses; an elected ] and an appointed ]. Any bill passed requires ] to become law. It is the ultimate legislative authority in the United Kingdom since the devolved parliament in ] as well as the devolved assemblies in ] and ] are not sovereign bodies and could, theoretically, be abolished by the UK parliament.

The position of ], the UK's ],<ref>{{cite web|title = The Government, Prime Minister and Cabinet|work=Public services all in one place|publisher=]|url = http://direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Centralgovernmentandthemonarchy/DG_073444|accessdate = 12 February 2010}}</ref> belongs to the member of parliament who can obtain the confidence of a majority in the House of Commons, usually the current leader of the largest political party in that chamber. The prime minister and cabinet are formally appointed by the monarch to form ], though the prime minister chooses the cabinet and, by convention, HM The Queen respects the prime minister's choices.<ref name="npm">{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6245682.stm |title=Brown is UK's new prime minister |date=27 June 2007 |accessdate=23 January 2008 |work=BBC News }}</ref>

], seat of both houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom]]
The ] is traditionally drawn from members of the Prime Minister's party in both legislative houses, and mostly from the House of Commons, to which ]. Executive power is exercised by the prime minister and cabinet, all of whom are sworn into the ], and become ]. The ] ], leader of the ], has been Prime Minister, ] and ] since 11 May 2010.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8675265.stm |title=David Cameron is UK's new prime minister |date=11 May 2010 |work=BBC News |accessdate =11 May 2010}}</ref> For elections to the House of Commons, the UK is currently divided into ]<ref name="Elections and voting&nbsp;— UK Parliament">{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/elections-and-voting/ |title=Elections and voting&nbsp;– UK Parliament |publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom |accessdate=14 November 2010 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parliament.uk%2Fabout%2Fhow%2Felections-and-voting%2F&date=14 November 2010|archivedate=14 November 2010}}</ref> with each electing a single member of parliament by ]. General elections are called by the monarch when the prime minister so advises. The ] require that a new election must be called within five years of the previous general election.<ref name="The Parliament Acts&nbsp;— UK Parliament">{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/parliamentacts/|title=The Parliament Acts&nbsp;– UK Parliament|accessdate=14 November 2010|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.parliament.uk%2Fabout%2Fhow%2Flaws%2Fparliamentacts%2F&date=14 November 2010|archivedate=14 November 2010}}</ref>

The UK's three ] are the ], the ] and the ]. During the ] these three parties won 622 out of 650 seats available in the House of Commons; 621 seats at the ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/uk/|title=United Kingdom|work=European Election Database|publisher=Norwegian Social Science Data Services|accessdate=3 July 2010}}</ref> and 1 more at the delayed by-election in Thirsk and Malton.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/may/28/general-election-2010-conservatives|title=Thirsk and Malton: Conservatives take final seat in parliament|work=The Guardian|location=London|last=Wainwright|first=Martin|date=28 May 2010|accessdate=3 July 2010}}</ref> Most of the remaining seats were won by minor parties that only contest elections in one part of the UK: the ] (Scotland only); ] (Wales only); and the ], ], ], and ] (Northern Ireland only, though Sinn Féin also contests elections in the Republic of Ireland). In accordance with party policy no elected Sinn Féin member of parliament has ever attended the House of Commons to speak on behalf of their constituents&nbsp;– this is because members of parliament are required to take an oath of allegiance to the monarch. The current five Sinn Féin MPs have however, since 2002, made use of the offices and other facilities available at Westminster.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1771635.stm |title=Sinn Fein moves into Westminster |work=BBC News |date=21 January 2002 |accessdate =17 October 2008}}</ref> For elections to the ] the UK currently has ], elected in 12 ] constituencies.<ref>{{Cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/html/ukregion_999999.stm |title= European Election: United Kingdom Result |work=BBC News |date =8 June 2009}}</ref>

===Devolved national administrations===
{{Main|Northern Ireland Executive|Scottish Government|Welsh Government}}
] in ] is the seat of the ]]]

], Wales and ] each have their own ], led by a ], and a ] ] legislature. England, the largest country of the United Kingdom, has no devolved executive or legislature and is administered and legislated for directly by the UK government and parliament on all issues. This situation has given rise to the so-called ] which concerns the fact that MPs from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can vote, sometimes decisively,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3432767.stm |title=Scots MPs attacked over fees vote |work=BBC News |date=27 January 2004 |accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref> on matters affecting England that are handled by devolved legislatures for their own constituencies.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/talking_politics/82358.stm |title=Talking Politics: The West Lothian Question |work=BBC News |first=Brian |last=Taylor |date=1 June 1998 |accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref>

The ] and ] have wide ranging powers over any matter that has not been specifically ] to the UK parliament, including ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/scotland_99/the_scottish_parliament/310036.stm |title=Scotland's Parliament&nbsp;– powers and structures |work=BBC News |date=8 April 1999 |accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref> Following its victory at the ] the ] ] (SNP) formed a minority ] with its leader, ], becoming ].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6659531.stm |title=Salmond elected as first minister |work=BBC News |date=16 May 2007 |accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref> The pro-union parties responded to the electoral success of the SNP by creating a ]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7311840.stm |title=Devolution review body launched |work=BBC News |date =25 March 2008 |accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref> which reported in 2009 and recommended that additional powers should be devolved, including control of half the income tax raised in Scotland.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8099634.stm |title= 'Radical' Holyrood powers urged |work=BBC News |date =15 June 2009}}</ref> At the ] the SNP won re-election and achieved an overall majority in the Scottish parliament.<ref> BBC News, 6 May 2011</ref>

The ] and the ] have more limited powers than those devolved to Scotland,.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/wales_99/the_welsh_assembly/309033.stm |title=Structure and powers of the Assembly |work=BBC News |date=9 April 1999 |accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref> Following the passing of the ] the assembly was able to legislate in devolved areas through ] once permission to legislate on that specific matter had been granted by Westminster through a ];<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2007/jul/16/wales.devolution |title=What powers does the Welsh Assembly have? |work=The Guardian |date=16 July 2007 |accessdate=21 October 2008 |location=London |first=Paul |last=Owen}}</ref> but since May 2011 the Assembly has been able to legislate on devolved matters through ], which require no prior consent. The current ] was formed after the ], and is a minority Labour administration lead by ], who had been First Minister of a ]/] administration since December 2009.<ref name="IcWales">{{cite news |title= Carwyn Jones clinches leadership in Wales |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/12/01/carwyn-jones-clinches-leadership-in-wales-91466-25299305/ |accessdate=1 December 2009 |publisher=Media Wales Ltd |date=1 December 2009 |work=WalesOnline}}</ref>

The ] and ] have powers closer to those already devolved to Scotland. The ] is led by a ], currently ] ] (]) and ] ] (]).<ref name="northernireland1">{{cite web|url=http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/your-government/devolved-government.htm|title=Devolved Government&nbsp;– Ministers and their departments|publisher=Northern Ireland Executive|accessdate=17 October 2008| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070822230925/http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/your-government/devolved-government.htm| archivedate = 22 August 2007}}</ref>

===Law and criminal justice===
<!-- Copyedit done to here -->
{{Main|Law of the United Kingdom}}
] of ].]]
The United Kingdom does not have a single legal system since it was created by the political union of previously independent countries, with Article 19 of the ] guaranteeing the continued existence of Scotland's separate legal system.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/union.html |title=The Treaty (act) of the Union of Parliament 1706 |publisher=Scottish History Online |accessdate=5 October 2008}}</ref> Today the UK has three distinct ]; ], ] and ]. Recent constitutional changes saw a new ] come into being in October 2009 to replace the ].<ref>{{Cite news | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8283939.stm |title =UK Supreme Court judges sworn in |work=BBC News |date =1 October 2009}}</ref><ref>{{PDFlink||252&nbsp;KB}}, Department for Constitutional Affairs. Retrieved 22 May 2006.</ref> The ], including the same members as the Supreme Court, is the highest court of appeal for several independent Commonwealth countries, the UK overseas territories and the British crown dependencies.
]—the ] ] of ].]]
Both ], which applies in ], and ] are based on ] principles.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=AF303DEl0MkC&pg=PA298&dq=english+and+northern+irish+law+are+based+on+common-law#v=onepage&q&f=false |first=Andrew |last=Bainham |title=The international survey of family law:1996 |page=298 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |isbn=9789041105738 |year=1998 |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff |location =The Hague}}</ref> The essence of common law is that, subject to statute, the law is developed by judges in ]s, applying statute, ] and common sense to the facts before them to give explanatory judgements of the relevant legal principles, which are reported and binding in future similar cases ('']'').<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=a4ddQNrt8e8C&pg=PA371&dq=%22stare+decisis+et+non+quieta+movere%22#v=onepage&q=%22stare%20decisis%20et%20non%20quieta%20movere%22&f=false |title=World dictionary of foreign expressions |author=Adeleye, Gabriel; Acquah-Dadzie, Kofi; Sienkewicz, Thomas; McDonough, James |page=371 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |isbn=9780865164239 |year =1999 |location =Waucojnda, IL |publisher=Bolchazy-Carducci}}</ref> The ] are headed by the ], consisting of the ], the ] (for civil cases) and the ] (for criminal cases). The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land for both criminal and civil appeal cases in England, Wales, and ] and any decision it makes is binding on every other court in the same jurisdiction, often having a persuasive effect in other jurisdictions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alpn.edu.au/node/66 |title= The Australian courts and comparative law |publisher=Australian Law Postgraduate Network |accessdate=28 December 2010}}</ref>

] applies in ], a hybrid system based on both common-law and ] principles. The chief courts are the ], for civil cases,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/session/index.asp|title=Court of Session&nbsp;– Introduction|publisher=Scottish Courts|accessdate=5 October 2008}}</ref> and the ], for criminal cases.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/justiciary/index.asp|title=High Court of Justiciary&nbsp;– Introduction|publisher=Scottish Courts|accessdate=5 October 2008}}</ref> The ] serves as the highest court of appeal for civil cases under Scots law.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199697/ldinfo/ld08judg/bluebook/bluebk03.htm|title=House of Lords&nbsp;– Practice Directions on Permission to Appeal|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate=22 June 2009}}</ref> ] deal with most civil and criminal cases including conducting criminal trials with a jury, known as sheriff solemn court, or with a sheriff and no jury, known as sheriff summary Court.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/introduction.asp|title=Introduction|publisher=Scottish Courts|accessdate=5 October 2008}}</ref> The Scots legal system is unique in having three possible ]s for a criminal trial: "]", "]" and "'']''". Both "not guilty" and "not proven" result in an ] with no possibility of retrial.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article431121.ece |title=The case for keeping 'not proven' verdict |work=The Sunday Times |first =Tim |last =Luckhurst |accessdate= 5 October 2008 |location=London |date=20 March 2005}}</ref>

Crime in England and Wales increased in the period between 1981 and 1995, though since that peak there has been an overall fall of 48% in crime from 1995 to 2007/08,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7511192.stm|title=Police-recorded crime down by 9% |work=BBC News |date=17 July 2008|accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref> according to ]. The ] has almost doubled over the same period, to over 80,000, giving England and Wales the highest rate of incarceration in Western Europe at 147 per 100,000.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7235438.stm |title=New record high prison population |work=BBC News |date=8 February 2008 |accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref> ], which reports to the ], manages most of the prisons within England and Wales. Crime in Scotland fell to its lowest recorded level for 32 years in 2009/10, falling by ten percent.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/09/07111730 |title=Crime falls to 32 year low |publisher=Scottish Government |date =7 September 2010 |accessdate=21 April 2011}}</ref> At the same time Scotland's prison population, at over 8,000,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sps.gov.uk/default.aspx?documentid=7811a7f1-6c61-4667-a12c-f102bbf5b808 |title=Prisoner Population at Friday 22&nbsp;August 2008 |publisher=Scottish Prison Service |accessdate=28 August 2008}}</ref> is hitting record levels and is well above design capacity.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7587724.stm |title=Scots jail numbers at record high |work=BBC News |date=29 August 2008 |accessdate=21 October 2008}}</ref> The ], which reports to the ], manages Scotland's prisons. In 2006 a report by the Surveillance Studies Network found that the UK had the highest level of ] among industrialised western nations.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6108496.stm| title=Britain is 'surveillance society'| accessdate=6 December 2010 |work=BBC News |date=2 November 2006}}</ref>

