United Kingdom:''"UK" redirects here. For other meanings, see UK (disambiguation) and United Kingdom (disambiguation)''  {{Infobox_Country| native_name = United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland| common_name = the United Kingdom | image_flag = uk flag large.png | image_coat = UK_Royal_Coat_of_Arms.png | image_map = LocationUnitedKingdom.png | national_motto = Dieu et mon droit (Royal motto) (French language|French: God and my right)''2 | national_anthem = God Save the Queen3 | official_languages = Languages in the United Kingdom|None; English language|English ''de facto'' 4 | capital = London | latd=51|latm=30|latNS=N|longd=0|longm=7|longEW=W| largest_city = London | government_type = Constitutional monarchy | leader_titles = British monarchy|Queen Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister | leader_names = Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Elizabeth II Tony Blair | area_rank = 77th | area_magnitude = 1 E11 | area = 244,820 | percent_water = 1.3% | population_estimate_year = July 2003 | population_estimate = 59,553,800 6| population_estimate_rank = 22nd | population_census = 58,789,194 | population_census_year = 2001 | population_density = 246.5 | population_density_rank = 49th | GDP_PPP_year = 2005 | GDP_PPP = $1,739,572 million | GDP_PPP_rank = 7th | GDP_PPP_per_capita = $30,309 | GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 16th | sovereignty_type = Act of Union 1800|Establishment | established_events = | established_dates = 18015| currency = Pound Sterling|British pound (£) | currency_code = GBP | time_zone = GMT | utc_offset = +0 | time_zone_DST = British Summer Time|BST | utc_offset_DST = +1 | cctld= .uk7 | calling_code = 44 | footnotes = 1In the UK, Languages in the United Kingdom|some other languages have been officially recognized as legitimate autochthonous language|autochthonous regional language|(regional) languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, the UK's official name is as follows: *Welsh language|Welsh: ''Teyrnas Unedig Prydain Fawr a Gogledd Iwerddon'' *Scottish Gaelic language|Scottish Gaelic: ''An Rìoghachd Aonaichte na Breatainn Mhòr agus Eirinn a Tuath'' *Irish language|Irish Gaelic: ''Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire agus Tuaisceart na hÉireann'' *Cornish language|Cornish: ''An Rywvaneth Unys a Vreten Veur hag Iwerdhon Glédh'' *Scots language|Lowland Scots: ''Unitit Kinrick o Great Breetain an Northren Ireland'' 2 The Royal motto in Scotland is ''Nemo Me Impune Lacessit'' (Latin language |Latin: "No-one harms me with impunity"). 3 Unofficial. 4 Officially recognized regional languages: in Wales: Welsh language|Welsh; and in Scotland: Scottish Gaelic language|Scottish Gaelic since 2004 Act. 5 Formed as ''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland''. Name changed to the ''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'' in 1927. 6 Official estimate provided by the UK Office for National Statistics. As of April 2005, the July 2004 estimates were not yet available. 7 ISO 3166-1 is Great Britain|GB.}} The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''' is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the European Union and NATO. Usually known simply as the '''United Kingdom''', the '''UK''', or (inaccurately) as '''Great Britain''' or '''Britain''', the UK has four constituent parts. Three of these — the ancient nations of England, Wales and Scotland — are located on the island of Great Britain. The fourth part is Northern Ireland, which is located on the island of Ireland|Ireland. The border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland forms the United Kingdom's principal international land border, although there is also a nominal frontier with France in the middle of the Channel Tunnel. The UK also has British overseas territory|overseas territories throughout the world, and relationships with several Crown dependency|Crown dependencies. The UK was formed by a series of Act of Union|Acts of Union which united the Kingdom of England (which England and Wales|included Wales as a principality) with those of, first, Kingdom of Scotland and then Kingdom of Ireland under a single government in London. The greater part of Ireland left the United Kingdom (then called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland) in 1922 to form an independent state (in which, until 1949, the King of the United Kingdom was also King of Ireland). This state later became the Republic of Ireland. Six counties in the north-eastern portion of the island, meanwhile, remained a part of the United Kingdom, forming Northern Ireland to this day. The UK is situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe, and has a land border with the Republic of Ireland, but is otherwise surrounded by the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, the Irish Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. Great Britain, or just Britain, is the geographical name of the largest of the British Isles (often also including its smaller neighbouring islands, though never Ireland). Politically, the term Great Britain refers collectively to the nations of