United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was created when the Kingdoms of England and Scotland — which previously had been distinct states under a single monarchy — were joined under the 1707 Acts of Union. The island of Ireland was incorporated under the 1800 Acts of Union, while Wales had been part of the Kingdom of England since the 16th century. The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the rapid expansion of the British Empire despite the loss of the Thirteen Colonies, and at its zenith in the early 20th century, the British Empire stretched over one fourth of the earth’s surface. The first half of the 20th century saw two World Wars seriously deplete the UK’s strength and the Irish Republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth of Nations, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The devolved Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998.

The UK was an active member of the EU after its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens in 2016 voted by 52 to 48 percent to leave the EU. On 31 January 2020, the UK became the only country to depart the EU — a move known as “Brexit” — after prolonged negotiations on EU-UK economic and security relationships.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

Western Europe, islands – including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland – between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of France

Geographic coordinates

54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references

Europe

Area

total : 243,610 sq km

land: 241,930 sq km

water: 1,680 sq km

note 1: England covers 53% of the area, Scotland 32%, Wales 9%, and Northern Ireland 6%

note 2: includes Rockall and the Shetland Islands, which are part of Scotland

comparison ranking: total 80

Area – comparative

twice the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 499 km

border countries (1): Ireland 499 km

Coastline

12,429 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate

temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain

mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast

Elevation

highest point: Ben Nevis 1,345 m

lowest point: The Fens -4 m

mean elevation: 162 m

Natural resources

coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land

Land use

agricultural land: 69.6% (2022 est.)

arable land: 24.8% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0.2% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 44.6% (2022 est.)

forest: 13.3% (2022 est.)

other: 17.2% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

718 sq km (2018)

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, in southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and in far-eastern Northern Ireland, centered on Belfast

Natural hazards

winter windstorms; floods

Geography – note

lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km (22 mi) from France and linked by tunnel under the English Channel (the Channel Tunnel or Chunnel); because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km (78 mi) from tidal waters

People and Society

Population

total: 68,459,055 (2024 est.)

male: 34,005,445

female: 34,453,610

comparison rankings: total 21; female 22; male 21

Nationality

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% (2011 est.)

Languages

English

note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 speakers 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 people in Cornwall) (2012 est.)

Religions

Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, other 2%, unspecified 7.2%, none 25.7% (2011 est.)

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% (2024 est.) (male 6,069,865/female 7,158,544)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 56.4 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 26.2 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 30.2 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 3.3 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 40.8 years (2024 est.)

male: 40.1 years

female: 41.5 years

comparison ranking: total 58

Population growth rate

0.45% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 154

Birth rate

10.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 170

Death rate

9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 53

Net migration rate

2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 39

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 84.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

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 (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

29 years (2018 est.)

note: data represents England and Wales only

Maternal mortality ratio

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 155

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 190

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.2 years (2024 est.)

male: 80.1 years

female: 84.4 years

comparison ranking: total population 33

Total fertility rate

1.63 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 177

Gross reproduction rate

0.8 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

note: percent of women aged 16-49

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

11.3% of GDP (2022)

20.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

3.3 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Hospital bed density

2.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

total: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved:

urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

rural: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

total: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

27.8% (2016)

comparison ranking: 36

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 9.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 3.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 3.3 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 2.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 24

Tobacco use

total: 11.5% (2025 est.)

male: 13.3% (2025 est.)

female: 9.8% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 118

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

50.7% (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 18: 0% (2021)

Education expenditure

4.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

10.6% national budget (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 67

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 18 years (2022 est.)

male: 17 years (2022 est.)

female: 18 years (2022 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

air pollution in the London region; soil pollution from pesticides and heavy metals; decline in marine and coastal habitats from housing, tourism, and industry

International environmental agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Climate

temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 84.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

340.94 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 17.093 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 197.133 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 126.713 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 17

Particulate matter emissions

7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 31.567 million tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 8,602,008 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 27.3% (2015 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 6.23 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 1.01 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 1.18 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