===Foreign relations===
{{Main|Foreign relations of the United Kingdom}}
], and the President of the United States, ], during the ].]]
The United Kingdom is a ] of the ], a member of the ], ], ], ], ], the ], the ], the ], the ], and is a ]. The UK has a "]" with the United States<ref>Swaine, Jon (13 Jan 2009) ''The Daily Telegraph'' Retrieved 3 May 2011</ref><ref>Kirchner, E. J.; Sperling, J. (2007). ''Global Security Governance: Competing Perceptions of Security in the 21st Century''. London: Taylor & Francis. p. 100. ISBN 0415391628</ref> and a close partnership with France&nbsp;– the "]"&nbsp;– and shares nuclear weapons technology with both countries. Other close allies include other European Union and NATO members, Commonwealth nations, and Japan. Britain's global presence and influence is further amplified through its trading relations, foreign investments, ] and armed forces.<ref> ''parliament.uk'' Retrieved 3 May 2011</ref>

===Military===
{{Main|British Armed Forces}}

].]]
The United Kingdom fields one of the most technologically advanced and best trained armed forces in the world and as of 2008 maintained at least 20 military deployments around the globe.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4094818.stm |title=Where are British troops and why |work=BBC News |accessdate=28 December 2010 |date=29 April 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=Bx_adGe_OiEC&pg=PA3&dq=uk+armed+forces+are+one+of+the+most+technologically+advanced+in+the+world#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=War as business: technological change and military service contracting |author=Krishnan, Armin |year=2008 |accessdate=29 December 2010 |isbn=9780754671671 |publisher=Ashgate |location =Aldershot}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=WY4CoIHNC3wC&pg=PA44&dq=uk+the+best+trained+armed+forces+in+the+world#v=onepage&q=uk%20the%20best%20trained%20armed%20forces%20in%20the%20world&f=false |title=British foreign policy: challenges and choices for the twenty first century |author1=Martin, Laurence W. |author2 =Garnett, John C. |year=1997 |accessdate=29 December 2010 |isbn=9781855674691 |publisher=Royal Institute of International Affairs |location =London}}</ref> According to various sources, including the ], the UK has the third- or fourth-highest ] in the world, despite only having the 25th largest military in terms of ]. Total defence spending currently accounts for 2.5% of total national GDP.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/Organisation/KeyFactsAboutDefence/DefenceSpending.htm |title=Defence Spending |publisher=Ministry of Defence |accessdate=6 January 2008}}</ref> The ], ] and ] are collectively known as the British Armed Forces and officially as ]. The three forces are managed by the ] and controlled by the ], chaired by the ].

The UK maintains the largest air force and navy in the EU and second-largest in NATO. The Royal Navy is a ], currently one of only three (with the ] and the ]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.henryjacksonsociety.org/stories.asp?pageid=49&id=279|title=The Royal Navy: Britain’s Trident for a Global Agenda&nbsp;– The Henry Jackson Society|publisher=Henry Jackson Society|accessdate=17 October 2008}}</ref> The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth £3.2bn to build two new ]-sized ] on 3 July 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7486683.stm |title=£3.2bn giant carrier deals signed |work=BBC News |date=3 July 2008 |accessdate=23 October 2008}}</ref> In early 2009 the British Army had a reported strength of 105,750, the Royal Air Force had 43,300 personnel and the Navy 38,160.<ref name="armedforces.co.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.armedforces.co.uk/mod/listings/l0013.html |title=The Management Of Defence |publisher=armedforces.co.uk |accessdate=29 December 2010}}</ref> The ], such as the ] and ], provide troops trained for quick, mobile, military responses in ], land, maritime and ], often where secrecy or covert tactics are required. There are reserve forces supporting the active military. These include the ], the ], ] and the ]. Active and reserve duty military personnel total approximately 404,090.<ref name="armedforces.co.uk"/>

The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the UK and its overseas territories, promoting the UK's global security interests and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. They are active and regular participants in ], including the ], as well as the ], ] and other worldwide coalition operations. Overseas garrisons and facilities are maintained in ], ], ], ], ], ], the ], ], ], Kenya and ].<ref name="Facilities">{{cite web|url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/cgi-bin/newhtml_hl?DB=semukparl&STEMMER=en&WORDS=raf%20diego%20garcia&ALL=RAF&ANY=&PHRASE=%22Diego%20Garcia%20%22&CATEGORIES=&SIMPLE=&SPEAKER=&COLOUR=red&STYLE=s&ANCHOR=50221w33.html_spnew0&URL=/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/vo050221/text/50221w33.htm#50221w33.html_spnew0|title=House of Commons Hansard|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate=23 October 2008}}</ref>

Despite the United Kingdom's military capabilities, recent defence policy has a stated assumption that "the most demanding operations" will be undertaken as part of a coalition.<ref>''UK 2005: The Official Yearbook of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''. Office for National Statistics. p. 89.</ref> Setting aside the ] their operations in ], ], Afghanistan and ] may all be taken as precedent. The last war in which the British military fought alone was the ] of 1982, in which they were victorious.

==Economy==
{{Main|Economy of the United Kingdom}}
] in the world alongside New York.<ref name="Global Financial Centres 7"/><ref> Forbes.com, 15 July 2008</ref><ref name="Mastercard"/>]]

The UK has a partially regulated ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/better-regulation/docs/p/11-795-principles-for-economic-regulation |title=Principles for Economic Regulation |date=April 2011 |publisher=Department for Business, Innovation & Skills |accessdate=1 May 2011}}</ref> Based on market ]s the UK is today the sixth largest economy in the world and the third largest in Europe after Germany and France, after having fallen behind France in 2008 for the first time in over a decade.<ref name=GDP>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=112&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=18&pr.y=10|title=United Kingdom|publisher=International Monetary Fund|accessdate=1 October 2009}}</ref> In recent years the UK economy has been managed in accordance with principles of market liberalisation and low taxation and regulation {{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}. Government involvement throughout the economy is exercised by the ]. Since 1997 the ]'s ], headed by the ], has been responsible for setting ] at the level necessary to achieve the overall inflation target for the economy that is set by the Chancellor each year.<ref> Bank of England&nbsp;– Retrieved 8 August 2008</ref> In July 2007 the UK had ] at 35.5% of GDP.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/mar/01/government-borrowing-economy1 |title= Britain's public debt since 1974 |work=The Guardian |location =London |date =1 March 2009}}</ref> This figure rose to 56.8% of GDP by July 2009.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Britain-owes-801000000000.5575539.jp |title= Britain owes £801,000,000,000 |work=The Scotsman |location =Edinburgh |date =21 August 2009}}</ref> On 23 January 2009 Government figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that the UK was officially in ] for the first time since 1991.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7846266.stm |title=UK in recession as economy slides |work=BBC News |date=23 January 2009 |accessdate=23 January 2009}}</ref> It entered a recession in the final quarter of 2008, accompanied by rising unemployment which increased from 5.2% in May 2008 to 7.6% in May 2009. By January 2011 the unemployment rate among 18 to 24-year-olds had risen from 11.9% to 20.3%, the highest since current records began in 1992.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/32a8c8c0-23b4-11e0-8bb1-00144feab49a.html |title= UK youth unemployment reaches record |work=Financial Times |location =London |date= 19 January 2011}}</ref>

]; the ] of the United Kingdom.]]
] has wings and engines manufactured in the UK.]]
The ] is the ] of the UK and is responsible for issuing the nation's currency, the ]. 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. Pound sterling is the world's third-largest ] (after the U.S. dollar and the euro).<ref>{{cite news| last=Chavez-Dreyfuss| first=Gertrude |url=http://in.reuters.com/article/asiaCompanyAndMarkets/idINN3141616420080331?sp=true |agency=Reuters| title=Global reserves, dollar share up at end of 2007-IMF| date=1 April 2008| accessdate=21 December 2009}}</ref>

The UK ] makes up around 73% of GDP.<ref>{{cite web|date=26 April 2006|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=9333|title=Index of Services (experimental)|publisher=Office for National Statistics|accessdate=24 May 2006}}</ref> London is one of the three "command centres" of the ] (alongside New York City and Tokyo).<ref>{{Cite book|author=]|title=The Global City: New York, London, Tokyo|year=2001|publisher=Princeton University Press|edition=2nd|isbn=0691078661}}</ref> It is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York,<ref name="Global Financial Centres 7">{{cite web|url=http://www.zyen.com/PDF/GFC%207.pdf#page=30 |title=Global Financial Centres 7 |publisher=] |year=2010 |accessdate=21 April 2010}}</ref><ref name="Mastercard">{{cite web|url=http://www.mastercard.com/us/company/en/insights/pdfs/2008/MCWW_WCoC-Report_2008.pdf|title=Worldwide Centres of Commerce Index 2008|publisher=Mastercard}}</ref><ref name="forbes.com">{{Cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/15/economic-growth-gdp-biz-cx_jz_0715powercities.html |title="World's Most Economically Powerful Cities". |work=Forbes |date=15 July 2008 |accessdate=3 October 2010| archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5yo0LhcwS | archivedate = 2011-05-19| deadurl=no}}</ref> and has the ] in Europe.<ref name="Global city GDP rankings 2008-2025">{{cite web|url=http://www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/Media-Library/Global-city-GDP-rankings-2008-2025-61a.aspx |title=Global city GDP rankings 2008–2025|publisher=PricewaterhouseCoopers|accessdate=16 November 2010| archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5yo0M2ast | archivedate = 2011-05-19| deadurl=no}}</ref> Edinburgh is also one of the largest financial centres in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/vo030430/halltext/30430h05.htm#30430h05_spnew0|title=Financial Services Industry|first=Mark|last=Lazarowicz (Labour MP)|date=30 April 2003|publisher=United Kingdom Parliament|accessdate=17 October 2008}}</ref> ] is very important to the British economy and, with over 27&nbsp;million tourists arriving in 2004, the United Kingdom is ranked as the sixth major tourist destination in the world<ref>. UNWTO Tourism Highlights, Edition 2005. page 12. World Tourism Organisation. Retrieved 24 May 2006.</ref> and London has the most international visitors of any city in the world.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.euromonitor.com/Euromonitor_Internationals_Top_City_Destination_Ranking|title=Euromonitor International's Top City Destination Ranking|first=Caroline|last=Bremner|publisher=Euromonitor International|date=10 January 2010|accessdate=31 May 2011| archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5yo0Nvjyd | archivedate = 2011-05-19| deadurl=no}}</ref> The ] accounted for 7% GVA in 2005 and grew at an average of 6% per annum between 1997 and 2005.<ref>{{cite web|date=9 March 2007|url=http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/media_releases/2132.aspx|title=From the Margins to the Mainstream&nbsp;– Government unveils new action plan for the creative industries|publisher=DCMS|accessdate=9 March 2007}}</ref>

The ] started in the UK<ref name="Europa">{{cite web |url=http://europa.eu/abc/european_countries/eu_members/unitedkingdom/index_en.htm |title=European Countries&nbsp;– United Kingdom |work=Europa (web portal) |accessdate=15 December 2010}}</ref> with an initial concentration on the textile industry, followed by other heavy industries such as ], coal mining, and ].<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=NBKjj5Wq6N0C&pg=PA121&dq=industrial+revolution+started+with+heavy+industry+such+as#v=onepage&q=industrial%20revolution%20started%20with%20heavy%20industry%20such%20as&f=false |title=Industrial location: Principles, practices, and policy |year=1995 |author1= Harrington, James W. |author2 =Warf, Barney |page=121 |accessdate=28 December 2010 |isbn=9780415104791}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=aAgi_5xIVBMC&pg=PT343&dq=industrial+revolution+started+with+heavy+industry+such+as#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Western Civilization: Alternative Volume:Since 1300 |year=2008 |author=Spielvogel, Jackson J. |accessdate=28 December 2010 |isbn=9780495555285}}</ref>
The empire created an overseas market for British products, allowing the UK to dominate international trade in the 19th century. As other nations industrialised, coupled with economic decline after two world wars, the United Kingdom began to lose its competitive advantage and heavy industry declined, by degrees, throughout the 20th century. Manufacturing remains a significant part of the economy but accounted for only one-sixth of national output in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dti.gov.uk/ministers/speeches/hewitt150704b.html|title=TUC Manufacturing Conference|author=Patricia Hewitt|publisher=Department of Trade and Industry|date=15 July 2004|accessdate=16 May 2006}}</ref>