England, Wales and Scotland (''i.e.'', the United Kingdom except for Northern Ireland). This political usage of "Great Britain" dates from the personal union of the Crowns of Scotland and England (including Wales) in 1603, with the term being used in the sense "all of Britain". In the early years of the "United Kingdom of Great Britain", formed by the Act of Union 1707|Act of Union of 1707, it was customary to refer officially to Scotland and to England and Wales as, respectively, "North Britain" and "South Britain", though the usage never really caught on. It should be noted that the practice by some, the informal media in particular, of using "(Great) Britain" as shorthand for the United Kingdom is an inaccuracy which can cause offence. The British Isles is a term frequently used to refer to the archipelago which includes the mainland of Great Britain, the mainland of Ireland, and the smaller islands associated with these two, such as the Channel Islands, the Hebrides, the Isle of Man, the Isle of Wight, Orkney, the Shetland Islands, etc. The term is, however, often avoided, especially in Ireland, by those who are conscious that it is sometimes misunderstood internationally to mean "the islands belonging to Britain (''i.e.'' the United Kingdom)", a description out of date in the Irish case since 1922. An alternative, the ''Islands of the North Atlantic'' (IONA) has been proposed, but is little used outside diplomatic circles. == History == ''Main article: History of the United Kingdom'' Scotland and England have existed as separate unified entities since the 10th century. Wales, under English control since the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284, became part of the Kingdom of England by the Acts of Union 1536-1543|Act of Union 1536. With the Act of Union 1707, the separate kingdoms of England and Scotland, having shared the same monarch since 1603, agreed to a permanent union as the Kingdom of Great Britain. This occurred at a time when Scotland was on the brink of economic ruin and was deeply unpopular with the broader Scottish population. The Act of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland, which had been gradually brought under English control between 1169 and 1691, to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This was also an unpopular decision, taking place just after the unsuccessful United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798 (see also Society of the United Irishmen). The timing, when further Napoleonic intervention or an invasion was feared, was predominantly due to security concerns. In 1922, after bitter fighting which echoes down to the current political strife, the Anglo-Irish Treaty partitioned Ireland into the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland, with the latter remaining part of the United Kingdom. As provided for in the treaty, Northern Ireland, which consists of six of the nine counties of the Provinces of Ireland|Irish province of Ulster, immediately opted out of the Free State and to remain in the UK. The nomenclature of the UK was changed in 1927 to recognise the departure of most of Ireland, with the name '' United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'' being adopted. Image:British Empire 1897.jpg|thumb|300px|left|The British Empire in 1897. The United Kingdom, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing Western ideas of property, liberty, capitalism and parliamentary democracy - to say nothing of its part in advancing world literature and science. At its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one quarter of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous nation. The UK is currently weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the European Union, it has not yet chosen to adopt the Euro|euro, owing to internal political considerations and the government's judgement of the prevailing economic conditions. There is considerable internal opposition to European integration within the UK, and some British economists demand that the European Central Bank be reformed to mirror the Bank of England before the UK joins the Euro, a demand which, given the German economic difficulties following adoption of the Euro, would seem to be possible in the future. Constitutional reform is also a current issue in the UK. The House of Lords has been subjected to ongoing reforms, Scotland elected its own Scottish Parliament|parliament in 1999 and in the same year, devolution|devolved assemblies were created in Wales and Northern Ireland. According to opinion polls, the monarchy remains generally popular in spite of recent controversies. Support for a British republican movement|British Republic usually fluctuates between 15% and 25% of the population, with roughly 10% undecided or indifferent [http://www.mori.com/mrr/2000/c000616.shtml]. Despite the country's liberal heritage, the Government's Office of the Information Commissioner|Information Commissioner stated in 2004 that the country is currently in danger of becoming a Mass surveillance|surveillance society. The United Kingdom is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations (successor organization to