United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [11] | | | Motto
"Dieu et mon droit"[12] (French)
"God and my right" | Anthem
"God Save the Queen"[13]
| Location of the United Kingdom (dark green) – on the European continent (light green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (light green) UK or Uk may represent any number of things: United Kingdom: commonly UK, country code GB, internet domain . ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ...
Image File history File links UK_Royal_Coat_of_Arms. ...
Flag Ratio: 1:2 Flag Ratio: 3:5 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland uses as its national flag the Royal Banner commonly known as the Union Flag or, popularly, Union Jack (although officially this title should only be given to the flag when it is flown...
The Royal Arms as used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch, and are officially...
For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ...
Dieu et mon droit (French for God and my [birth] right) has generally been used as the motto of the British monarch since it was adopted by Henry V (1413-22). ...
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogising the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognised either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ...
Publication of an early version in The Gentlemans Magazine, 15 October 1745. ...
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For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...
| Capital
(and largest city) | London
51°30′N, 0°7′W | | Official languages | English[14] (de facto) | | Recognised regional languages | Irish Gaelic, Ulster Scots, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish[15] | | Demonym | British, Briton | | Government | Constitutional monarchy (Parliamentary democracy) | | - | Monarch | HM Queen Elizabeth II | | - | Prime Minister | Gordon Brown | | Formation | | - | Acts of Union | May 1, 1707 | | - | Act of Union | January 1, 1801 | | - | Anglo-Irish Treaty | April 12, 1922 | Accession to
the European Union | January 1, 1973 | | Area | | - | Total | 244,820 km² (79th)
94,526 sq mi | | - | Water (%) | 1.34 | | Population | | - | mid-2006 estimate | 60,587,300[1] (22nd) | | - | 2001 census | 58,789,194[16] | | - | Density | 246 /km² (48th)
637 /sq mi | | GDP (PPP) | 2006 estimate | | - | Total | $2.375 trillion (5th) | | - | Per capita | $35,051 (11th) | | GDP (nominal) | 2007 estimate | | - | Total | $2.660.7 trillion[17] (5th) | | - | Per capita | $38,624 (13th) | | Gini? (1999) | 36.8 (medium) | | HDI (2006) |
 0.940 (high) (18th) | | Currency | Pound sterling (£) (GBP) | | Time zone | GMT (UTC+0) | | - | Summer (DST) | BST (UTC+1) | | Internet TLD | .uk[18] | | Calling code | +44 | ^ In the United Kingdom and Dependencies, some other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous (regional) languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, the UK's official name is as follows:
Cornish: Rywvaneth Unys Breten Veur ha Kledhbarth Iwerdhon; Irish: Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire agus Thuaisceart Éireann; Scots: Unitit Kinrick o Graet Breetain an Northren Irland; Scottish Gaelic: An Rìoghachd Aonaichte na Breatainn Mhòr agus Eirinn a Tuath; Welsh: Teyrnas Unedig Prydain Fawr a Gogledd Iwerddon.
^ This is the royal motto. In Scotland, the royal motto is the Latin phrase Nemo Me Impune Lacessit ("No-one provokes me with impunity"). There is also a variant form of the coat-of-arms for use in Scotland; see Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom.
^ See #Symbols below. It also serves as the Royal anthem.
^ English is established by de facto usage. In Wales, the Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg is tasked with ensuring that, "in the conduct of public business and the administration of justice, the English and Welsh languages should be treated on a basis of equality".[2][3] The Bòrd na Gàidhlig is tasked with "securing the status of the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland commanding equal respect to the English language".[4]
^ Under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages the Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, Irish, Ulster Scots and Scots languages are officially recognised as Regional or Minority languages by the UK Government.[5] See also Languages in the United Kingdom.
