| 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
- Sisters abused by priest urge Catholic Church to engage with victimsby BBC News on January 8, 2026
Margaret and Paula Martin were abused by former priest Con Cunningham, who was jailed in 2021.
- Serial rapist David Carrick among Met Police officers not properly vetted before joining forceby Margaret Davis (The Independent UK) on January 8, 2026
Carrick, who was given 37 life sentences for his crimes, was not properly vetted in 2017, with checks failing to reveal an allegation of domestic abuse against him
- Queen describes reading charity’s mission as ‘more urgent than ever’by Laura Elston (The Independent UK) on January 8, 2026
‘Books do make life better, and this is only the beginning,’ says Camilla
- New law set to protect dating app users from ‘vile crime’ of cyberflashingby Aine Fox (The Independent UK) on January 8, 2026
Social media and dating platforms are legally mandated to proactively detect and prevent unsolicited nude images from reaching their users
- Storm Goretti live: UK to be hit by heavy snow with amber warnings issued for ice and windby Simon Calder,Bryony Gooch,Tara Cobham and Shaheena Uddin (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Large swathes of the country will be under ‘danger to life’ warnings on Thursday
- Family pay tribute to ‘loveable’ teenager after police mistakenly told them he survived car crashby Tara Cobham (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Joshua Johnson confirmed as having died three weeks after Rotherham crash in an ‘appalling’ mix-up by officers
- Police face driving restrictions under training rulesby BBC News on January 7, 2026
Some officers to won't be allowed to provide a blue light response when driving police vans.
- UK armed forces helped US seizure of tanker, says MoDby BBC News on January 7, 2026
Venezuelan-linked Marinera was stopped by the US Coast Guard as it travelled through waters between Iceland and Scotland.
- Why my period made my gambling addiction worseby BBC News on January 7, 2026
Researchers are looking to see if there's a link between hormonal fluctuations and gambling addiction.
- Starmer 'sets out his position on Greenland' in call with Trumpby UK News - The latest headlines from the UK | Sky News on January 7, 2026
Sir Keir Starmer has set out his position on Greenland in a call with US President Donald Trump, Downing Street says.
- Man serving 23-year sentence for attempted murder absconds from prisonby UK News - The latest headlines from the UK | Sky News on January 7, 2026
Police are hunting for a man who absconded from prison while serving a 23-year sentence for attempted murder.
- 'Secret traitor' revealed in dramatic uncloaking on The Traitorsby BBC News on January 7, 2026
The red-cloaked secret traitor had been controlling certain aspects of the game as part of a new twist.
- UK and Nato’s nuclear threat not enough to deter Putin, ex-military chief warnsby David Maddox (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Warning comes amid concerns that the UK and its allies do not have sufficient manpower for a coalition of the willing force in Ukraine to be successful
- Family's 'unimaginable' ordeal after crash ID errorby BBC News on January 7, 2026
Joshua Johnson's family were mistakenly told their son who died in a car crash had survived.
- Family whose son died in crash but were told he survived say ordeal 'unimaginable'by BBC News on January 7, 2026
Joshua Johnson's family were mistakenly told their son who died in a car crash had survived.
- MPs would vote on using troops in Ukraine, Starmer saysby BBC News on January 7, 2026
It comes after the UK and France reiterated their commitment to using soldiers to police any peace deal.
- Man shot dead by police had been carrying air gunby BBC News on January 7, 2026
The IOPC is still reviewing evidence following the death of Tony Keeble on the A11 at Thetford.
- Family of fatal crash mix-up teen say they 'spent hours in hospital' with 17-year-old who survivedby UK News - The latest headlines from the UK | Sky News on January 7, 2026
Tributes have been paid to a teenager who died in a car crash - after police told his family he survived.
- Keir Starmer must stand up to ‘thieving Trump’, ex-defence secretary Ben Wallace saysby Athena Stavrou (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Former defence secretary attacks PM’s ‘mealy-mouthed’ response to Trump threat to attack Greenland
- US branded a ‘gangster state’ over Venezuela attack amid call for government sanctionsby Abbie Llewelyn (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Lord Sikka warned that the UK Government's failure to condemn US "aggression" risks emboldening Trump to "annex" further territories
- Is a Welsh accent a help or a hindrance in The Traitors?by BBC News on January 7, 2026
From hiding their jobs, to secret relationships and faking accents, many contestants have trialled strategies to gain people's trust.
- Martin Clunes to take on role of Huw Edwards in new dramaby BBC News on January 7, 2026
Doc Martin star Martin Clunes will portray former BBC presenter Huw Edwards in a two-part factual series.
- Three children fall from window of double-decker busby BBC News on January 7, 2026
The children have "potentially serious injuries" but they not thought to be life-threatening.
- Lib Dem council to ask for election delay weeks after Davey's warningby BBC News on January 7, 2026
Cheltenham Borough Council is asking for its May elections to be postponed.
- MPs to get vote on deploying UK peacekeeping troops to Ukraineby Kate Devlin (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Labour prime minister has signed historic deal to deploy armed forces to enforce any ceasefire with Russia – with Trump’s blessing
- Man who threw boy off Tate Modern balcony to be sentenced for Broadmoor staff attackby George Lithgow and Rosie Shead (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Jonty Bravery, 24, kicked one nurse in the thigh and “clawed” at the face of another, leaving her with blood dripping down her cheek
- Murderer who absconded from prison on New Year’s Day arrested after week-long manhuntby Shaheena Uddin (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Matthew Armstrong and a second inmate, Daniel Washbourne, absconded from a prison in South Gloucestershire on New Year’s Day
- First person charged under new crossing lawby BBC News on January 7, 2026
Aman Naseri, 18, denies endangering 46 people during a boat crossing to the UK on 5 January.
- Man jailed for supplying gangs with thousands of Channel small boatsby BBC News on January 7, 2026
Police described Adem Savas as "without a doubt the most significant supplier" to Channel people smugglers between 2019 and 2024.
- Motorist’s electric vehicle that killed boy, 5, had ‘no faults’, court hearsby Holly Evans (The Independent UK) on January 7, 2026
Ashenafei Demisse’s vehicle suddenly moved forward and killed Fareer Amir and his own 12-year-old son Raphael