the former British Empire) and NATO. It is also a permanent member of the UN Security Council and holds a veto power. It is one of the few (no more than ten) nuclear powers on the planet. See also: British Monarchs|Monarchs; History of Britain; History of England; History of Ireland; History of Scotland; History of Wales, UK local history terms == Politics == ''Main article: Politics of the United Kingdom'' {| align=left | | Image:Ac.thequeen.jpg|thumb|left|Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II |- | Image:Tonyblair1.jpg|thumb|left|Prime Minister Tony Blair |} The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, with executive power exercised by a Departments of the United Kingdom Government|government headed by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister and the other Ministers of State who form the Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet. The cabinet is theoretically a subcommittee of the Privy Council, the ancient council that officially advises the British monarchy|monarch. Executive power is vested in the monarch, who serves as Head of State, but in reality ''Her (His) Majesty's Government'' is answerable and accountable to the British House of Commons|House of Commons, the lower and only directly elected house in Britain's bicameral Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament. By constitutional convention, Ministers of State are chosen largely from among Members of Parliament|members of the Commons with a small number chosen from the mainly appointed upper house, the British House of Lords|House of Lords. Ministers of State are automatically appointed to the Privy Council and have the ability to exercise to both prerogative and legislative powers. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons and is commissioned by the monarch to form a government based on his or her ability to command the support of the Commons. The current Prime Minister is Tony Blair of the British Labour Party|Labour Party, who has been in office since 1997. The British system of government has been emulated around the world because of the United Kingdom's colonial legacy. Nations that follow British-style parliamentarism, with an executive chosen from, and (theoretically) answerable to the legislature, are said to operate under the Westminster system of governance. The current monarch is Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II who acceded to the throne in 1952 and was crowned in 1953. In the modern United Kingdom, the monarch's role is mainly, though not exclusively, ceremonial. Her Majesty has access to all Cabinet papers and is briefed weekly by the Prime Minister. Constitutional writer Walter Bagehot asserted that the monarch had three rights: to be consulted, to advise and to warn. These rights are exercised rarely but have proved important at key times—such as when there is a "hung parliament". Each year, normally in November, on the occasion of the State Opening of Parliament, the monarch officially opens Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament, and makes a speech announcing what the government plans to do during the next year. The monarch is an integral part of Parliament (as the "Crown-in-Parliament") and theoretically gives Parliament the power to meet and create legislation. An Act of Parliament does not become law until it has been signed by the Queen (been given royal assent), although no monarch has refused to give royal assent to a bill that has been approved by Parliament since Anne of Great Britain|Queen Anne did so in 1708. The Queen also confers titles and honors to people who have rendered outstanding services to the country, as the Fount of Honour. The monarch is the head of the executive, as well as being Head of State, and the British government is officially known as ''Her (His) Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom''. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister, who is technically appointed by the Queen, is the head of the government. All foreign policy, such as the signing of treaties and the declaration of war, is done in Her Majesty's name. The monarch is the Fount of Justice in the UK and all criminal cases are brought forward in the monarch's name ("Rex versus" if a King, "Regina versus" if a Queen; in Scotland, "His" or "Her Majesty's Advocate v."). The monarch is also the Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces, known as ''Her (His) Majesty's Armed Forces''. The monarchy's popularity remains strong in the UK, despite a number of recent scandals and debates. It is felt by many in the UK that having a non-political person, despite achieving the position on hereditary principles, as Head of State is a better alternative to a political Presidential system. Currently, support for a republic is 23% (according to a recent poll by the ''Daily Telegraph''). The British monarch also reigns in 15 other sovereign countries that are known as the Commonwealth Realms. Although the UK has no political or executive power over these independent nations, it retains influence, through long-standing close relations. In some Commonwealth Realms the Privy Council is the highest Court of Appeal. The monarch is forbidden to become or to marry a Roman Catholic by the Act of Settlement 1701|Act of Settlement. Image:Palace.of.westminster.