The ] is a significant part of the UK manufacturing sector and in 2008 employed around 180,000 people, had a turnover of £52.5 billion and generated £26.6 billion of exports.<ref name=facts2010>{{cite web|url=http://www.smmt.co.uk/downloads/MotorIndustryFacts.pdf|title=Motor Industry Facts 2010|accessdate=9 June 2011|publisher=SMMT }}</ref> The ] is the second- or third-largest national aerospace industry depending upon the method of measurement and has an annual turnover of around £20 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article5477974.ece| title=The Aerospace industry has thousands of jobs in peril|accessdate=9 June 2011|publisher=The Times| date=9 January 2009}}</ref><ref name=asd>{{cite web|url=http://www.asd-europe.org/site/fileadmin/user_upload/publications/ASD_Facts_And_Figures_2009.pdf|title=Facts & Figures – 2009|accessdate=9 June 2011|publisher=Aerospace & Defence Association of Europe}}</ref><ref name=ads>{{cite web|url=http://www.adsgroup.org.uk/community/dms/download.asp?txtPageLinkDocPK=23948|title=UK Aerospace Industry Survey – 2010|accessdate=9 June 2011|publisher=ADS Group}}</ref> The ] plays an important role in the UK economy and the country has the third-highest share of global pharmaceutical R&D expenditures (after the ] and ]).<ref name=pharmsectorbis>{{cite web|url=http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/biotechnology-pharmaceuticals-and-healthcare/pharmaceutical|title=The Pharmaceutical sector in the UK|publisher=Department for Business, Innovation & Skills|accessdate=9 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_113133.pdf|title=Ministerial Industry Strategy Group – Pharmaceutical Industry: Competitiveness and Performance Indicators|publisher=Department of Health|accessdate=9 June 2011}}</ref>

The ] is commonly defined as being 60% of the median household income.<ref group="note">In 2007–2008, this was calculated to be £115 per week for single adults with no dependent children; £199 per week for couples with no dependent children; £195 per week for single adults with two dependent children under 14; and £279 per week for couples with two dependent children under 14</ref> In 2007–2008 13.5&nbsp;million people, or 22% of the population, lived below this line. This is a higher level of ] than all but four other EU members.<ref>{{cite web|title= United Kingdom: Numbers in low income|url= http://www.poverty.org.uk/01/index.shtml|publisher=The Poverty Site|accessdate=25 September 2009}}</ref> In the same year 4.0&nbsp;million children, 31% of the total, lived in households below the poverty line after housing costs were taken into account. This is a decrease of 400,000 children since 1998–1999.<ref>{{cite web|title= United Kingdom: Children in low income households|url= http://www.poverty.org.uk/16/index.shtml|publisher=The Poverty Site|accessdate=25 September 2009}}</ref> The UK imports 40% of its food supplies.<ref>{{cite news |url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7982056.stm |title= Warning of food price hike crisis |work=BBC News |date =4 April 2009}}</ref>

===Science and technology===
{{main|Science and technology in the United Kingdom}}
]]]
The United Kingdom has played a leading role in the advancement of science.<ref name=factbook/> It led the ] and has produced many scientists and engineers credited with important advances,<ref name="Europa"/><!--Reference included Newton and Darwin--> including;
* The ] and illumination of ], by ], ], ], ], ] and ], ]
* The unification of ], by ]
* The discovery of ], by ]
* The ], by ] and ]
* The theory of ], by ]
* The world's first working television system, and ], by ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/baird_logie.shtml|title=John Logie Baird|publisher=BBC History|accessdate=7 March 2010}}</ref><ref name=ADP> McLean, p. 196</ref>
* The invention of the ], by ]
* Evolution by ], by ]
]]]
* The ], by ], the basis of the modern computer.<ref> '']'.' Retrieved 30 July 2010.</ref>
* The invention of the ], by ]
* The ], by ], who largely made electricity viable for use in technology
* The first practical telephone, patented by ].<!--Alexander Graham Bell born and raised in Scotland, made a number of inventions as a British citizen, notably the telephone in 1876; he did not become an American citizen until 1882, and then spent the remaining years of his life predominately living in Canada at a summer residence.--><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nls.uk/scientists/biographies/alexander-graham-bell/index.html|title=Scottish Science Hall of Fame&nbsp;– Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922)|accessdate=7 March 2010}}</ref>
* The structure of ], by ] and others
* The first public steam railway, by ]
* The invention of the ], by ].<ref> '']'.' Retrieved 30 July 2010.</ref>
* Theories in ], ] and ], by ]
* The first commercial ], co-invented by ] and ].<ref>Hubbard, Geoffrey (1965) ''Cooke and Wheatstone and the Invention of the Electric Telegraph,'' Routledge & Kegan Paul, London p. 78</ref><ref>{{dead link|date=April 2011}} BT Group Connected Earth Online Museum&nbsp;– Retrieved March 2010</ref>
* The invention of the ], by ]
* The creation of ] and modern ], by ]
* The discovery of ], by ] and ], ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1945/fleming-bio.html|title=Sir Alexander Fleming&nbsp;– Biography|accessdate=7 March 2010|publisher=Nobel Foundation}}</ref>

Notable ] projects, whose pioneers included ], contributed to the advancement of railway transport systems. Other advances pioneered in the UK include the ], the ], the modern bicycle, ], the ], the ], stereo sound, ], the ], the ], military ], the electronic computer, photography, ], ], ], ], ] surgery, ] and ]s.

Scientific journals produced in the UK include '']'', the '']'' and '']''. In 2006 it was reported that the UK provided 9 percent of the world's scientific research papers and a 12 per cent share of citations, the second highest in the world after the US.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2006/mar/21/highereducation.uk4|title=Britain second in world research rankings|work=The Guardian|last=MacLeod|first=Donald|date=21 March 2006|accessdate=14 May 2006|location=London}}</ref>
In the 1950s the UK had more ] ] than any other nation,<ref>National Physics Nobel Prize shares 1901–2009 . From ] (2010), at </ref> despite its relatively small size.

===Transport===
{{Main|Transport in the United Kingdom}}
]. ] has the ] of any airport in the world.<ref name=bbc1>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7472432.stm |title=Heathrow 'needs a third runway' |work=BBC News |accessdate=17 October 2008| date=25 June 2008}}</ref><ref name=airport>{{cite press release |url=http://www.aci.aero/aci/aci/file/Press%20Releases/2008/TOP30_International%20Passengers_2007.pdf |title=Statistics: Top 30 World airports |publisher=Airports Council International |month =July |year= 2008 |accessdate=15 October 2008}}</ref>]]
A radial road network totals {{convert|29145|mi|km|abbr=off}} of main roads, {{convert|2173|mi|km|abbr=off}} of motorways and {{convert|213750|mi|km|abbr=off}} of paved roads.<ref name=factbook/> In 2009 there were a total of 34&nbsp;million licensed vehicles in Great Britain.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/tsgb/latest/tsgb2010vehicles.pdf |title=Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2010 |accessdate=5 December 2010 |publisher=Department for Transport}}</ref> The ] network of 10,072 route miles (16,116&nbsp;km) in Great Britain and 189 route miles (303 route km) in Northern Ireland carries over 18,000 passenger and 1,000 freight trains daily.<ref name=factbook/> Plans are now being considered to build new high-speed railway lines by 2025.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7467203.stm |title=Major new rail lines considered |work=BBC News |date=21 June 2008 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5u79BVcN1 |archivedate=9 October 2010}}</ref>

In the year from October 2009 to September 2010 UK airports handled a total of 211.4&nbsp;million passengers.<ref name=caastats>{{cite web|url=http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/80/airport_data/201009/Table_01_Size_of_UK_Airports.pdf|title=Size of Reporting Airports October 2009&nbsp;– September 2010|accessdate=5 December 2010|publisher=CAA}}</ref> In that period the three largest airports were ] (65.6&nbsp;million passengers), ] (31.5&nbsp;million passengers) and ] (18.9&nbsp;million passengers).<ref name=caastats/> London Heathrow Airport, located {{convert|24|km|mi|0}} west of the capital, has the most international passenger traffic of any airport in the world<ref name=bbc1/><ref name=airport/> and is the hub for the UK flag carrier ], as well as ] and ].<ref>{{cite news |title=BMI being taken over by Lufthansa |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7697261.stm |accessdate=23 December 2009 |work=BBC News |date=29 October 2008}}</ref>

===Energy===
{{Main|Energy in the United Kingdom}}
]
In 2006 the UK was the world's ninth-largest consumer of energy and the 15th largest producer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=UK|title=United Kingdom Energy Profile|publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration|accessdate=4 November 2010}}</ref> In 2007 the UK had a total energy output of 9.5 quadrillion ], of which the composition was oil (38%), natural gas (36%), coal (13%), nuclear (11%) and other renewables (2%).<ref name=eiaoverview>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/Profile.html|title=United Kingdom&nbsp;– Quick Facts Energy Overview|publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration|accessdate=4 November 2010}}</ref> In 2009 the UK produced 1.5&nbsp;million barrels per day (bbl/d) of oil and consumed 1.7&nbsp;million bbl/d.<ref name=eiaoil>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/Oil.html|title=United Kingdom&nbsp;– Oil|publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration|accessdate=4 November 2010}}</ref> Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of oil since 2005.<ref name=eiaoil/> As of 2010 the UK has around 3.1&nbsp;billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves, the largest of any EU member state.<ref name=eiaoil/>

In 2009 the UK was the 13th largest producer of natural gas in the world and the largest producer in the EU.<ref name=eiagas>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/NaturalGas.html|title=United Kingdom&nbsp;– Natural Gas|publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration|accessdate=4 November 2010}}</ref> Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of natural gas since 2004.<ref name=eiagas/> In 2009 the UK produced 19.7&nbsp;million tons of coal and consumed 60.2&nbsp;million tons.<ref name=eiaoverview/> In 2005 it had proven recoverable coal reserves of 171&nbsp;million tons.<ref name=eiaoverview/> It has been estimated that identified onshore areas have the potential to produce between 7&nbsp;billion tonnes and 16&nbsp;billion tonnes of coal through ].<ref name="Coal 2">{{cite web |title=Coal Reserves in the United Kingdom |author=The Coal Authority |url=http://www.coal.gov.uk/media//860AD/Response%20to%20Energy%20Review%20-%20Appendix%202.pdf |accessdate=23 September 2008 |publisher=The Coal Authority |year=2007|work=Response to Energy Review}}</ref> Based on current UK coal consumption, these volumes represent reserves that could last the UK between 200 and 400 years.<ref name="Coal 3">{{cite news |title=England Expert predicts 'coal revolution' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7046981.stm |accessdate=23 September 2008 |work=BBC News |date=16 October 2007}}</ref> The UK is home to a number of large energy companies, including two of the six oil and gas "]s"&nbsp;– ] and ]<!--(Shell has its registered office and primary listing in the UK, its headquarters are in The Netherlands)-->&nbsp;– and ].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/6424030/Let-the-battle-begin-over-black-gold.html |title=Let the battle begin over black gold |accessdate=26 November 2010 |work=The Daily Telegraph| date=24 October 2009 |location=London |first=Rowena |last=Mason}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-25/rba-s-stevens-says-inflation-unlikely-to-fall-much-further.html|title=RBA Says Currency Containing Prices, Rate Level 'Appropriate' in Near Term|accessdate=26 November 2010 |publisher=Bloomberg| date=26 November 2010 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{Main|Demography of the United Kingdom}}
A ] occurs simultaneously in all parts of the UK every ten years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/geography/census_geog.asp |title=Census Geography |publisher=Office for National Statistics|accessdate=10 October 2008}}</ref> The ] is responsible for collecting data for England and Wales with the ] and the ] each being responsible for censuses in their respective countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/census/index.html |title=Census |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=11 October 2008}}</ref> In the ] the total population of the United Kingdom was 58,789,194, the third largest in the ], the fifth largest in the ] and the twenty-first largest in the world. By mid-2009 this was estimated to have grown to 61,792,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=950|title=Population Change: UK population increases by 394,000|publisher=]|date=24 June 2010|accessdate=25 June 2010}}</ref> In 2008 natural population growth overtook net migration as the main contributor to population growth for the first time since 1998.<ref name="Population2008">{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pop0809.pdf |title=Population Estimates: August 2009 |date=27 August 2009 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=28 August 2009}}</ref> Between 2001 and 2008 the population increased by an average annual rate of 0.5 per cent. This compares to 0.3 per cent per year in the period 1991 to 2001 and 0.2 per cent in the decade 1981 to 1991.<ref name="Population2008"/> Published in 2008 the mid-2007 population estimates revealed that, for the first time, the UK was home to more people of pensionable age than children under the age of 16.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/22/population.socialtrends |title=Ageing Britain: Pensioners outnumber under-16s for first time |last=Travis |first=Alan |date=22 August 2008 |work=The Guardian |accessdate=23 August 2008| location=London}}</ref> It has been estimated that the number of people aged 100 or over will rise steeply to reach over 626,000 by 2080.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/30/one-in-six-people-live-100 | author=Batty, David | title = One in six people in the UK today will live to 100, study says | newspaper=The Guardian | location = London | date = 30 December 2010}}</ref>