^ CIA Factbook. Official estimate provided by the UK Office for National Statistics.[6]
^ ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 is GB, but .gb is practically unused. The .eu domain is also shared with other European Union member states. | The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain)[7] is a country[8][9] to the north-west of mainland Europe. It comprises the island of Great Britain, the north-east part of the island of Ireland and many small local islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland.[10][11][12] Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. The largest island, Great Britain, is linked to France by the Channel Tunnel. Not to be confused with capitol. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with English population statistics. ...
This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...
An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ...
The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...
De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without...
A regional language is a language spoken in a part of a country, be it may be a small area, a federal state or province, or a wider area. ...
This article is about the modern Goidelic language. ...
Ulster Scots, also known as Ullans, Hiberno-Scots, or Scots-Irish, refers to the variety of Scots (sometimes referred to as Lowland Scots) spoken in parts of the province of Ulster, which spans the six counties of Northern Ireland and three of the Republic of Ireland. ...
Scots refers to the Anglic varieties spoken in parts of Scotland. ...
Scottish Gaelic (GÃ idhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ...
Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ...
For the Cornish-English dialect, see West Country dialects. ...
A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ...
Languages Cornish, Dgèrnésiais, English, French, Irish, Jèrriais, Manx, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Llanito Religions Anglican, Presbyterianism, Roman Catholicism - Related ethnic groups British-Americans, Anglo-Celtic Australian, Anglo-African, Belongers, English Canadians, Channel Islanders, Cornish, English, Anglo-Irish, Ulster-Scots, Irish, Manx, New Zealand European, Scottish, Welsh British...
Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box: A constitutional monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not bound by a...
A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ...
This article is about the monarchy of the United Kingdom, one of sixteen that share a common monarch; for information about this constitutional relationship, see Commonwealth realm; for information on the reigning monarch, see Elizabeth II. For information about other Commonwealth realm monarchies, as well as other relevant articles, see...
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ...
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ...
For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ...
This does not cite any references or sources. ...
The Acts of Union were a pair of Acts of Parliament passed in 1706 and 1707 (taking effect on 1 May 1707) by, respectively, the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. ...
is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Events January 1 - John V is crowned King of Portugal March 26 - The Acts of Union becomes law, making the separate Kingdoms of England and Scotland into one country, the Kingdom of Great Britain. ...
The Act of Union 1800 merged the Kingdom of Ireland and the Kingdom of Great Britain (itself a merger of England and Wales and Scotland under the Act of Union 1707) to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801. ...
is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ...
Signature page of the Anglo-Irish Treaty The Anglo-Irish Treaty, officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a treaty between the Government of the United Kingdom and representatives of the extra-judicial Irish Republic that concluded the Irish War of Independence. ...
is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The European Union (EU) was created by six founding states in 1957 (following the earlier establishment by the same six states of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952) and has grown to 27 member states. ...
is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ...
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To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ...
This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ...
A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...
Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ...
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This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ...
Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ...
Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ...
Gross domestic product (by purchasing power parity) in 2006 The purchasing power parity (PPP) theory was developed by Gustav Cassel in 1920. ...
One million million (1,000,000,000,000) is the natural number following 999,999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,000,001. ...
There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ...
Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ...
Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita for the year 2006. ...
One million million (1,000,000,000,000) is the natural number following 999,999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,000,001. ...
Countries by nominal GDP. Source: IMF (2005) This article includes a list of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ...
Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ...
Map of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita for the year 2006. ...
Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ...
World map indicating Human Development Index (2006). ...
Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Coloured world map indicating Human Development Index (2006) (colour-blind compliant map) This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Programmes Human Development Report 2006, compiled on the basis of 2004 data. ...
“GBP†redirects here. ...
ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ...
Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ...
“GMT†redirects here. ...
“UTC†redirects here. ...
Though DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ...
Time zones of Europe: Light colours indicate countries not observing daylight saving British Summer Time (BST) is the changing of the clocks in effect in the United Kingdom and Irish Summer Time (IST) in Republic of Ireland between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October each...
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A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ...
A telephone number is a sequence of decimal digits (0-9) that is used for identifying a destination telephone line in a telephone network. ...
