1996 Edition

Description

blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others

Location

54 00 N, 2 00 W -- 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 Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Oregon

land area

241,590 sq km

note

includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

total area

244,820 sq km

Climate

temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Coastline

12,429 km

Environment

current issues

sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes and coastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea

international agreements

party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

54 00 N, 2 00 W

Geographic note

lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

International disputes

Northern Ireland question with Ireland; Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory)

Irrigated land

1,570 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

border country

Ireland 360 km

total

360 km

Land use

arable land

29%

forest and woodland

9%

meadows and pastures

48%

other

14%

permanent crops

0%

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica

Terrain

mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast

highest point

Ben Nevis 1,343 m

lowest point

Fenland -4 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 20% (male 5,853,545; female 5,565,153) 15-64 years: 65% (male 19,050,420; female 18,797,406) 65 years and over: 15% (male 3,753,361; female 5,470,090) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

13.12 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

11.24 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%

Infant mortality rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.17 years (1996 est.)

male

73.78 years

total population

76.41 years

Literacy

age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling (1978 est.)

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

British

noun

Briton(s), British (collective plural)

Net migration rate

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

58,489,975 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.22% (1996 est.)

Religions

Anglican 27 million, Roman Catholic 9 million, Muslim 1 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 400,000, Hindu 350,000, Jewish 300,000 (1991 est.)

note

the UK does not include a question on religion in its census

Sex ratio

all ages

0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.82 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

47 counties, 7 metropolitan counties, 26 districts, 9 regions, and 3 islands areas

Capital

London

Constitution

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Data code

UK

Dependent areas

Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong (scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China on 1 July 1997), Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Sir John Olav KERR

telephone

[1] (202) 462-1340

England

39 counties, 7 metropolitan counties*; Avon, Bedford, Berkshire, Buckingham, Cambridge, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derby, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucester, Greater London*, Greater Manchester*, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertford, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicester, Lincoln, Merseyside*, Norfolk, Northampton, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Nottingham, Oxford, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire*, Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear*, Warwick, West Midlands*, West Sussex, West Yorkshire*, Wiltshire

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) is a hereditary monarch; Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)

head of government

Prime Minister John MAJOR (since 28 November 1990) is the leader of the party which holds the majority in the House of Commons and must have the consent of the monarch

FAX

[1] (202) 898-4255

[44] (71) 409-1637

consulate(s)

Dallas, Miami, and Seattle

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

consulate(s) general

Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag

blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others

House of Commons

elections last held 9 April 1992 (next to be held by NA April 1997); results - Conservative 41.9%, Labor 34.5%, Liberal Democratic 17.9%, other 5.7%; seats - (651 total) Conservative 336, Labor 271, Liberal Democratic 20, other 24

House of Lords

consists of a 1,200-member body, four-fifths are hereditary peers, two archbishops, 24 other senior bishops, serving and retired Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, other life peers, Scottish peers

Independence

1 January 1801 (United Kingdom established)

International organization participation

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

House of Lords, several Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life

Legal system

common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament

Name of country

abbreviation

UK

conventional long form

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

conventional short form

United Kingdom

National holiday

Celebration of the Birthday of the Queen (second Saturday in June)

Northern Ireland

26 districts; Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Londonderry, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane

Other political or pressure groups

Trades Union Congress; Confederation of British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Political parties and leaders

Conservative and Unionist Party, John MAJOR; Labor Party, Anthony (Tony) Blair; Liberal Democrats (LD), Jeremy (Paddy) ASHDOWN; Scottish National Party, Alex SALMOND; Welsh National Party (Plaid Cymru), Dafydd Iwan WIGLEY; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), David TRIMBLE; Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland), Rev. Ian PAISLEY; Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP, Northern Ireland), John HUME; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland), Gerry ADAMS; Alliance Party (Northern Ireland), John ALDERDICE

Scotland

9 regions, 3 islands areas*; Borders, Central, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Highland, Lothian, Orkney*, Shetland*, Strathclyde, Tayside, Western Isles*

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

constitutional monarchy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador William J. CROWE, Jr.

