United Kingdom

Geography and location

The United Kingdom, commonly referred to as England which consists of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland also known as Ulster, is located off the North-western coast of continental Europe. It’s a sovereign state with a total area of approximately 93,410 sq miles and has a coastline of 11, 073 miles. It’s made up of several islands, with the only land bounder connecting it to another country being Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. At its widest the UK is 300 miles across. From the northern Tip of Scotland to the end of England, it’s about 600 miles. The United Kingdom lies between the North Atlantic and the North Sea just off the coast of France, from which it’s separated to the south by the English Channel.

People and Society

The UK has a population of about 63 million people, with England being the most populous part, with more than 49 million inhabitants. One-third of England’s people live in a southern part of the country, London, which is among the largest cities in Europe. Scotland is a mountainous land with more than five million inhabitants, with most of the concentrated in the lowland areas. Wales has approximately three million people. A Recent report showed the growth rate to be 12 births for 1000 population which is a decline compared to previous years. The death rate is approximately nine deaths per 1000 of the population.

According to a recent census, the ethnic origins of the population are more than 87 percent European, 3 percent Asian, 1.9 Pakistani, 2 percent Caribbean or African and less than one percent Chinese. English is the official language in the United Kingdom, but other languages are recognized regional languages .These are; Scots spoken by about 30 percent of Scotland Population, Scottish Gaelic, by a majority of other population but has been losing ground for the last few years. Welsh language is spoken by about 20 percent of the population in Wales, and Irish is spoken by about 10 percent of Northern Ireland population and Cornish by a small percentage of the population. The religion in the UK is mainly Christianity. However, the UK a multi-faith society therefore other religions are also recognized.

Economy

The United Kingdom has made great contributions to the world economy particularly in technology and industry. It’s so far the sixth largest economy in the world, with high per capita. It’s the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France. In 2013, the gross Domestic product was estimated to total $2.6 trillion with per capita being more than $ 49,000. UK currency, the sterling pound is the world largest reserve currency after US Dollar and Euro.

The service sector has contributed a lot to the growing economy with financial services taking the largest percent of the Growth Domestic Product (GDP nominal ) . Tourism has also played a significant party to the economy since the recent report showed the United Kingdom being the sixth most visited country in the world.

The automotive, aerospace, and pharmaceutical industries have also contributed a lot to their growing economy. Natural resources, gas, and coal, are part of their large part of economy although oil and natural gas have been declining for the last few years. Although they have the fastest-growing economy in the G7, there are concerns that there will be negative effects if they leave the EU as proposed.

Travel and transportation

Although it does not rule the waves, UK is still an overwhelming destination for people all over the world. London being its capital city is reckoned to be one of the cities in the world with global importance, but you will find many travelers coming to see villages and other quickly changing countryside. Transport in the UK is facilitated with air, road, rail and water. The rail network totals to more than 10,000 miles in 2008, radial networks totals to 29,000 miles. The rail network exists in major cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Liverpool. There are many air destinations with Heathrow being one of the busiest.

Communication

The mobile phone coverage in the United Kingdom, England is generally good, with more than 93 percent of the adults owning a mobile phone. Coins and card operated booths are located all through the country and multimedia booths located in large cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, Southampton and much more.

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