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Definition edit
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain[1] is a sovereign country lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland. The United Kingdom's capital and largest city is London, a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million.[2]
History edit
On 1 May 1707, the Kingdom of Great Britain came into being, the result of Acts of Union being passed by the parliaments of England and Scotland to ratify the 1706 Treaty of Union and so unite the two kingdoms. The term "United Kingdom" became official in 1801 when the parliaments of Britain and Ireland each passed an Act of Union, uniting the two kingdoms and creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Geography edit
The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.[3]
Governance edit
Monarch edit
The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 1952, making her the longest-serving current head of state. [4]
Prime Minister edit
Theresa May is serving as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2016.[5]
Economy edit
The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity. It has a high-income economy and has a very high Human Development Index, ranking 14th in the world.
Economic History edit
It was the world's first industrialised country and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries.[6]
Defence edit
It is a recognised nuclear weapons state and is sixth in military expenditure in the world.
International Relations edit
It has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946. It has been a leading member state of the European Union (EU) and its predecessor, the European Economic Community (EEC), since 1973; however, a referendum in 2016 resulted in 51.9% of UK voters favouring leaving the European Union, and the country's exit is being negotiated.
References edit
- ^ "Toponymic guidelines for the United Kingdom". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ^ "World Urbanization Prospects - Population Division - United Nations". population.un.org. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ^ "WebArchive - UK Government".
- ^ "Queen takes over longest reign mantle after Thailand's King Bhumibol dies - AOL". www.aol.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ^ Quinn, Ben (2016-06-30). "Theresa May sets out 'one-nation Conservative' pitch for leadership". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
- ^ "United Kingdom", Wikipedia, 2018-11-03, retrieved 2018-11-05