Outline of the United Kingdom
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; a sovereign state in Europe, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK), or Britain.[1][2][3] Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, it includes the island of Great Britain—a term also applied loosely to refer to the whole country—the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
See also: Category:United Kingdom and Template:United Kingdom topics
Contents
- 1 General reference
- 2 Countries of the United Kingdom, Dependencies, Territories and Commonwealth
- 3 Geography, resources and demography
- 4 Government, monarchy, politics and honours
- 5 Military and Defence
- 6 Law and order
- 7 Infrastructure
- 8 Economy
- 9 History
- 10 Culture
- 11 Education
- 12 See also
- 13 References
- 14 External links
General reference[edit]
- The United Kingdom is...
- both a country and a country made up of countries
- both a nation state and a state made up of nations
- an island country
- a Commonwealth realm (1931-)
- a member state of the European Union
- Pronunciation:
i/juːˌnaɪ.tɪd ˈkɪŋ.dəm/ - Abbreviations: UK
- Common English country names: The United Kingdom, The UK, or Britain
- Official English country name: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Common endonyms: United Kingdom, UK, Britain
- Official endonyms: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Adjectivals: British, United Kingdom
- Demonyms: Briton, British, Brit
- Etymology: Name of Britain, Name of the United Kingdom
- International rankings of the United Kingdom
- Terminology of the British Isles
- United Kingdom-related topics
- ISO country codes: GB, GBR, 826
- ISO region codes: See ISO 3166-2:GB
- Internet country code top-level domain: .uk, .gb (not used)
Countries of the United Kingdom, Dependencies, Territories and Commonwealth[edit]
Countries of the UK and their subdivisions[edit]
Main articles: Countries of the United Kingdom and Subdivisions of the United Kingdom
Crown dependencies[edit]
Main article: Crown dependencies
British Overseas Territories[edit]
Main article: British Overseas Territories
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Islands
- Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus
- Turks and Caicos Islands
Commonwealth of Nations[edit]
Not to be confused with Commonwealth of England.
The United Kingdom is a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations
- Member states of the Commonwealth of Nations
- Commonwealth citizen
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission (1917-)
- Commonwealth Games (1930-)
Geography, resources and demography[edit]
Main article: Geography of the United Kingdom
See also: Geography of England, Geography of Northern Ireland, Geography of Scotland, and Geography of Wales
- Location:
- Northern Hemisphere, on the Prime meridian
- Atlantic Ocean
- Eurasia (but not on the mainland)
- Europe
- Northern Europe and Western Europe
- British Isles
- Great Britain (entire island and adjacent isles)
- Ireland (northeastern sixth of the island)
- British Isles
- Northern Europe and Western Europe
- Europe
- Time zone: Greenwich Mean Time = Western European Time (UTC+00), British Summer Time = Western European Summer Time (UTC+01)
- Area of the United Kingdom: 244,820 km2 (94,530 sq mi) - 79th most extensive country
- Extreme points of the United Kingdom:
- North: Out Stack, Shetland Islands 60°51′N 0°52′W / 60.850°N 0.867°W
- South: Western Rocks, Isles of Scilly 49°51′N 6°24′W / 49.850°N 6.400°W
- East: Lowestoft Ness, Suffolk 52°28.87′N 1°45.77′E / 52.48117°N 1.76283°E
- West: Rockall1 57°35′N 13°41′W / 57.583°N 13.683°W
- High: Ben Nevis, Lochaber at 1,343 metres (4,406 ft) 56°47′49.150″N 5°0′17.22″W / 56.79698611°N 5.0047833°W
- Low: The Fens at −4 metres (−13 ft) 52°29′18″N 0°13′52″W / 52.48838°N 0.23118°W
- Land boundaries:
Republic of Ireland 360 km - Land boundary:
France undersea in Channel Tunnel - Coastline: 12,429 km
- Atlas of the United Kingdom
Ecoregions[edit]
Main article: List of ecoregions in the United Kingdom
Environment[edit]
- Climate of the United Kingdom
- Environmental issues in the United Kingdom
- Conservation in the United Kingdom
- Energy in the United Kingdom
- Green building in the United Kingdom
- Ecoregions in the United Kingdom
- Renewable energy in the United Kingdom
- Geology of the United Kingdom
- National parks of the United Kingdom
- Protected areas of the United Kingdom
- Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA)
- Heritage Coast (England and Wales)
- Scenic areas
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - England, Wales, Northern Ireland
- National Scenic Area - Scotland
- Scheduled Ancient Monument
- Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
- Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (European Union)
