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United Kingdom
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Customs and Culture
Customs and Culture
Cultural Attributes
People mostly work for leisure opportunities. Food will always be available even if it is paid for by the government. Most children are expected to go on to higher education and most families are able to afford the cost of higher education.
Wealth is best defined by ownership of property. If people have cash they will rarely keep it in cash form. Instead, they will invest it in property to rent off or sell at a higher price. The poorest members of society mostly wish for a "foot on the housing ladder", Money to provide the luxury of entertainment in its many forms is also important.
Individuals are concerned with and prepare themselves financially for old age by working and investing for retirement. The government helps students obtain a higher education by giving students loans to pay for their education, with the expectation that they repay the country when they are in a viable position to do so.
Body language is very easily read in the United Kingdom. If British people feel secure in their lives, then they walk with their heads high. British people have an uncanny ability to describe, in vivid detail, a recent operation or accident to anyone who cares to listen. They revel in minutiae and gossip about everyone. The greatest attribute is that they can see the humor in almost everything. Because of this unique ability, makes them a stronger and prouder nation. When such pride is tested to the limit, (war, for example), then the British public is as one family.
Land of Parliament and Pageantry
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6 more cultural topics for members
Social Customs & Etiquette · Diet · Family · Dating Customs · Recreation · Student Life
Holidays
Birthdate - Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor
6/21Birthday
Birth date - Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor, son of and Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Great Britain. He was born in London, England on June 21, 1982. He is heir to the throne of Britain.
Birth date - Charles Dickens
2/7Birthday
Birth date - Charles Dickens, English author, was born Feb. 7, 1812 in Portsea, England.
Birth date - Edward Lear
5/12Birthday
Birth date - Edward Lear, English poet, was born in London, England on May 12, 1812.
Birth date - Robert Browning
5/7Birthday
Birth date - Robert Browning, English poet, was born in Camberwell, England on May 5, 1812.
Birth date - Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll)
1/27Birthday
Birth date - Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), English author, was born in Daresbury, Cheshire, England on Jan. 27, 1832.
Birth date - Alexander Graham Bell,
3/3Birthday
Birth date - Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 3.1847.
Birth date - Randolph Caldecott
3/22Birthday
Birth date - Randolph Caldecott, English artist, was born in Chester, U.K. on March 22, 1846.
Birth date - William Shakespeare
4/23Birthday
Birth date - William Shakespeare, English playwright and poet, was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England on April 23, 1564.
Birth date - Sir James Matthew Barrie
5/9Birthday
Birth date - Sir James Matthew Barrie, author of Peter Pan, was born in Scotland on May 9, 1860.
Birth date - Edward Jenner
5/17Birthday
Birth date - Edward Jenner, discovered scientific basis of vaccination, was born in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England on May 17, 1749.
Birth date - Margot Fonteyn (Margaret Hookham)
5/18Birthday
Birth date - Margot Fonteyn (Margaret Hookham), British ballerina, was born in Reigate, Surrey, England on May 18, 1919.
Birth date - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor
4/21Birthday
Birth date - Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, The Queen of Great Britain, was born on April 21, 1926 in London, England. Elizabeth II has been the United Kingdom’s reigning monarch since 1952. She was proclaimed queen on 6 February 1952 following the death of her father, George VI; she was formally crowned the next year, on 2 June 1953.
Birth date - Prince Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor
11/14Birthday
Birth date - Prince Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor, heir to the throne of Britain, was born in London, England on Nov. 14, 1948.
Birth date - Prince Henry Charles Albert David Windsor
9/15Birthday
Birth date - Prince Henry Charles Albert David Windsor, son of and Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Great Britain, was born in London, England on Sept. 15, 1984.
Birth date - Princess Diana Frances Spencer
7/1Birthday
Birth date - Princess Diana Frances Spencer, was born in Norfolk, England on July 1, 1961.
Birth date - Prince Philip Mountbatten
6/10Birthday
Birth date - Prince Philip Mountbatten , was born in June 10, 1921 in Isle of Corfu, Greece. He is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II.
Birth date - Beatrix Potter
7/28Birthday
Birth date - Beatrix Potter, English artist and author of the Tales of Peter Rabbit, was born in London, England on July 28, 1866.
Birth date - Joanne Kathleen (J.K.) Rowling
7/31Birthday
Birth date - Joanne Kathleen (J.K.) Rowling, English author of Harry Potter series, was born in Chipping Sodbury, England on July 31, 1965.
