Europe :: United Kingdom

- Introduction :: United Kingdom
- Background:

  The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic's withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998.

  The UK has been an active member of the EU since its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU. The UK and the EU are currently negotiating the terms of the UK's withdrawal and a framework for their future relationship ahead of the UK's scheduled departure from the bloc on 29 March 2019.

  UNITED KINGDOM SUMMARY: PDF
- Geography :: United Kingdom
- Location:
  Western Europe, islands - including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland - between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of France
  Geographic coordinates:
  54 00 N, 2 00 W
  Map references:
  Europe
  Area:
  total: 243,610 sq km
  land: 241,930 sq km
  water: 1,680 sq km

  note 1: the percentage area breakdown of the four UK countries is: England 53%, Scotland 32%, Wales 9%, and Northern Ireland 6%
  note 2: includes Rockall and the Shetland Islands, which are part of Scotland

  country comparison to the world: 81
  Area - comparative:
  twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon
  Area comparison map:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Europe :: United Kingdom Print
  Image Description

  twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon

  Land boundaries:
  total: 443 km
  border countries (1): Ireland 443 km
  Coastline:
  12,429 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
  Climate:
  temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
  Terrain:
  mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
  Elevation:
  mean elevation: 162 m
  elevation extremes: -4 m lowest point: The Fens
  1343 highest point: Ben Nevis
  Natural resources:
  coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 71% (2011 est.)
  arable land: 25.1% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.2% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 45.7% (2011 est.)
  forest: 11.9% (2011 est.)
  other: 17.1% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  950 sq km (2012)
  Population distribution:
  the core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scotish lowlands between Endinburgh and Glasgow, southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and far eastern Northern Ireland centered on Belfast
  Natural hazards:
  winter windstorms; floods
  Environment - current issues:
  air pollution improved but remains a concern, particularly in the London region; soil pollution from pesticides and heavy metals; decline in marine and coastal habitats brought on by pressures from housing, tourism, and industry
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
  Geography - note:
  lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel (the Channel Tunnel or Chunnel); because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters
- People and Society :: United Kingdom
- Population:
  65,105,246 United Kingdom (July 2018 est.)
  constituent countries:
  England 55,268,100
  Scotland 5,404,700
  Wales 3,113,200
  Northern Ireland 1,862,10
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Nationality:
  noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
  adjective: British
  Ethnic groups:
  white 87.2%, black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.)
  Languages:
  English, Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland), Welsh (about 20% of the population of Wales), Irish (about 10% of the population of Northern Ireland), Cornish (some 2,000 to 3,000 people in Cornwall) (2012 est.)

  note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland)

  Religions:
  Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7% (2011 est.)
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.59% (male 5,871,268 /female 5,582,107)
  15-24 years: 11.71% (male 3,895,850 /female 3,726,311)
  25-54 years: 40.29% (male 13,387,119 /female 12,843,549)
  55-64 years: 12.22% (male 3,936,466 /female 4,022,245)
  65 years and over: 18.19% (male 5,321,392 /female 6,518,939) (2018 est.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Europe :: United Kingdom Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for United Kingdom. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 55.5 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 27.4 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 28.2 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 3.5 (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 40.5 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 41.7 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 48
  Population growth rate:
  0.51% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 154
  Birth rate:
  12 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 167
  Death rate:
  9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 53
  Net migration rate:
  2.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 38
  Population distribution:
  the core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scotish lowlands between Endinburgh and Glasgow, southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and far eastern Northern Ireland centered on Belfast
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 83.4% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  9.046 million LONDON (capital), 2.69 million Manchester, 2.57 million Birmingham, 1.864 million West Yorkshire, 1.661 million Glasgow, 912,000 Southampton/Portsmouth (2018)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth:
  28.5 years (2014 est.)