- Special Protection Area (SPA) (European Union)
- Wetlands designated under the Ramsar Convention (International)
- Wildlife of the United Kingdom
- Climate of the United Kingdom
- Conservation in the United Kingdom
- Environmentally Sensitive Area
- List of waterfalls of the United Kingdom
- List of natural disasters in the British Isles
Geographic features[edit]
Regions[edit]
Thirteen areas are designated as national parks in England and Wales
Municipalities[edit]
Natural Resources[edit]
- Energy in the United Kingdom inc. Renewable energy in the United Kingdom
- Biodiesel in the United Kingdom
- Coal mining in the United Kingdom
- Geothermal power in the United Kingdom
- Hydraulic fracturing in the United Kingdom
- Hydroelectricity in the United Kingdom
- Marine energy in the United Kingdom
- North Sea oil
- Solar power in the United Kingdom
- Wind power in the United Kingdom
- Food
- Materials
- List of renewable resources produced and traded by the United Kingdom
Demography[edit]
Main article: Demography of the United Kingdom
See also: Demography of England, Demography of Scotland, Demography of Wales, and Demography of Northern Ireland
- Population of the United Kingdom: 64,105,700 (2013 estimate) making it the 22nd most populous country and, with a population density of 259/km2 (679/sq.mile), ranking it 51st on the List of sovereign states and dependent territories by population density. This is largely due to the particularly high population density of England which measures 406/km2.
Ethnicity[edit]
Main article: Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom
Government, monarchy, politics and honours[edit]
Queen Elizabeth II is the current UK monarch
Theresa May is the current UK Prime Minister
Main articles: Her Majesty's Government, Monarchy of the United Kingdom and Politics of the United Kingdom.
- Form of government: parliamentary multi-party representative democratic constitutional monarchy
- Censorship in the United Kingdom
- Elections in the United Kingdom
- British elections (specific elections)
- Gun politics in the United Kingdom
- Political parties in the United Kingdom
- Political scandals of the United Kingdom
- Taxation in the United Kingdom
Monarchy[edit]
Main article: Monarchy of the United Kingdom
- Air transport of the Royal Family and government of the United Kingdom
- British Royal Family
- British monarchs' family tree
- Monarchy of the United Kingdom
- Coronation of the British monarch
- HMY Britannia
- Line of succession to the British throne
- List of British Royal Residences
- List of British monarchs
- List of Royal Yachts of the United Kingdom
- List of UK place names with royal patronage
- List of organisations in the United Kingdom with a royal charter
- Royal Assent
- Royal Charter
- Royal Christmas Message
- Royal Collection Management Committee
- Royal Collection Trust
- Royal Collection
- Royal Household
- Royal Librarian
- Royal Library, Windsor
- Royal Peculiar
- Royal Philatelic Collection
- Royal Prerogative
- Royal Standard
- Royal Style and Titles Act
- Royal Train
- Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom)
- Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
- Royal forest
- Style of the British Sovereign
- Succession to the British Throne
Branches of the government[edit]
Main articles: Government of the United Kingdom and Politics of the United Kingdom
Executive branch[edit]
- Head of state: Monarch of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
- Head of government: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (list), Theresa May
- Cabinet of the United Kingdom
- Departments of the United Kingdom Government
Legislative branch[edit]
Judicial branch[edit]
Main article: Courts of the United Kingdom
- Courts of England and Wales
- Courts of Northern Ireland
- Courts of Scotland
- Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
Foreign relations[edit]
Main article: Foreign relations of the United Kingdom
- History
- Timeline of British diplomatic history
- United Kingdom and the United Nations
- Special Relationship
International organisation membership[edit]
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a member of:[1]
Local government[edit]
Politics of England[edit]
Main article: Politics of England
Politics of Northern Ireland[edit]
Main article: Politics of Northern Ireland
Politics of Scotland[edit]
Main article: Politics of Scotland
- History of Scottish devolution
- Local government in Scotland
- Pressure Groups in Scotland
- Scottish Parliament
Politics of Wales[edit]
Main article: Politics of Wales
Honours[edit]
Main article: Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom
- New Year Honours
- Queen's Birthday Honours
- Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
- Chivalric order
- List of honorary British knights and dames
- Category:British honours system