England's population in mid-2008 was estimated to be 51.44&nbsp;million.<ref name="Population2008"/> It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with 383&nbsp;people resident per square kilometre in mid-2003,<ref name=2003density>{{cite press release |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=760|title=Population: UK population grows to 59.6&nbsp;million |date=28 January 2005 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=20 August 2008}}</ref> with a particular concentration in London and the south east.<ref>{{cite news |title=England is most crowded country in Europe |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2967374/England-is-most-crowded-country-in-Europe.html |newspaper=Daily Telegraph |accessdate=5 September 2009| location=London |first=Urmee |last=Khan |date=16 September 2008}}</ref> The mid-2008 estimates put Scotland's population at 5.17&nbsp;million, Wales at 2.99&nbsp;million and Northern Ireland at 1.78&nbsp;million,<ref name="Population2008"/> with much lower population densities than England. Compared to England's {{convert|383|PD/km2|PD/sqmi}} the corresponding figures were {{convert|142|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|abbr=on}} for Wales, {{convert|125|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|abbr=on}} for Northern Ireland and just {{convert|65|PD/km2|PD/sqmi|abbr=on}} for Scotland in mid-2003.<ref name=2003density/> In percentage terms Northern Ireland has had the fastest growing population of any country of the UK in each of the four years to mid-2008.<ref name="Population2008"/>

In 2008 the average ] (TFR) across the UK was 1.96 children per woman.<ref name=Fertility2008>{{cite press release |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=951&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=326 |title= Rise in UK fertility continues |publisher=Office for National Statistics|date=27 August 2009|accessdate=28 August 2009}}</ref> Whilst a rising birth rate is contributing to current population growth it remains considerably below the 'baby boom' peak of 2.95 children per woman in 1964,<ref name="Boseley">{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/jul/14/familyandrelationships.women |title=The question: What's behind the baby boom? |last=Boseley |first=Sarah |date=14 July 2008 |work=The Guardian |page=3 |accessdate=28 August 2009| location=London}}</ref> below the replacement rate of 2.1, but higher than the 2001 record low of 1.63.<ref name=Fertility2008/> Scotland had the lowest fertility at only 1.8 children per woman, while Northern Ireland had the highest at 2.11 children in 2008.<ref name=Fertility2008/>

{{Largest cities of the United Kingdom}}
{{-}}

===Ethnic groups===
{{Main|Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="line-height:0.9em; border:1px black; float:right; margin-left:1em"
|-
! style="width:140px;"| ] !! Population !! % of total*
|-
| ] || 50,366,497 || 85.67%
|-
| ] || 3,096,169 || 5.27%
|-
| ] || 1,053,411 || 1.8%
|-
| ] || 977,285 || 1.6%
|-
| ] || 691,232 || 1.2%
|-
| ] || 677,117 || 1.2%
|-
| ] || {{commas|565876}} || 1.0%
|-
| ] || 485,277 || 0.8%
|-
| ] || 283,063 || 0.5%
|-
| ] || 247,644 || 0.4%
|-
| ] || 247,403 || 0.4%
|-
| ] || 230,615 || 0.4%
|-
| ] || 97,585 || 0.2%
|-
| colspan="3" | {{smaller|* Percentage of total UK population, according to the 2001 Census}}
|}

Historically, indigenous British people were thought to be ] that settled there before the 11th century: the ], Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Norse and the ]. Recent genetic studies have shown that more than 50 percent of England's gene pool contains ] Y chromosomes,<ref>Thomas, Mark G. et al. . ''] B: Biological Sciences'' 273(1601): 2651–2657.</ref> though other recent genetic analysis indicates that "about 75 per cent of the traceable ancestors of the modern British population had arrived in the British isles by about 6,200 years ago, at the start of the British Neolithic or Stone Age", and that the British broadly share a common ancestry with the ].<ref>Owen, James (19 July 2005). ''''. '']''.</ref><ref>Oppenheimer, Stephen (October 2006). . '']'' (London). Retrieved 5 November 2010.</ref><ref name="Henderson">{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6887552.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1 |title=Scientist&nbsp;– Griffin hijacked my work to make race claim about 'British aborigines' |last=Henderson |first=Mark |date=23 October 2009 |work=The Times |accessdate=26 October 2009 |location= London}}</ref>

The UK has a history of small-scale non-white immigration, with ] having the oldest Black population in the country dating back to at least the 1730s,<ref name="Costello">{{Cite book |last=Costello |first=Ray |title=Black Liverpool: The Early History of Britain's Oldest Black Community 1730–1918 |publisher=Picton Press |location=Liverpool |year=2001 |isbn=1873245076}}</ref> and the oldest ] community in Europe, dating to the arrival of Chinese seamen in the 19th century.<ref name="Chinese">{{cite web |url=http://www.mersey-gateway.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.1369 |title=Culture and Ethnicity Differences in Liverpool&nbsp;– Chinese Community |publisher=Chambré Hardman Trust |accessdate=26 October 2009}}</ref> In 1950 there were probably less than 20,000 non-white residents in Britain, almost all born overseas.<ref>Coleman, David; Compton, Paul; Salt, John (2002). "''''". Council of Europe. p.505. ISBN 9287149747.</ref>

Since 1945 substantial immigration from Africa, the ] and South Asia has been a legacy of ties forged by the ]. Migration from new EU member states in ] and Eastern Europe since 2004 has resulted in growth in these population groups but, as of 2008, the trend is reversing and many of these migrants are returning home, leaving the size of these groups unknown.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7374683.stm |title='Why I left UK to return to Poland' |work=BBC News |date=30 April 2008 |author= Mason, Chris}}</ref> As of ] 92.1% of the population identified themselves as White, leaving 7.9%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=764&Pos=4&ColRank=1&Rank=176 |title=Ethnicity: 7.9% from a non-White ethnic group |publisher=Office for National Statistics |date=24 June 2004 |accessdate=2 April 2007}}</ref> of the UK population identifying themselves as mixed race or of an ].

Ethnic diversity varies significantly across the UK. 30.4% of London's population<ref>{{cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do;jsessionid=ac1f930dce6eace0153cf12440ca609dc762c8ae598.e38OaNuRbNuSbi0Ma3aNaxiQbNiLe6fznA5Pp7ftolbGmkTy?a=3&b=276743&c=London&d=13&e=13&g=325264&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1201351285750&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812&bhcp=1 |title=Resident population estimates by ethnic group (percentages): London |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=23 April 2008}}</ref> and 37.4% of ]'s<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=276827&c=Leicester&d=13&e=13&g=394575&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1208962134759&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812 |title=Resident population estimates by ethnic group (percentages): Leicester |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=23 April 2008}}</ref> was estimated to be non-white as of June 2005, whereas less than 5% of the populations of ], Wales and the ] were from ethnic minorities according to the 2001 census.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/ethnicity.asp |title=Census 2001&nbsp;– Ethnicity and religion in England and Wales |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate=23 April 2008}}</ref> As of 2007, 22% of primary and 17.7% of secondary pupils at ]s in England were from ethnic minority families.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000744/UPDATEDSFR30_2007.pdf |title=Schools and Pupils in England |month=January |year=2007 |accessdate=17 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1564365/One-fifth-of-children-from-ethnic-minorities.html |title=One fifth of children from ethnic minorities |work=The Daily Telegraph |author=Paton, Graeme |date=1 October 2007 |accessdate=28 March 2008| location=London}}</ref>

===Languages===
{{Main|Languages of the United Kingdom}}
]. Countries in dark blue have a majority of native speakers; countries where it is an official but not a majority language in light blue. English is also one of the official languages ]<ref name="EUlang">{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/languages-of-europe/doc135_en.htm|title=Official EU languages|date=8 May 2009|publisher=European Commission|accessdate=16 October 2009}}</ref> and ]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.un.org/depts/OHRM/sds/lcp/UNLCP/english/ |title= Language Courses in New York |year=2006 |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=29 November 2010}}</ref>]]

The UK's ] is ],<ref name="direct.gov.uk"/><ref name="thecommonwealth.org"/> a ] descended from ] which features a large number of borrowings from ], ] French and ]. The English language has spread across the world, largely because of the British Empire, and has become ] as well as the most widely taught ].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.cepr.org/pubs/new-dps/dplist.asp?dpno=2055 |title= English-Language Dominance, Literature and Welfare |author=Melitz, Jacques |publisher=Centre for Economic Policy Research |year=1999 |accessdate=26 May 2006}}</ref>

], a language descended from early northern ], is recognised at European level, as is its regional variant in the northern counties of Ireland, ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eurolang.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2449&Itemid=52&lang=en |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070623185445/http://eurolang.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2449&Itemid=52&lang=en |archivedate =23 June 2007 |title=Language Data&nbsp;– Scots |publisher=European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages |accessdate=2 November 2008}}</ref> There are also four ] in use in the UK: ], Irish, ] and ]. In the 2001 Census over a fifth (21%) of the population of Wales said they could speak Welsh,<ref>. National Statistics Office.</ref> an increase from the 1991 Census (18%).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_compendia/fow/WelshLanguage.pdf |title=Differences in estimates of Welsh Language Skills |accessdate=30 December 2008 |publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref> In addition it is estimated that about 200,000 Welsh speakers live in England.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/multilingual/welsh.shtml |title =Welsh today |author=Wynn Thomas, Peter |publisher=BBC |work=Voices| month=March |year=2007}}</ref>

The 2001 census in Northern Ireland showed that 167,487 (10.4%) people "had some knowledge of Irish" (see ]), almost exclusively in the Catholic/nationalist population. Over 92,000 people in Scotland (just under 2% of the population) had some Gaelic language ability, including 72% of those living in the ].<ref>. General Register Office for Scotland. Retrieved 15 October 2008.</ref> The number of schoolchildren being taught in Welsh, Gaelic and Irish is increasing.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7885493.stm |title =Local UK languages 'taking off' |work=BBC News |date =12 February 2009}}</ref> Welsh and Scottish Gaelic are also spoken by small groups around the globe with some ] still spoken in ], Canada (especially ]),<ref name="Edwards2010">{{cite book |author=Edwards, John R. |title=Minority languages and group identity: cases and categories |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Q2dJlB0TW8oC&pg=PT160 |accessdate=12 March 2011 |year=2010 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing |isbn= 9789027218667|pages=150–158}}</ref> and Welsh in ], Argentina.<ref name="Koch2006">{{cite book |author=Koch, John T. |title=Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=f899xH_quaMC&pg=PA696 |accessdate=12 March 2011 |year=2006 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781851094400 |page=696}}</ref>

Across the United Kingdom it is generally compulsory for pupils to study a second language to some extent: up to the age of 14 in England,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3983713.stm |title =Fall in compulsory language lessons |work=BBC News |date =4 November 2004}}</ref> and up to age 16 in Scotland. French and German are the two most commonly taught second languages in England and Scotland. In Wales, all pupils up to age 16 are either taught in Welsh or taught Welsh as a second language.<ref>. BBC Wales. Retrieved 11 October 2008.</ref>