Birth date - Percy Bysshe Shelley
8/4Birthday
Birth date - Percy Bysshe Shelley, English poet, was born new Sussex, England on Aug. 4, 1792.
Birth date - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
8/6Birthday
Birth date - Alfred, Lord Tennyson, English poet, was born in Somersby, Lincolnshire on Aug. 6, 1809.
Birth date - Sir Walter Scott
8/15Birthday
Birth date - Sir Walter Scott, Scottish author of Ivanhoe, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on Aug. 15, 1771.
Birth date - Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley
8/30Birthday
Birth date - Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley, English author of Frankenstein, was born on Aug. 30, 1797 in London, England.
Birth date - Roald Dahl
9/13Birthday
Birth date - Roald Dahl, English author, was born in Llandaff, Wales, UK on Sept. 13, 1916.
Birth date - Arthur Rackham
9/19Birthday
Birth date - Arthur Rackham, English illustrator, was born in London, England on Sept. 19, 1867.
Birth date - David Robert Joseph Beckham
5/25Birthday
Birth date - David Robert Joseph Beckham, soccer great, was born in Leytonstone, London, England on May 25, 1975.
Birth date - Geoffrey Chaucer
10/25Birthday
Birth date - Geoffrey Chaucer, English poet and author of The Canterbury Tales, was born in London, England on Oct. 25, 1328.
Birth date - Edmund Halley
11/8Birthday
Birth date - Edmund Halley, English astronomer, was born in Haggerston, Shoreditch, London, England on Nov.8, 1656.
Birth date - Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson
11/13Birthday
Birth date - Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson, Scottish author and poet, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on Nov. 13, 1850.
Birth date - William Blake
11/28Birthday
Birth date - William Blake, English poet, was born on Nov. 28, 1757 in Golden Square, Soho, London, England.
Christmas
12/25Christmas
Dates of Interest
- Last Monday in August
Summer Bank Holiday celebrates the end of the summer season.
How do people greet each other in the United Kingdom?
Most people say "hello," while a senior person or someone in an important position is greeted with "good morning/afternoon/evening." Formal situations call for a handshake, while friends may hug.
Do
- Use a handshake in formal situations, for men and between women
- Reserve hugs for close friends, predominantly among women
- Say "good morning/afternoon/evening" to seniors or important people
- Say "Excuse me!" or "Sorry, I wonder if you could help me?" to call someone over
Good to know
- Raise your hand when there is a significant distance between you and the other person
- A single raised hand can serve as a woman-to-woman greeting
What are the dining customs in the United Kingdom?
Families typically eat three meals a day: breakfast around 7 AM, lunch at 1 PM, and dinner/tea at 6 PM. Breakfast is usually eaten at home, and dinner out is generally a treat.
Do
- Keep your hands above the table so it's easier to communicate
- Rest your wrists on the edge of the table
- Let the senior member of the family sit at the head of the table
Don’t
- Don't put your elbows on the table
Good to know
- Workers often lunch at a cafe near their workplace unless the company provides food
- Younger people and students eat out more often
What etiquette should I know when visiting the United Kingdom?
People often socialize in public over a drink at a pub or bar, and hosts are obliged to accept even uninvited visitors. Departures involve handshakes, hugs, or waves.
Do
- Give a handshake/hug and a wave when leaving
- Say goodbye to everyone in a room generally rather than individually
Good to know
- Upper and upper-middle-class people may give a single kiss on the cheek when leaving
- Villagers meet at the town hall to discuss community matters
How should I dress in the United Kingdom?
Men typically wear a suit and tie or smart pants and shirts, while women wear a jacket with a skirt or pants, though more comfortable workplace attire is increasingly common.
Good to know
- Young men and women tend to wear jeans and T-shirts
What gestures and body language should I be aware of in the United Kingdom?
Maintain a 'person-sized' space unless you're close friends, and make eye contact during conversation. Say "excuse me" to get someone's attention.
Do
- Look at a person while in conversation
- Keep your hands in your lap or on a table
- Say "excuse me" or "excuse me please" to get attention
- Use "sir" fairly commonly, as in "excuse me sir"
Don’t
- Don't touch someone you aren't very good friends with
- Don't cross your arms, as it can be considered patronizing
- Never click your fingers to get attention
- Rarely use "madam"
Good to know
- Body language is very easily read in the UK
What is family life like in the United Kingdom?
