1.
[syn: United Kingdom, UK, U.K., Britain, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Great Britain]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Kingdom \King"dom\, n. [AS. cyningd[=o]m. See 2d King, and
-dom.]
1. The rank, quality, state, or attributes of a king; royal
authority; sovereign power; rule; dominion; monarchy.
[1913 Webster]
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. --Ps. cxiv.
13.
[1913 Webster]
When Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his
father, he strengthened himself. --2 Chron.
xxi. 4.
[1913 Webster]
2. The territory or country subject to a king or queen; the
dominion of a monarch; the sphere in which one is king or
has control.
[1913 Webster]
Unto the kingdom of perpetual night. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
You're welcome,
Most learned reverend sir, into our kingdom. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. An extensive scientific division distinguished by leading
or ruling characteristics; a principal division; a
department; as, the mineral kingdom. In modern biology,
the division of life into five kingdoms is widely used for
classification. "The animal and vegetable kingdoms."
--Locke.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
Animal kingdom. See under Animal.
Kingdom of God.
(a) The universe.
(b) That spiritual realm of which God is the acknowledged
sovereign.
(c) The authority or dominion of God.
Mineral kingdom. See under Mineral.
United Kingdom. See under United.
Vegetable kingdom. See under Vegetable.
Syn: Realm; empire; dominion; monarchy; sovereignty; domain.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
United Kingdom
n 1: a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the
British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales
and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely
to refer to the United Kingdom [syn: United Kingdom,
UK, U.K., Britain, United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland, Great Britain]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
United Kingdom
Introduction United Kingdom
---------------------------
Background: Great Britain, the dominant
industrial and maritime power of the
19th century, played a leading role
in developing parliamentary
democracy and in advancing
literature and science. At its
zenith, the British Empire stretched
over one-fourth of the earth's
surface. The first half of the 20th
century saw the UK's strength
seriously depleted in two World
Wars. 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, a founding member
of NATO, and of the Commonwealth,
the UK pursues a global approach to
foreign policy; it currently is
weighing the degree of its
integration with continental Europe.
A member of the EU, it chose to
remain outside the European Monetary
Union for the time being.
Constitutional reform is also a
significant issue in the UK. The
Scottish Parliament, the National
Assembly for Wales, and the Northern
Ireland Assembly were established in
1999.
Geography United Kingdom
------------------------
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: 244,820 sq km
water: 3,230 sq km
note: includes Rockall and Shetland
Islands
land: 241,590 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: total: 360 km
border countries: Ireland 360 km
Coastline: 12,429 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: as defined in
continental shelf orders or in
accordance with agreed upon
boundaries
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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 extremes: lowest point: Fenland -4 m
highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin,
limestone, iron ore, salt, clay,
chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable
land
Land use: arable land: 26.41%
permanent crops: 0.18%
other: 73.41% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,080 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: winter windstorms; floods
Environment - current issues: continues to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol
target of a 12.5% reduction from
1990 levels and intends to meet the
legally binding target and move
towards a domestic goal of a 20% cut
in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the
Government aims to reduce the amount
of industrial and commercial waste
disposed of in landfill sites to 85%
of 1998 levels and to recycle or
compost at least 25% of household
waste, increasing to 33% by 2015;
between 1998-99 and 1999-2000,
household recycling increased from
8.8% to 10.3%
Environment - international party to: Air Pollution, Air
agreements: Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-
Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol
Geography - note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea
lanes; only 35 km from France and
now linked by tunnel under the
English Channel; because of heavily
indented coastline, no location is
more than 125 km from tidal waters
People United Kingdom
---------------------
Population: 59,778,002 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.7% (male 5,732,385;
female 5,443,900)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 19,803,478;
female 19,381,734)
65 years and over: 15.8% (male
3,931,463; female 5,485,042) (2002
est.)
Population growth rate: 0.21% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 11.34 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 1.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.99 years
female: 80.84 years (2002 est.)