===Religion===
{{Main|Religion in the United Kingdom}}
] is used for the ] of ]]]
Forms of Christianity have dominated religious life in what is now the United Kingdom for over 1,400 years.<ref>Cannon, John, ed., (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2nd edn., 2009), ISBN 0199550379, p. 144.</ref> Although a majority of citizens still identify with Christianity in many surveys, regular church attendance has fallen dramatically since the middle of the 20th century,<ref>Field, Clive D., , BRIN Discussion Series on Religious Statistics, Discussion Paper 001, November 2009, retrieved 3 June 2011.</ref> while immigration and demographic change have contributed to the growth of other faiths, most notably Islam.<ref>Yilmaz, Ihsan, (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2005), ISBN 0754643891, pp. 55–6.</ref> This has led some commentators to variously describe the UK as a multi-faith,<ref>Brown, Callum G., (Harlow: Pearson Education, 2006), ISBN 058247289X, p. 291.</ref> ],<ref>Norris, Pippa, and Inglehart, Ronald, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), ISBN 052183984X, p. 84.</ref> or ] society.<ref>Fergusson, David, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), ISBN 052152959X, p. 94.</ref> In the 2001 census 71.6% of all respondents indicated that they were Christians, with the next largest faiths (by number of adherents) being ] (2.8%), ] (1.0%), ] (0.6%), ] (0.5%), ] (0.3%) and all other religions (0.3%).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=293 |title=UK Census 2001 |publisher=National Office for Statistics |accessdate=22 April 2007}}</ref> 15% of respondents stated that they had ], with a further 7% not stating a religious preference.<ref>{{Citation | last = | title = Religious Populations | journal = Office for National Statistics| date = 11 October 2004 | url = http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/02/20757/53570 | archiveurl =http://www.webcitation.org/5zFDlspeL| archivedate =6 June 2011}}.</ref> A ] survey in 2007 showed only one in ten Britons actually attend church weekly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.adventist.org/2007/04/uite-kigom-ew-report-fis-oly-oe-i-10-atte-church.html |title=Research published this week by the British Charity, Tearfund, makes somber reading for church leaders. It found only one in 10 people in the United Kingdom attend church on a weekly basis even though 53 percent of the British population identify themselves as Christian |publisher=News.adventist.org |date=4 April 2007 |accessdate=12 September 2010}}</ref>

The (]) ] is the ] in England.<ref> The Church of England. Retrieved 23 November 2008.</ref> It retains a ] in the ] and the ] is its ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20061008203611/http://www.royalinsight.gov.uk/output/Page4708.asp |title=Queen and Church of England |publisher=British Monarchy Media Centre |accessdate=5 June 2010}}</ref> In ] the ] ] is recognised as the ]. It is not ] 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.<ref>{{Citation | last = | title = Queen and the Church| journal = The British Monarchy (Official Website)| date = | url = http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/QueenandChurch/History.aspx | archiveurl =http://www.webcitation.org/5zG8tzxhd| archivedate =7 June 2011}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation | last = | title = How we are organised| journal = Church of Scotland| date =| url = http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about_us/how_we_are_organised | archiveurl =http://www.webcitation.org/5zG8WCEAc| archivedate =7 June 2011}}.</ref> The Church in Wales was disestablished in 1920 and there is no established church in Northern Ireland. Although there is no UK-wide data in the 2001 census on adherence to individual Christian denominations, Ceri Peach has estimated that 62% of Christians are Anglican, 13.5% Roman Catholic, 6% Presbyterian, 3.4% Methodist with small numbers of other Protestant denominations and Orthodox.<ref>Peach, Ceri, , in H. Knippenberg. ed., ''The Changing Religious Landscape of Europe'' (Amsterdamn, Het Spinhuis, 2005), ISBN 9055892483, pp. 44–58.</ref>

===Migration===
{{Main|Immigration to the United Kingdom since 1922}}
{{See also|Foreign-born population of the United Kingdom}}
]
The United Kingdom has experienced successive waves of migration. The ] brought a large influx of Irish immigrants.<ref>Richards, Eric (2004). "''''". Continuum International. p.143. ISBN 1852854413</ref> Over 120,000 ] veterans settled in Britain after World War II, unable to return home.<ref>Gibney, Matthew J.; Hansen, Randall (2005). "''''". ABC-CLIO. p.630. ISBN 1576077969</ref> In the 20th century significant immigration from the British Empire occurred, driven largely by post-World War II labour shortages. Many of these migrants came from the ] and the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/uk/2002/race/short_history_of_immigration.stm |title=Short history of immigration |publisher=BBC |year =2005 |accessdate=28 August 2010}}</ref>

The proportion of foreign-born people in the UK remains slightly below that of some other European countries,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?id=402 |title=Europe: Population and Migration in 2005 |first=Rainer | last = Muenz |publisher=Migration Policy Institute |month=June |year=2006 |accessdate=2 April 2007}}</ref> although immigration is now contributing to a rising population,<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23542455-details/Immigration+and+births+to+non-British+mothers+pushes+British+population+to+record+high/article.do |title= Immigration and births to non-British mothers pushes British population to record high |newspaper=London Evening Standard |date =22 August 2008}}</ref> accounting for about half of the population increase between 1991 and 2001. Analysis of ] data shows that 2.3&nbsp;million net migrants moved to the UK in the period 1991 to 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1023512/Third-World-migrants-2-3m-population-boom.html |title= Third World migrants behind our 2.3m population boom |newspaper=Daily Mail |location =London |date= 3 June 2008 |first1=Steve |last1=Doughty |first2=James |last2=Slack}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23575160-details/Tories+get+tough+on+immigration+after+Labour's+U-turn/article.do |title= Tories call for tougher control of immigration |newspaper=London Evening Standard |date =20 October 2008 |first= Martin |last= Bentham }}</ref> In 2008 it was predicted that migration would add 7&nbsp;million to the UK population by 2031,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7602526.stm |title= Minister rejects migrant cap plan |work=BBC News |date =8 September 2008 |accessdate=26 April 2011}}</ref> though these figures are disputed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1538598/Immigration-%27far-higher%27-than-figures-say.html |title=Immigration 'far higher' than figures say |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=5 January 2007 |accessdate=20 April 2007| location=London |first=Philip |last=Johnston}}</ref> The latest provisional official figures show that, in 2009, 567,000 people arrived to live in the UK while 371,000 left, meaning that net inward migration was 196,000.<ref name="2009 migration">{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11094468 |title=Net migration to UK rose in 2009, statistics show |work=BBC News |date=26 August 2010 |accessdate=28 August 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/ips-faq.pdf |title=Provisional estimates of long-term international migration, year ending December 2009: Frequently asked questions |publisher=Office for National Statistics |date=August 2010 |accessdate=28 August 2010}}</ref>

A record 203,790 foreign nationals became British citizens in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/7772468/Citizenship-for-foreigners-hit-record-high.html |title= Citizenship for foreigners hit record high |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location= London |date =28 May 2010 |first =Tom |last= Whitehead}}</ref> 194,780 people were granted permanent settlement rights in 2009, of whom people from the ] accounted for 34 per cent, 25 per cent were from Africa and 21 per cent from elsewhere in Asia.<ref name="2009 migration"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/hosb1510.pdf |title=Control of immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2009 |date=August 2010 |work=Home Office Statistical Bulletin |page=38 |accessdate=2 October 2010}}</ref> 24.7 per cent of babies born in England and Wales in 2009 were born to mothers who were born outside the UK, according to official statistics released in 2010.<ref>"", National Statistics.</ref>

]
At least 5.5&nbsp;million British-born people are living abroad<ref name=BritsAbroad>{{cite web |url=http://www.ippr.org/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=509 |title= Brits Abroad: Mapping the scale and nature of British emigration |first1 =Dhananjayan |last1= Sriskandarajah | first2 = Catherine | last2 = Drew |publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research |date=11 December 2006 |accessdate=20 January 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/brits_abroad/html/default.stm |title=Brits Abroad: world overview |publisher=BBC |accessdate=20 April 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6210358.stm |title= 5.5&nbsp;m Britons 'opt to live abroad' |work=BBC News |date=11 December 2006 |accessdate=20 April 2007 |first=Dominic |last=Casciani}}</ref> with Australia, Spain, the United States and Canada being the top four destinations.<ref name=BritsAbroad/><ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6161705.stm |title= Brits Abroad: Country-by-country |work=BBC News |date =11 December 2006}}</ref> Emigration was an important feature of British society in the 19th century. Between 1815 and 1930 around 11.4&nbsp;million people emigrated from Britain and 7.3&nbsp;million from Ireland. Estimates show that by the end of the 20th century some 300&nbsp;million people of British and Irish descent were permanently settled around the globe.<ref>Richards, Eric (2004). "''''". Continuum International. pp.6–7. ISBN 1852854413</ref>

Citizens of the ] have the right to live and work in any member state, including the UK.<ref>. European Commission. Retrieved 6 November 2008.</ref> Transitional arrangements apply to Romanians and Bulgarians whose countries joined the EU in January 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/sep/23/immigration.eu |title= Home Office shuts the door on Bulgaria and Romania |last1=Doward |first1=Jamie |last2=Temko |first2 =Ned |date=23 September 2007 |work=The Observer |page=2 |accessdate=23 August 2008 |location=London}}</ref> Research conducted by the ] for the ] suggests that between May 2004 and September 2009 1.5&nbsp;million workers migrated from the new EU member states to the UK, two thirds of them Polish, but that many have since returned home, resulting in a net increase in the number of nationals of the new member states in the UK of some 700,000 over that period.<ref name="MPI">{{cite book |url=http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/new_europeans.pdf |title=The UK's new Europeans: Progress and challenges five years after accession |last1=Sumption |first1=Madeleine |last2=Somerville | first2 = Will |date=January 2010 |work=Policy Report |publisher=Equality and Human Rights Commission | location = London |page=13 |accessdate=19 January 2010 |isbn=9781842062524}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/17/eastern-european-uk-migrants |title=Young, self-reliant, educated: portrait of UK's eastern European migrants |last1=Doward |first1=Jamie |last2 =Rogers | first2 = Sam |date=17 January 2010 |work=The Observer |accessdate=19 January 2010 |location=London}}</ref> The ] in the UK reduced the economic incentive for ] to migrate to the UK,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23575019-details/Packing+up+for+home:+Poles+hit+by+UK's+economic+downturn/article.do |title= Packing up for home: Poles hit by UK's economic downturn |first= Elizabeth |last= Hopkirk |newspaper=London Evening Standard |date =20 October 2008}}</ref> with the migration becoming temporary and circular.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8243225.stm |title=Migrants to UK 'returning home' |date=8 September 2009 |work=BBC News |accessdate=8 September 2009}}</ref> In 2009, for the first time since the enlargement, more nationals of the eight central and eastern European states (that had joined the EU in 2004) left the UK than arrived.<ref name="A8 leaving">{{cite news |title=UK sees shift in migration trend |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10174019.stm |accessdate=28 May 2010 |date=27 May 2010|work=BBC News }}</ref>

The UK government is currently introducing a ] for immigration from outside the ] that will replace existing schemes, including the Scottish Government's ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier1/freshtalent/ |title=Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland |publisher=UK Border Agency | location = London |accessdate=30 October 2010}}</ref> In June 2010 the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government introduced a temporary cap on immigration of those entering the UK from outside the EU, with the limit set at 24,100, in order to stop an expected rush of applications before a permanent cap is imposed in April 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9ab202a4-8299-11df-85ba-00144feabdc0.html |title=Tories begin consultation on cap for migrants |work=Financial Times | location= London |first=James |last=Boxell |date=28 June 2010 |accessdate=17 September 2010}}</ref> The cap has caused tension within the coalition, with business secretary ] arguing that it is harming British businesses.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/17/vince-cable-migrant-cap-economy |title=Vince Cable: Migrant cap is hurting economy |agency=Press Association |work=The Guardian |date=17 September 2010 |accessdate=17 September 2010 |location=London}}</ref>

===Education===
{{Main|Education in the United Kingdom}}
{{See also|Education in England|Education in Northern Ireland|Education in Scotland|Education in Wales}}
], part of the University of Cambridge which was founded in 1209]]
Education in the United Kingdom is a ] matter, with each country having a separate education system.