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The United Kingdom does not have a constitutionally defined official language. ...
An autochthonous language is an indigenous language, one resident for a considerable length of time in a territory or region spoken by an autochthonous group. ...
A regional language is a language spoken in a part of a country, be it may be a small area, a federal state or province, or a wider area. ...
// The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) is a European treaty (CETS 148) adopted in 1992 under the auspices of the Council of Europe to protect and promote historical regional and minority languages in Europe. ...
For the Cornish-English dialect, see West Country dialects. ...
Scots refers to the Anglic varieties spoken in parts of Scotland. ...
// Scottish Gaelic (GÃ idhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ...
Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ...
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Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one wounds me with impunity, literally meaning (lacessere = to appeal to, to provoke, to attack): No one provokes me with impunity) is the royal Scottish motto, used historically for the Kingdom of Scotland where it appeared on the Royal Arms of Scotland. ...
The Royal Arms as used in England, Wales and Northern Ireland The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch, and are officially...
A royal anthem is a patriotic song, much like a national anthem that recognizes the nations monarch. ...
The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...
De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without...
This article is about the country. ...
The Welsh Language Board (in Welsh, Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg) is a statutory body set up by the British Government as part of the 1992 Welsh Language Act. ...
Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ...
Bòrd na Gà idhlig /borst na ga:lIk/ is the Scottish government appointed agency with responsibility for Scottish Gaelic. ...
// Scottish Gaelic (GÃ idhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ...
An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ...
This article is about the country. ...
// The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) is a European treaty (CETS 148) adopted in 1992 under the auspices of the Council of Europe to protect and promote historical regional and minority languages in Europe. ...
For the Cornish-English dialect, see West Country dialects. ...
Ulster-Scots are an Irish ethnic group descended from mainly Lowland Scots who settled in the Province of Ulster in Ireland, first beginning in large numbers during the 17th century. ...
Scots refers to the Anglic varieties spoken in parts of Scotland. ...
A regional language is a language spoken in a part of a country, be it may be a small area, a federal state or province, or a wider area. ...
A minority language is a language spoken by a minority of the population of a country. ...
The agencies responsible for the government of the United Kingdom consist of a number of ministerial departments (usually headed by a Secretary of State) and non-ministerial departments headed by senior civil servants. ...
The United Kingdom does not have a constitutionally defined official language. ...
Office for National Statistics logo The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the United Kingdom government executive agency charged with the collection and publication of statistics related to the economy, population and society of the United Kingdom at national and local levels. ...
ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes are two-letter country codes in the ISO 3166-1 standard to represent countries and dependent areas. ...
For an explanation of terms such as Great Britain, British, United Kingdom, England, Scotland and Wales, see British Isles (terminology). ...
.gb is a reserved Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United Kingdom. ...
For other uses, see Country (disambiguation). ...
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and, at times, peninsulas. ...
Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...
The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ...
Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: , the sleeve) is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ...
Relief map of the Irish Sea. ...
The British terminal at Cheriton in west Folkestone, from the Pilgrims Way. ...
The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy comprising four constituent countries — England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales — with Elizabeth II as head of state. The Crown Dependencies of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, formally possessions of the Crown, are not part of the UK but form a federacy with it.[13] The UK has fourteen overseas territories,[14] all remnants of the British Empire, which at its height encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface. It is a highly developed country, with the fifth-largest economy in the world. A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ...
Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box: A constitutional monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not bound by a...
Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the former Yugoslavia[1], the Soviet Union and European institutions such as the Council of...
For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...
Northern Ireland (Irish: ) is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...
This article is about the country. ...
This article is about the country. ...
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ...
For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ...
The Isle of Man is situated in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland, and the bailiwicks of Jersey and Guersey are situated in the English Channel to the west of the Cotentin Crown dependencies are possessions of The Crown in Right of the United Kingdom, as opposed to...
This article is about the British dependencies. ...
