United Kingdom

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales

ISO: UK / null

📊 Quick Facts

Capital

London

Population (2024)

68,459,055

Total Area

243,610 km²

GDP (PPP)

$3.64 trillion

Government Type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Independence

no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union unite England, Scotland, and Wales as Great Britain); 1 January 1801 (Acts of Union unite Great Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland); 6 December 1921 (Anglo-Irish Treaty formalizes partition of Ireland; six counties become Northern Ireland and remain part of the UK); 12 April 1927 (Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act establishes current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

🌍 Geography

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 & Boundaries

Total Area 243,610 km²

Land Area 241,930 km²

Water Area 1,680 km²

World Rank by Area #null

Land Boundaries 499 km

Coastline 12,429 km

Bordering Countries

Ireland (499 km)

Terrain & Climate

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

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

Elevation

Highest Point : N/Am

Lowest Point : nullm

Mean Elevation 162m

Natural Resources

coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land

👥 Demographics

Population Overview

Total Population (2024) 68,459,055

World Rank #null

Growth Rate 0.45%

Urbanization null%

Age & Life Expectancy

Median Age 40.8 years

Life Expectancy null years

Birth Rate 10.8 per 1,000

Death Rate 9.2 per 1,000

Major Urban Areas

LONDON: 9,648,000 people

Languages

English

Education

Literacy Rate: null% (Male: null%, Female: null%)

💼 Economy

<p>high-income, non-EU European economy; global financial center and dominant service sector; sluggish growth from stringent monetary policy, reduced business investment, low productivity and participation rates; fiscal austerity in face of high public debt </p>

GDP & Economic Indicators

GDP (PPP) $3.64 trillion

GDP (Official Rate) $3.64 trillion

GDP per Capita (PPP) $52,500

World GDP Rank #null

GDP Growth Rate 1.1%

Unemployment Rate null%

Inflation Rate 3.3%

Public Debt (% of GDP) null%

GDP Composition by Sector

Agriculture 0.6%

Industry 16.7%

Services 72.8%

Major Industries

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, other consumer goods

Trade

Exports N/A

Imports N/A

Foreign Exchange Reserves N/A

Currency (null)

🏛️ Government

Government Type parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of State:

Head of Government:

Legislative Branch

National Holiday

the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday

📈 Social Indicators

Physicians 3.3 per 1,000

Hospital Beds 2.4 per 1,000

Health Expenditure 11.3% of GDP

Education Expenditure 5.9% of GDP

🎨 Cultural Heritage

UNESCO World Heritage Sites 33

Data Sources: CIA World Factbook, World Bank, United Nations, IMF, OECD
Reference Year: 2024
Last Updated: 2026-01-11