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{{Infobox country
{{Stub}}
|conventional_long_name=United Kingdom of Great Britain<br>and Northern Ireland
 
|common_name=the United Kingdom
{{Infobox Country
|image_flag=Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
|Box title = Country summary
|alt_flag=A flag featuring both cross and saltire in red, white and blue
|Row 1 title = Capital
|image_coat=Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg
|Row 1 info = London
|alt_coat=Coat of arms containing shield and crown in centre, flanked by lion and unicorn
|Row 2 title = Borders
|symbol_type=Royal coat of arms
|Row 2 info = [[Ireland]] 360 km
|image_map=EU-United Kingdom.svg
|Row 3 title = Government type
|alt_map=Two islands to the north-west of continental Europe. Highlighted are the larger island and the north-eastern fifth of the smaller island to the west.
|Row 3 info = constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm
|map_caption={{map_caption |location_color=dark green |region=Europe |region_color=dark grey |subregion=the [[European Union]] |subregion_color=green |legend=EU-United Kingdom.svg}}
|Row 4 title = Population
|national_anthem=<center>[[File:United States Navy Band - God Save the Queen.ogg]]</center><br />"[[God Save the Queen]]"<ref group="note">No law was passed making ''God Save the Queen'' the official anthem. In the British tradition, such laws are not necessary; proclamation and usage are sufficient to make it the official national anthem. ''God Save the Queen'' also serves as the [[Honors music|Royal anthem]] for several other countries.</ref>
|Row 4 info = 61,113,205 (July 2010 est.)<ref name="CIA_GB">CIA - The World Facebook. [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/countrytemplate_uk.html "United Kingdom"], from The World Facebook. Referenced 2010-09-21.</ref>
|official_languages=English<ref>http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/LivingintheUK/DG_10012519</ref><ref>http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookHomeInternal/139560/</ref>
|Row 5 title = Population growth %
|regional_languages=Irish, [[Ulster Scots dialects|Ulster Scots]], [[Scottish Gaelic]]<!-- Keep 'Scottish Gaelic' - people will find Gaelic confusing as the Irish language is also commonly called Gaelic -->, [[Scots language|Scots]], [[Welsh language|Welsh]], [[Cornish language|Cornish]]{{#tag:ref|Under the [[Council of Europe]]'s [[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]], the Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, [[Cornish language|Cornish]], Irish, [[Scots language|Scots]] and its regional variant [[Ulster Scots dialects|Ulster Scots]] are officially recognised as [[Regional language|Regional]] or [[Minority language]]s by the [[United Kingdom Government|UK Government]] for the purposes of the Charter.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Scottish Government|url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/ArtsCulture/gaelic/gaelic-english/17910/europeancharter|title=European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages|accessdate=11 December 2010}}</ref> See also [[Languages of the United Kingdom]].|group="note"}}
|Row 5 info = 0.28 (2010 est.)<ref name="CIA_GB" />
|ethnic_groups=92.1% [[White people|White]]<br /> 4.0% South Asian<br /> 2.0% [[Black people|Black]]<br /> 1.2% [[British Mixed-Race|Mixed]]<br /> 0.4% [[British Chinese|Chinese]]<br /> 0.4% [[United Kingdom Census 2001|Other]]
|Row 6 title = Life expectancy
|ethnic_groups_year=[[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001]]<br /><small> See: [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom#2001 Census ethnicity results|UK ethnic groups list]]</small><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D6588.xls |title=United Kingdom population by ethnic group |publisher=Office for National Statistics |date=1 April 2001 |work=[[United Kingdom Census 2001]] |accessdate=15 April 2009 |format=XLS}}</ref>
|Row 6 info = 79.01 years<ref name="CIA_GB" />
|demonym=British or [[British people|Briton]]
|Row 7 title = Unemployment
|capital=[[London]]
|Row 7 info = 7.6% (2009 est.)<ref name="CIA_GB" />
|latd=51
|Row 8 title = [[Wikipedia:Index of Economic Freedom|Index of Economic Freedom]]
|latm=30
|Row 8 info = 11<ref name="Heritage_GB">Heritage Foundation. [http://www.heritage.org/Index/Country/UnitedKingdom "United Kingdom"], Economic Freedom Score. A lower ranking is better; but please be careful when comparing between different countries or years. Referenced 2010-09-21.</ref>
|latNS=N
|Row 9 title = [[Wikipedia:Corruption Perceptions Index|Corruption Perceptions Index]]
|longd=0
|Row 9 info = 17<ref name="Transparency_GB">Transparency International. [http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009/cpi_2009_table "United Kingdom"], Corruption Perceptions Index 2009. A lower ranking is better; but please note that the numbers cannot be compared between countries or years due to different methodology. Referenced 2010-09-21.</ref>
|longm=7
|Row 10 title = [[Wikipedia:Doing Business Report|Doing Business ranking]]
|longEW=W
|Row 10 info = 5<ref name="Business_GB">Doing Business. [http://www.doingbusiness.org/economyrankings/ "United Kingdom"], Doing Business 2010 (part of The World Bank Group). A lower ranking is better; but please be careful when comparing between different countries or years. Referenced 2010-09-21.</ref>
