UK facts & figures
There are a number of useful facts and figures you may need to know when you come to the UK.
UK and its capitals
The UK is made up of Great Britain - England, Wales and Scotland - and Northern Ireland.
Their capitals are:
London in England
Edinburgh in Scotland
Cardiff in Wales
Belfast in Northern Ireland
Area and population
The UK's land and water area is 152,033 square miles. Its population- mid-2006 - is approximately 60.6 million. In England the population is 50,762.900. In Wales 2,965,000, Scotland 5,116,900 and Northern Ireland 1,741,600.
Visit National Statistics: UK at a Glance for more facts about the UK's population.
Government and monarchy
The UK is a constitutional monarchy - in which Queen Elizabeth II is recognised as the head of state - and the elected Prime Minister, currently Gordon Brown, is the head of government. The ability to make and pass legislation lies with the elected Parliament.
Find out more about constitutional monarchy on the British Monarchy website.
People, languages and religion
The majority of the population is English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish. However, the UK is an extremely diverse nation that has always welcomed migrants from around the world. Overall, ethnic minority groups represent 7.9% of the UK population. Read more about ethnicity here.
Britain's 2 official languages are English and Welsh, English being the most widely spoken. Gaelic is also spoken in some parts of Scotland.
Most people are Christian, although other religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism, are freely practised. About 23% of people in Britain follow no particular religion. Read more about different religions here.
Economy
The UK is a leading trading and financial power while the City of London is one of the world's leading financial markets.
Find out more about UK PLC in the National Statistics guide to the economy.
The City of London official website contains information about business in London.
Currency, weights and measures
Britain's currency is the pound sterling (£GBP). Go to the VisitBritain money and currency website for information about how much money you can bring into the UK, the best ways of exchanging money and current exchange rates.
Historically, Britain has always used the Imperial measurement system, although government regulations make use of the metric system.
Distance and speed are measured in miles, and miles per hour.
Public holidays, time zones and weather
Visit the site below for details of UK public holidays - also known as bank holidays, the times of the year the clocks go back and forward, and school holidays.
Public holidays and British summer time
You can find information about the weather on the VisitBritain website, including a 5-day weather forecast, temperatures over the course of the year and what clothes to wear at different times of the year.
Electrical appliances
Appliances in the UK usually use standard 3-pin square plugs and sockets. Voltage is 240 volts AC at 50HZ.
Britain has a population of around 60 million, has 2 official languages. Most people are Christians, but other several other religions are widely and freely practiced. Nearly a quarter of Britons don’t follow any faith.