The United Kingdom (UK), also known as Great Britain, is a country located in Western Europe. It consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The UK is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy.

The UK has a diverse economy with industries including finance, healthcare, tourism, and technology. It is the sixth-largest economy in the world by nominal GDP and the ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity.

The UK has a rich cultural heritage and is known for its contributions to art, literature, music, and science. It is home to several world-renowned institutions, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The official language of the UK is English, and the country has a population of over 68 million people. The capital city is London, which is one of the world's most important financial and cultural centers. Other major cities include Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow.

The UK is a member of several international organizations, including the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union. The UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016, and completed its departure in 2020. The country has a close relationship with the United States, and the two countries have historically worked together on issues including trade, defense, and diplomacy.

Telephone Code
44

Local Emergency Phone
112, 999

Vaccinations
See WHO recommendations; On 18 November 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; the United Kingdom is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.

Climate
Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one half of the days are overcast

Currency (Code)
British pounds (GBP)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): G

Major Languages
English, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Irish, Cornish

Major Religions
Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, none 25.7%

Potable Water
Yes

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Left

Tourist Destinations
London (includes the Tower of London, British Museum, Parliament, Trafalgar Square); Windsor Castle; Stonehenge; Roman Baths & Georgian City of Bath; York Minster & historic Yorkshire; Chester Zoo; Cotswolds & Lake District; Hadrian's Wall; Edinburgh; Cardiff

Major Sports
Soccer, cricket, rugby, badminton, tennis, netball, field hockey

Cultural Practices
It is considered rude to wave one's hand or to call when summoning a waiter at a restaurant.

Tipping Guidelines
It is customary to leave 10-15% of the total bill as a tip when eating out, although some restaurants add on a service charge instead. Tip bartenders 1 pound. It is polite to tip 10-15% of the taxi fare, or round up to the nearest pound as a convenience. Tip porters 2 pounds to bring luggage to your room.

Souvenirs
Teas, preserves, stationary, Jasperware, shortbread cookies, chocolate, scotch

Traditional Cuisine
Fish and chips; roast beef with Yorkshire pudding

Geography
Area
total: 243,610 sq km
land: 241,930 sq km
water: 1,680 sq km

Climate
temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Natural resources
coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land

People and Society
Population
68,138,484 (2023 est.)

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

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.)

Population growth rate
0.49% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital
name: London

Economy
Economic overview
high-income, diversified non-EU European economy; fifth-largest importer and exporter globally; after 2016 EU Brexit, increased quantitative easing avoided economic decline; 10% GDP contraction from COVID-19; global financial and diplomacy leader

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.028 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$45,000 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
wheat, milk, barley, sugar beets, potatoes, rapeseed, poultry, oats, pork, beef

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

Exports
$874.5 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners
United States 15%, Germany 10%, China 7%, France 7%, Netherlands 7%, Ireland 6% (2019)

Exports - commodities
cars, gas turbines, gold, crude petroleum, packaged medicines (2019)

Imports
$898.719 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners
Germany 13%, China 10%, United States 8%, Netherlands 7%, France 6%, Belgium 5% (2019)

Imports - commodities
gold, cars, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2019)