This article refers to the Commonwealths concept of the monarchys legal authority. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Federation. ...
A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (almost exclusively Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ...
The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...
Britain was the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th century,[15] but the economic cost of two world wars and the decline of its empire in the latter half of the 20th century diminished its leading role in global affairs. The UK nevertheless retains major economic, cultural, military and political influence today and is a nuclear power, with the second highest defence spending in the world. It holds a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, and is a member of the G8, NATO, the European Union and the Commonwealth of Nations. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
This is a list of states with nuclear weapons, sometimes called the nuclear club. ...
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
“Security Council†redirects here. ...
Group of Eight redirects here. ...
This article is about the military alliance. ...
The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2006 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders - Queen Elizabeth II - Secretary-General Don McKinnon (since 1 April 2000) Establishment - Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926 - Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931 - London Declaration 28 April 1949 Area - Total...
History -
England and Scotland had existed as separate sovereign and independent states with their own monarchs and political structures since the 9th century. The once independent Principality of Wales fell under the control of English monarchs from the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284. Under the Acts of Union 1707, England (including Wales) and Scotland, which had been in personal union since the Union of the Crowns in 1603, agreed to a political union in the form of a unified Kingdom of Great Britain.[16] The Act of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain with the Kingdom of Ireland, which had been gradually brought under English control between 1541 and 1691, to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.[17] Independence for the Irish Free State in 1922 followed the partition of the island of Ireland two years previously, with six of the nine counties of the province of Ulster remaining within the UK, which then changed to the current name in 1927 of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.[18] This does not cite any references or sources. ...
The battle of Waterloo, by William Sadler This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...
The battle of Waterloo, by William Sadler This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...
Combatants First French Empire Seventh Coalition: United Kingdom Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of the United Netherlands Kingdom of Hanover Duchy of Nassau Duchy of Brunswick Commanders Napoleon Bonaparte, Michel Ney Duke of Wellington, Gebhard von Blücher Prince William of Orange Strength 73,000 67,000 Coalition 60,000 Prussian...
Combatants Austria[1] Portugal Prussia[1] Russia[2] Sicily Spain[3] Sweden United Kingdom[4] French Empire Holland Italy Naples [5] Duchy of Warsaw Bavaria[6] Saxony[7] Denmark-Norway [8] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack von Leiberich João Francisco de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun Gebhard von...
Motto Dieu et mon droit(French) God and my right Territory of the Kingdom of England Capital Winchester; London from 11th century Language(s) Old English (de facto, until 1066) Anglo-Norman language (de jure, 1066 - 15th century) English (de facto, gradually replaced French from late 13th century) Government Monarchy...
Motto Latin: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) (Scots: Wha daur meddle wi me) Capital Edinburgh¹ Language(s) Gaelic, Scots Government Monarchy King/Queen - 843-860 Kenneth I - 1587–1625 James VI - 1702-1714 Anne Legislature Parliament of Scotland History - United 843 - Union of the...
This article treats the generic title monarch. ...
This article is about the country. ...
The Statute of Rhuddlan was enacted on 3 March 1284 after the conquest of Wales by the English king Edward I. The Statute of Rhuddlan was issued from Rhuddlan Castle in North Wales, which was built as one of the iron ring of fortresses by Edward I, in his late...
The Acts of Union were a pair of Acts of Parliament passed in 1706 and 1707 (taking effect on 1 May 1707) by, respectively, the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. ...
It has been suggested that Dynastic union be merged into this article or section. ...
The Union of the Crowns refers to the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the thrones of England and Ireland, in March 1603. ...
For an explanation of terms such as Scotland, Wales, England, (Great) Britain and United Kingdom, see British Isles (terminology). ...
The Act of Union 1800 merged the Kingdom of Ireland and the Kingdom of Great Britain (itself a merger of England and Wales and Scotland under the Act of Union 1707) to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801. ...