  note: data represent England and Wales only

  Maternal mortality rate:
  9 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 155
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 190
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.9 years (2018 est.)
  male: 78.7 years (2018 est.)
  female: 83.2 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 39
  Total fertility rate:
  1.88 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 137
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  84% (2008)

  note: percent of women aged 16-49

  Health expenditures:
  9.1% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 38
  Physicians density:
  2.83 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
  Hospital bed density:
  2.8 beds/1,000 population (2013)
  Drinking water source:
  improved: urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved: urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved: urban: 99.1% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 99.6% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 99.2% of population (2015 est.)
  unimproved: urban: 0.9% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 0.4% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 0.8% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  27.8% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 36
  Education expenditures:
  5.6% of GDP (2015)
  country comparison to the world: 48
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 18 years (2014)
  male: 17 years (2014)
  female: 18 years (2014)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 13% (2016 est.)
  male: 14.8% (2016 est.)
  female: 11.1% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
- Government :: United Kingdom
- Country name:
  conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales
  conventional short form: United Kingdom
  abbreviation: UK
  etymology: self-descriptive country name; the designation "Great Britain," in the sense of "Larger Britain," dates back to medieval times and was used to distinguish the island from "Little Britain," or Brittany in modern France; the name Ireland derives from the Gaelic "Eriu," the matron goddess of Ireland (goddess of the land)
  Government type:
  parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
  Capital:
  name: London
  geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 05 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

  note: applies to the United Kingdom proper, not to its Crown dependencies or overseas territories

  Administrative divisions:

  England: 27 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 56 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*);

  two-tier counties: Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire;

  London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster;

  metropolitan districts: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton;

  unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset, Blackburn with Darwen, Bedford, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, City of Bristol, Central Bedfordshire, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Cornwall, Darlington, Derby, Durham County*, East Riding of Yorkshire, Halton, Hartlepool, Herefordshire*, Isle of Wight*, Isles of Scilly, City of Kingston upon Hull, Leicester, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset, Northumberland*, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland, Rutland, Shropshire, Slough, South Gloucestershire, Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Swindon, Telford and Wrekin, Thurrock, Torbay, Warrington, West Berkshire, Wiltshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham, York;

  Northern Ireland: 5 borough councils, 4 district councils, 2 city councils;

  borough councils: Antrim and Newtownabbey; Ards and North Down; Armagh City, Banbridge, and Craigavon; Causeway Coast and Glens; Mid and East Antrim;

  district councils: Derry City and Strabane; Fermanagh and Omagh; Mid Ulster; Newry, Murne, and Down;

  city councils: Belfast; Lisburn and Castlereagh;

  Scotland: 32 council areas;

  council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian

  Wales: 22 unitary authorities;

  unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, The Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen, Wrexham

  Dependent areas:
  Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
  Independence:
  no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms united); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union formally incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union formally unite England, Scotland, and Wales as Great Britain); 1 January 1801 (Acts of Union formally unite Great Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland); 6 December 1921 (Anglo-Irish Treaty formalizes partition of Ireland; six counties remain part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland); 12 April 1927 (Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act establishes current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
  National holiday:
  the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday
  Constitution:
  history: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice (2016)
  amendments: proposed as a bill for an Act of Parliament by the government, by the House of Commons, or by the House of Lords; passage requires agreement by both houses and by the monarch (Royal Assent); note - additions include the Human Rights Act of 1998, the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, and the House of Lords (Expulsion and Suspension) Act 2015 (2016)
  Legal system:
  common law system; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998
  International law organization participation:
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Citizenship:
  citizenship by birth: no
  citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the United Kingdom
  dual citizenship recognized: yes
  residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Judicial branch:
  highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 12 justices, including the court president and deputy president); note - the Supreme Court was established by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and implemented in October 2009, replacing the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords as the highest court in the United Kingdom
  judge selection and term of office: judge candidates selected by an independent committee of several judicial commissions, followed by their recommendations to the prime minister, and appointed by the monarch; justices serve for life
  subordinate courts: England and Wales: Court of Appeal (civil and criminal divisions); High Court; Crown Court; County Courts; Magistrates' Courts; Scotland: Court of Sessions; Sheriff Courts; High Court of Justiciary; tribunals; Northern Ireland: Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland; High Court; county courts; magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)
  head of government: Prime Minister Theresa MAY (Conservative) (since 13 July 2016)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister; election last held on 8 June 2017 (next to be held by 5 May 2022)

  note: in addition to serving as the UK head of state, the British sovereign is the constitutional monarch for 15 additional Commonwealth countries (these 16 states are each referred to as a Commonwealth realm)