|largest_city=[[London]]
|government_type=[[Unitary state|Unitary]] [[parliamentary system|parliamentary democracy]] and [[constitutional monarchy]]
|leader_title1=[[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Monarch]]
|leader_name1=[[Elizabeth II]]
|leader_title2=[[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
|leader_name2= [[David Cameron]] [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|MP]]
|sovereignty_type=[[History of the United Kingdom|Formation]]
|legislature=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]]
|upper_house=[[House of Lords]]
|lower_house=[[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]
|state_religion=[[Anglicanism]]
|sovereignty_note=
|established_event1=[[Acts of Union 1707]]
|established_date1=1 May 1707
|established_event2=[[Acts of Union 1800]]
|established_date2=1 January 1801
|established_event3=[[Anglo-Irish Treaty]]
|established_date3=12 April 1922
|accessionEUdate=1 January 1973
|religion=[[Church of England|Anglican]]
|EUseats = 78
|area_rank = 79th
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
|area_km2 = 243610
|area_sq_mi = {{convert|243610|km2|sqmi|disp=output number only}}
|percent_water = 1.34
|population_estimate = 62,008,048<ref>{{cite web |url= http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?tab=table&language=en&pcode=tps00001&tableSelection=1&footnotes=yes&labeling=labels&plugin=1 |title=Total population at 1&nbsp;January |publisher=Eurostat |date =11 March 2011 |accessdate =29 April 2011}}</ref>
|population_estimate_year = 2010
|population_estimate_rank = 22nd
|population_census = 58,789,194<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/pop2001/united_kingdom.asp |title = Census 2001: Population estimates |publisher=Office for National Statistics |accessdate =21 April 2011}}</ref>
|population_census_year = 2001
|population_density_km2 = 254.7
|population_density_sq_mi = 659.6
|population_density_rank = 51st
|GDP_PPP_year=2010
|GDP_PPP=$2.173&nbsp;trillion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web |url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007&ey=2010&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=112&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=25&pr.y=6 |title=United Kingdom |publisher=International Monetary Fund |month =April |year =2011 |accessdate=8 May 2011}}</ref>
|GDP_PPP_rank=7th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita=$34,920<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank=21st
|GDP_nominal_year=2010
|GDP_nominal_rank=6th
|GDP_nominal_per_capita=$36,120<ref name=imf2/>
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank=22nd
|GDP_nominal=$2.247&nbsp;trillion<ref name=imf2/>
|HDI_year=2010
|HDI=0.849<ref>{{cite web |url= http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Table1.pdf |title= Human Development Report 2010 |publisher=United Nations | accessdate =21 April 2011| page = 143 ff}}</ref>
|HDI_rank=26th
|HDI_category=<span style="color:#090;">very&nbsp;high</span>
|EFI_year                = 2011
|EFI                      = {{decrease}} 74.5<ref name="EFI">{{cite web|url=http://www.heritage.org/Index/Country/UnitedKingdom|title=Index of Economic Freedom 2011|year=2011|publisher=[[The Heritage Foundation]]|accessdate=2011-05-22}}</ref>
|EFI_rank                = 16th
|EFI_category            = <span style="color:#006000;">high</span>
|CPI_year                = 2010
|CPI                      = {{decrease}} 7.6<ref name="CPI">{{cite web|url=http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010/in_detail|title=Corruption Perceptions Index 2010|year=2010|publisher=[[Transparency International]]|accessdate=2011-05-22}}</ref>
|CPI_rank                = 20th
|CPI_category            = <span style="color:#006000;">high</span>
|DBR_year                = 2011
|DBR                      = {{steady}}<ref name="DBR">{{cite web|url=http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/united-kingdom/|title=Doing Business Report 2011|year=2011|publisher=[[International Finance Corporation]], [[World Bank]]|accessdate=2011-05-22}}</ref>
|DBR_rank                = 4th
|DBR_category            = <span style="color:#090;">very high</span>
|Gini=41<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.poverty.org.uk/09/index.shtml |title =Income inequalities |publisher=The Poverty Site |accessdate =21 April 2011}}</ref>
|Gini_year=2008–09
|currency=[[Pound sterling]]
|currency_code=GBP
|country_code=GBR
|time_zone=[[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
|utc_offset=+0
|time_zone_DST=[[Western European Summer Time|BST]]
|date_format = dd/mm/yyyy ([[Anno Domini|AD]])
|utc_offset_DST=+1
|drives_on=left<ref group="note">British dependencies drive on the left except for [[British Indian Ocean Territory|BIOT]] and [[Gibraltar]].</ref>
|cctld=[[.uk]]<ref group="note">[[ISO 3166-1 alpha-2]] states that this should be [[Great Britain|GB]] and [[.gb]] was initially used by the Government, but registration has been suppressed in favour of [[.uk]]. The [[.eu]] domain is shared with other [[European Union]] member states.</ref>
|calling_code=[[Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom|44]]
}}
}}