Coat of arms1 Capital Dublin Language(s) Irish, English Government Monarchy King2 - 1542-1547 Henry VIII - 1760-1801 George III Chief Secretary - 1660 Matthew Lock - 1798-1801 Viscount Castlereagh Legislature Parliament of Ireland - Upper house Irish House of Lords - Lower house Irish House of Commons History - Act of Parliament 1541...
The Treaty of Limerick ended the Williamite war in Ireland between the Jacobites and the supporters of William of Orange. ...
Motto Dieu et mon droit(French) God and my right1 Anthem God Save the King (Queen) Territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Capital London Language(s) English² Government Constitutional monarchy Monarch - 1801–1820 George III - 1820–1830 George IV - 1830–1837 William IV - 1837–1901...
This article is about the prior state. ...
An Act to Provide for the Better Government of Ireland, more usually the Government of Ireland Act, 1920 (this is its official short title; the formal citation is 10 & 11 Geo. ...
For much of its history, the island of Ireland was divided into 32 counties (Irish language contae or condae, pronounced IPA: ). Two historical counties, County Desmond and County Coleraine, no longer exist, while several county names have changed. ...
When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ...
This article is about the nine-county Irish province. ...
Passed on April 12, 1927, the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 () was an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that formed a significant landmark in the constitutional history of the UK and British Empire as a whole. ...
Britain played an important part in the Age of Enlightenment with philosophical and scientific input and a literary and theatrical tradition. Over the next century the United Kingdom played an important role in developing Western ideas of parliamentary democracy with significant contributions to literature, the arts and science.[19] The UK-led Industrial Revolution transformed the country and fuelled the British Empire. During this time, like other Great Powers, the UK was involved in colonial exploitation, including the slave trade, while the passing of the 1807 Slave Trade Act also made the UK the first nation to prohibit trade in slaves. The Enlightenment (French: ; German: ) was an eighteenth-century movement in European and American philosophy, or the longer period including the Age of Reason. ...
For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ...
Part of a scientific laboratory at the University of Cologne. ...
Literature is literally an acquaintance with letters as in the first sense given in the Oxford English Dictionary (from the Latin littera meaning an individual written character (letter)). The term has, however, generally come to identify a collection of texts. ...
For other usages see Theatre (disambiguation) Theater (American English) or Theatre (British English and widespread usage among theatre professionals in the US) is that branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, music, dance, sound and spectacle —...
The term Western world, the West or the Occident (Latin occidens -sunset, -west, as distinct from the Orient) [1] can have multiple meanings dependent on its context (e. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Old book bindings at the Merton College library. ...
The Arts is a broad subdivision of culture, comprised of many expressive disciplines. ...
Part of a scientific laboratory at the University of Cologne. ...
A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ...
The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...
In the context of international relations and diplomacy, power (sometimes clarified as international power, national power, or state power) is the ability of one state to influence or control other states. ...
The Atlantic slave trade was the trade of African slaves by Europeans that occurred in and around the Atlantic Ocean. ...
A replica of the slave ship the Zong, moored by Tower Bridge to mark 200 years since the Slave Trade Act 1807 (April 2007). ...
After the defeat of Napoleon in the Napoleonic Wars, Britain became the principal naval power of the 19th century. At its peak the British Empire controlled large amounts of territory in Asia, Africa, Oceania and America. Download high resolution version (1116x849, 158 KB)The World in 1897. ...
Download high resolution version (1116x849, 158 KB)The World in 1897. ...
The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...
The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...
For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ...
Combatants Austria[1] Portugal Prussia[1] Russia[2] Sicily Spain[3] Sweden United Kingdom[4] French Empire Holland Italy Naples [5] Duchy of Warsaw Bavaria[6] Saxony[7] Denmark-Norway [8] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack von Leiberich João Francisco de Saldanha Oliveira e Daun Gebhard von...
The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...
