From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
|
|
Anthem: "God Save the Queen"[1]
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The United Kingdom (dark green) shown in relation to the European Union (light green) and other areas of Europe (dark grey)
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Capital
(and largest city) |
London
51°30′N 0°7′W / 51.5°N 0.117°W / 51.5; -0.117 |
| Official languages |
English (de facto)[2] |
| Recognised regional languages |
Irish, Ulster Scots, Scottish Gaelic , Scots, Welsh, Cornish[3] |
Ethnic groups (2001
See: UK Ethnic groups list[4]) |
92.1% White
4.0% South Asian
2.0% Black
1.2% Mixed
0.4% Chinese
0.4% Other |
| Demonym |
British, Briton |
| Government |
Parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy |
| - |
Monarch |
Queen Elizabeth II |
| - |
Prime Minister |
Gordon Brown MP (L) |
| Legislature |
Parliament |
| - |
Upper House |
House of Lords |
| - |
Lower House |
House of Commons |
| Formation |
| - |
Acts of Union 1707 |
1 May 1707 |
| - |
Act of Union 1800 |
1 January 1801 |
| - |
Anglo-Irish Treaty |
12 April 1922 |
| EU accession |
1 January 1973 |
| Area |
| - |
Total |
244,820 km2 (79th)
94,526 sq mi |
| - |
Water (%) |
1.34 |
| Population |
| - |
2009 estimate |
61,612,300[5] (22nd) |
| - |
2001 census |
58,789,194[6] |
| - |
Density |
246/km2 (48th)
637/sq mi |
| GDP (PPP) |
2008 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$2.230 trillion[7] (7th) |
| - |
Per capita |
$36,523[7] (18th) |
| GDP (nominal) |
2008 estimate |
| - |
Total |
$2.674 trillion[7] (6th) |
| - |
Per capita |
$43,785[7] (20th) |
| Gini (2005) |
34[8] |
| HDI (2008) |
▼ 0.947 (high) (21st) |
| Currency |
Pound sterling[9] (GBP) |
| Time zone |
GMT (UTC+0) |
| - |
Summer (DST) |
BST (UTC+1) |
| Drives on the |
left |
