Area Total | 243,610 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 |
Imports | $602.5 billion (2017 est.) partners: Germany 13.7%, US 9.5%, China 9.3%, Netherlands 8%, France 5.4%, Belgium 5% (2017) |
Exports | $436.5 billion (2017 est.) partners: US 13.2%, Germany 10.5%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.2%, Ireland 5.6%, China 4.8%, Switzerland 4.5%, (2017) |
Government | parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Constitutional realm |
Capital | London |
Population | 65.6 million (July 2017 est.) |
Ethnicity | 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.) |
Language | English; recognized languages are: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), 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.) |
News about United Kingdom
- Man taken to hospital after west Belfast shootingby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Police are at the scene of a shooting in the Bell Steel Manor area of Dunmurry.
- PM announces £200m Grangemouth site support fundby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Sir Keir Starmer's announcement comes ahead of the refinery's planned closure this summer with the loss of more than 400 jobs.
- PM announces £200m Grangemouth site support fundby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Sir Keir Starmer's announcement comes ahead of the refinery's planned closure this summer with the loss of more than 400 jobs.
- Florence Pugh, fake snow and wedding gowns: Best pictures from London Fashion Weekby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Florence Pugh opened Harris Reed's show, while Richard Quinn's runway saw models in wedding dresses walking through fake snow.
- Starmer backs Trump’s calls for Nato allies to boost defence spending in stirring speech ahead of US visitby Archie Mitchell (The Independent UK) on February 23, 2025
Ahead of a meeting with the US president, Sir Keir Starmer said the UK and Europe ‘have to do more for our defence and security’
- Homes evacuated after huge lorry fire breaks outby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Firefighters are tackling a blaze involving several lorries in Wythenshawe, Manchester.
- British couple in their 70s arrested by Talibanby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Peter and Barbie Reynolds were returning to their home in Bamiyan on 1 February when they were detained
- Trump was ‘right’ to approach Putin over Ukraine, UK minister insistsby Amy-Clare Martin (The Independent UK) on February 23, 2025
The education secretary has defended Donald Trump’s decision to phone Vladimir Putin but said ‘there can be no settlement’ without Ukraine
- 'United States is right': Starmer agrees UK and Europe need to take more responsibility for defenceby UK News - The latest headlines from the UK | Sky News on February 23, 2025
Sir Keir Starmer has said the United States "is right" about the UK and Europe needing to take more responsibility for defence and security.
- Heavy rain could cause floods as Met Office issues amber warning for parts of Walesby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Up to 100mm of rain expected in some areas along with 60mph wind gusts, Met Office warns
- 'Unbelievable gentleman' - 100-year-old veteran meets Marines and has them in fits of laughterby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Veteran who earned his Green Beret in 1942 is described as an "unbelievable gentleman".
- UK hits Russia with fresh sanctions as part of ‘triple whammy’ to tighten the screws on Putinby Archie Mitchell (The Independent UK) on February 23, 2025
Sir Keir Starmer is planning a ‘triple whammy’ of measures to support Kyiv, including the fresh sanctions as well as military aid and a crackdown on Russian dirty money in the UK
- 'A team we'd rather not play for' - the baby loss football side helping grieving dadsby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Fathers united in grief are meeting every week to support each other and enjoy the game they love.
- Fresh amber warning for rain as Met Office issues alerts for much of UKby UK News - The latest headlines from the UK | Sky News on February 23, 2025
A fresh amber weather warning for heavy rain has been issued by the Met Office - with much of the UK already on alert for high winds and showers.
- Didcot collapse probe 'in latter stages', police sayby BBC News on February 23, 2025
It has been nine years since a boiler house collapse killed four demolition workers at the site.
- Creosote for toothache? The fake GP who treated thousands over 30 yearsby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Muhameed Saeed posed as a doctor for three decades before his deception was uncovered.
- Coastguard warning after 'very deep hole' spotted on beachby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Beachgoers are being urged to not enter the 12ft-deep (3.7m) hole on the Suffolk coast.
- 'Greyhound racing cost my pet its leg - I back the ban'by BBC News on February 23, 2025
The Welsh government says it will ban greyhound racing in what would be a first for the UK.
- Mystery of body in wetsuit found in reservoir puzzles policeby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Police continue to investigate how a body of a man in a wetsuit was found in a Welsh reservoir.
- Mystery of body in wetsuit found in reservoir puzzles policeby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Police continue to investigate how a body of a man in a wetsuit was found in a Welsh reservoir.
- The Papers: 'PM lays down peace demand' and 'New breed of danger dog'by BBC News on February 23, 2025
A mix of stories lead Sunday's papers, with a focus of the prime minister's upcoming trip to the US.
- Discontented Germany votes in an election with economy, migration and far-right strength in focusby Geir Moulson (The Independent UK) on February 23, 2025
German voters are choosing their new government in an election dominated by worries about the years-long stagnation of Europe’s biggest economy, pressure to curb migration and growing uncertainty over the future of Ukraine and Europe’s alliance with the United States
- UK expert may have found pharaoh's second tombby BBC News on February 23, 2025
The potential find comes just days after the announcement of the discovery of King Thutmose II's tomb.
- Starmer asks US to stand by Ukraine with security guarantee as bad peace deal would be 'disaster' for allby UK News - The latest headlines from the UK | Sky News on February 23, 2025
Sir Keir Starmer has urged Donald Trump to stand by Ukraine with a security guarantee as he warned a bad peace deal would be a "disaster for everyone".
- I'll back Ukraine in talks with Trump, Starmer tells Zelenskyby BBC News on February 23, 2025
The prime minister called Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky for the second time in four days.
- UK pop stars drop out of global bestseller chartsby BBC News on February 23, 2025
British acts miss out on the worldwide annual music charts for the first time in two decades.
- Starmer to condemn Farage’s ‘dangerous right-wing politics’ as Reform UK surges in the pollsby Archie Mitchell (The Independent UK) on February 23, 2025
In a sign of growing fears in Downing Street at Reform’s surge in the polls, Keir Starmer will warn Nigel Farage’s policies are ‘alien’ to the needs of working people
- Starmer calls for Zelensky to be part of Ukraine peace talks ahead of Trump meetingby Archie Mitchell (The Independent UK) on February 23, 2025
The PM and president Zelensky held talks on Saturday to plan for a ‘very active’ week ahead for the conflict
- From page to pitch: How Harry Potter's Quidditch became a real-life sportby BBC News on February 23, 2025
Now called Quadball, the sport was made famous by JK Rowling's bespectacled wizard.
- 'Nightmare visit to beauty spot made me infamous on Tiktok'by BBC News on February 23, 2025
Chelsea Coltart - whose car got damaged and was fined in the Peak District - wants to warn others.