] is the responsibility of the ], though the day-to-day administration and funding of state schools is the responsibility of ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20081230030407/http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/localauthorities/index.cfm |title=Local Authorities |publisher=Department for Children, Schools and Families |accessdate=21 December 2008}}</ref> Universally free of charge state education was introduced piecemeal between 1870 and 1944, with education becoming compulsory for all 5 to 14 year-olds in 1921.<ref>{{cite book |author=Gordon, J.C.B. |title= Verbal Deficit: A Critique |publisher=Croom Helm |location =London |year=1981 |isbn=9780856649905 |page=44 note 18}}</ref><ref>Section 8 ('Duty of local education authorities to secure provision of primary and secondary schools'), Sections 35–40 ('Compulsory attendance at Primary and Secondary Schools') and Section 61 ('Prohibition of fees in schools maintained by local education authorities ...'), Education Act 1944.</ref> Education is now mandatory from ages five to sixteen (15 if born in late July or August). The majority of children are educated in state-sector schools, only a small proportion of which select on the grounds of academic ability. State schools which are allowed to select pupils according to intelligence and academic ability can achieve comparable results to the most selective private schools: out of the top ten performing schools in terms of GCSE results in 2006 two were state-run ]s. Despite a fall in actual numbers the proportion of children in England attending ]s has risen to over 7%.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2007/nov/09/schools.uk |title=Private school pupil numbers in decline |newspaper= The Guardian |date=9 November 2007 |location=London |first=Donald |last=MacLeod |accessdate=31 March 2010}}</ref> Over half of students at the leading universities of ] and ] had attended state schools.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6905288.stm |title=More state pupils in universities |work=BBC News |date=19 July 2007}}</ref> The ] include some of the top universities in the world; the University of Cambridge, ], the University of Oxford and ] are all ranked in the global top 10 in the 2010 ], with Cambridge ranked first.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2010/results |title=QS World University Rankings Results 2010 |accessdate=27 April 2011 |publisher=Quacquarelli Symonds}}</ref> ] (TIMSS) rated pupils in England 7th in the world for maths and 6th for science. The results put England's pupils ahead of other European countries, including Germany and the ]n countries.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7773081.stm |title= England's pupils in global top 10 |work=BBC News |date= 10 December 2008}}</ref>

], built in 1849<ref>Davenport, F.; Beech, C.; Downs, T.; Hannigan, D. (2006). ''Ireland''. Lonely Planet, 7th edn. ISBN 1-74059-968-3. p. 564.</ref>]]
] is the responsibility of the ], with day-to-day administration and funding of state schools the responsibility of Local Authorities. Two ] have key roles in Scottish education: the ] is responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment and certification of qualifications other than degrees which are delivered at secondary schools, ] colleges of ] and other centres;<ref> Scottish Qualifications Authority. Retrieved 7 October 2008.</ref> and ] provides advice, resources and staff development to the education community to promote curriculum development and create a culture of innovation, ambition and excellence.<ref>. Learning and Teaching Scotland. Retrieved 7 October 2008.</ref> Scotland first legislated for compulsory education in 1496.<ref>. Scotland Online Gateway. Retrieved 7 October 2008.</ref> The proportion of children in Scotland attending private schools is just over 4%, although it has been rising slowly in recent years.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6563167.stm |title=Increase in private school intake|work=BBC News |date=17 April 2007}}</ref> Scottish students who attend ] pay neither ] nor graduate endowment charges, as fees were abolished in 2001 and the graduate endowment scheme was abolished in 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7268101.stm |title= MSPs vote to scrap endowment fee |work=BBC News |date= 28 February 2008}}</ref>

] is the responsibility of the ] and the ], although responsibility at a local level is administered by five education and library boards covering different geographical areas. The ] (CCEA) is the body responsible for advising the ] on what should be taught in Northern Ireland's schools, monitoring standards and awarding qualifications.<ref>. Council for the Curriculum Examinations & Assessment. Retrieved 7 October 2008.</ref> The ] has responsibility for ]. A significant number of Welsh students are taught either wholly or largely in the ]; lessons in Welsh are compulsory for all until the age of 16.<ref> The Welsh Assembly Government. Retrieved 22 January 2010.</ref> There are plans to increase the provision of Welsh-medium schools as part of the policy of creating a fully bilingual Wales.

===Healthcare===
{{Main|Healthcare in the United Kingdom}}
] is a specialist ], part of ].]]
Healthcare in the United Kingdom is a ] and each country has its own system of private and ], together with ], holistic and complementary treatments. Public healthcare is provided to all ] and is free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation. The ], in 2000, ranked the provision of healthcare in the United Kingdom as fifteenth best in Europe and eighteenth in the world.<ref name="Who2000">{{Cite book|editor-last =Haden |editor-first= Angela |editor2-last =Campanini |editor2-first =Barbara |title =The world health report 2000&nbsp;– Health systems: improving performance |year= 2000 |location =Geneva |publisher=World Health Organisation |url= http://www.who.int/whr/2000/en/whr00_en.pdf |isbn = 924156198X |author=World Health Organisation Staff}}</ref><ref>{{Cite document |url=http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~wgreene/Statistics/WHO-COMP-Study-30.pdf |title=Measuring overall health system performance for 191 countries |author=] |publisher=New York University}}</ref>

Regulatory bodies are organised on a UK-wide basis such as the ], the ] and non-governmental-based, such as the ]s. However, political and operational responsibility for healthcare lies with four national ]; ] is the responsibility of the UK Government; ] is the responsibility of the ]; ] is the responsibility of the ]; and ] is the responsibility of the ]. Each ] has different policies and priorities, resulting in contrasts.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7586147.stm |title= 'Huge contrasts' in devolved NHS |work=BBC News |date =28 August 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7149423.stm |title =NHS now four different systems |work=BBC News |date =2 January 2008}}</ref>

Since 1979 expenditure on healthcare has been increased significantly to bring it closer to the European Union average.<ref>{{Cite document|url=http://www.healthp.org/node/71|title=The NHS from Thatcher to Blair |first=Peter |last=Fisher |work=NHS Consultants Association |publisher=International Association of Health Policy |quote=The Budget ... was even more generous to the NHS than had been expected amounting to an annual rise of 7.4% above the rate of inflation for the next 5 years. This would take us to 9.4% of GDP spent on health ie around EU average.}}</ref> The UK spends around 8.4 per cent of its gross domestic product on healthcare, which is 0.5 percentage points below the ] average and about one percentage point below the average of the European Union.<ref>. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.</ref>

==Culture==
{{Main|Culture of the United Kingdom}}
The ] has been influenced by many factors including: the nation's island status; its ] as a western liberal democracy and a major power; as well as being a ] of four countries with each preserving elements of distinctive traditions, customs and symbolism. As a result of the ], British influence can be observed in the ], ] and ] of many of its former colonies; including Australia, Canada, ], South Africa and the United States.

===Cinema===
{{Main|Cinema of the United Kingdom}}
]]]
The United Kingdom has had a considerable influence on the history of the cinema. The British directors ] and ] are among the most critically acclaimed of all-time,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/poll/directors-directors.html|title=The Directors' Top Ten Directors|accessdate=2 November 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref> with other important directors including ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/462570/index.html|title=Chaplin, Charles (1889–1977)|accessdate=25 January 2011|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/447167/index.html|title=Powell, Michael (1905–1990)|accessdate=25 January 2011|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/459891/index.html|title=Reed, Carol (1906–1976)|accessdate=25 January 2011|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/462413/index.html|title=Scott, Sir Ridley (1937–)|accessdate=25 January 2011|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref> Many British actors have achieved international fame and critical success, including: ], ], ], Charlie Chaplin, ], ], ], ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/446530/index.html|title=Andrews, Julie (1935–)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/472165/index.html|title=Burton, Richard (1925–1984)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/463342/index.html|title=Caine, Michael (1933–)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/462570/index.html|title=Chaplin, Charles (1889–1977)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/455509/index.html|title=Connery, Sean (1930–)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/488753/index.html|title=Leigh, Vivien (1913–1967)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/458293/index.html|title=Niven, David (1910–1983)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/450224/index.html|title=Olivier, Laurence (1907–1989)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/461941/index.html|title=Sellers, Peter (1925–1980)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/489012/index.html|title=Winslet, Kate (1975–)|accessdate=11 December 2010|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref> Some of the most commercially successful films of all time have been produced in the United Kingdom, including the two ] ('']'' and '']'').<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2007/sep/11/jkjoannekathleenrowling |title=Harry Potter becomes highest-grossing film franchise |accessdate=2 November 2010 |work=The Guardian |date =11 September 2007 |location =London}}</ref> ] has a claim to being the oldest continuously working film studio in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ealingstudios.com/EalingStudios/history_home.html |title=History of Ealing Studios |publisher=Ealing Studios |accessdate=5 June 2010}}</ref>

Despite a history of important and successful productions, the industry has often been characterised by a debate about its identity and the level of American and European influence. Many British films are co-productions with American producers, often using both British and American actors, and British actors feature regularly in Hollywood films. Many successful Hollywood films have been based on British people, ] or events, including ], '']'', '']'' and the ] of Disney animated films.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article600292.ece/Barry-Ronges-Classic-DVD---Alice-in-Wonderland |title =Barry Ronge's Classic DVD: Alice in Wonderland |work=Sunday Times |location =Johannesburg |accessdate =20 August 2010}}</ref>

In 2009 British films grossed around $2&nbsp;billion worldwide and achieved a market share of around 7% globally and 17% in the United Kingdom.<ref name=statistics>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/vitalstats|title=UK film&nbsp;– the vital statistics|accessdate=22 October 2010|publisher=UK Film Council}}</ref> UK box-office takings totalled £944&nbsp;million in 2009, with around 173&nbsp;million admissions.<ref name=statistics/> The ] has produced a poll ranking of what they consider to be the 100 greatest British films of all time, the ].<ref> bfi.org</ref> The annual ], hosted by the ], are the British equivalent of the ].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1190562.stm |title= Baftas fuel Oscars race |accessdate=14 February 2011 |work=BBC News |date=26 February 2001}}</ref>

===Literature===
{{Main|British literature}}
], believed to depict ]]]
'British literature' refers to literature associated with the United Kingdom, the ] and the Channel Islands as well as to literature from England, Wales and Scotland prior to the formation of the UK. Most British literature is in the English language. In 2005, some 206,000 books were published in the United Kingdom and in 2006 it was the ] in the world.<ref name=Reuters>{{cite news | author=Goldfarb, Jeffrey | title = Bookish Britain overtakes America as top publisher | url = http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20080106093222/http://www.redorbit.com/news/entertainment/499053/bookish_britain_overtakes_america_as_top_publisher/ |agency=Retuers | date = 10 May 2006 | work=RedOrbit | location = Texas }}</ref>

The English playwright and poet ] is widely regarded as the greatest dramatist of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/537853/William-Shakespeare|title=William Shakespeare (English author)|publisher=Britannica Online encyclopedia|accessdate=26 February 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761562101/Shakespeare.html |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060209154055/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761562101/Shakespeare.html |archivedate=9 February 2006 |title=MSN Encarta Encyclopedia article on Shakespeare |accessdate=26 February 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Shakespeare%2c+William |publisher=Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia |title= William Shakespeare |accessdate=26 February 2006}}</ref> Shakespeare's contemporaries ] and ] added depth. More recently the playwrights ], ], ], ] and ] have combined elements of surrealism, realism and radicalism.

Notable pre-modern and early-modern English writers include ] (14th century), ] (15th century), ] (16th century), and ] (17th century). In the 18th century ] (author of '']'') and ] were pioneers of the ]. In the 19th century there followed further innovation by ], the gothic novelist ], children's writer ], the ], the social campaigner ], the ] ], the ] ], the visionary poet ] and romantic poet ]. Twentieth century English writers include: science-fiction novelist ]; the writers of children's classics ], ] (the creator of ]) and ]; the controversial ]; ] ]; the satirist ]; the prophetic novelist ]; the popular novelists ] and ]; the crime writer ] (the ] of all time);<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1505799/Mystery-of-Christies-success-is-solved.html |title=Mystery of Christie's success is solved |accessdate=14 November 2010| newspaper=Daily Telegraph |date=19 December 2005 |location=London}}</ref> ] (the creator of ]); the poets ], ] and ]; and the ] writers ], ] and ].