  Legislative branch:
  description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
  House of Lords (membership not fixed; as of May 2018, 780 lords were eligible to participate in the work of the House of Lords - 664 life peers, 90 hereditary peers, and 26 clergy; members are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister and non-party political members recommended by the House of Lords Appointments Commission); note - House of Lords total does not include ineligible members or members on leave of absence
  House of Commons (650 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 5-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)
  elections:
  House of Lords - no elections; note - in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain; elections held only as vacancies in the hereditary peerage arise)
  House of Commons - last held on 8 June 2017 (next to be held by 5 May 2022)
  election results:
  House of Lords - composition - men 583, women 208, percent of women 26.3%
  House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative 42.3%, Labor 40.0%, SNP 43.0%, Lib Dems 7.4%, DUP 0.9%, Sinn Fein 0.7%, Plaid Cymru 0.5%,other 0.6%; seats by party - Conservative 317, Labor 262, SNP 35, Lib Dems 12, DUP 10, Sinn Fein 7, Plaid Cymru 4, other 3; composition - men 442, women 208, percent of women 32%; total Parliament percent of women 28.9%
  Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance Party (Northern Ireland) [Naomi LONG]
  Conservative and Unionist Party [Theresa MAY]
  Democratic Unionist Party or DUP (Northern Ireland) [Arlene FOSTER]
  Green Party of England and Wales or Greens [Sian BERRY and Jonathan BARTLEY]
  Labor (Labour) Party [Jeremy CORBYN]
  Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Sir Vince CABLE]
  Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Adam PRICE]
  Scottish National Party or SNP [Nicola STURGEON]
  Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Mary Lou MCDONALD]
  Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Colum EASTWOOD]
  Ulster Unionist Party or UUP (Northern Ireland) [Robin SWANN]
  UK Independence Party or UKIP [Gerard BATTEN]
  International organization participation:
  ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sir Nigel Kim DARROCH (since 28 January 2016)
  chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
  consulate(s): Orlando (FL), San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Wood (Woody) JOHNSON IV (since 29 August 2017)
  embassy:

  33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US United Kingdom

  mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
  telephone: [44] 20-7499-9000
  FAX: [44] 20-7891-3151
  consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
  Flag description:
  blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories
  National symbol(s):
  lion (Britain in general); lion, Tudor rose, oak (England); lion, unicorn, thistle (Scotland); dragon, daffodil, leek (Wales); shamrock, flax (Northern Ireland); national colors: red, white, blue (Britain in general); red, white (England); blue, white (Scotland); red, white, green (Wales)
  National anthem:
  name: God Save the Queen
  lyrics/music: unknown

  note: in use since 1745; by tradition, the song serves as both the national and royal anthem of the UK; it is known as either "God Save the Queen" or "God Save the King," depending on the gender of the reigning monarch; it also serves as the royal anthem of many Commonwealth nations

- Economy :: United Kingdom
- Economy - overview:

  The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining; the UK has been a net importer of energy since 2005. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, are key drivers of British GDP growth. Manufacturing, meanwhile, has declined in importance but still accounts for about 10% of economic output.

  In 2008, the global financial crisis hit the economy particularly hard, due to the importance of its financial sector. Falling home prices, high consumer debt, and the global economic slowdown compounded the UK’s economic problems, pushing the economy into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompting the then BROWN (Labour) government to implement a number of measures to stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial markets. Facing burgeoning public deficits and debt levels, in 2010 the then CAMERON-led coalition government (between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats) initiated an austerity program, which has continued under the Conservative government. However, the deficit still remains one of the highest in the G7, standing at 3.6% of GDP as of 2017, and the UK has pledged to lower its corporation tax from 20% to 17% by 2020. The UK had a debt burden of 90.4% GDP at the end of 2017.

  The UK economy has begun to slow since the referendum vote to leave the EU in June 2016. A sustained depreciation of the British pound has increased consumer and producer prices, weighing on consumer spending without spurring a meaningful increase in exports. The UK has an extensive trade relationship with other EU members through its single market membership, and economic observers have warned the exit will jeopardize its position as the central location for European financial services. Prime Minister MAY is seeking a new "deep and special" trade relationship with the EU following the UK’s exit. However, economists doubt that the UK will be able to preserve the benefits of EU membership without the obligations. The UK is expected to officially leave the EU by the end of March 2019.