Most English families are small with one or two children, and about 80% of families with children are two-parent families. Modern English society is multicultural, and the traditional class system is gradually eroding.
Good to know
- The English prefer to live in houses rather than apartments
- Council housing provides low-cost homes for those with restricted incomes
- Relatives, neighbors, and "home help" volunteers support elderly people who wish to stay in their own homes
- People may still categorize others by speech, behavior, or lifestyle
What do people do for recreation in the United Kingdom?
Cricket is England's national game, and soccer (football), rugby, and walking in the countryside are all popular. Spectator sports include horse racing, greyhound racing, motor racing, and tennis at Wimbledon.
Good to know
- The FA Cup Final each May is the highlight of the soccer year
- Walkers may use historic footpaths that cross private property if the path is regularly used
- In pubs and clubs, people enjoy snooker and darts
- The Oxford-Cambridge rowing race is held at Henley on the Thames each year
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports
Photos of United Kingdom
Photos of United Kingdom
Travel and Tourism
Travel and Tourism
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
- Currency
- British pound (GBP)
- Time Difference
- UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories
- Climate
- Prevailing southwesterly winds, influenced by the Gulf Stream, make Britain's climate temperate and equable year round. Weather patterns frequently change, but few temperature extremes occur. Temperatures range from a mean of 40°F in winter to about 60°F in summer. A low of 20°F sometimes occurs in winter, and a high of 90°F may rarely occur in summer. Average annual rainfall is 30-50 inches, usually distributed evenly throughout the year. Cloud cover is persistent, however, limiting sunshine to an average of about 6-7 hours a day in summer and 1-2 hours a day in winter.
- Airports
- 462
Read the full travel guide — health, safety, vaccinations, disease risk, sanitation, and transit details.
View full travel guideRecipes
Recipes
History
History
Historical Eras
Roman & Early Medieval
55 BCE – 1066
Julius Caesar's expeditions of 55–54 BC and the Claudian conquest of 43 AD brought most of Britain into the Roman Empire, introducing roads, towns, and Latin culture. Rome's withdrawal in the early 5th century left Britain vulnerable to waves of Anglo-Saxon and Viking incursions. These migrations reshaped the island's language, culture, and political geography, producing a patchwork of competing kingdoms that would eventually coalesce into England and Scotland.
Medieval England
1066 – 1485
William the Conqueror's victory at Hastings in 1066 transformed English governance, introducing Norman feudalism, the Tower of London, and closer ties to continental Europe. Key institutions emerged during this era: Magna Carta (1215) limited royal power, Parliament took shape, and common law developed. The period was also marked by the Hundred Years' War with France, the Black Death (1349–51), and the English conquest of Wales under Edward I.
Tudor & Stuart Era
1485 – 1707
The Tudor dynasty under Henry VII, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I brought the English Reformation, the defeat of the Spanish Armada (1588), and the foundations of English sea power and overseas trade. The Stuart period saw England, Scotland, and Ireland convulsed by civil war, the execution of Charles I (1649), and the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which enshrined constitutional monarchy. The Acts of Union 1707 united England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain under a single Parliament.
Empire & Industry
1707 – 1914
Britain emerged from the Napoleonic Wars (ended 1815) as the world's foremost naval and commercial power, embarking on an era of unprecedented industrial and imperial expansion. The Industrial Revolution transformed society, making Britain the workshop of the world, while the British Empire at its Victorian zenith encompassed roughly one-quarter of the globe. Parliamentary reform, the abolition of slavery, and the expansion of suffrage marked significant domestic progress alongside this global dominance.
World Wars & Decline
1914 – 1945
Britain suffered enormous human and financial losses in both World Wars, with nearly a million dead in the First World War and sustained aerial bombardment and global conflict in the Second. Winston Churchill's wartime leadership proved decisive in resisting Nazi Germany, but the wars left Britain economically exhausted and politically diminished. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 partitioned Ireland, and the foundations of Empire began visibly to crack as independence movements gained momentum across Asia and Africa.
Post-War Modern UK
1945 – present
The postwar Labour government established the National Health Service (1948) and the modern welfare state, while the British Empire was systematically dismantled into the Commonwealth of Nations. Britain became a founding member of NATO and a permanent UN Security Council member, but relative economic decline prompted entry into the European Economic Community in 1973. Devolution in 1999 created the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly, and the 2016 Brexit referendum set Britain on a course to leave the European Union, reshaping its global role once again.