] novelist ]]]
] include the detective writer ] (the creator of ]), romantic literature by ], children's writer ], the epic adventures of ] and the celebrated poet ]. More recently the modernist and nationalist ] and ] contributed to the ]. A more grim outlook is found in ]'s stories and the psychological horror-comedy of ]. Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, was UNESCO's first worldwide ].<ref> UNESCO. Retrieved 20 August 2008.</ref>

Britain's oldest known poem, '']'', was probably composed in ] or ] in the late 6th century and contains the earliest known reference to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/themes/society/language_poetry.shtml|title=Early Welsh poetry|publisher=BBC Wales|accessdate=29 December 2010}}</ref> ] developed the ] with his ] account of British history, the '']''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=dKJiPyyTevgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=History+of+English+literature+from+Beowulf+to+Swinburne#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=History of English Literature from Beowulf to Swinburne|author=Andrew Lang|year=2003|page=42|accessdate=29 December 2010|isbn=9780809532292}}</ref> Wales' most celebrated medieval poet, ] (fl 1320–1370), composed ] poetry on themes including nature, religion and especially love. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest European poets of his age.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dafydd ap Gwilym |url=http://www.academi.org/dafydd-ap-gwilym-eng/ |quote=Dafydd ap Gwilym is widely regarded as one of the greatest Welsh poets of all time, and amongst the leading European poets of the Middle Ages. |accessdate=3&nbsp;January 2011|publisher=] |year=2011 |work=] website }}</ref> Until the late 19th century the majority of Welsh literature was in Welsh and much of the prose was religious in character. ] is credited as the first Welsh-language novelist, publishing '']'' in 1885. The best-known of the ] are both Thomases. ] became famous on both sides of the Atlantic in the mid 20th century. The Swansea writer is remembered for his poetry&nbsp;– his "]; Rage, rage against the dying of the light." is one of the most quoted couplets of English language verse&nbsp;– and for his 'play for voices', '']''. Influential ] 'poet-priest' and ], ], was nominated for the ] in 1996. Leading Welsh novelists include ] and ].

Authors of other nationalities, particularly from ] countries, the Republic of Ireland and the United States, have lived and worked in the UK. Significant examples through the centuries include ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and more recently British authors born abroad such as ] and ].<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=m0CUOYfTdrkC&pg=PA10&dq=jonathan+swift+move+to+england#v=onepage&q=jonathan%20swift%20move%20to%20england&f=false |title=Gulliver's travels: complete, authoritative text with biographical and historical contexts, critical history, and essays from five contemporary critical perspectives |author=Swift, Jonathan; Fox, Christopher |publisher=Macmillan | location = Basingstoke | isbn = 9780333634387 | year = 1995 |page=10 |accessdate=1 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F10C12F9395517738DDDAA0A94DC405B828DF1D3 |title=Bram Stoker. |newspaper=The New York Times | format = PDF |accessdate=1 January 2011 |date=23 April 1912}}</ref>

===Media===
{{Main|Media of the United Kingdom}}
]. The BBC is the largest and oldest broadcaster in the world.<ref>{{cite web|title=''About the BBC&nbsp;– What is the BBC''|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/purpose/what.shtml|accessdate=14 June 2008|publisher=BBC }}</ref>]]
There are five major nationwide ]: ], ], ], ] and ]—currently transmitted by analogue and digital terrestrial, free-to-air signals with the latter three channels funded by commercial advertising. The UK now has a large number of digital terrestrial channels including a further six from the BBC, five from ITV and three from Channel 4, and one from S4C which is solely in Welsh, among a variety of others. The vast majority of digital cable television services are provided by ] with satellite television available from ] or ] and ] digital terrestrial television by ]. The entire UK ] by 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/TechnologyInYourHome/DigitalTelevision/DG_10031292 |title=What is digital switchover |publisher=Directgov |month=December |year=2010 |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref>
The ], 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.<ref name="BBC history">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/aboutbbcnews/spl/hi/history/noflash/html/1920s.stm |title=The history of BBC News: 1920s |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=29 November 2009}}</ref><ref> Jan Repa, BBC News Online: 25 October 2005</ref> It operates several ] and ] stations both in the UK and abroad. The BBC's international television news service, ], is broadcast throughout the world, and the ] radio network is broadcast in 33 languages globally, as well as services in Welsh on ], Gaelic on ] in Scotland and Irish in Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/languages/index.shtml |title=News and Analysis in your language |publisher=BBC |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref> The domestic services of the BBC are funded by the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/keyfacts/stories/licencefee.shtml |title=TV Licence Fee: facts & figures |publisher=BBC Press Office |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref> The internationally targeted BBC World Service Radio is funded by the ], though from 2014 it will be funded by the television licence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ofcomwatch.co.uk/2010/10/bbc-funding-settlement-the-details/ |title=BBC Funding Settlements: the details |publisher=OFCOMWATCH |month=October |year=2010 |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref> The international television broadcast services are operated by ] on a commercial subscription basis over cable and satellite services. This commercial arm of the BBC also forms half of ] along with ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbcworldwide.com/channels.aspx |title=CHANNELS |publisher=BBC Worldwide |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref>
] building.]]
] is dominated by ], which operates ten national networks and over forty local radio stations. The most popular radio station by number of listeners is ], closely followed by ]. There are hundreds of mainly local commercial radio stations across the country offering a variety of music or talk formats.

Traditionally ] could be divided into "quality", serious-minded newspapers (usually referred to as "]s" because of their large size) and the more populist, "]" varieties. For convenience of reading many traditional broadsheets have switched to a more ]-sized format, traditionally used by ]s. '']'' has the highest circulation of any daily newspaper in the UK at 3.1&nbsp;million, approximately a quarter of the market.<ref name=paper>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/table/2008/oct/10/abcs-pressandpublishing |title=ABCs: National daily newspaper circulation September 2008 |work=The Guardian |location=UK |accessdate=17 October 2008 |date=10 October 2008}}</ref> Its sister paper, the '']'', has the highest circulation in the Sunday newspaper market and traditionally focuses on celebrity-led stories.<ref name=paper/> '']'', a centre-right broadsheet paper, is the highest-selling of the "quality" newspapers.<ref name=paper/> '']'' is a more ] "quality" broadsheet and the '']'' is the main business newspaper, printed on distinctive salmon-pink broadsheet paper.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/world/europe/25britain.html |title=British Panel Condemns Media Group in Phone Hacking Case |newspaper=The New York Times |accessdate=30 December 2010 | date = 24 February 2010 | first = Sarah | last = Lyall}}</ref> British magazines and journals have achieved worldwide circulation including '']'', '']'', and '']''. Scotland has a distinct tradition of newspaper readership (see ]). The tabloid '']'' has the highest circulation of any daily newspaper outselling '']'' by four to one while its sister paper, the '']'' similarly leads the Sunday newspaper market. The leading "quality" daily newspaper in Scotland is '']'', though it is the sister paper of '']'', and the '']'' that leads in the Sunday newspaper market.<ref>{{dead link|date=April 2011}} Business7, 11 February 2008</ref>

The Internet ] ] (]) for ] is ]. The most visited ".uk" websites are the British version of '']'' followed by '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/GB |title=Top Sites in United Kingdom |publisher=Alexa|accessdate=1 May 2011}}</ref>

===Music===
{{Main|Music of the United Kingdom}}
{{See also|British rock}}
] are one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the ], selling over a billion records internationally.<ref name="Beatles sales">{{cite web|url=http://www.emimusic.com/about/history/1960-1969/|title=1960–1969|publisher=EMI Group Ltd|accessdate=31 May 2008}}</ref><ref name=McCartney>{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,975715-2,00.html |title=Paul At Fifty |work=TIME | location = New York |date=8 June 1992}}</ref><ref name="uktvrecording">{{cite web|url=http://uktv.co.uk/yesterday/gallery/aid/601378/image/5265 |title=In This Month: June |publisher=UKTV|accessdate=15 August 2008}}</ref>]]

Various styles of music are popular in the UK from the indigenous ] of ], ], ] and ] to ]. Notable composers of classical music from the United Kingdom and the countries that preceded it include ], ], ], ], ] (most famous for working with librettist ]), ] and ], pioneer of modern British opera. ] is one of the foremost living composers and current ]. The UK is also home to world-renowned symphonic orchestras and choruses such as the ] and the ]. Notable conductors include ], ] and ]. Some of the notable ] composers include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. ], although born German, was a ] ]<ref name="Handel">{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_publications_and_archives/parliamentary_archives/handel_and_naturalisation.cfm|title=British Citizen by Act of Parliament: George Frideric Handel|date=20 July 2009|publisher=UK Parliament|accessdate= 11 September 2009}}</ref> and some of his best works, such as '']'', were written in the English language.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/4236.html |title=Handel all'inglese |last=Andrews |first=John |date=14 April 2006 |work=Playbill | location = New York |accessdate=11 September 2009}}</ref> ] has achieved enormous worldwide commercial success and is a prolific composer of musical theatre, works which have dominated London's ] for a number of years and have travelled to Broadway in New York.<ref>{{cite book |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=AWaZ1LAFAZEC |title= Sondheim and Lloyd-Webber: The new musical |accessdate=20 August 2010 |publisher=Chatto & Windus |location =London |year =2001 |author=Citron, Stephen |isbn= 9781856192736}}</ref>

<!-- Please note that the following list of prominent musicians and groups includes only those selling more than 200&nbsp;million records. Please see ] before adding to the list. -->
] have international sales of over one billion units and are the ] and most influential act in the history of popular music.<ref name="Beatles sales"/><ref name=McCartney/><ref name="uktvrecording"/><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/beatles-a-big-hit-with-downloads-15013117.html| title = Beatles a big hit with downloads| newspaper=Belfast Telegraph | date =25 November 2010|accessdate=16 May 2011}}</ref> Other prominent British contributors to have influenced popular music over the last 50 years include ], ], the ], ], ], ] and ]; all of whom have ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emimusic.com/news/2009/singstar®-queen-to-be-launched-by-sony-computer-entertainment-europe/|title=British rock legends get their own music title for PLAYSTATION3 and PlayStation2|publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3897823.ece | title = Resurrecting Church will be greatest miracle | newspaper=The Times | location = London | date = 9 May 2008 | first = Ben | last = Macintyre}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2305273/Sir-Elton-John-honoured-in-Ben-and-Jerry-ice-cream.html |title =Sir Elton John honoured in Ben and Jerry ice cream |newspaper =The Daily Telegraph |date =17 July 2008 |first= Urmee |last= Khan |location= London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1562875/Rock-group-Led-Zeppelin-to-reunite.html |title=Rock group Led Zeppelin to reunite |newspaper =The Daily Telegraph |date =19 April 2008 |location=London |first=Richard |last=Alleyne |accessdate=31 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett dies at home |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2265034,00.html |newspaper=The Times |location= London |date=11 July 2006 |first=Adam |last=Fresco |accessdate=31 March 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Kate |last=Holton |title=Rolling Stones sign Universal album deal |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSL1767761020080117 |agency=Reuters |date=17 January 2008 |accessdate=26 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Tim |last=Walker |title=Jive talkin': Why Robin Gibb wants more respect for the Bee Gees |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/jive-talkin-why-robin-gibb-wants-more-respect-for-the-bee-gees-826116.html |work=The Independent |location= London |date=12 May 2008 |accessdate=26 October 2008}}</ref> According to research by ] eight of the ten acts with the most UK chart singles are British: ], ], ], ], ], the ], the ] and the ].<ref name="Hit singles">{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4259312.stm |title= Status Quo hold UK singles record |date=19 September 2005 |work=BBC News |accessdate=2 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/58259/the-Bee-Gees |title=the Bee Gees (British-Australian pop-rock group) |publisher=Britannica Online Encyclopedia |accessdate=12 January 2010}}</ref> More recent UK music acts that have had international success include ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].

