- Flag of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is the political union of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The country's full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is a nation of Western Europe. The capital of the United Kingdom is London, in southeastern England. The British Empire controlled vast territories throughout the world for more than 300 years. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the empire ruled more than one quarter of the world's population. These territories are now many independent nations. The United Kingdom retains links to its former colonies in an association called the Commonwealth. The country also shares economic and political ties with other European countries through membership in the European Union. GeographyThe United Kingdom is an island nation off the northwestern coast of Europe. The country has land on two main islands. England, Scotland, and Wales occupy all of Great Britain, the largest island in the United Kingdom. England takes up most of the southern two thirds of Great Britain, and Scotland the northern third. Wales lies on the southwestern part of Great Britain. Northern Ireland occupies the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, which lies just west of Great Britain. (The republic of Ireland takes up the rest of the Irish island. It is not part of the United Kingdom.) The United Kingdom also includes several smaller islands. Apart from the land border with the Irish republic, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. To the south of England is the English Channel, a narrow arm of the ocean. The English Channel separates the United Kingdom from France. The North Sea lies to the east of Great Britain. To the west, the Irish Sea separates Great Britain from Ireland. At its widest, the United Kingdom is 300 miles (500 kilometers) across. From the northern tip of Scotland to the southern coast of England, it is about 600 miles (1,000 kilometers). The United Kingdom has a total land area of about 94,248 square miles (244,101 square kilometers). Plants and animalsHuman settlement and activities such as farming and logging have affected most areas of the United Kingdom. As a result, woodlands occupy only about 10 percent of the country. The largest forested areas are in northeastern Scotland and southeastern England. The most common trees include oak, elm, ash, beech, pine, and birch. Some parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland have large areas of peat moss. In these areas, the common heather plant adds a splash of deep purple color to the countryside. The presence of people has also affected the country's animals. Mammals in the United Kingdom have survived better than amphibians and reptiles. The larger mammals have mostly died out, though there are still some deer. Smaller mammals such as badgers, otters, foxes, and weasels thrive in most rural areas. Rabbits, rodents, hedgehogs, moles, and shrews are common. There are only a few types of amphibians, such as newts, frogs, and toads. The country is home to only six kinds of snakes and lizards. On the other hand, there are some 200 types of birds in the United Kingdom. The most common are sparrows, blackbirds, chaffinches, and starlings. Many of these birds live in suburban gardens. People and cultureThe English are the predominant ethnic group in the United Kingdom, making up the majority of the population. Scots, Irish, and Welsh also make up significant proportions. For centuries people have moved to the United Kingdom from many parts of the world. After World War II, many people from the European mainland settled in the United Kingdom. Since the 1950s, the country has also received large groups from states that were once colonies of the United Kingdom, especially in the West Indies and South Asia. People of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi origins make up a large portion of the ethnic minority population. In addition, the country has groups of Americans, Australians, and Chinese. English is the most widely spoken language in the United Kingdom. It is the country's official language. Over centuries, as England conquered Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, the native languages of those kingdoms began to die out. About one fourth of the people of Wales speak Welsh. Only very small groups of people speak Scottish Gaelic in Scotland and Irish Gaelic in Northern Ireland. About two thirds of the people of the United Kingdom are Christian. Of these, most belong to the Church of England (Anglican Church), the Church of Scotland, or other Protestant groups. About a tenth of the population is Roman Catholic. The United Kingdom also has large communities of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Jews. EconomyThe United Kingdom was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries. The society was transformed by the use of new machines and the growth of factories. Many important new transportation and communication systems were developed during this period. The country's manufacturing industries were weakened after World War II. Recovery was slow. It took nearly 40 years for the United Kingdom's economy to improve. However, the United Kingdom once again established itself as one of the top countries for economic growth and productivity. In general, manufacturing has declined while services have grown. Services and manufacturingThe large service section of the economy is based mainly on international trade, finance, and insurance. Manufacturing contributes about a fifth of the country's income and provides many exports. The United Kingdom exports electrical equipment, chemicals, automobiles and aircraft, petroleum, food, and iron and steel products. The United Kingdom also has important paper, printing, and publishing industries. MiningThe production of fuels dominates the country's mining industry. The United Kingdom usually produces enough oil so that it does not need to buy any from other nations. The country also has large reserves of natural gas and coal. Coal mining was once a huge industry in the United Kingdom. However, coal production dropped greatly as the country began switching to other fuels. FarmingThe country's farms are very efficient and use many specialized machines. Less than 2 percent of the workforce is employed in agriculture. The chief crops include barley, wheat, sugar beets, and potatoes. Farmers raise cattle, sheep, and pigs. The British livestock industry was hurt by an outbreak of mad cow disease in cattle beginning in the 1980s. An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the early 21st century also cut profits. HistoryThe United Kingdom has a long, rich history. Separate kingdoms and societies formed in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. During the Middle Ages, the English kingdom began conquering the other states. The United Kingdom was created in 1801. This section discusses the formation of the United Kingdom. For the individual histories of the four parts of the kingdom, see England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The territories of the United Kingdom were settled by several groups and invaded many times over the centuries. Celts were among the early settlers of the region. From the 1st to 5th centuries AD, England and Wales were both part of the Roman Empire as the province of Britannia. In the 5th century, tribes of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded the island of Great Britain from the European mainland. (See Anglo-Saxons.) EnglandA unified English kingdom formed in 10th century. The Norman ruler William conquered England in 1066. Under the Norman kings, England developed a strong central government. The Norman rulers spoke French. However, their language eventually merged with the Anglo-Saxon language of the common people to form the English language. WalesA number of states arose in Wales, and various Welsh rulers tried to unite them into one kingdom. The English brought southern Wales under their control in 1093. However, the northern Welsh kingdoms remained independent until the late 13th century. At that time, Edward I of England conquered the rest of Wales. Edward made his son the prince of Wales in 1301. The English ruler's oldest son is still given the title of prince of Wales. Wales was officially joined to England in 1536. ScotlandA united Scottish kingdom emerged by the 11th century. Edward I of England tried to take control of Scotland in 1296. However, Scotland resisted English rule for many centuries. From the 14th century, the rulers of Scotland and England were each part of the same royal family, the House of Stuart. In 1603 the king of Scotland, James VI, inherited the rule of England. Scotland and England were then separate countries ruled by the same king. Scotland retained its own Parliament until 1707. In that year, Scotland was joined to England and Wales to form Great Britain. The Scots and English had long been rivals. At first many Scots opposed this union. IrelandEnglish armies invaded Ireland in 1171. The king of England declared himself overlord of the entire island. Hundreds of years of conflict followed. By the end of the 17th century, English rule of the island was firmly established. In 1801 all of Ireland was united with Great Britain, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This union was not popular in Ireland, and many people began to demand independence. In 1921 most of Ireland left the United Kingdom and formed the Irish Free State (now Ireland). However, six northern counties of Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom. The six counties were officially renamed Northern Ireland. The country itself was then renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Political violence plagued Northern Ireland for most of the second half of the 20th century. The United KingdomOver the centuries, the English have tended to dominate the country's cultural and political life. The people of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have struggled to preserve their native cultures and to gain more self-rule. During the late 1990s, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland each established independent parliaments. These legislative assemblies govern many regional affairs. The national Parliament in London still governs the country as a whole. Population (2001 estimate), 59,953,000. |