147 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Geoparks

total global geoparks and regional networks: 10 (2025)

global geoparks and regional networks: Arran; Black Country; Cuilcagh Lakelands (includes Ireland); English Riviera; Fforest Fawr; GeoMôn; Mourne Gullion Strangford; North Pennines AONB; North-West Highlands; Shetland (2025)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note – the island of Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales

conventional short form: United Kingdom

abbreviation: UK

etymology: the name United Kingdom is self-descriptive; the name Britain probably derives from the Celtic word pretani, meaning “painted people;” the designation of Great Britain for England, Scotland, and Wales dates back to medieval times and was used to distinguish the island from Little Britain, or Brittany, in modern France; the name Ireland evolved from the Gaelic name Eriu, which is possibly derived from the Old Celtic iveriu, meaning “good land”

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital

name: London

geographic coordinates: 51 30 N, 0 05 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

time zone note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories

etymology: 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

Administrative divisions

England: 24 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*)

two-tier counties: Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire

London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster

metropolitan districts: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton

unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset; Bedford; Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Bracknell Forest; Brighton and Hove; City of Bristol; Buckinghamshire; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire East; Cheshire West and Chester; Cornwall; Darlington; Derby; Dorset; Durham County*; East Riding of Yorkshire; Halton; Hartlepool; Herefordshire*; Isle of Wight*; Isles of Scilly; City of Kingston upon Hull; Leicester; Luton; Medway; Middlesbrough; Milton Keynes; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; North Northamptonshire; North Somerset; Northumberland*; Nottingham; Peterborough; Plymouth; Portsmouth; Reading; Redcar and Cleveland; Rutland; Shropshire; Slough; South Gloucestershire; Southampton; Southend-on-Sea; Stockton-on-Tees; Stoke-on-Trent; Swindon; Telford and Wrekin; Thurrock; Torbay; Warrington; West Berkshire; West Northamptonshire; Wiltshire; Windsor and Maidenhead; Wokingham; York

Northern Ireland: 5 borough councils, 4 district councils, 2 city councils

borough councils: Antrim and Newtownabbey; Ards and North Down; Armagh City, Banbridge, and Craigavon; Causeway Coast and Glens; Mid and East Antrim

district councils: Derry City and Strabane; Fermanagh and Omagh; Mid Ulster; Newry, Murne, and Down city councils: Belfast; Lisburn and Castlereagh

Scotland: 32 council areas

council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian

Wales: 22 unitary authorities

unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, The Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen, Wrexham

Dependent areas

Anguilla; Bermuda; 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; Turks and Caicos Islands (12)

Legal system

common law system; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998

Constitution

history: uncoded; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

amendment process: proposed as a bill for an Act of Parliament by the government, by the House of Commons, or by the House of Lords; passage requires agreement by both houses and by the monarch (Royal Assent)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the United Kingdom

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022)

head of government: Prime Minister Keir STARMER (since 5 July 2024)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister

election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister

note 1: in addition to serving as the UK head of state, the British sovereign is the constitutional monarch for 14 additional Commonwealth countries (each referred to as a “Commonwealth realm”)

note 2: King CHARLES III succeeded his mother, Queen ELIZABETH II, after serving as Prince of Wales (heir apparent) for over 64 years — the longest such tenure in British history

Legislative branch

legislature name: UK Parliament

legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch – lower chamber

chamber name: House of Commons

number of seats: 650 (all directly elected)

electoral system: plurality/majority

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 7/4/2024

parties elected and seats per party: Labour Party (411); Conservative Party (121); Liberal Democrats (72); Other (46)

percentage of women in chamber: 40.5%

expected date of next election: July 2029

Legislative branch – upper chamber

chamber name: House of Lords

number of seats: 800 (all appointed)

parties elected and seats per party: Conservative Party (286); Labour Party (212); Liberal Democrats (76); Crossover (Independents) 180; other (6)

percentage of women in chamber: 31%

note: the number of total seats in the House of Lords does not include ineligible members or members on leave of absence

