United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Current government officials
Land area: 93,278 sq mi (241,590 sq km); total area: 94,526 sq mi (244,820 sq km)
Population (2007 est.): 60,776,238 (growth rate: 0.3%); birth rate: 10.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 5.0/1000; life expectancy: 78.7; density per sq mi: 652
Capital and largest city (2003 est.): London, 7,615,000 (metro. area), 7,429,200 (city proper)
Other large cities: Glasgow, 1,099,400; Birmingham, 971,800; Liverpool, 461,900; Edinburgh, 460,000; Leeds, 417,000; Bristol, 406,500; Manchester, 390,700; Bradford, 288,400
Monetary unit: Pound sterling (£)
Languages: English, Welsh, Scots Gaelic
Ethnicity/race: English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%; Northern Irish 2.9%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001)
Economic summary:
GDP/PPP (2006 est.): $1.93 trillion; per capita $31,800.
Real growth rate: 2.8%.
Inflation: 3%.
Unemployment: 2.9%.
Arable land: 23%.
Agriculture: cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish.
Labor force: 30.07 million; agriculture 1.5%, industry 19.1%, services 79.5% (2004).
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, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable land.
Exports: $468.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.): manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco.
Imports: $603 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.): manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs.
Major trading partners: U.S., Germany, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, China (2004).
Communications:
Telephones:
main lines in use: 32.943 million (2005);
mobile cellular: 61.1 million (2004).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998).
Radios: 84.5 million (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995). Televisions: 30.5 million (1997).
Internet Hosts: 6.1 million (2006).
Internet users: 37.6 million (2002).