The '''United Kingdom''' has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of [[NATO]], and of the [[Commonwealth]], the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The UK is also an active member of the EU, although it chose to remain outside the [[Economic and Monetary Union]]. Devolution and constitutional reform have been significant recent issues in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process.<ref name="CIA_GB">CIA - The World Factbook. [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/countrytemplate_uk.html "United Kingdom"], from The World Factbook. Referenced 2010-09-21.</ref>
The '''United Kingdom''' has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of [[NATO]], and of the [[Commonwealth]], the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The UK is also an active member of the EU, although it chose to remain outside the [[Economic and Monetary Union]]. Devolution and constitutional reform have been significant recent issues in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process.<ref name="CIA_GB" />


{{See also|Bank of England}}
{{See also|Bank of England}}
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| 1.498
| 1.498
|}
|}
==Notes==
<references group="note"/>


==References==
==References==
Line 202: Line 126:
* [http://mises.org/daily/4809 The 1822 Refutation of the Spitalfields Act of Wage and Price Controls] by Anders Mikkelsen, November 2010; about the ''[http://books.google.com/books/download/Observations_on_the_ruinous_tendency_of.pdf?id=1pAuAAAAYAAJ&output=pdf Observations on the Ruinous Tendency of the Spitalfields Act to the Silk Manufacture of London]'' (pdf), 1822
* [http://mises.org/daily/4809 The 1822 Refutation of the Spitalfields Act of Wage and Price Controls] by Anders Mikkelsen, November 2010; about the ''[http://books.google.com/books/download/Observations_on_the_ruinous_tendency_of.pdf?id=1pAuAAAAYAAJ&output=pdf Observations on the Ruinous Tendency of the Spitalfields Act to the Silk Manufacture of London]'' (pdf), 1822
*{{wplink}}
*{{wplink}}
{{Stub}}


[[Category:Countries]]
[[Category:Countries]]

Revision as of 23:02, 22 May 2011

Country summary

Capital

London

Borders

Ireland 360 km

Government type

constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm

Population

61,113,205 (July 2010 est.)[1]

Population growth %

0.28 (2010 est.)[1]

Life expectancy

79.01 years[1]

Unemployment

7.6% (2009 est.)[1]

Index of Economic Freedom

11[2]

Corruption Perceptions Index

17[3]

Doing Business ranking

5[4]


The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The UK is also an active member of the EU, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. Devolution and constitutional reform have been significant recent issues in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process.[1]

See also: Bank of England

Economical characteristics

  • Currency: Pound sterling (ISO code: GBP)
  • Central bank discount rate: 0.86% (31 December 2008)[1]
  • Commercial banks lending rate: 4.63% (31 December 2008)[1]
  • Stock of money (M1): $NA[1]
  • Quasi money (with M1 makes M2): $NA[1]


Statistics

Statistic / Year 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
GDP (million USD)[5] 1 502 560 1 477 580 1 470 890 1 612 060 1 860 810 2 198 090 2 280 180 2 435 710 2 803 460 2 674 060
Govt. debt (% of GDP)[6] 47.484 47.469 42.507 42.528 42.598 44.905 47.300 47.133 47.863 57.523
Govt. revenue (% of GDP)[7] 36.560 37.114 37.082 35.498 35.096 35.918 36.985 37.708 37.380 38.408
Govt. expenses (% of GDP)[8] 35.652 36.204 36.651 37.633 38.809 39.200 41.222 40.378 40.005 42.827
Debt to revenue (years) 1.299 1.279 1.146 1.198 1.214 1.250 1.279 1.250 1.280 1.498

References

Note: statistical data was rounded. Different sources may use different methodologies for their estimates. Debt to revenue is calculated by dividing the two variables from their original ('unrounded') values. It represents how long it would a government take to repay its entire debt if it used its whole revenue for this purpose.

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 CIA - The World Facebook. "United Kingdom", from The World Facebook. Referenced 2010-09-21.
  2. ↑ Heritage Foundation. "United Kingdom", Economic Freedom Score. A lower ranking is better; but please be careful when comparing between different countries or years. Referenced 2010-09-21.
  3. ↑ Transparency International. "United Kingdom", Corruption Perceptions Index 2009. A lower ranking is better; but please note that the numbers cannot be compared between countries or years due to different methodology. Referenced 2010-09-21.
  4. ↑ Doing Business. "United Kingdom", Doing Business 2010 (part of The World Bank Group). A lower ranking is better; but please be careful when comparing between different countries or years. Referenced 2010-09-21.
  5. ↑ World Bank. "United Kingdom: GDP", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-21.
  6. ↑ World Bank. "United Kingdom: government debt", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-21.
  7. ↑ World Bank. "United Kingdom: government revenue", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-21.
  8. ↑ World Bank. "United Kingdom: government expenses", from World Bank Data. Referenced 2010-09-21.

Links

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