United Kingdom: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026

News •

Drone activity over US base in Britain prompts security response, US military says • Nov. 13, 2026, 5:18 PM ET (AP)

UK police launch sex offense investigation into children’s author and TV personality David Walliams • Nov. 13, 2026, 1:42 PM ET (AP)

Wife of jailed ex-leader of Northern Ireland's largest pro-UK party put on sex offenders register • Nov. 13, 2026, 8:36 AM ET (AP)

US officer accused of Russian spying is set to be charged in UK, official says • Nov. 12, 2026, 5:32 PM ET (AP)

UK appoints climate security envoy as Thunberg criticizes COP31 leaders • Nov. 12, 2026, 9:11 AM ET (AP)

The United Kingdom (U.K.) is a country located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe. It consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The U.K. has a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy, and its capital is London. It played a key role in the Industrial Revolution and colonialism. The U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union, known as Brexit, has had significant political and economic implications.

Facts

Also Known As	Britain • U.K. • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland • Great Britain
Head Of Government	Prime Minister: Andy Burnham
Capital	London
Population	(2026 est.) 69,995,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 0.755 British pound
Head Of State	Sovereign: King Charles III
Form Of Government	constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (House of Lords [774¹]; House of Commons [650])
Official Languages	English; both English and Scots Gaelic in Scotland; both English and Welsh in Wales
Official Religion	See footnote 2.
Official Name	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Total Area (Sq Km)	242,500
Total Area (Sq Mi)	93,630
Monetary Unit	pound sterling (£)
Population Rank	(2026) 21
Population Projection 2030	70,338,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2026) 747.6
Density: Person Per Sq Km	(2026) 288.6
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2025) 86.4% • Rural: (2025) 13.6%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022–2024) 79.1 years • Female: (2022–2024) 83 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2024) 3,424,417
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2024) 49,470
¹Active members as of June 2026: 752 life peers and 22 archbishops and bishops.²Church of England “established” (protected by the state but not “official”); Church of Scotland “national” (exclusive jurisdiction in spiritual matters per Church of Scotland Act 1921); no established church in Northern Ireland or Wales.

Did You Know?

The U.K. is the only country not required to name itself on its postage stamps.
The U.K. has more than 40 different dialects, reflecting its rich linguistic diversity.
The national animal of Scotland is the unicorn.
The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed large parts of the city but resulted in only six recorded casualties.