  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.925 trillion (2017 est.)
  $2.877 trillion (2016 est.)
  $2.827 trillion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 9
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $2.628 trillion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  1.7% (2017 est.)
  1.8% (2016 est.)
  2.3% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 166
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $44,300 (2017 est.)
  $43,800 (2016 est.)
  $43,400 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 39
  Gross national saving:
  13.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
  12% of GDP (2016 est.)
  12.3% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 142
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 65.8% (2017 est.)
  government consumption: 18.3% (2017 est.)
  investment in fixed capital: 17.2% (2017 est.)
  investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.)
  exports of goods and services: 30.2% (2017 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -31.5% (2017 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)
  industry: 20.2% (2017 est.)
  services: 79.2% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish; milk, eggs
  Industries:
  machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods
  Industrial production growth rate:
  3.4% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Labor force:
  33.5 million (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 1.3%
  industry: 15.2%
  services: 83.5% (2014 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  4.4% (2017 est.)
  4.9% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 61
  Population below poverty line:
  15% (2013 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 31.1% (2012)
  highest 10%: 31.1% (2012)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.4 (2012)
  33.4 (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 117
  Budget:
  revenues: 1.028 trillion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 1.079 trillion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  39.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 49
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -1.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
  Public debt:
  87.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
  87.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

