Factbook dossier
Background
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was created when the Kingdoms of England and Scotland -- which previously had been distinct states under a single monarchy -- were joined under the 1707 Acts of Union. The island of Ireland was incorporated under the 1800 Acts of Union, while Wales had been part of the Kingdom of England since the 16th century. The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the rapid expansion of the British Empire despite the loss of the Thirteen Colonies, and at its zenith in the early 20th century, the British Empire stretched over one fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw two World Wars seriously deplete the UK's strength and the Irish Republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth of Nations, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The devolved Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998. The UK was an active member of the EU after its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens in 2016 voted by 52 to 48…
Location
Western Europe, islands - including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland - between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of France
Area
total : 243,610 sq km land: 241,930 sq km water: 1,680 sq km note 1: England covers 53% of the area, Scotland 32%, Wales 9%, and Northern Ireland 6% note 2: includes Rockall and the Shetland Islands, which are part of Scotland
Natural resources
coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
Natural hazards
winter windstorms; floods
Population
total: 68,751,311 (2025 est.) male: 34,145,455 female: 34,605,856
Ethnic groups
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.)
Languages
English note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 speakers 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.)
Religions
Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7% (2011 est.)
Environmental issues
air pollution in the London region; soil pollution from pesticides and heavy metals; decline in marine and coastal habitats from housing, tourism, and industry
Government type
parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital
name: London geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 05 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories etymology: the name derives from the Roman settlement of Londinium, established on the current site of London around A.D. 43; the original meaning of the name is uncertain
Executive branch
chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022) head of government: Prime Minister Keir STARMER (since 5 July 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister note 1: in addition to serving as the UK head of state, the British sovereign is the constitutional monarch for 14 additional Commonwealth countries (each referred to as a "Commonwealth realm") note 2 : King CHARLES III succeeded his mother, Queen ELIZABETH II, after serving as Prince of Wales (heir apparent) for over 64 years -- the longest such tenure in British history
Legislative branch
legislature name: UK Parliament legislative structure: bicameral
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.636 trillion (2024 est.) $3.596 trillion (2023 est.) $3.582 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$52,500 (2024 est.) $52,500 (2023 est.) $53,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.3% (2024 est.) 6.8% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
USA 14%, China 8%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 7%, Ireland 7% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
China 13%, USA 11%, Germany 10%, France 5%, Norway 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Military and security forces
United Kingdom Armed Forces (aka British Armed Forces, aka His Majesty's Armed Forces): British Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force (2025)
Military expenditures
2.4% of GDP (2025 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)