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|250px|The Palace of Westminster, on the banks of the River Thames in Westminster, London, is the home of the House of Commons and the House of Lords Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament is bicameral, composed of the 646-member elected British House of Commons|House of Commons and the mainly appointed House of Lords. The House of Commons is more powerful than the House of Lords. Its 646 members are directly elected from single member constituencies, based on population, from the four parts of the United Kingdom. The House of Lords, also known as the Lords, has currently 706 members. None of these have been elected, and they are all either hereditary peers, life peers, or bishops of the Church of England. Historically, the House of Lords has featured members of nobility who were granted seats by nature of birthright, although this feature has been abolished. Furthermore, the House of Lords Act 1999 severely curtailed the number of the hereditary peers who could sit in the upper chamber - only 92 out of several hundred retain the right, by either being elected by their fellow peers or by holding either of the royal offices of Earl Marshal or Lord Great Chamberlain. Reforms of the House of Lords originally called for all of the hereditary peers to lose their voting rights, however a compromise was reached which will allow them to be gradually phased out. The United Kingdom is described as being traditionally a centralized, or unitary, state, with Parliament at Westminster holding responsibility for most of the UK's political power. Throughout the late nineteenth century the UK debated giving Ireland home rule. Home rule was given to Northern Ireland in 1920: it was eventually abolished by London in 1972, after much civil strife. Home rule came back on the political agenda in the 1990s, with the creation of three home rule parliaments for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In 1999, the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales were established, the former having primary legislative power. There is some debate, both popular and academic, as to whether the Cornwall|Cornish could be considered a constituent peoples of the UK and possibly a Nation. A movement to obtain some degree of home rule exists in Cornish nationalist|Cornwall, a petition of over 50000 signatures was collected endorsing the call for a Cornish Assembly however the UK government is not known to be considering any form of devolution to Cornwall. Regional Assemblies were attempted in the North, but after a referendum in the 'North East' region where 78% voted against the scheme, the plans for regional governments were abandoned. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister stated, however, that "the Government continues to have a clear policy to decentralize power and improve performance through reform in local government and strengthening all the English regions." Northern Ireland's most recent attempt at home rule, with a directly elected power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly|Assembly emerged from the Belfast Agreement|Good Friday Agreement, but it is currently suspended. Unlike federalism, however, home rule parliaments have no constitutional status or rights to exist. They are created by Parliament and, as Northern Ireland experienced in 1972, can be abolished by Parliament. ''See also:'' * Law of the United Kingdom * List of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom * Northern_Ireland#Demographics_and_politics|Politics of Northern Ireland * Politics of Scotland * Prime Minister of the United Kingdom == Subdivisions == ''Main article: Subdivisions of the United Kingdom'' The United Kingdom is divided into four constituent parts: {{United Kingdom}} The constituent parts of the United Kingdom have subnational entity|subdivisions as follows: *The Regions of England|Regions, Duchy|Duchies, Subdivisions of England|Counties and unitary authorities of England *The Subdivisions of Scotland|Council areas of Scotland *The Unitary Authorities of Wales|Counties and county boroughs of Wales *The Districts of Northern Ireland|Districts of Northern Ireland The Act of Union 1536 incorporated Wales and England into England and Wales for legal purposes. Although all four have historically been divided into Traditional counties of the British Isles|counties, England's population is an order of magnitude larger than the others; so in recent years it has for some purposes been divided into nine intermediate-level Regions of England|Government Office Regions - North East England|North East, North West England|North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands (region)|West Midlands, East of England|Eastern, Greater London|London, South East England|South East, South West England|South West. Each region is made up of administrative counties of England|counties and unitary authorities, apart from London, which consists of London