Overview
The Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC and most of Britain’s subsequent incorporation into the Roman Empire stimulated development and brought more active contacts with the rest of Europe. As Rome’s strength declined, the country again was exposed to invasion--including the pivotal incursions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the fifth and sixth centuries AD--up to the Norman conquest in 1066.
Timeline of Key Events
604
St Paul’s Cathedral in London founded.
St Paul’s Cathedral in London founded.
1010
London Bridge torn down by Vikings with grappling irons.
London Bridge torn down by Vikings with grappling irons.
1045 – 1050
Building of Westminster Abbey; consecrated 28 Dec 1065.
Building of Westminster Abbey; consecrated 28 Dec 1065.
1081
Building of Tower of London starts.
Building of Tower of London starts.
1100
First record of football in England.
The first written evidence of a football match came in about 1170, when William Fitzstephen wrote of his visit to London.
1231
Cambridge University organized and granted Royal Charter.
Cambridge University organized and granted Royal Charter.
1296
Annexation of Scotland by England.
Annexation of Scotland by England.
Read the full history profile — narrative overview, defining eras, and the complete timeline in one place.
View expanded historyInteresting Facts
Interesting Facts
When a child loses a tooth they put their tooth under their pillow and wait for the Tooth Fairy to come.
Big Ben is a thirteen ton bell housed in a famous clock tower in London, England. The four dials of the clock are 23 feet square, the minute hand is 14 feet long and the figures are 2 feet high. Minutely regulated with a stack of coins placed on the huge pendulum, Big Ben is an excellent timekeeper, which has rarely stopped. The bell was named after the first commissioner or works, Sir Benjamin Hall. This bell came originally from the old Palace of Westminster, it was given to the Dean of St. Paul's by William III. Before returning to Westminster to hang in its present home, it was refashioned in Whitechapel in 1858. The BBC first broadcast the chimes on the 31st December 1923 - there is a microphone in the turret connected to Broadcasting House. During the second world war in 1941, an incendiary bomb destroyed the Commons chamber of the Houses of Parliament, but the clock tower remained intact and Big Ben continued to keep time and strike away the hours, its unique sound was broadcast to the nation and around the world, a welcome reassurance of hope to all who heard it. There are even cells within the clock tower where Members of Parliament can be imprisoned for a breach of parliamentary privilege, though this is rare; the last recorded case was in 1880.
Stonehenge is widely consdiered to be Britain's greatest national icon, symbolizing mystery, power and endurance. Its original purpose is unclear, but some have speculated that it was a temple made for the worship of ancient earth deities. It has been called an astronomical observatory for marking significant events on the prehistoric calendar. Others claim that it was a sacred site for the burial of high-ranking citizens from the societies of long ago. It was not constructed for a casual purpose. Only something very important to the ancients would have been worth the effort and investment that it took to construct Stonehenge.
In its day, the construction of Stonehenge was an impressive engineering feat, requiring commitment, time and vast amounts of manual labor. In its first phase, Stonehenge was a large earthwork; a bank and ditch arrangement called a henge, constructed approximately 5,000 years ago. It is believed that the ditch was dug with tools made from the antlers of red deer and, possibly, wood. The underlying chalk was loosened with picks and shoveled with the shoulderblades of cattle. It was then loaded into baskets and carried away. Modern experiments have shown that these tools were more than equal to the great task of earth digging and moving.
See every fact — trivia, oddities, and curious tidbits gathered from across the country.
View all interesting factsGeography and Environment
Geography and Environment
- Terrain
- mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
- Climate
- Prevailing southwesterly winds, influenced by the Gulf Stream, make Britain's climate temperate and equable year round. Weather patterns frequently change, but few temperature extremes occur. Temperatures range from a mean of 40°F in winter to about 60°F in summer. A low of 20°F sometimes occurs in winter, and a high of 90°F may rarely occur in summer. Average annual rainfall is 30-50 inches, usually distributed evenly throughout the year. Cloud cover is persistent, however, limiting sunshine to an average of about 6-7 hours a day in summer and 1-2 hours a day in winter.