male: 75.29 years
Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.11% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 20,800 (1999)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 450 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective
plural)
adjective: British
Ethnic groups: English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish
2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West
Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other
2.8%
Religions: Anglican and Roman Catholic 40
million, Muslim 1.5 million,
Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist
760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu
500,000, Jewish 350,000
Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the
population of Wales), Scottish form
of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has
completed five or more years of
schooling
total population: 99% (2000 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
Government United Kingdom
-------------------------
Country name: conventional long form: United
Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland
conventional short form: United
Kingdom
abbreviation: UK
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: London
Administrative divisions: England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties*,
29 London boroughs**, 12 cities and
boroughs***, 10 districts****, 12
cities*****, 3 royal boroughs******;
Barking and Dagenham**, Barnet**,
Barnsley, Bath and North East
Somerset****, Bedfordshire*,
Bexley**, Birmingham***, Blackburn
with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton,
Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest,
Bradford***, Brent**, Brighton and
Hove, City of Bristol*****,
Bromley**, Buckinghamshire*, Bury,
Calderdale, Cambridgeshire*,
Camden**, Cheshire*, Cornwall*,
Coventry***, Croydon**, Cumbria*,
Darlington, Derby*****, Derbyshire*,
Devon*, Doncaster, Dorset*, Dudley,
Durham*, Ealing**, East Riding of
Yorkshire****, East Sussex*,
Enfield**, Essex*, Gateshead,
Gloucestershire*, Greenwich**,
Hackney**, Halton, Hammersmith and
Fulham**, Hampshire*, Haringey**,
Harrow**, Hartlepool, Havering**,
Herefordshire*, Hertfordshire*,
Hillingdon**, Hounslow**, Isle of
Wight*, Islington**, Kensington and
Chelsea******, Kent*, City of
Kingston upon Hull*****, Kingston
upon Thames******, Kirklees,
Knowsley, Lambeth**, Lancashire*,
Leeds***, Leicester*****,
Leicestershire*, Lewisham**,
Lincolnshire*, Liverpool***, City of
London*****, Luton, Manchester***,
Medway, Merton**, Middlesbrough,
Milton Keynes, Newcastle upon
Tyne***, Newham**, Norfolk*,
Northamptonshire*, North East
Lincolnshire****, North
Lincolnshire****, North
Somerset****, North Tyneside,
Northumberland*, North Yorkshire*,
Nottingham*****, Nottinghamshire*,
Oldham, Oxfordshire*,
Peterborough*****, Plymouth*****,
Poole, Portsmouth*****, Reading,
Redbridge**, Redcar and Cleveland,
Richmond upon Thames**, Rochdale,
Rotherham, Rutland****, Salford***,
Shropshire*, Sandwell, Sefton,
Sheffield***, Slough, Solihull,
Somerset*, Southampton*****,
Southend-on-Sea, South
Gloucestershire****, South Tyneside,
Southwark**, Staffordshire*, St.
Helens, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees,
Stoke-on-Trent*****, Suffolk*,
Sunderland***, Surrey*, Sutton**,
Swindon, Tameside, Telford and
Wrekin****, Thurrock, Torbay, Tower
Hamlets**, Trafford, Wakefield***,
Walsall, Waltham Forest**,
Wandsworth**, Warrington,
Warwickshire*, West Berkshire****,
Westminster***, West Sussex*, Wigan,
Wiltshire*, Windsor and
Maidenhead******, Wirral,
Wokingham****, Wolverhampton,
Worcestershire*, York*****; Northern
Ireland - 24 districts, 2 cities*, 6
counties**; Antrim, County Antrim**,
Ards, Armagh, County Armagh**,
Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,
Belfast*, Carrickfergus,
Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown,
Craigavon, Down, County Down**,
Dungannon, Fermanagh, County
Fermanagh**, Larne, Limavady,
Lisburn, County Londonderry**,
Derry*, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry
and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North
Down, Omagh, Strabane, County
Tyrone**; Scotland - 32 council
areas; Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire,
Angus, Argyll and Bute, The Scottish
Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries
and Galloway, Dundee City, East
Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East
Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of
Edinburgh, 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, West
Dunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western
Isles), West Lothian; Wales - 11
county boroughs, 9 counties*, 2
cities and counties**; Isle of
Anglesey*, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend,
Caerphilly, Cardiff**, Ceredigion*,
Carmarthenshire*, Conwy,
Denbighshire*, Flintshire*, Gwynedd,
Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire*,
Neath Port Talbot, Newport,
Pembrokeshire*, Powys*, Rhondda
Cynon Taff, Swansea**, Torfaen, The
Vale of Glamorgan*, Wrexham
Dependent areas: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian
Ocean Territory, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland
Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat,
Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena,
South Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands
Independence: England has existed as a unified
entity since the 10th century; the
union between England and Wales was
enacted under the Statute of
Rhuddlan in 1284; in the Act of
Union of 1707, England and Scotland
agreed to permanent union as Great
Britain; the legislative union of
Great Britain and Ireland was
implemented in 1801, with the
adoption of the name the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of
1921 formalized a partition of
Ireland; six northern Irish counties
remained part of the United Kingdom
as Northern Ireland and the current
name of the country, the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, was adopted in
1927
National holiday: Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II,
celebrated on the second Saturday in
June (1926)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly
common law and practice
Legal system: common law tradition with early
Roman and modern continental
influences; no judicial review of