- Declining a British honour
Military and Defence[edit]
British troops in Iraq
Main article: British Armed Forces
Command[edit]
- Commander-in-chief: The Sovereign - Queen Elizabeth II
- Naval Service
- First Sea Lord: Admiral Sir George Zambellas
- Chief of the General Staff: General Sir Peter Wall
- Chief of the Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford
Forces[edit]
History[edit]
See § History
Related topics[edit]
Law and order[edit]
Main article: Law of the United Kingdom
- 9-9-9 emergency telephone number
- British citizenship, British nationality law
- Cannabis in the United Kingdom
- Capital punishment in the United Kingdom
- Common law
- Constitution of the United Kingdom
- History of the Constitution of the United Kingdom
- Magna Carta (1215)
- Petition of Right (1628)
- Habeas Corpus Act (1679)
- Bill of Rights (1689)
- Great Reform Act (1832)
- Parliament Act (1911)
- Scotland Act 1998
- Northern Ireland Act 1998
- Government of Wales Act 1998
- House of Lords Act (1999)
- Courts of the United Kingdom
- Crime in the United Kingdom
- Law of the European Union
- Human rights in the United Kingdom
- High treason in the United Kingdom
- Law enforcement in the United Kingdom
- List of prisons in the United Kingdom
- United Kingdom prison population
Law of England and Wales[edit]
Main articles: English law and Welsh law
Law of Northern Ireland[edit]
Main article: Northern Ireland law
Law of Scotland[edit]
Main article: Scots law
Infrastructure[edit]
Regulatory bodies[edit]
- Advertising Standards Authority
- Financial Services Authority or FSA
- Housing Corporation
- Office of Communications (Ofcom)
- Office of the Water Regulator (Ofwat)
- Press Complaints Commission
- Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC)
Trade Union Federations[edit]
Transport[edit]
Main article: Transport in the United Kingdom
- British Rail
- Airports in the United Kingdom
- Bus transport in the United Kingdom
- Coach transport in the United Kingdom
- Railway system
- Trams and Light Rail Trams and light rail systems
- Roads in the United Kingdom
- Waterways in the United Kingdom
- Tunnels in the United Kingdom
- Cycleways in the United Kingdom
- Common Travel Area
- Transport Scotland
- Metrication of British Transport
Economy[edit]
Main article: Economy of the United Kingdom
See also: Economy of England, Economy of Scotland, Economy of Wales, and Economy of Northern Ireland
- Economic rank, by nominal GDP (2008): 6th (sixth)
- Economic history of the United Kingdom
- Financial services industry of the United Kingdom
- Communications in the United Kingdom
- Companies of the United Kingdom
- Manufacturing in the United Kingdom
- Construction industry of the United Kingdom
- Mining in the United Kingdom
- Energy in the United Kingdom
- Legal services in the United Kingdom
- Real estate in the United Kingdom
- Tourism in the United Kingdom
- Transport in the United Kingdom
- Economy of London
History[edit]
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Main articles: History of the United Kingdom and Current events of the United Kingdom
See also: History of England, History of Scotland, History of Wales, and History of Northern Ireland
- History of the United Kingdom
- History of England
- History of Scotland
- History of Wales
- History of Northern Ireland
- History of the formation of the United Kingdom
- British Empire and the Commonwealth
- UK underground
Historical states of the British Isles[edit]
Roman Britain in 410
- Ancient Britain
- Avalon
- Roman Britain
- Caledonia
- Hibernia
- Kingdom of the Picts
- Kingdom of the Scots
- Heptarchy
- States in Medieval Britain
- Commonwealth of England
- Kingdom of England
- Kingdom of Ireland
- Kingdom of Scotland (when Picts and Scots merged in 843)
- Kingdom of Great Britain (when England & Scotland merged in 1707);
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (when Great Britain and Ireland merged in 1801)
By subject[edit]
- Economic history of the United Kingdom
- Maritime history of the United Kingdom
- Military history of the United Kingdom
- History of agriculture in Scotland
- History of Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom
- History of Christianity in Scotland
- History of company law in the United Kingdom
- History of education in England
- History of education in Scotland
- History of electroconvulsive therapy in the United Kingdom
- History of fire brigades in the United Kingdom
- History of fire safety legislation in the United Kingdom
- History of football in England
- History of football in Scotland
- History of labour law in the United Kingdom
- History of law enforcement in the United Kingdom
- History of lidos in the United Kingdom
- History of local government in the United Kingdom
- History of medical regulation in the United Kingdom
- History of Megabus routes in the United Kingdom