In the 19th century the country played an important role in the development of parliamentary democracy, partly through the emergence of a multi-party system. At the end of the Victorian era the United Kingdom lost its industrial leadership, particularly to the German Empire, which surpassed the UK in industrial production and trade in the 1890s, and to the United States. Britain remained an eminent power and its empire expanded to its maximum size by 1921, gaining the League of Nations mandate over former German and Ottoman colonies after World War I. A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ...
Queen Victoria (shown here on the morning of her accession to the Throne, 20 June 1837) gave her name to the historic era The Victorian era of the United Kingdom marked the height of the British Industrial Revolution and the apex of the British Empire. ...
For German colonial territories, see German Colonial Empire. ...
The League of Nations was an international organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919–1920. ...
After the Great War, the world's first large-scale international broadcasting network, the BBC, was created. In 1924 the country's Labour movement, which had been gaining strength since the late 1890s, formed the first Labour government. Britain fought Nazi Germany in World War II, with its Commonwealth allies including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India, later to be joined by further allies such as the United States. Wartime leader Winston Churchill and his peacetime successor Clement Atlee helped create the post-war world as part of the "Big Three". World War II left the United Kingdom financially damaged. Loans taken out during and after World War II from both Canada and the United States were economically costly but, along with post-war Marshall aid, the UK began the road to recovery. “The Great War †redirects here. ...
For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...
The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ...
The first Labour government of the United Kingdom lasted from January to November 1924. ...
Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...
Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...
The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2006 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders - Queen Elizabeth II - Secretary-General Don McKinnon (since 1 April 2000) Establishment - Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926 - Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931 - London Declaration 28 April 1949 Area - Total...
This article is about the independent states that comprised the Allies. ...
“Churchill†redirects here. ...
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, FRS (January 3, 1883 - October 8, 1967) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951. ...
A loan is a type of debt. ...
Map of Cold-War era Europe and the Near East showing countries that received Marshall Plan aid. ...
The immediate post-war years saw the establishment of the British Welfare State and one of the world's first and most comprehensive health services, while the demands of a recovering economy brought people from all over the Commonwealth to create a multi-ethnic Britain. Although the new post-war limits of Britain's political role were confirmed by the Suez Crisis of 1956, the international spread of the language meant the continuing impact of its literature and culture, while at the same time from the 1960s its popular culture found influence abroad. Following a period of economic stagnation and industrial strife in the 1970s after a global economic downturn, the 1980s saw the inflow of substantial oil revenues, and the premiership of Margaret Thatcher, under whom there was a marked break with the post-war political and economic consensus. Her supporters credit her with economic success, but her critics blame her for greater social division. From 1997 onward these trends of growth largely continued under the leadership of Tony Blair. The Welfare State of the United Kingdom was prefigured in the William Beveridge Report in 1942, which identified five Giant Evils in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness and disease. ...
“NHS†redirects here. ...
The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2006 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders - Queen Elizabeth II - Secretary-General Don McKinnon (since 1 April 2000) Establishment - Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926 - Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931 - London Declaration 28 April 1949 Area - Total...
Multiethnic societies, in contrast to monoethnic societies, integrate different ethnic groups irrespective of differences in culture, race, and history under a common social identity larger than one nation in the conventional sense. ...
Politics is the process by which decisions are made within groups. ...
Combatants Israel United Kingdom France Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan Charles Keightley Pierre Barjot Gamal Abdel Nasser Abdel Hakim Amer Strength 175,000 Israeli 45,000 British 34,000 French 70,000 Casualties 197 Israeli KIA 56 British KIA 91 British WIA 10 French KIA 43 French WIA 650 KIA[1...
For other uses, see Culture (disambiguation). ...
Popular culture, sometimes abbreviated to pop culture, consists of widespread cultural elements in any given society. ...
// North Sea Oil Platforms North Sea oil refers to oil and natural gas (hydrocarbons) produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea. ...
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and to date only woman to hold either post. ...
For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency...