Acts of Parliament; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations; British courts and
legislation are increasingly subject
to review by European Union courts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
(since 6 February 1952); Heir
Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the
queen, born 14 November 1948)
head of government: Prime Minister
Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May
1997)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
appointed by the prime minister
elections: none; the monarchy is
hereditary; the prime minister is
the leader of the majority party in
the House of Commons (assuming there
is no majority party, a prime
minister would have a majority
coalition or at least a coalition
that was not rejected by the
majority)
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament comprised of
House of Lords (consists of
approximately 500 life peers, 92
hereditary peers and 26 clergy) and
House of Commons (659 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms unless the House is
dissolved earlier)
elections: House of Lords - no
elections (some proposals for
further reform include elections);
House of Commons - last held 7 June
2001 (next to be held by NA May
2006)
election results: House of Commons -
percent of vote by party - Labor
42.1%, Conservative and Unionist
32.7%, Liberal Democrats 18.8%,
other 6.4%; seats by party - Labor
412, Conservative and Unionist 166,
Liberal Democrat 52, other 29; note
- seating as of 15 February 2002:
Labor 410, Conservative 164, Liberal
Democrats 53, other 32
note: in 1998 elections were held
for a Northern Ireland Parliament
(because of unresolved disputes
among existing parties, the transfer
of power from London to Northern
Ireland came only at the end of 1999
and was twice rescinded before
reinstatement in November 2001); in
1999 there were elections for a new
Scottish Parliament and a new Welsh
Assembly
Judicial branch: House of Lords (highest court of
appeal; several Lords of Appeal in
Ordinary are appointed by the
monarch for life); Supreme Courts of
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
(comprising the Courts of Appeal,
the High Courts of Justice, and the
Crown Courts); Scotland's Court of
Session and Court of the Justiciary
Political parties and leaders: Conservative and Unionist Party
[Iain Duncan SMITH]; Democratic
Unionist Party (Northern Ireland)
[Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Labor Party
[Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal
Democrats [Charles KENNEDY]; Party
of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Ieuan Wyn
JONES]; Scottish National Party or
SNP [John SWINNEY]; Sinn Fein
(Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS];
Social Democratic and Labor Party or
SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Mark
DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party
(Northern Ireland) [David TRIMBLE]
Political pressure groups and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament;
leaders: Confederation of British Industry;
National Farmers' Union; Trades
Union Congress
International organization AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C,
participation: CCC, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA
(associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA,
ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-
10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
SPC, UN, UN Security Council,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UNU,
UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO,
ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sir
Christopher J. R. MEYER
chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami,
and Seattle
consulate(s) general: Atlanta,
Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York, and San
Francisco
telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador William
US: S. FARISH
embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square,
London, W1A1AE
mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40,
FPO AE 09498-4040
telephone: [44] (0) 207499-9000
(switchboard)
FAX: [44] (0) 207 629-8288
consulate(s) general: Belfast,
Edinburgh
Flag description: blue with the red cross of Saint
George (patron saint of England)
edged in white superimposed on the
diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick
(patron saint of Ireland) and which
is superimposed on the diagonal
white cross of Saint Andrew (patron
saint of Scotland); known as the
Union Flag or Union Jack; the design
and colors (especially the Blue
Ensign) have been the basis for a
number of other flags including
other Commonwealth countries and
their constituent states or
provinces, as well as British
overseas territories
Economy United Kingdom
----------------------
Economy - overview: The UK, a leading trading power and
financial center, is one of the
quartet of trillion dollar economies
of Western Europe. Over the past two
decades the government has greatly
reduced public ownership and
contained the growth of social
welfare programs. Agriculture is
intensive, highly mechanized, and
efficient by European standards,
producing about 60% of food needs
with only 1% of the labor force. The
UK has large coal, natural gas, and
oil reserves; primary energy
production accounts for 10% of GDP,
one of the highest shares of any
industrial nation. Services,
particularly banking, insurance, and
business services, account by far
for the largest proportion of GDP
while industry continues to decline
in importance. GDP growth slipped in
2001 as the global downturn, the
high value of the pound, and the
bursting of the "new economy" bubble
hurt manufacturing and exports.
Still, the economy is one of the
strongest in Europe; inflation,
interest rates, and unemployment
remain low, and the government
expects growth of 2% to 2.5% in
2002. The relatively good economic
performance has complicated the
BLAIR government's efforts to make a
case for Britain to join the
European Economic and Monetary Union
(EMU). The Prime Minister has
pledged to hold a public referendum
if membership meets Chancellor of
the Exchequer BROWN's five economic
"tests." Scheduled for assessment by
mid-2003, the tests will determine
whether joining EMU would have a
positive effect on British
investment, employment, and growth.
