Fast facts
United Kingdom
The UK is made up of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland, and is one of the 25 member states of the European Union (EU).
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Capital cities
- London – England
- Edinburgh – Scotland
- Cardiff – Wales
- Belfast – Northern Ireland
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Population
The UK – approximately 60.6 million
(England 50,714,000; Wales 2,977,000; Scotland 5,108,000; Northern Ireland 1,733,000).
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Languages
The two official languages in Britain are English and Welsh, English being the most widely spoken. Scottish Gaelic is also spoken in some parts of Scotland.
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People
The majority of the population is English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish. However, Britain is an extremely diverse nation with a strong culture of racial integration and unity.
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Religion
Most people are Christian (71%), although all other religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism are freely practised. About 23% of Britain follow no particular religion.
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Government
The UK is a constitutional monarchy that is a representative democracy, where Queen Elizabeth II is recognised as the head of state, and the elected Prime Minister – Gordon Brown – is the head of government.
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Economic profile
The UK is a leading trading power and a financial centre. Agriculture is an important industry and highly efficient. Primary energy, like coal and oil, are major contributors to the economy, but services like banking and insurance are the greatest contributors.
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Climate
Britain has a fairly temperate climate and is sometimes overcast. The weather can vary greatly from day to day, but generally summer (June-August) is a warm 14-25 °C, and winter (December-February) is a cool 1-4 °C.
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Major UK holidays 2008
- 1 January
- 2 January (Scotland only)
- 17 March (Northern Ireland only)
- 21 and 24 March
- 5 and 26 May
- 14 July (Northern Ireland only)
- 4 August (Scotland only)
- 25 August (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only)
- 25 and 26 December
>> Time zones & holidays
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Weights & measures
Historically Britain used the Imperial System, but new regulations make use of the Metric System compulsory with the exception of a few items, for example distance and speed are measured in miles and miles per hour.
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Electricity
Voltage is 240 volts AC at 50HZ. Appliances generally use standard 3-pin square plugs and sockets.
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