The United Kingdom has been a member of the European Union since 1973. The attitude of the present Labour government towards further integration with this organisation is mixed,[20] with the Conservative Party favouring a return of some powers and competencies to the state,[21] and the Liberal Democrats supportive of current engagement. The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ...
The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and the oldest political party in the United Kingdom. ...
The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ...
Government and politics -
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as head of state; the monarch of the UK also serves as head of state of fifteen other Commonwealth countries, putting the UK in a personal union with those other states. The UK uses a parliamentary government based on strong democratic traditions, a system that has been emulated around the world — a legacy of the British Empire. The Politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland takes place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy in which the Monarch is head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 433 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1488 × 2060 pixel, file size: 745 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 433 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1488 × 2060 pixel, file size: 745 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ...
Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box: A constitutional monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not bound by a...
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ...
This article is about the monarchy of the United Kingdom, one of sixteen that share a common monarch; for information about this constitutional relationship, see Commonwealth realm; for information on the reigning monarch, see Elizabeth II. For information about other Commonwealth realm monarchies, as well as other relevant articles, see...
The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the sixteen sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that recognise Elizabeth II as their respective monarch. ...
It has been suggested that Dynastic union be merged into this article or section. ...
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ...
The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ...
The UK's constitution governs the legal framework of the country and consists mostly of written sources, including statutes, judge made case law, and international treaties. As there is no technical difference between ordinary statutes and law considered to be "constitutional law," the British Parliament can perform "constitutional reform" simply by passing Acts of Parliament and thus has the power to change or abolish almost any written or unwritten element of the constitution. However, no Parliament can pass laws that future Parliaments cannot change.[22] The United Kingdom is one of the three countries in the world today that does not have a codified constitution (the other two being New Zealand and Israel).[23] The Constitution of the United Kingdom is uncodified, consisting of both written and unwritten sources. ...
The Statute of Grand Duchy of Lithuania A statute is a formal, written law of a country or state, written and enacted by its legislative authority, perhaps to then be ratified by the highest executive in the government, and finally published. ...
Case law (precedential law) is the body of judge-made law and legal decisions that interprets prior case law, statutes and other legal authority -- including doctrinal writings by legal scholars such as the Corpus Juris Secundum, Halsburys Laws of England or the doctinal writings found in the Recueil Dalloz...
For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ...
Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons The Right Honourable Michael Martin MP Lord Speaker Hélène Hayman, Baroness Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups (as of May 5, 2005 elections) Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats...
In Westminster System parliaments, an Act of Parliament is a part of the law passed by the Parliament. ...
This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...
The position of Prime Minister, the UK's head of government, belongs to the current leader of the political party that can obtain the confidence of a plurality in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister and their Cabinet are formally appointed by the Monarch to form Her Majesty's Government. However, the Prime Minister chooses the Cabinet, and by convention, the Queen respects the Prime Minister's choices. The Cabinet is traditionally drawn from members of the Prime Minister's party in both legislative houses, and mostly from the House of Commons, to which they are responsible. Executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister and Cabinet, all of whom are sworn into Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and become Ministers of the Crown. Gordon Brown, leader of the Labour Party, has been Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service since 27 June 2007. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ...
The head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ...
This is a list of Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor state the Kingdom of Great Britain, from when the first Prime Minister (in the modern sense), Robert Walpole, took office in 1721, until the present day. ...
Type Lower House Speaker of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Harriet Harman, QC, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Theresa May, PC, (Conservative) since December 6, 2005 Members 646 Political groups...
Her Majestys Government, or when the Sovereign is male, His Majestys Government, abbreviated HMG or HM Government, is the formal title used by the Government of the United Kingdom. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Responsible government is a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. ...
Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ...
A minister or a secretary is a politician who heads a government ministry or department (e. ...
For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ...
The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ...
The First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, usually but not always the Prime Minister. ...
The Minister of the Civil Service is the head of the British Civil Service. ...
is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and
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