Critics point out, however, that the
economy is thriving outside of EMU,
and they point to public opinion
polls that continue to show a
majority of Britons opposed to the
single currency.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.47
trillion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,700
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 24.9%
services: 73.4% (1999)
Population below poverty line: 17%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 2.6%
percentage share: highest 10%: 27.3% (1991)
Distribution of family income - Gini 36.1 (1991)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 29.7 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 25%,
services 74% (1999)
Unemployment rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $565 billion
expenditures: $540 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (FY01)
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,
and other consumer goods
Industrial production growth rate: -1.6% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 355.761 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 73.26%
hydro: 1.46%
other: 2.31% (2000)
nuclear: 22.97%
Electricity - consumption: 345.032 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 134 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 14.308 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cereals, oilseed, potatoes,
vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry;
fish
Exports: $287 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: manufactured goods, fuels,
chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners: EU 54% (Germany 11%, France 9%,
Netherlands 7%, Ireland 7%), US 15%
(2000)
Imports: $337 billion (c.i.f., 2001)
Imports - commodities: manufactured goods, machinery,
fuels; foodstuffs
Imports - partners: EU 48% (Germany 11%, France 7%,
Netherlands 6%), US 13%, Japan 5%
(2000)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $4.5 billion (2000)
Currency: British pound (GBP)
Currency code: GBP
Exchange rates: British pounds per US dollar -
0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944
(2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180
(1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications United Kingdom
-----------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 34.878 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 13 million (yearend 1998)
Telephone system: general assessment: technologically
advanced domestic and international
system
domestic: equal mix of buried
cables, microwave radio relay, and
fiber-optic systems
international: 40 coaxial submarine
cables; satellite earth stations -
10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3
Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic
Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat; at
least 8 large international
switching centers
Radio broadcast stations: AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 84.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: 30.5 million (1997)
Internet country code: .uk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 245 (2000)
Internet users: 33 million (2001)
Transportation United Kingdom
-----------------------------
Railways: total: 16,878 km
standard gauge: 16,536 km 1.435-
m gauge (4,928 km electrified;
12,591 km double- or multiple-
tracked)
broad gauge: 342 km 1.600-m gauge
(190 km double-tracked)
note: all 1.600-m gauge track is in
common carrier service in Northern
Ireland (1996)
Highways: total: 371,603 km
paved: 371,603 km (including 3,303
km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.)
Waterways: 3,200 km
Pipelines: crude oil (almost all insignificant)
933 km; petroleum products 2,993 km;
natural gas 12,800 km
Ports and harbors: Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff,
Dover, Falmouth, Felixstowe,
Glasgow, Grangemouth, Hull, Leith,
Liverpool, London, Manchester,
Peterhead, Plymouth, Portsmouth,
Scapa Flow, Southampton, Sullom Voe,
Tees, Tyne
Merchant marine: total: 212 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 4,308,232 GRT/4,171,757 DWT
ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 32,
chemical tanker 13, combination ore/
oil 1, container 53, liquefied gas
3, passenger 13, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 48, refrigerated
cargo 4, roll on/roll off 26, short-
sea passenger 10, specialized tanker
1
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Bermuda 1, Cyprus 1,
Denmark 21, Germany 6, Greece 3,
Hong Kong 4, Italy 1, Monaco 4,
Netherlands 1, Norway 9, Russia 1,
South Africa 2, Sweden 11, Taiwan 2,
United States 5 (2002 est.)
Airports: 470 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 332
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
914 to 1,523 m: 84
under 914 m: 57 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 138
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 114 (2001)
Heliports: 13 (2001)
Military United Kingdom
-----------------------
Military branches: Army, Royal Navy (including Royal
Marines), Royal Air Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,632,418 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 12,151,734 (2002
service: est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $31.7 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of 2.32% (2002)
GDP:
Transnational Issues United Kingdom
-----------------------------------
Disputes - international: Spain and UK are discussing "total
shared sovereignty" over Gibraltar,
subject to a constitutional
referendum by Gibraltarians, who
have largely expressed opposition to
any form of cession to Spain;
Mauritius and Seychelles claim the
Chagos Archipelago (British Indian
Ocean Territory) and its former
inhabitants, who reside chiefly in
Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted
UK citizenship and the right to
repatriation since eviction in 1965;
Argentina claims the Falkland
Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South
Georgia and the South Sandwich
Islands; Rockall continental shelf
dispute involving Denmark and
Iceland; territorial claim in
Antarctica (British Antarctic
Territory) overlaps Argentine claim
and partially overlaps Chilean
claim; disputes with Iceland,
Denmark, and Ireland over the Faroe
Islands continental shelf boundary
outside 200 NM
Illicit drugs: gateway country for Latin American
cocaine entering the European
market; major consumer of synthetic
drugs, producer of limited amounts
of synthetic drugs and synthetic
precursor chemicals; major consumer
of Southwest Asian heroin; money-
laundering center