- History of metrication in the United Kingdom
- History of psychosurgery in the United Kingdom
- History of rail transport in the United Kingdom
- History of rugby union in Scotland
- History of taxation in the United Kingdom
- History of the Church of England
- History of the Constitution of the United Kingdom
- History of the formation of the United Kingdom
- History of the Green Party of England and Wales
- History of the Jews in the United Kingdom
- History of the Marranos in England
- History of rail transport in Great Britain
- History of rail transport in Ireland
- History of the Reformation in Scotland
- History of the socialist movement in the United Kingdom
- History of the trust movement in Scotland
- History of trial by jury in England
- History of violence against LGBT people in the United Kingdom
Culture[edit]
Main article: Culture of the United Kingdom
See also: Culture of England, Culture of Northern Ireland, Culture of Scotland, and Culture of Wales
- British cuisine
- Festivals in the United Kingdom
- Gambling in the United Kingdom
- British humour
- Marriage in the United Kingdom
- Media of the United Kingdom
- Symbols of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
- Prostitution in the United Kingdom
- Public holidays in the United Kingdom
- Religion in the United Kingdom
- World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom
Architecture[edit]
Main article: Architecture of the United Kingdom
- List of cathedrals in England and Wales
- Council Houses
- Energy efficiency in British housing
- Housing associations
- List of bridges in the United Kingdom
- National House Building Council
- New towns
- Piers (England and Wales)
- Reservoirs and dams in the United Kingdom
- Town and Country Planning in the United Kingdom
Architecture of England[edit]
- Abbeys and priories in England
- Crossing the Thames, including tunnels
- Historic houses in England
- Housing Corporation
Architecture of Scotland[edit]
Architecture of Wales[edit]
Architecture of Northern Ireland[edit]
Gardens[edit]
The arts[edit]
Museums[edit]
Music[edit]
Led Zeppelin performing in 1975
The Proms in 2004
Popular music[edit]
Classical music[edit]
- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- BBC National Orchestra of Wales
- BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
- BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO)
- Hallé Orchestra
- Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Philharmonia
- London Symphony Orchestra
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
- The Proms
- British opera
- Ulster Orchestra
Folk music[edit]
Theatre[edit]
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Film[edit]
Main article: Cinema of the United Kingdom
Cultural icons[edit]
,_6_March_2004.jpg)
AEC Routemaster bus
.JPG)
A thistle
United Kingdom icons[edit]
- AEC Routemaster red double-decker bus
- Baked beans
- Basil Fawlty
- The Beatles
- Big Ben chimes
- Black Cab (hackney cab)
- Boudica
- Bowler hat
- Britannia
- British Monarchy
- Britpop
- British Rail
- British Bulldog
- Cap of Maintenance
- A Clockwork Orange
- Cool Britannia
- Concorde
- Coronation Street
- Crossroads
- Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
- Cutty Sark
- Doctor Who
- Dig for Victory
- England expects that every man will do his duty
- Excalibur
- Excalibur (comics)
- Fawlty Towers
- The Few, "..so much owed by so many to so few"
- Fish and chips
- Football (soccer)
- Frank Spencer
- Full breakfast: Full English, Ulster fry, Scottish, Welsh
- Gentleman's Relish
- God Save the Queen
- The Great Escape
- Hackney carriage
- Harry Potter
- Hyacinth Bucket
- The Italian Job
- Jaffa Cakes
- James Bond
- John Bull
- King Arthur
- Land of Hope and Glory
- Land Rover Defender
- Last Night of the Proms
- The Lion and the Unicorn
- Lonsdale Belt
- The Lord of the Rings
- Marks & Spencer
- Marmite
- Mini
- Miniskirt
- Miss Marple
- Mod
- Monty Python
- Morrissey
- Page Three girl
- Pantomime
- Pint glass
- Police box
- Pub
- Punk
- Queen's Guard
- RMS Queen Mary
- Red post boxes
- Red telephone boxes
- Robin
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
- Royal Warrant
- Rule Britannia
- Rugby
- The Sex Pistols
- Sherlock Holmes
- Skinhead
- Special Air Service (SAS)
- Sten
- Suffragettes
- Supermarine Spitfire
- Swinging Sixties
- Tea (cup of)
- Tea (meal)
- Test Card F
- The Beano
- Thunderbirds
- Tommy Atkins (generic name for a British soldier)
- Brodie helmet (helmet worn by the above)
- Trooping the Colour
- Twiglets
- Umbrella
- Union Flag
- Weather
- We shall never surrender, ..fight them on the beaches speech
- Wallace and Gromit
- Wellington boot
- Winston Churchill
- Woolworths Group plc
English icons[edit]
- 1966 World cup squad
- And did those feet in ancient time
- Angel of the North
- Bangers and mash
- Clapham Junction
- Cricket
- Del Boy
- Dixon of Dock Green
- EastEnders
- English rose (personal description)
- FA Premier League
- Full English breakfast
- Jack the Ripper
- King Arthur
- London Bridge
- London Eye
- M25 motorway
- Morris Dance
- Only Fools And Horses
- Oxbridge
- Robin Hood
- Soho
- Spaghetti Junction
- St George's Cross
- Status Quo
- Stilton cheese
- Stonehenge
- The Boat Race
- Three Lions
- Tower Bridge
- Tube map
- Tudor rose
- Yeoman Warders/Yeomen
- White Cliffs of Dover
Northern Irish icons[edit]
Scottish icons[edit]
- Alex Ferguson
- Auld Lang Syne
- Bagpipes
- Ben Nevis
- Billy Connelly
- Edinburgh Castle
- Flower of Scotland
- Forth Bridge
- Full Scottish breakfast
- Hackle
- Great Highland Bagpipes
- Haggis
- Highland games
- Kilt
- Loch Ness
- Old Firm
- Robert the Bruce
- Robbie Burns
- Scotch whisky
- Scotland the Brave
- Scottish Premier League
- Scots Wha Hae
- Sgian dubh
- Shinty
- Stirling Castle
- Tartan
- Thistle
- Trews
- Unicorn
- Up Helly Aa
Welsh icons[edit]
Languages[edit]
Main article: Languages of the United Kingdom
- English Language
- Celtic languages
- Scots in Scotland and Ulster
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- Romany
- Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi languages
People[edit]
Main article: Demography of the United Kingdom
Interest groups and societies[edit]
Religion[edit]
Main article: Religion in the United Kingdom
- Christianity
- Assemblies of God in Great Britain
- Church of England (the established church in England)
- Church of Scotland (the national church of Scotland)
- Church of Ireland
- Church in Wales
- Episcopal Church of Scotland
- Free Church of Scotland (post 1900)
- Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
- Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
- Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland
- Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland
- Presbyterian Church of Ireland
- Presbyterian Church of Wales
- General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
- Methodism
- Open Brethren
- Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland
- Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales
- Roman Catholic Church in Scotland
- United Reformed Church
- Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Hinduism in the United Kingdom
- Islam in the United Kingdom
- Judaism
- Sikhism in the United Kingdom
- Buddhism in the United Kingdom
- Druidism
- Other
Sports, games, and pastimes[edit]
Main article: Sport in the United Kingdom
The following are the major sports; local groups may well play many others.
Angling[edit]
Chess[edit]
Cricket[edit]
Hiking[edit]
Association football[edit]
Wembley Stadium exterior
The Old Firm derby
Main articles: Football in the United Kingdom and Association football
- England
- Scotland
- Scottish Football Association
- Scottish national football team
- List of Scottish Football Clubs
- Scottish Football League
- Scottish Premier League
- Highland Football League
- East of Scotland Football League
- South of Scotland Football League
- Scottish Junior Football Association
- North Caledonian Football League
- Scottish Cup
- Northern Ireland
- Irish Football Association (not to be confused with the Football Association of Ireland)
- Northern Ireland national football team
- Irish Football League (not to be confused with the League of Ireland)
- Wales
Polo[edit]
Rugby[edit]
England playing Wales in the Six Nations
Sport rowing[edit]
- Boat Race (Oxford vs Cambridge)
- Henley Royal Regatta
Skiing[edit]
Other sports, games, and pastimes[edit]
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Olympic Stadium in June 2011
Education[edit]
- Education in the United Kingdom
- Schools in the United Kingdom
- Universities in the United Kingdom
Education in England[edit]
Education in Northern Ireland[edit]
Education in Scotland[edit]
Education in Wales[edit]
See also[edit]
- List of international rankings
- Member states of the Commonwealth of Nations
- Member state of the European Union
- Member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- Member states of the United Nations
- Outline of Europe
- Outline of geography
References[edit]
- ^ a b "United Kingdom". The World Factbook. United States Central Intelligence Agency. 2 July 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
- ^ "Encyclopaedia Britannica". Retrieved 2007-09-25.
Island country located off the north-western coast of mainland Europe
- ^ "Countries within a country". www.number-10.gov.uk. Retrieved 2007-06-13.
Countries within a country
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Atlas of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom travel guide from Wikivoyage- Official website of the British Monarchy
- Official website of the United Kingdom Government
- Official website of the national tourism agency (VisitBritain)