A number of UK cities are known for their music. Acts from ] have had more UK chart number one hit singles per capita (54) than any other city worldwide.<ref name="Liverpool vs Stavanger">{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/a-tale-of-two-cities-of-culture-liverpool-vs-stavanger-770076.html?r=RSS |title=A tale of two cities of culture: Liverpool vs Stavanger |last=Hughes |first=Mark |date=14 January 2008 |work=The Independent |accessdate=2 August 2009 |location=London}}</ref> ]'s contribution to music was recognised in 2008 when it was named a ] ], one of only three cities in the world to have this honour.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7570915.stm |title=Glasgow gets city of music honour |work=BBC News |date=20 August 2008 |accessdate=2 August 2009}}</ref>

===Philosophy===
{{Main|British philosophy}}
], ] winning founder of ]]]
The United Kingdom is famous for the tradition of 'British Empiricism', a branch of the philosophy of knowledge that states that only knowledge verified by experience is valid, and 'Scottish Philosophy', sometimes referred to as the ']'.<ref>{{cite book |url= http://www.rrbltd.co.uk/bibliographies/scottish_v5_bibliog.pdf |title= A bibliography of Scottish common sense philosophy: Sources and origins |accessdate =17 December 2010 |editor= Fieser, James |publisher=Thoemmes Press |location =Bristol |year=2000}}</ref> The most famous philosophers of British Empiricism are ], ] and ]; while ], ] and ] were major exponents of the Scottish "common sense" school. Two Britons are also notable for a theory of moral philosophy ], first used by ] and later by ] in his short work '']''.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=s7y5MJOuN30C&pg=PA66&dq=jeremy+bentham+utilitarianism#v=onepage&q=jeremy%20bentham%20utilitarianism&f=false |title=Moral Problems in Medicine: A Practical Coursebook |author=Palmer, Michael |publisher=Lutterworth Press | location = Cambridge |year=1999 | isbn = 9780718829780 |page=66 |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/?id=8A4xLnzfqYwC&pg=PA82&dq=john+stuart+mill+biography+utilitarianism#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Utilitarianism |author=Scarre, Geoffrey |publisher=Routledge | location = London |year=1995 |page=82 |accessdate=30 December 2010 | isbn = 9780415121972}}</ref>
Other eminent philosophers from the UK and the unions and countries that preceded it include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. Foreign-born philosophers who settled in the UK include ], ], ] and ].

===Visual art===
{{Main|Art of the United Kingdom}}
] self-portrait, oil on canvas, circa 1799]]
The history of British visual art forms part of ]. Major British artists include: the ] ], ], ] and ]; the ] painters ] and ]; the landscape artists ] and ]; the pioneer of the ] ]; the figurative painter ]; the ]s ], ] and ]; the collaborative duo ]; the ] artist ]; and the ] ], ] and ]. During the late 1980s and 1990s the ] in London helped to bring to public attention a group of multi-genre artists who would become known as the "]": ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and the ] are among the better-known members of this loosely affiliated movement.

The ] in London is a key organisation for the promotion of the visual arts in the United Kingdom. Major schools of art in the UK include: the six-school ], which includes the ] and ]; ]; the ] (part of ]); the ]; the ]; and ] (part of the University of Oxford). The ] is a leading centre for the teaching of the ]. Important art galleries in the United Kingdom include the ], ], ] and ] (the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7&nbsp;million visitors per year).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article7105032.ece | title=The startling success of Tate Modern |accessdate=19 January 2011| newspaper=The Times| date=24 April 2010 |location=London |first=Stephen |last=Bayley}}</ref>

===Sport===
{{Main|Sport in the United Kingdom}}
]. It is one of the most expensive stadia ever built.<ref name="Daily Mail - stadium ready">{{cite news |date=9 March 2007 |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-441182/Wembley-kick-Stadium-ready-England-play-game-fortnight.html |title=Wembley kick-off: Stadium is ready and England play first game in fortnight |work=Daily Mail |location=London |accessdate=19 March 2007 |first= Christian |last= Gysin}}</ref>]]
Major sports, including association football, ], ], ], ], badminton, ], tennis, ] and golf, originated or were substantially developed in the United Kingdom and the states that preceded it. A 2003 poll found that football is the most popular ].<ref> ''Ipsos MORI''. Retrieved 2 May 2011.</ref> In most international competitions, separate teams represent England, Scotland, ], and ], including at the ]. (In sporting contexts, these teams can be referred to collectively as the ]). However there are occasions where a single sports team represents the United Kingdom, including at the Olympics where the UK is represented by the ]. London was the site of the ] and ] Olympic Games, and in ] will become the first city to play host for a third time.

Each of the ] has its own football association, national team and ], though a few clubs play outside their country's respective systems for a variety of historical and logistical reasons. ], ], ] and ] compete as separate countries in international competition and, as a consequence, the UK does not compete as a team in football events at the Olympic Games.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/football/7529807.stm |title=Why is there no GB Olympics football team? |work=BBC Sport |date=5 August 2008 |accessdate=31 December 2010}}</ref> There are ] take part in the ] but the ], ] and ] football associations have declined to participate, fearing that it would undermine their independent status&nbsp;– a fear confirmed by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/football/7286011.stm |title=Blatter against British 2012 team |work=BBC News |date=9 March 2008 |accessdate=2 April 2008}}</ref> England has been the most successful of the home nations winning the ] ], although there has historically been a close-fought ].

]'s ] opened for the ]]]
] was invented in England. The ], controlled by the ],<ref> England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved 4 August 2008.</ref> is the only national team in the UK with ]. Team members are drawn from the main county sides, and include both English and Welsh players. Cricket is distinct from football and rugby where Wales and England field separate national teams, although Wales had fielded its own team in the past. ] and ] players have played for England because neither ] nor ] have Test status and have only recently started to play in ]s.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Howzat-happen-England-fields-.5519537.jp |title=Howzat happen? England fields a Gaelic-speaking Scotsman in Ashes |newspaper=The Scotsman |date=4 August 2009 |accessdate=30 December 2010 |location=Edinburgh |first=Martyn |last=McLaughlin}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6149210.stm |title=Uncapped Joyce wins Ashes call up |work=BBC Sport |accessdate=30 December 2010 |date=15 November 2006}}</ref> Scotland, England (and Wales), and Ireland (including Northern Ireland) have competed at the ], with England reaching the finals on three occasions. There is a professional ] in which clubs representing 17 English counties and 1 Welsh county compete.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/sites/history/pages/counties_glamorgan.shtml |title=Glamorgan |publisher=BBC South East Wales| month=August |year=2009 |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref>
] is a popular sport in some areas of the UK. It originates in Huddersfield and is generally played in ].<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=7rY2tVBypH0C&pg=PA27&dq=rugby+league+started+in+huddersfield#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Professional identities: policy and practice in business and bureaucracy |isbn= 9781845450540 |author=Ardener, Shirley |publisher=Berghahn |location =New York |year=2007 |page=27 |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref> A single 'Great Britain Lions' team had competed in the ] and Test match games, but this changed in 2008 when ], ] and ] competed as separate nations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rlwc08.com/|title=Official Website of Rugby League World Cup 2008}}</ref> Great Britain is still being retained as the full national team for Ashes tours against Australia, New Zealand and France. The highest form of professional rugby league in the UK and Europe is ] where there are 11 teams from Northern England, 1 from London, 1 from Wales and 1 from France. ] is organised on a separate basis for ], ], ] and ], each has a top-ranked international team and were collectively known as the ]. The ], played between the Home Nations as well as ] and France, is the premier international tournament in the northern hemisphere.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://books.google.com/?id=0-IiowvNomMC&pg=PA95&dq=rugby+union+six+nations+tournament#v=onepage |title=The Girlfriends Guide to Rugby |author=Louw, Jaco; Nesbit, Derrick |publisher=South Publishers | location = Johannesburg |year=2008 |accessdate=31 December 2010 | isbn = 9780620395410}}</ref> The ] is awarded to any of the Home Nations who beats the other three in that tournament.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/championship-information_trophies_triple-crown.php |title=Triple Crown |work=RBS 6 Nations |accessdate=6 March 2011}}</ref>
] Championships, a ] tournament, is held in ] every June/July]]
The game of ] first originated in the city of ] between 1859 and 1865.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk/lawntennis.htm |title=Lawn Tennis and Major T.Gem |publisher=The Birmingham Civic Society |accessdate=31 December 2010}}</ref> ] are international tennis events held in ] in south London every summer and are regarded as the most prestigious event of the global tennis calendar. ] is one of the UK's popular sporting exports, with the world championships held annually in ].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/6288739.stm |title=China in Ding's hands |work=BBC Sport |accessdate=2 January 2011 |first=Saj |last=Chowdhury |date=22 January 2007}}</ref> In Northern Ireland ] and ] are popular team sports, both in terms of participation and spectating, and Irish expatriates throughout the UK and the US also play them.<ref name=CJSHurl>{{cite news |title=The ancient Irish sport of hurling catches on in America |url=http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2007-04-10/gould-hurling.html |work=Columbia News Service |publisher= Columbia Journalism School |accessdate=17 May 2011 |author=Gould, Joe |date=10 April 2007}}</ref> ] (or ''camanachd'') is popular in the ].<ref>. Scottish Sport. Retrieved 2 October 2008.</ref>

], which originated under ] as the "sport of kings", is popular throughout the UK with world-famous races including the ], the ] and ]. The UK has proved successful in the international sporting arena in ]. Golf is the sixth most popular sport, by participation, in the UK. Although ] in Scotland is the sport's home course,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipsospublicaffairs.co.uk/_assets/newsletters/tracking-the-field.pdf |title=Tracking the Field |publisher=Ipsos MORI |accessdate=17 October 2008}}{{Dead link|date=July 2009}}</ref> the world's oldest golf course is actually Musselburgh Links' Old Golf Course.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7949045.stm |title= Links plays into the record books |work=BBC News |date =17 March 2009}}</ref>

The UK is closely associated with ]. Many teams and drivers in ] (F1) are based in the UK, and drivers from Britain have won more world titles than any other country. The UK hosted the very first F1 Grand Prix in 1950 at ], the current location of the ] held each year in July. The country also hosts legs of the ] and has its own ] championship, the ] (BTCC).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.walesrallygb.com/documents/Rally_Guide_1.pdf |title=Wales Rally GB, Rally Guide 1 |publisher=walesrallygb.com |accessdate=2 January 2011}}</ref>

===Symbols===
{{Main|Symbols of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man}}
] in ]. Britannia is a ] of the UK.]]
The ] is the ] (also referred to as the Union Jack). It was first created in 1606 by the superimposition of the ] on the ] and updated in 1801 with the addition of ]. 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7114248.stm|title=Welsh dragon call for Union flag|publisher=BBC News |date=27 November 2007|accessdate=17 October 2008}}</ref> The ] of the United Kingdom is "]", with "King" replaced with "Queen" in the lyrics whenever the monarch is a woman.

] is a ] of the United Kingdom, originating from ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.24carat.co.uk/britanniaframe.html|title=Britannia on British Coins|publisher=Chard|accessdate=25 June 2006}}</ref> Britannia is symbolised as a young woman with brown or golden hair wearing a ] and white robes. She holds ]'s three-pronged trident and a ], bearing the Union Flag. Sometimes she is depicted as riding on the back of a lion. At and since the height of the British Empire, Britannia has often associated with maritime dominance, as in the patriotic song '']''. The lion symbol is depicted behind Britannia on the ] and one is shown crowned on the back of the ]. It is also used as a symbol on the non-ceremonial flag of the ]. The ] is sometimes used as a symbol of the United Kingdom and has been associated with ]'s defiance of Nazi Germany.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Baker|first=Steve|title=Picturing the Beast|publisher=University of Illinois Press|year=2001|page=52|isbn=0252070305}}</ref>
{{-}}

==See also==
{{Portal|United Kingdom}}
{{Wikisource|Portal:United Kingdom|United Kingdom portal}}
* ]
{{Clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2|group="note"}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|United Kingdom}}
{{osmrelation|62149}}
; Government
*
*
*
* statistics
; General information
* {{CIA World Factbook link|uk|United Kingdom}}
* from ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''
* {{dmoz|Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom}}
* {{wikiatlas|United Kingdom}}
*
; Travel
*
* {{Wikitravel}}
<!-- Please discuss links on the talk page before adding them to this list&nbsp;— remember to read the WP:EL guideline.-->
{{United Kingdom topics|state=expanded}}
{{Template group
|title=]{{nbsp}}Geographic locale
|list=
'''] {{Coord|51|30|N|0|7|W|display=inline}} <span style="color:darkblue;">(London)</span>'''
{{United Kingdom constituents and affiliations}}
{{Sovereign states of Europe}}
{{British Isles}}
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{{Members of the European Union (EU)}}
{{Template group
|title=International organisations
|list=
{{Commonwealth of Nations}}
{{Commonwealth realms}}
{{Council of Europe}}
{{North Atlantic Treaty Organization|state=collapsed}}
{{G8 nations}}
{{G20}}
{{UN Security Council}}
{{Monarchies}}
}}
{{English official language clickable map}}
{{National personifications}}

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Revision as of 13:34, 11 June 2011

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