Capital: London
Population: 64.1 million (2013) World Bank
Dialling Code: +44
Time zone: GMT
Continent: Europe
The United Kingdom is an island nation on the north-western part of Europe. It is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its capital- London is a globally influential centre of finance and culture. Melting point of different cultures, the city is home to many immigrants who contribute to the economic growth of the UK.
The United Kingdom is a developed country and boasts of the fifth largest economy in the world (based on GDP). During the 19th and early centuries, the UK was the world’s first industrialised country and the world’s powerhouse. The United Kingdom is under a constitutional monarchy and the sovereign head of state is Queen Elizabeth II.
The name Britain is often referred to the United Kingdom as a whole. The major cities include London, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester in England, Belfast and Londonderry in Northern Ireland, Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland, and Swansea and Cardiff in Wales.
The UK’s geography is varied, and includes cliffs along some coastlines, highlands and lowlands and hundreds of islands off the western and northern coasts of Scotland. Popular for sports, music, landmarks, film & TV, shopping, culture.