boroughs. Although at one point it was intended that each or some of these regions would be given its own regional assembly, the plans' future is uncertain, as of 2004, after the first-scheduled North East region rejected its proposed assembly in a referendum. Scotland consists of 32 Council Areas. Wales consists of 22 Unitary Authorities, styled as 10 County Boroughs, 9 Counties, and 3 Cities. Northern Ireland is divided into 26 Districts. Also sometimes associated with the United Kingdom, though not constitutionally part of the United Kingdom itself, are the Crown dependency|Crown dependencies (the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey, and the Isle of Man) as self-governing possessions of the Crown, and a number of Crown colony|overseas territories under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom. ''See also:'' City status in the United Kingdom, Towns of the United Kingdom, and Local government in the United Kingdom ==Military== ''Main article: Military of the United Kingdom'' Image:Triserv-600.jpg|thumb|150px|right|The Tri-service badge of Her Majestry's Armed Forces. The anchor representing the Royal Navy, the crossed swords the Army, and the Eagle the Royal Air Force The armed forces of the United Kingdom are known as the '''British Armed Forces''' or '''Her Majesty's Armed Forces''', officially the '''Armed Forces of the Crown'''. Their Commander-in-Chief is the British monarch|Queen and they are managed by the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence. The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, promoting Britain's wider security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. They are active and regular participants in NATO and other coalition operations. The British Army had a reported strength of 112,700 in 2004, including 7,600 women, and the Royal Air Force a strength of 53,400. The 40,900-member Royal Navy is in charge of the United Kingdom's independent strategic nuclear arm, which consists of four Vanguard class submarine|Trident missile submarines, while the Royal Marines provide commando units for amphibious assault and for specialist reinforcement forces in and beyond the NATO area. This puts total active duty military troops in the 210,000 range. Along with France and Russia, Britain fields one of the most powerful and comprehensive military forces in Europe. The Royal Navy is the largest navy in Europe. Despite Britain's wide ranging capabilities, recent defence policy has a stated assumption that any large operation would be undertaken as part of a coalition. Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq (Operation Granby|''Granby'', No-Fly-Zones, Operation Desert Fox|''Desert Fox'' and Operation Telic|''Telic'') may all be taken as precedent - indeed the last true war in which the British military fought alone was the Falklands War of 1982. The British army has been actively involved in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. However a program of demilitarization is being gradually implemented. == Geography == Image:United Kingdom map.png|thumb|200px||Map of the United Kingdom ''Main article: Geography of the United Kingdom'' Most of England consists of rolling lowland terrain, divided east from west by more mountainous terrain in the northwest (Cumbrian Mountains of the Lake District) and north (the upland moors of the Pennines) and limestone hills of the Peak District by the Tees-Exe line. The lower limestone hills of the Isle of Purbeck, Cotswolds, Lincolnshire and chalk downs of the North Downs, South Downs and Chilterns of southern England. The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames, Severn and the Trent & Ouse feeding the Humber|Humber Estuary; major cities include London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Bristol, Nottingham, Leicester, and Newcastle upon Tyne. Near Dover, England|Dover, the Channel Tunnel links the United Kingdom with France. There is no peak in England that is 1000m or greater. Wales is mostly mountainous, the highest peak being Snowdon, at 1,085 m above sea level. North of the mainland is the island of Anglesey. The largest and capital city is Cardiff, located in the south of Wales. The other metroplitan areas include Swansea, Newport, and Wrexham. Scotland's geography is varied, with Scottish Lowlands|lowlands in the south and east and Scottish Highlands|highlands in the north and west, including Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain (1343 m). There are many long and deep-sea arms, firths, and lochs. A multitude of islands west and north of Scotland are also included, notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands, as is the uninhabited islet of Rockall, although this claim is disputed. Main cities are Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Scotland|Aberdeen, and Dundee. Northern Ireland, making up the north-eastern part of Ireland, is mostly hilly. The main cities are Belfast and Londonderry. In total it is estimated that the UK includes around 1098 small islands, some being natural and some being crannogs, a type of artificial island which was built in past times using stone and wood, gradually enlarged by natural waste building up over time. == Economy == ''Main article: Economy of the United Kingdom'' Image:1pound2000front.jpg|left|frame|One-pound coin The United Kingdom, a leading trading power and financial center, has an essentially capitalist economy, the fourth largest in the world. Over the past two decades, the government has greatly reduced public ownership by means of privatization programs, and has contained the growth of the Welfare State. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanised, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of Gross domestic product|GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial state. Services, particularly banking, insurance and business services, account for by far the largest proportion of GDP. Industry continues to decline in importance, although the UK is still Europe's largest manufacturer of cars, armaments, petroleum products, personal computers, televisions, and mobile telephones. Tourism in the United Kingdom|Tourism is also important: with over 24 million tourists a year, between People's Republic of China|China (33) and Austria (19.1), the United Kingdom is World Tourism Rankings|ranked as the sixth major tourist destination in the world. The Tony Blair|Blair government has put off the question of participation in the Euro system, citing five economic tests that would need to be met before they recommend that the UK adopts the Euro, and hold a referendum. == Demographics == ''Main article: Demographics of the United Kingdom'' The primary language spoken is English language|English. Other indigenous languages include the Celtic languages; Welsh language|Welsh, the closely related Scots Gaelic|Scottish Gaelic and Irish language|Irish Gaelic and the Cornish language|Cornish; as well as Scots language|Lowland Scots, which is closely related to English language|English; Romany language|Romany; and British Sign Language (Irish Sign Language is also used in Northern Ireland). Celtic dialectal influences from Cumbric persisted in Northern England for many centuries, mostly famously in a unique set of numbers used for counting sheep. Recent immigrants, especially from the Commonwealth, speak many other languages, including Cantonese-Chinese, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu and Jamaican Creole. Also see: Languages in the United Kingdom == Culture == ''Main article: Culture of the United Kingdom'' Image:Shakespeare.jpg|frame|William Shakespeare (1564–1616) The United Kingdom contains two of the world's most famous universities, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford, and has produced many great scientists and engineers including Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday, Paul Dirac and Isambard Kingdom Brunel amongst others; the nation is credited with the invention of the steam engine, locomotive, 3-piece suit, vaccination, lead crystal, television, radio, the telephone, submarine, hovercraft, and both the internal combustion engine|internal combustion and jet engines. Playwright William Shakespeare is arguably the most famous writer in world history; other well-known writers include the Brontë sisters (Charlotte Brontë|Charlotte, Emily Brontë|Emily, and Anne Brontë|Anne), Jane Austen, J. K. Rowling, Agatha Christie, J. R. R. Tolkien and Charles Dickens. Important poets include George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron|Lord Byron, Robert Burns, Alfred, Lord Tennyson|Lord Tennyson, Thomas Hardy, William Blake and Dylan Thomas. (''see main article: British literature''). Notable composers from the United Kingdom have included William Byrd, John Taverner, Thomas Tallis, and Henry Purcell from the 16th century|16th and early 17th century|17th centuries, and, more recently, Sir Edward Elgar, Sir Arthur Sullivan (most famous for working with librettist Sir W. S. Gilbert), Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, and John Tavener in the 19th century|19th and 20th century|20th. The UK was, with the US, one of the two main contributors in the development of rock and roll, and the UK has provided some of the most famous bands, including the the Beatles|Beatles, Cliff Richard, Queen (band)|Queen, the the Rolling Stones|Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and many others. The UK was at the forefront of punk rock music in the 1970s with bands such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash, and the subsequent rebirth of Heavy metal music|heavy metal with bands such as Motörhead and Iron Maiden (band)|Iron Maiden. In more recent years, the Britpop phenomenon has seen bands such as Oasis (band)|Oasis, Blur, Radiohead and Supergrass gain international fame. The UK is also at the forefront of electronica, with British artists such as Aphex Twin, Talvin Singh, Nitin Sawhney and Lamb (band)|Lamb at the cutting edge. (''see main article: Music of the United Kingdom''). A great number of major sports originated in the United Kingdom, including soccer)], golf, cricket, boxing, rugby, billiards, and rounders, the forerunner of baseball. England won the 1966 FIFA World Cup and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The Wimbledon