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Europe / Northern Europe · Card 054

United Kingdom

United Kingdom is a country in Northern Europe. Its capital is London.

Find United Kingdom

● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital: London
Language guide: Languages spoken & official status
Currency: British pound (GBP)
Population: 69.5 million2025 · World Bank
Area: 242,900 km²93,784.18 square miles
Union: 1707 / 1801Great Britain in 1707; union with Ireland in 1801.

United Kingdom in context

Europe and its surrounding regions. The dot marks London; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & environment

Landscape

The United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, northeastern Ireland and many smaller islands. Uplands are especially prominent in the north and west, while broader lowlands occur in the south and east. Long, varied coastlines connect these regions to surrounding seas.

Scottish Highland valleys, Welsh mountains and English lowlands represent different parts of this geography. Northern Ireland adds its own hills, loughs and volcanic coast. The four constituent countries have separate deck pages with more local detail.

Climate & seasons

Atlantic influence brings a temperate maritime climate. Western uplands are generally wetter, while eastern lowlands are drier; elevation and latitude create further differences.

Maritime climate

Atlantic influence brings changeable weather and moderates temperatures. Western uplands generally receive more rain than sheltered eastern areas. Rivers, peatlands, forests, farmland and coastal habitats form a closely connected landscape.

Flag

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)

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Landscapes & nature

Languages

Public and official use

English is the most widely used language, but the United Kingdom has several distinct national and regional language traditions.

Community and regional languages

Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Irish, Ulster Scots and Cornish have differing recognition and use in their home areas. British Sign Language is legally recognized, and many migrant-community languages are spoken. The four UK country pages explain local differences in more detail.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & status

The 1707 union of England and Scotland formed Great Britain. Union with Ireland took effect in 1801. Most of Ireland left in 1922, leaving the present territorial core of the UK. The UK withdrew from the European Union in 2020.

1707
England and Scotland unite as Great Britain
1801
Union with Ireland creates the United Kingdom
2020
The UK leaves the European Union

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Economy

Main activities

Services, including finance, professional services, education and health, account for much activity. Manufacturing includes aerospace, pharmaceuticals and vehicles. Regional economies differ, and the UK also has agriculture, energy and creative industries.

Industry and production

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

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Millions of people

69.52025 · millions of people

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table

Population: source values and plotted units
Year	People	Millions of people
1970	55,663,250	55.663
1980	56,314,216	56.314
1990	57,247,586	57.248
2000	58,892,514	58.893
2010	62,766,365	62.766
2020	66,740,000	66.740
2025	69,487,000	69.487

Real GDP, 1990–2025

Trillions of constant 2015 US dollars

3.42025 · trillions of constant 2015 US dollars

Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.

Sources: World Bank · Real GDP

View data table

Real GDP: source values and plotted units
Year	Constant 2015 US$	Trillions of constant 2015 US dollars
1990	1,721,504,098,260	1.722
1991	1,699,254,695,039	1.699
1992	1,721,255,429,796	1.721
1993	1,781,335,634,495	1.781
1994	1,869,572,508,479	1.870
1995	1,935,631,814,547	1.936
1996	1,986,246,961,912	1.986
1997	2,083,175,521,751	2.083
1998	2,150,801,957,624	2.151
1999	2,214,131,432,954	2.214
2000	2,314,307,169,244	2.314
2001	2,369,642,769,659	2.370
2002	2,410,140,612,988	2.410
2003	2,487,711,377,293	2.488
2004	2,545,576,004,983	2.546
2005	2,616,614,241,853	2.617
2006	2,673,913,418,492	2.674
2007	2,752,283,449,985	2.752
2008	2,750,923,500,693	2.751
2009	2,624,727,410,660	2.625
2010	2,684,060,544,651	2.684
2011	2,706,913,649,066	2.707
2012	2,748,282,336,998	2.748
2013	2,795,510,733,841	2.796
2014	2,883,853,723,652	2.884
2015	2,945,579,890,258	2.946
2016	3,010,574,705,731	3.011
2017	3,101,591,068,534	3.102
2018	3,149,707,010,748	3.150
2019	3,189,276,748,351	3.189
2020	2,868,821,517,197	2.869
2021	3,113,908,148,054	3.114
2022	3,274,265,196,937	3.274
2023	3,283,159,739,928	3.283
2024	3,318,626,965,007	3.319
2025	3,364,704,178,220	3.365

Human development

The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.

HDI · 20230.946Very High human developmentRank 13 of 193 · 2025 report

Human Development Index over time

19900.812

20000.870

20100.921

20200.930

20230.946

81.3 yearsLife expectancy at birth

13.5 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+

The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.

Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025

Government

A parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The monarch is head of state, and a prime minister leads the government. Parliament comprises the House of Commons and House of Lords. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved legislatures and governments with different powers.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Knowledge check

Three questions about United Kingdom.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Which two chambers make up the UK Parliament?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.