United Kingdom | Facts & Information

Updated May 11, 2023 | Infoplease Staff

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Facts & Figures

  • Sovereign: King Charles III (2022) [Source]

    Prime Minister: Rishi Sunak (2022) [Source]

    Land area: 93,278 sq mi (241,590 sq km); total area: 94,526 sq mi (244,820 sq km)

    Population (2014 est.): 63,742,977 (growth rate: 0.54%); birth rate: 12.22/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.44/1000; life expectancy: 80.42; density per sq km: 255.6

    Capital and largest city (2013 est.): London, 13,614,409 (metro. area), 9,787,426 (city proper)

    Other large cities: Birmingham, 2.272 million; Manchester, 2.213 million; West Yorkshire, 1.625 million; Glasgow, 1.137 million; Newcastle upon Tyne, 874,000

    Monetary unit: Pound sterling (£)

    United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

    Current government officials

    Languages: English, Welsh, Scots, Scottish Gaelic

    Ethnicity/race: White 87.2%, Black/African/Caribbean/ 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.)

    Religions: Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, none 25.7%, unspecified 7.2% (2011 est.)

    Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)

    Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $2.387 trillion; per capita $37,300. Real growth rate: 1.8%. Inflation: 2%. Unemployment: 7.2%. Arable land: 24.88%. Agriculture: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish. Labor force: 30.15 million (2013 est.); agriculture 1.4%, industry 18.2%, services 80.4% (2006). 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. Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land. Exports: $813.2 billion (2013 est.): manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco. Imports: $782.5 billion (2013 est.): manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs. Major trading partners: U.S., Germany, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, China, Norway (2012).

    Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 33.01 million (2012); mobile cellular: 82.109 million (2012). Radio broadcast stations: Public service broadcaster, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world; BBC operates multiple TV networks with regional and local TV service; a mixed system of public and commercial TV broadcasters along with satellite and cable systems provide access to hundreds of TV stations throughout the world; BBC operates multiple national, regional, and local radio networks with multiple transmission sites; a large number of commercial radio stations as well as satellite radio services are available (2008). Radios: 84.5 million (1997). Television broadcast stations: 228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995). Televisions: 30.5 million (1997). Internet Hosts: 8.107 million (2012). Internet users: 51.444 million (2009).

    Transportation: Railways: total: 16,454 km (2008). Highways: total: 394,428 km; paved: 394,428 km (including 3,519 km of expressways); unpaved: 0 km (2009). Waterways: 3,200 km. Ports and harbors: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe, Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scapa Flow, Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport, Tyne. Airports: 460 (2013).

    International disputes: In 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insisted on equal participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproved of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory); in 2001, the former inhabitants of the archipelago, evicted 1967 - 1973, were granted U.K. citizenship and the right of return, followed by Orders in Council in 2004 that banned rehabitation, a High Court ruling reversed the ban, a Court of Appeal refusal to hear the case, and a Law Lords' decision in 2008 denied the right of return; in addition, the United Kingdom created the world's largest marine protection area around the Chagos islands prohibiting the extraction of any natural resources therein; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 NM.

    Major sources and definitions

    Ruler

    Rulers of England and Great Britain

    British Prime Ministers Since 1770

    Northern Ireland

    Scotland

    Wales

    Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies of the United Kingdom