Championships are an international tennis event held in Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon in south London every summer and are seen as the most prestigious of the tennis calendar. The national sport of the UK is football but the UK does not compete as a nation in any major soccer tournament. instead the home nations compete individually as England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is because of this unique 4 team arrangement that the UK does not compete in soccer events at the Olympic Games, despite having invented the game. A similar arrangement applies to Rugby Union as well, except that a single team represents all of Ireland – the Republic of Ireland as well as Northern Ireland – although from time to time the British and Irish Lions (comprised of the best players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland) tour other countries. == Miscellaneous topics == {{portal}} ''Main article: list of United Kingdom-related topics'' *British nationality law *Communications in the United Kingdom *Education in the United Kingdom *Transport in the United Kingdom *Religion in the United Kingdom *Foreign relations of the United Kingdom *The United Kingdom and weapons of mass destruction *Constitutional status of Cornwall '''Rankings''': *UNDP: [http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2004/ Human Development Index 2004], Rank 12 out of 177 countries *Transparency International: [http://www.transparency.org/pressreleases_archive/2004/2004.10.20.cpi.en.html Corruption Perceptions Index 2004], Rank 11 out of 146 countries *''Reporters Sans Frontières'': [http://www.rsf.fr/article.php3?id_article=11715 Third Annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2004], Rank 28 out of 167 countries == External links == * [http://www.parliament.uk/ The United Kingdom Parliament] * [http://www.opsi.gov.uk Office of Public Sector Information] Source for all UK legislation 1987-present (successor to Her Majesty's Stationery Office) * [http://www.number-10.gov.uk Number 10 Downing Street] * [http://www.direct.gov.uk Gateway to UK governmental services and websites] * [http://www.royal.gov.uk The British Monarchy] * [http://www.bbc.co.uk British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)] * [http://www.statistics.gov.uk Office of National Statistics] * [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5703&Pos=&ColRank=1&Rank=272 UK 2004 Factbook] * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/nations/ BBC Nations] History of the nations within the UK * [http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/britishisles/ The British Isles] Independent view of the UK * [http://ukgayguides.com/ UK Gay Guides: A guide to the gay scenes in various towns in the UK] * [http://www.multimap.co.uk www.multimap.co.uk] provides online maps and aerial photographs of the UK * [http://www.streetmap.co.uk www.streetmap.co.uk] alternative to multimap * [http://www.upmystreet.com www.upmystreet.com] detailed localized information about places in the United Kingdom * [http://www.walkingtree.com/ Mercator's Atlas] Maps of Cornwall & Wales ("Cornewallia & Wallia"), Ireland ("Irlandia"), Scotland ("Scotia") and England ("Anglia") circa 1564. * [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uk.html CIA World Factbook: UK] * [http://www.world66.com/europe/unitedkingdom World66 Guide to United Kingdom] A travel guide written by its users. * [http://www.ukcities.co.uk UK Cities] lists a variety of useful resources for every city in the UK * [http://www.justuk.org UK travel guide] United Kingdom for travelers {{wikitravel}} {{EU countries}} {{Europe}} Category:United Kingdom| Category:British Isles Category:Monarchies Category:European Union member states Category:Members of the Commonwealth of Nations af:VK ar:مملكة متحدة ast:Reinu Uníu id:Britania Raya ms:United Kingdom bs:Velika Britanija bg:Обединено кралство bn:যুক্তরাজ্য ca:Regne Unit de la Gran Bretanya i Irlanda del Nord cs:Velká Británie cy:Y Deyrnas Unedig da:Det Forenede Kongerige de:Großbritannien und Nordirland et:Suurbritannia el:Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο es:Reino Unido eo:Unuigita Regxlando de Britio kaj Nord-Irlando fa:پادشاهی متحد بریتانیای کبیر و ایرلند شمالی fo:Stóra Bretland fr:Royaume-Uni ga:An Ríocht Aontaithe gd:An Rìoghachd Aonaichte gl:Reino Unido ko:영국 ia:Regno Unite is:Bretland it:Regno Unito he:הממלכה המאוחדת kw:An Rywvaneth Unys la:Regnum Unitum lt:Jungtinė Karalystė oc:Reialme Unit nl:Verenigd Koninkrijk ja:イギリス hu:Nagy-Britannia li:Vereineg keuninkriek mi:Kīngitanga Whakakotahi no:Storbritannia nds:Groot Britannien pl:Wielka Brytania pt:Reino Unido rm:Reginavel unì da la Gronda Britannia ed Irlanda dal Nord ro:Regatul Unit ru:Великобритания scn:Regnu Unitu simple:United Kingdom sl:Združeno kraljestvo sr:Уједињено Краљевство fi:Yhdistynyt kuningaskunta sv:Storbritannientl:Nagkakaisang Kaharian tr:Birleşik Krallık th:สหราชอาณาจักร ur:برطانيہ uk:Великобританія vi:Liên hiệp Vương quốc Anh và Bắc Ai-len zh:英国 zh-min-nan:Liân-ha̍p Ông-kok First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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