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United Kingdom

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1. Official name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2. Constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
3. Capital: London
4. Head of state: King Charles III (since 8 September 2022)
5. Prime Minister: Andy Burnham (since 20 July 2026)
6. Total area: 94,354 sq mi (244,376 km²)
7. UK population (mid-year estimate): 69,487,000
8. Great Britain population (mid-year estimate): 67,353,600
9. England population (mid-year estimate): 58,620,100
10. Scotland population (mid-year estimate): 5,546,900
11. Wales population (mid-year estimate): 3,186,600
12. Northern Ireland population (mid-year estimate): 1,927,900
13. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, often called the UK or Britain, is a sovereign state made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
14. Geography and terminology
15. The UK lies off the coast of the European mainland in northwestern Europe and covers a total area of 94,354 square miles (244,376 km²). It shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea.
16. The UK Is a Country Made of Countries CGP Grey's video explains the relationship between the UK, Great Britain, England and the British Isles, from where the map first shows the United Kingdom.
17. Population
18. The Office for National Statistics put the UK's population at 69,487,000 in its 2025 mid-year estimate, published on 27 November 2025. Its 2024 mid-year estimates gave Great Britain 67,353,600 people, England 58,620,100, Scotland 5,546,900, Wales 3,186,600 and Northern Ireland 1,927,900.
19. Capitals and cities
20. London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom. Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast are the national capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively.
21. Constitutional status and devolution
22. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own government and a parliament or assembly, with powers devolved from Westminster over matters such as health, education, transport, justice and the environment.
23. The head of state is King Charles III, who became king on the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022. The Prime Minister leads His Majesty's Government and is ultimately responsible for its policy and decisions.
24. Andy Burnham has been Prime Minister since 20 July 2026, four days after he was elected Leader of the Labour Party. He had returned to Parliament as the Member of Parliament for Makerfield in June 2026, after serving as Mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017.
25. History
26. The Roman conquest of Britain began in AD 43, and Roman forces withdrew from the island between AD 383 and 410. Anglo-Saxon settlement began around AD 450, and the Normans conquered England in 1066.
27. The Treaty of Union of 1707 merged England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. Under the Acts of Union 1800, the Kingdom of Ireland joined Great Britain in 1801 to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. After most of Ireland seceded as the Irish Free State in 1922, the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 established the present United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
28. During the Pax Britannica, from 1815 to 1914, Britain was the world's leading power, and the British Empire reached its greatest territorial extent in the 1920s, when it covered about a quarter of the world's land area and population.
29. Economy and international role
30. The UK is a developed country with one of the world's largest economies by nominal GDP, and it is one of the world's biggest exporters and importers of goods and services. It is a recognized nuclear weapons state, has one of the higher defense budgets in Europe and belongs to numerous international organizations.
31. Sovereignty beyond the UK
32. The Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories are not part of the United Kingdom itself but remain under UK sovereignty.
33. Geography Now: United Kingdom
34. The UK Today Geography Now discusses contemporary aspects of life in the United Kingdom.
35. The Map Geography Now walks through the geography of the United Kingdom on a map.
36. Administrative Divisions Geography Now describes the administrative structure of the United Kingdom.
37. History Geography Now surveys the history of the United Kingdom.
38. Geography Geography Now describes the physical geography of the United Kingdom.
39. Timeline
40. 43: Roman conquest of Britain begins.
41. 383: According to Wikipedia contributors, Roman forces depart Britain.
42. 450: According to Wikipedia contributors, Anglo-Saxon settlement begins in Britain.
43. 1066: Norman forces conquer England.
44. 1707: England and Scotland unite as the Kingdom of Great Britain.
45. 1801: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland created by the Acts of Union 1800.
46. 1922: Most of Ireland secedes as the Irish Free State.
47. 1927: Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 establishes the present United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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