- Natural Hazards
- winter windstorms; floods
- Current Environmental Issues
- continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to meet the legally binding target and move towards a domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government aims to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015; between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling increased from 8.8% to 10.3%
Read the full geography and environment profile — terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, land use, and international agreements.
View full geographyPeople & Demographics
People & Demographics
Religion
Languages Spoken
English
note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland), Welsh (about 20% of the population of Wales), Irish (about 10% of the population of Northern Ireland), Cornish (some 2,000 to 3,000 in Cornwall)
- English
- scottish
- Welsh
Population
- Population
- 67,736,802
- Population: Male/Female
- male: 34,005,445 female: 34,453,610
- Population Distribution
- the core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scottish lowlands between Edinburgh and Glasgow, southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and far eastern Northern Ireland centered on Belfast
- Urban Population
- urban population: 84.6% of total population rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change
- Population in Major Urban Areas
- 9.648 million LONDON (capital), 2.791 million Manchester, 2.665 million Birmingham, 1.929 million West Yorkshire, 1.698 million Glasgow, 952,000 Southampton/Portsmouth
- Nationality Noun
- noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural) adjective: British
- Ethnic Groups
- White 87.2%, Black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7%
- Language Note
- English
Education
- Literacy Definition
- age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling
The state school system is free to students in the United Kingdom. Even all writing materials, textbooks, and other needs are provided for the students, unlike most countries that claim to provide free education but actually charge for a range of things, such as textbooks and other similar learning materials.
The condition of the schools depends mostly on the community they are in. Schools in older areas with high unemployment and lower family incomes are often quite rundown. In schools filled with students from high-income families, the buildings and grounds are nicely maintained. Although all classrooms have at least one computer, additional computers are more likely to be found in schools in upscale neighborhoods. The classrooms themselves are decorated by the teachers and can be quite colorful if the teacher is particularly creative. In primary school, the class size is normally kept to about 30 students in each class. Because teachers do a fair amount of small group learning activities, it is quite normal for the students to sit around tables rather than at desks, with five or six students at each group table.
As students get older, and subjects are taught by different teachers, the students change classrooms to attend the right teacher’s class.
Because of shootings in several schools a few years ago, all doors in primary schools and all classrooms in secondary schools are locked during school hours. This is true throughout the United Kingdom.
Health Information
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- total population: 81.7 years male: 79.8 years female: 83.7 years
- Major Infectious Diseases — degree of risk
- note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an updated Travel Alert for polio in Europe; the United Kingdom is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
- Alcohol consumption per capita
- total: 9.8 liters of pure alcohol beer: 3.53 liters of pure alcohol wine: 3.3 liters of pure alcohol spirits: 2.35 liters of pure alcohol other alcohols: 0.61 liters of pure alcohol
- Tobacco Use
- total: 15.4% male: 17.3% female: 13.5%
- Child Marriage
- 50.7
- Infant Mortality Rate
- total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- total population: 81.7 years male: 79.8 years female: 83.7 years
- Median Age
- total: 40.8 years male: 40.1 years female: 41.5 years
- Age Structure
- 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 5,872,937/female 5,592,665) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 22,062,643/female 21,702,401) 65 years and over: 19.3% (male 6,069,865/female 7,158,544)
- Infant Mortality Rate
- total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Read the full people and society profile — demographics, health, education, religion, languages, and notable people.
View full people and societyGovernment & Politics
Government & Politics
Country Identity
- Country Name
- UnitedKingdom
- Full Country Name
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Government Structure
- Government Type
- constitutional monarchy
- Legal System
- common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; has judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
- Executive Branch
- chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); Heir Apparent Prince WILLIAM (Prince of Wales, born 21 June 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Keir STARMER (since 5 July 2024) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister
- Legislative Branch
- Bicameral Parliament comprised of the House of Lords (consists of approximately 800 members, including life peers appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Prime Minister, 92 hereditary peers elected by their peers to remain following the House of Lords Act 1999, and 26 Lords Spiritual representing the Church of England) and the House of Commons (650 seats; members are elected by popular vote using a first-past-the-post system to serve terms of up to five years unless the House is dissolved earlier). Elections: House of Lords - no general elections (hereditary peer vacancies are filled by by-elections among peers of the same party or grouping); House of Commons - last held on 4 July 2024. Election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Labour 33.7%, Conservative 23.7%, Liberal Democrats 12.2%, Reform UK 14.3%, Scottish National Party (SNP) 2.5%, other 13.6%; seats by party - Labour 412, Conservative 121, Liberal Democrats 72, Reform UK 5, SNP 9, other 31. Note: Devolved legislatures operate in Scotland (Scottish Parliament), Wales (Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament), and Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland Assembly). The Scottish Parliament and Welsh Parliament were established following referendums and elections in 1999. The Northern Ireland Assembly, established under the Good Friday Agreement, has experienced several suspensions since its creation, most recently between February 2022 and February 2024, when a new power-sharing Executive was restored.