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 12 justices, including the court president and deputy president)

judge selection and term of office: judge candidates selected by an independent committee of several judicial commissions, then recommended to the prime minister, and appointed by the monarch; justices serve for life

subordinate courts: England and Wales: Court of Appeal (civil and criminal divisions); High Court; Crown Court; County Courts; Magistrates’ Courts; Scotland: Court of Sessions; Sheriff Courts; High Court of Justiciary; tribunals; Northern Ireland: Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland; High Court; county courts; magistrates’ courts; specialized tribunals

Political parties

Alliance Party or APNI (Northern Ireland)
Conservative and Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party or DUP (Northern Ireland)
Green Party of England and Wales or Greens
Labor (Labour) Party
Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems)
Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru)
Reform UK
Scottish National Party or SNP
Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland)
Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland)
Traditional Unionist Voice or TUV
UK Independence Party or UKIP
Ulster Unionist Party or UUP (Northern Ireland)
Workers Party of Great Britian

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter MANDELSON (since 25 February 2025)

chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-washington

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Warren A. STEPHENS (since 21 May 2025)

embassy: 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US

mailing address: 8400 London Place, Washington DC 20521-8400

telephone: [44] (0) 20-7499-9000

FAX: [44] (0) 20-7891-3845

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://uk.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNSOM, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Independence

no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union unite England, Scotland, and Wales as Great Britain); 1 January 1801 (Acts of Union unite Great Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland); 6 December 1921 (Anglo-Irish Treaty formalizes partition of Ireland; six counties become Northern Ireland and remain part of the UK); 12 April 1927 (Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act establishes current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

National holiday

the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday

Flag description

blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white on top of the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is on top of the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); the official name is the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags

National symbol(s)

lion (all of Britain); lion, Tudor rose, oak (England); lion, unicorn, thistle (Scotland); dragon, daffodil, leek (Wales); shamrock, flax (Northern Ireland)

National color(s)

red, white, blue (all of Britain); red, white (England); blue, white (Scotland); red, white, green (Wales)

National anthem(s)

title: “God Save the King”

lyrics/music: unknown

history: in use since 1745; by tradition, the song serves as both the national and royal anthem; it is known as either “God Save the Queen” or “God Save the King,” depending on the gender of the reigning monarch; it also serves as the royal anthem for many Commonwealth nations

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 33 (28 cultural, 4 natural, 1 mixed); note – includes one site in Bermuda

selected World Heritage Site locales: Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast (n); Ironbridge Gorge (c); Stonehenge, Avebury, and Associated Sites (c); Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (c); Blenheim Palace (c); City of Bath (c); Tower of London (c); St Kilda (m); Maritime Greenwich (c); Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (c); Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (c); The English Lake District (c)

Economy

Economic overview

high-income, non-EU European economy; global financial center and dominant service sector; sluggish growth from stringent monetary policy, reduced business investment, low productivity and participation rates; fiscal austerity in face of high public debt

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.636 trillion (2024 est.)
$3.596 trillion (2023 est.)
$3.582 trillion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 10

Real GDP growth rate

1.1% (2024 est.)
0.4% (2023 est.)
4.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 174

Real GDP per capita

$52,500 (2024 est.)
$52,500 (2023 est.)
$53,000 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 38

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.644 trillion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.3% (2024 est.)
6.8% (2023 est.)
7.9% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 109

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.6% (2024 est.)

industry: 16.7% (2024 est.)

services: 72.8% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

comparison rankings: services 26; industry 157; agriculture 185

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 61.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 20.5% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 17.6% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: -0.4% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 32% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -33.1% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

milk, wheat, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, chicken, rapeseed, pork, beef, oats (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate

-0.5% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 142

Labor force

35.359 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 19

Unemployment rate

4.2% (2024 est.)
4% (2023 est.)
3.8% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 69

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 12.4% (2024 est.)

male: 14.9% (2024 est.)

female: 9.7% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 99

Population below poverty line

18.6% (2017 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

32.4 (2021 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

comparison ranking: 109

Average household expenditures

on food: 8.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% (2021 est.)

highest 10%: 24.6% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $1.136 trillion (2022 est.)

expenditures: $1.291 trillion (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Public debt

138.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 5

Taxes and other revenues

27.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 7

Current account balance

-$96.634 billion (2024 est.)
-$118.354 billion (2023 est.)
-$70.962 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 193