embassy

24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W. 1A1AE

mailing address

PSC 801, Box 40, London; FPO AE 09498-4040

telephone

[44] (71) 499-9000

Wales

8 counties; Clwyd, Dyfed, Gwent, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan, Powys, South Glamorgan, West Glamorgan

Agriculture

cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Budget

expenditures

$447.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

revenues

$388.9 billion

Currency

1 British pound (L) = 100 pence

Economic aid

donor

ODA, $2.908 billion (1993)

Economic overview

The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and financial centers, and its economy ranks among the four largest in Western Europe. The economy is essentially capitalistic; over the past 13 years the ruling Tories have greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only about 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves, and primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in importance, now employing only 25% of the work force. The economy registered 3.9% GDP growth in 1994, the best rate for six years, but slipped back to 2.7% in 1995. Exports and manufacturing output have been the primary engines of growth. Unemployment is gradually falling. Inflation is at a tolerable 3%. A major economic policy question for the UK in the 1990s is the terms on which it participates in the financial and economic integration of Europe.

Electricity

capacity

65,360,000 kW

consumption per capita

5,123 kWh (1993)

production

303 billion kWh

Exchange rates

British pounds (L) per US$1 - 0.6535 (January 1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994), 0.6658 (1993), 0.5664 (1992), 0.5652 (1991)

Exports

$200.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods, transport equipment

partners

EU countries 56.4% (Germany 12.7%, France 9.9%, Netherlands 7.0%), US 13.1%

External debt

$16.2 billion (June 1992)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.1384 trillion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

1.7%

industry

27.7%

services

70.6% (1993)

GDP per capita

$19,500 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2.7% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

gateway country for Latin American cocaine entering the European market; producer of synthetic drugs; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin; money-laundering center

Imports

$221.9 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

partners

EU countries 54.9% (Germany 14.6%, France 10.0%, Netherlands 6.7%), US 12.2%

Industrial production growth rate

1.9% (1995 est.)

Industries

production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.1% (November 1995)

Labor force

28.048 million

by occupation

services 62.8%, manufacturing and construction 25.0%, government 9.1%, energy 1.9%, agriculture 1.2% (June 1992)

Unemployment rate

8% (December 1995)

Branches

Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $35.1 billion, 3.1% of GDP (FY95/96)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

14,515,077

males fit for military service

12,102,431 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 225, FM 525 (mostly repeaters), shortwave 0

Radios

70 million

Telephone system

technologically advanced domestic and international system

domestic

equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optic systems

international

40 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at least 8 large international switching centers

Telephones

29.5 million (1987 est.)

Television broadcast stations

207 (repeaters 3,210)

Televisions

20 million Defense

Airports

total

388

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

103

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

29

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

59

with paved runways over 3 047 m

9

with paved runways under 914 m

166

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

22 (1995 est.)

Heliports

10 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km (including 3,237 km of expressways in Great Britain)

total

386,243 km (1993 est.)

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 10, cargo 21, chemical tanker 2, container 24, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 56, passenger 8, passenger-cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 14, specialized tanker 1 (1995 est.)

total

151 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,191,969 GRT/3,861,239 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil (almost all insignificant) 933 km; petroleum products 2,993 km; natural gas 12,800 km

Ports

Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Medway, Sullom Voe, Tees, Tyne

Railways

broad gauge

434 km 1.600-m gauge (190 km double track); note - all 1.600-m gauge track, of which 357 km is in common carrier use, is in Northern Ireland

narrow gauge

235 km 0.260-m, 0.311-m, 0.381-m, 0.600-m, 0.610-m, 0.686-m, 0.760-m, 0.762-m, 0.800-m, 0.825-m, 0.914-m and 1.067-m gauges; note - these short, narrow-gage lines are operated by a total of 25 tourist and other private firms (1995)

standard gauge

16,892 km 1.435-m gauge (4,928 km electrified; 12,591 km double or multiple track); note - 16,532 km of 1.435-m routes are in common carrier service; the remaining 360 km are operated by a total of 40 tourist or other private companies

total

17,561 km

Waterways

3,200 km under British Waterways Board