  note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

  country comparison to the world: 29
  Fiscal year:
  6 April - 5 April
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.7% (2017 est.)
  0.7% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 126
  Central bank discount rate:
  0.25% (31 December 2016)
  0.5% (31 December 2015)
  country comparison to the world: 141
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  4.38% (31 December 2017 est.)
  4.44% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 159
  Stock of narrow money:
  $110.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $96.15 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 34
  Stock of broad money:
  $110.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $96.15 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 34
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $3.22 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $2.785 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $3.019 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)
  $2.903 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)
  $3.107 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Current account balance:
  -$99.21 billion (2017 est.)
  -$139.3 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 205
  Exports:
  $441.2 billion (2017 est.)
  $407.3 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 10
  Exports - partners:
  US 13.2%, Germany 10.5%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.2%, Ireland 5.6%, China 4.8%, Switzerland 4.5% (2017)
  Exports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco
  Imports:
  $615.9 billion (2017 est.)
  $591 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs
  Imports - partners:
  Germany 13.7%, US 9.5%, China 9.3%, Netherlands 8%, France 5.4%, Belgium 5% (2017)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $150.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $129.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Debt - external:
  $8.126 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
  $8.642 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 2
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $2.078 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.858 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $2.11 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.611 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Exchange rates:
  British pounds (GBP) per US dollar -
  0.7836 (2017 est.)
  0.738 (2016 est.)
  0.738 (2015 est.)
  0.607 (2014 est.)
  0.6391 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: United Kingdom
- Electricity access:
  electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
  Electricity - production:
  318.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 12
  Electricity - consumption:
  309.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Electricity - exports:
  2.153 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Electricity - imports:
  19.7 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 12
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  97.06 million kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  50% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 152
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 143
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  39% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Crude oil - production:
  910,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Crude oil - exports:
  710,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Crude oil - imports:
  907,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  2.069 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  1.29 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  1.584 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 15
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  613,800 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 14
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  907,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Natural gas - production:
  42.11 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Natural gas - consumption:
  79.17 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 10
  Natural gas - exports:
  11.27 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Natural gas - imports:
  47 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 11
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  176 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 46
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  424 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
- Communications :: United Kingdom
- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 33,140,662 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total subscriptions: 79,173,658 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and international system (2016)
  domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems (2016)
  international: country code - 44; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and US; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers (2016)
  Broadcast media:
  public service broadcaster, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world; BBC operates multiple TV networks with regional and local TV service; a mixed system of public and commercial TV broadcasters along with satellite and cable systems provide access to hundreds of TV stations throughout the world; BBC operates multiple national, regional, and local radio networks with multiple transmission sites; a large number of commercial radio stations, as well as satellite radio services are available (2018)
  Internet country code:
  .uk
  Internet users:
  total: 61,064,454 (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 94.8% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 10
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
  total: 26,015,818 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Communications - note:
  the British Library claims to be the largest library in the world with well over 150 million items and in most known languages; it receives copies of all books produced in the UK or Ireland, as well as a significant proportion of overseas titles distributed in the UK; in addition to books (print and digital), holdings include: journals, manuscripts, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, videos, maps, prints, patents, and drawings (2018)
- Transportation :: United Kingdom
- National air transport system:
  number of registered air carriers: 28 (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1,242 (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 131,449,680 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 5,466,504,676 mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
  G (2016)
  Airports:
  460 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 271 (2013)
  over 3,047 m: 7 (2013)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 89 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 80 (2013)
  under 914 m: 66 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 189 (2013)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 26 (2013)
  under 914 m: 160 (2013)
  Heliports:
  9 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  502 km condensate, 9 km condensate/gas, 28603 km gas, 59 km liquid petroleum gas, 5256 km oil, 175 km oil/gas/water, 4919 km refined products, 255 km water (2013)
  Railways:
  total: 16,837 km (2015)
  standard gauge: 16,534 km 1.435-m gauge (5,357 km electrified) (2015)
  broad gauge: 303 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2015)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Roadways:
  total: 394,428 km (2009)
  paved: 394,428 km (includes 3,519 km of expressways) (2009)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Waterways:
  3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2009)
  country comparison to the world: 31
  Merchant marine:
  total: 1,551 (2017)
  by type: bulk carrier 117, container ship 112, general cargo 175, oil tanker 173, other 974 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 17
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Dover, Felixstowe, Immingham, Liverpool, London, Southampton, Teesport (England); Forth Ports (Scotland); Milford Haven (Wales)
  oil terminal(s): Fawley Marine terminal, Liverpool Bay terminal (England); Braefoot Bay terminal, Finnart oil terminal, Hound Point terminal (Scotland)
  container port(s) (TEUs): Felixstowe (4,000,000), London (2,537,000), Southampton (1,957,000) (2016)
  LNG terminal(s) (import): Isle of Grain, Milford Haven, Teesside
- Military and Security :: United Kingdom
- Military expenditures:
  2.2% of GDP (2016)
  2.05% of GDP (2015)
  2.22% of GDP (2014)
  2.25% of GDP (2013)
  2.51% of GDP (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  Military branches:
  Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force (2013)
  Military service age and obligation:
  16-33 years of age (officers 17-28) for voluntary military service (with parental consent under 18); no conscription; women serve in military services including ground combat roles; must be citizen of the UK, Commonwealth, or Republic of Ireland; reservists serve a minimum of 3 years, to age 45 or 55; 17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service by Nepalese citizens in the Brigade of Gurkhas; 16-34 years of age for voluntary military service by Papua New Guinean citizens (2016)
- Terrorism :: United Kingdom
- Terrorist groups - home based:
  Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA):
  aim(s): disrupt the Northern Ireland peace process; remove British rule in Northern Ireland and, ultimately, unify Ireland
  area(s) of operation: based and operationally active primarily in Belfast and along the Northern Ireland-Ireland border, where operatives continue to carry out bombings, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, extortion, and robberies (April 2018)
  New Irish Republican Army (NIRA):
  aim(s): use violence to remove British rule in Northern Ireland, disrupt the Northern Ireland peace process, and unify Ireland
  area(s) of operation: based and operationally active in Northern Ireland, where operatives continue to conduct occasional shootings and small-scale bombings; maintains a presence in Great Britain
  note: formerly known as the Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) (April 2018)
- Transnational Issues :: United Kingdom
- Disputes - international:
  in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insisted on equal participation in talks between the two countriesSpain disapproved of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomyMauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory)in 2001, the former inhabitants of the archipelago, evicted 1967 - 1973, were granted UK citizenship and the right of return, followed by Orders in Council in 2004 that banned rehabitation, a High Court ruling reversed the ban, a Court of Appeal refusal to hear the case, and a Law Lords' decision in 2008 denied the right of returnin addition, the UK created the world's largest marine protection area around the Chagos islands prohibiting the extraction of any natural resources thereinUK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islandsterritorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claimIceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 16,085 (Iran), 13,590 (Eritrea), 9,858 (Afghanistan), 9,100 (Syria), 8,132 (Sudan), 8,236 (Zimbabwe), 7,207 (Pakistan), 5,804 (Sri Lanka) (2017)
  stateless persons: 97 (2017)
  Illicit drugs:
  producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money-laundering center