Exports

$1.117 trillion (2024 est.)
$1.078 trillion (2023 est.)
$1.041 trillion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 4

Exports – partners

USA 14%, China 8%, Germany 8%, Netherlands 7%, Ireland 7% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

cars, gold, gas turbines, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$1.158 trillion (2024 est.)
$1.114 trillion (2023 est.)
$1.1 trillion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 4

Imports – partners

China 13%, USA 11%, Germany 10%, France 5%, Norway 4% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

cars, gold, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$174.598 billion (2024 est.)
$177.915 billion (2023 est.)
$176.41 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 20

Exchange rates

British pounds (GBP) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
0.782 (2024 est.)
0.805 (2023 est.)
0.811 (2022 est.)
0.727 (2021 est.)
0.78 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)

electrification – urban areas: 99.9%

electrification – rural areas: 100%

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 114.749 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 262.166 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 9.449 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 33.212 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 28.961 billion kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 197; imports 5; exports 25; consumption 20; installed generating capacity 14

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 36.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear: 13.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 4.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 30.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 12.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 9 (2025)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 2 (2025)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 5.88GW (2025 est.)

Percent of total electricity production: 12.5% (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 36 (2025)

Coal

production: 1.568 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption: 7.372 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 981,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 6.633 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 26 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 753,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 1.406 million bbl/day (2024 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 2.5 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 34.029 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 63.553 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports: 15.842 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports: 45.226 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 180.661 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

94.28 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 55

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 26.627 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 39 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 8

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 84.3 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 21

Broadcast media

public-service British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the largest broadcasting company in the world; BBC operates multiple TV networks with regional and local TV; mixed system of public and commercial TV broadcasters along with satellite and cable systems provide access to hundreds of international TV stations; BBC operates multiple national, regional, and local radio networks with multiple transmission sites; large number of commercial and satellite radio stations available (2018)

Internet country code

.uk

Internet users

percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 28.2 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total 9

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

1,057 (2025)

comparison ranking: 7

Heliports

139 (2025)

comparison ranking: 20

Railways

total: 16,390 km (2020) 6,167 km electrified

Merchant marine

total: 868 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 34, container ship 46, general cargo 62, oil tanker 13, other 713

note: includes Channel Islands (total fleet 2; general cargo 1, other 1); excludes Isle of Man

comparison ranking: total 29

Ports

total ports: 185 (2024)

large: 7

medium: 24

small: 67

very small: 86

size unknown: 1

ports with oil terminals: 67

key ports: Aberdeen, Barrow-in-Furness, Barry, Belfast, Blyth, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee, Falmouth Harbour, Glasgow, Greenock, Grimsby, Immingham, Kingston-upon-Hull, Leith, Lerwick, Liverpool, London, Londonderry, Lyness, Manchester, Milford Haven, Newport, Peterhead, Plymouth, Portland Harbour, Portsmouth Harbour, Southampton, Sunderland, Teesport, Tynemouth

Transportation – note

begun in 1988 and completed in 1994, the Channel Tunnel (nicknamed the Chunnel) is a 50.5-km (31.4-mi) rail tunnel under the English Channel at the Strait of Dover; it runs from Folkestone, Kent, in England to Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais, in northern France and is the only fixed link between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe

Military and Security

Military and security forces

United Kingdom Armed Forces (aka British Armed Forces, aka His Majesty’s Armed Forces): British Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force (2025)

Military expenditures

2.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2023)
2.3% of GDP (2022)
2.3% of GDP (2021)
2.4% of GDP (2020)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 138,000 Regular Forces (75,000 Army including the Gurkhas; 32,000 Navy including the Royal Marines; 31,000 Air Force) (2025)

note: the military also maintains approximately 40-45,000 reserves and other personnel on active duty

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of the British military is comprised mostly of domestically produced weapons and equipment, with a smaller mix of some imported Western weapons systems, particularly from the US; the UK defense industry is capable of producing a wide variety of air, land, and sea weapons systems and is one of the world’s top weapons suppliers; it also cooperates with other European countries and the US in the research and development of weapons systems (2025)