- Judicial Branch
- House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts); Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Constitution
- unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
- Independence
- England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the union between England and Wales, begun in 1284 with the Statute of Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union; in another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland
- National Holiday
- the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday
Capital City
- Capital Name
- London
- Capital - geographic coordinate
- 51 30 N, 0 05 W
- Capital Time Difference
- UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories
the name derives from the Roman settlement of Londinium, established on the current site of London around A.D. 43; the original meaning of the name is uncertain
Military
Branches: Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force
Embassy / Diplomatic Mission
U.S. Embassy London
24 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 6AH
Telephone: 020-7499-9000
Telephone from the United States: 011-44-20-7499-9000 (24 hours)
Consular fax: 020-7495-5012
Consular fax from the United States: 011-44-20-7495-5012
U.S. Consulate General Edinburgh, Scotland
3 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BW
Telephone: 013-1556-8315
Telephone from the United States: 011-44-13-1556-8315
Emergency after-hours telephone: 020-7499-9000
Emergency after-hours telephone from the United States: 011-44-20-7499-9000
Fax: 0131-557-6023
Fax from the United States: 011-44-131-557-6023
U.S. Consulate General Belfast, Northern Ireland
Danesfort House, 223 Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5GR
Telephone: 028-9038-6100
Telephone from the United States: 011-44-28-9038-6100
Emergency after-hours telephone: 01253 501106
Emergency after-hours telephone from the United States: 011-44-1253 501106
Fax: 028-9068-1301
Fax from the United States: 011-44-28-9068-1301
There is no U.S. consular representation in Gibraltar. You should direct passport questions from there to the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, located at Serrano 75, Madrid, Spain; telephone: 34-91-587-2200 and fax: 34-91-587-2303. You should direct all other inquiries to the U.S. Embassy in London.
Read the full government profile — flag symbolism, national anthem, and other national symbols.
View full government detailsEconomy
Economy
The United Kingdom is a leading trading power and financial center, and one of the largest economies in Europe.
Snapshot
- Currency Name and Code
- Pound Sterling (GBP)
- GDP — official exchange rate
- $2,228,000,000,000 (USD)
- GDP Real Growth Rate
- 0.1%
- Gini Index
- 36.8
News & Weather
News & Weather
Current Weather
Latest News
UK funeral director faces jail over bodies left 'on racks' - France 24
France 24 · 1h ago
Tate brothers' lawyers and prosecutors to set schedule for UK extradition fight - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos
ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos · 9h ago
Tesla wins bid to revive UK lawsuit for 5G patents licence - Reuters
Reuters · 2h ago
'Give him his passport' - Hearn backs British champion's citizenship fight - BBC
BBC · 2h ago
Poll shows Labour ahead of Reform UK for first time since Burnham became PM – UK politics live - The Guardian
The Guardian · 8h ago
Zelenskyy Arrives in UK for Burnham Talks Before Visit to Trump - Bloomberg.com
Bloomberg.com · 4h ago
Brexit balance sheet: why the UK economy is faltering - DW.com
DW.com · 2h ago
UK prime minister to hand Zelenskyy Stone Cloak technology rights on 27 July – The Independent - Українська правда
Українська правда · 16h ago
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Climate Overview
Prevailing southwesterly winds, influenced by the Gulf Stream, make Britain's climate temperate and equable year round. Weather patterns frequently change, but few temperature extremes occur. Temperatures range from a mean of 40°F in winter to about 60°F in summer. A low of 20°F sometimes occurs in winter, and a high of 90°F may rarely occur in summer. Average annual rainfall is 30-50 inches, usually distributed evenly throughout the year. Cloud cover is persistent, however, limiting sunshine to an average of about 6-7 hours a day in summer and 1-2 hours a day in winter.
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Last reviewed 2026