Military service age and obligation

some variations by service, but generally 16-36 years of age for enlisted (with parental consent under 18) and 18-29 for officers; minimum length of service 4 years; women serve in all military services including combat roles; conscription abolished in 1963 (2024)

note 1: women made up 11.7% of the military’s full-time personnel in 2024

note 2: the British military allows Commonwealth nationals who are current UK residents and have been in the country for at least 5 years to apply; it also accepts Irish citizens

note 3: the British Army has continued the historic practice of recruiting Gurkhas from Nepal to serve in the Brigade of Gurkhas; the British began to recruit Nepalese citizens (Gurkhas) into the East India Company Army during the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816); the Gurkhas subsequently were brought into the British Indian Army and by 1914, there were 10 Gurkha regiments, collectively known as the Gurkha Brigade; following the partition of India in 1947, an agreement between Nepal, India, and Great Britain allowed for the transfer of the 10 regiments from the British Indian Army to the separate British and Indian armies; four of the regiments were transferred to the British Army, where they have since served continuously as the Brigade of Gurkhas

Military deployments

the British military has more than 8,000 personnel on permanent or long-term rotational deployments around the globe in support of NATO, UN, or other commitments and agreements; key deployments include approximately 1,000 in Brunei, approximately 2,500 in Cyprus (includes 250 for UNFICYP), approximately 900-1,000 in Estonia (NATO), over 1,000 in the Falkland Islands, 500-600 in Gibraltar, and more than 1,000 in the Middle East; its air and naval forces conduct missions on a global basis; the British military also participates in large scale NATO exercises, including providing some 16,000 personnel for the 6-month 2024 Steadfast Defender exercise (2024)

Military – note

the British military has a long history, a global presence, and a wide range of missions and responsibilities, including protecting the UK, its dependencies and territories, national interests, and values, preventing conflict, providing humanitarian assistance, participating in international peacekeeping, building relationships, and fulfilling the UK’s alliance and treaty commitments; in addition to its role in the UN, the UK is a leading member of NATO

the UK is a member of the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; in 2014, the UK led the formation of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a pool of high-readiness military forces from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries intended to respond to a wide range of contingencies both in peacetime and in times of crisis or conflict; the UK military also has strong bilateral ties with a variety of foreign militaries, particularly the US, with which it has a mutual defense treaty; British and US military forces have routinely operated side-by-side across a wide range of operations; other close military relationships include Australia, France, Germany, and the Netherlands; in 2010, for example, France and the UK signed a declaration on defense and security cooperation that included greater military interoperability and a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), a deployable, combined Anglo-French military force for use in a range of crisis scenarios (2025)

Space

Space agency/agencies

UK Space Agency (UKSA; established in 2010); the UKSA replaced the British National Space Center (BNSC; organized in 1985); UK Space Command (formed 2021) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Spaceport 1 (Outer Hebrides, Scotland; operational 2023); Spaceport Machrihanish (Argyll, Scotland; operational 2024); Glasgow Prestwick (South Ayrshire, Scotland; operational 2024 for horizontal launches); Spaceport Snowdonia (Gwynedd, Wales; operational 2024); SaxaVord UK Spaceport (Unst, Shetland Islands; operational 2023); Sutherland Spaceport (Sutherland, Scotland; operational 2024); Sutherland, Scotland (Cornwall Airport Newquay, Cornwall; operational 2023 for horizontal launches) (2024)

Space program overview

has a comprehensive space program and is active across all areas of the space sector outside of launching humans into space, including satellite/space launch vehicles (SLVs)/rockets and their components, space probes, satellites and satellite subcomponents, space sensors, spaceports, and various other space-related technologies; as a founding member of the European Space Agency (ESA), it is heavily involved in ESA programs and has bi-lateral relations with many members; is a close partner of the US NASA and since 2016 has forged over 350 relationships with international organizations across nearly 50 developing countries; has a large commercial space sector that produces SLVs, SLV components, satellites, satellite subcomponents and sensors, and other space-related technologies; the UK has a space industrial plan, and the UKSA has provided funding to encourage and support commercial space projects (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida; Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide