United Kingdom in Our World

United Kingdom in Our World — page 1 — Introducing the United Kingdom The United Kingdom is one of the most developed countries in the world Although small in size it once controlled an empire that included a quarter of the world’s land and people Today the country has only a few overseas colonies but its global influence remains strong Where in the World The United Kingdom is an island off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe It is made up of four countries England Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland These are ruled by a central government in the English capital London however each country has some power of self-rule Apart from the land border between Northern Ireland and the independent Republic of Ireland the UK is surrounded by water Nations Coming Together The United Kingdom rose out of the growing strength of England During the 13th century English armies defeated those in neighboring Wales NN Shetland Islands W W E E SS KeyKey Capital city Capital city Other cities Other cities Mountain Mountain 00 milesmiles 100100 00 kilometers kilometers 100100 Orkney Islands Hebrides HIGHLANDS Ben Nevis SCOTLAND North Sea Bradford Leeds Trent Sheffield River N N I N E S Glasgow Edinburgh C HEVIO T HILLS UNITED P LAKE DISTRICT E Belfast Isle of Man Manchester Liverpool KINGDOM Irish Sea N A I R B M A C S N I A T N U O M Ouse ENGLAND River Birmingham Cambridge WALES Cardiff t o l Channel Bristol B ri s Severn River Oxford Thames River London NORTHERN IRELAND REPUBLIC OF IRELAND Atlantic Ocean Isles of Scilly sh Channel Engl i FRANCE Channel Islands 쏟 The UK is surrounded by the North Sea the English Channel the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea Its closest neighbors on the continent of Europe are France Norway and the Netherlands 4

United Kingdom in Our World — page 2 — INTRODUCING THE UNITED KINGDOM The English tried to take over Scotland as well but the Scottish resisted The two kingdoms finally united peacefully in 1707 under the name Great Britain The British also controlled Ireland and when the Irish gained independence in 1921 Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom IT’S A FACT The term United Kingdom refers to England Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The name Great Britain only includes England Scotland and Wales The British Isles is the name given to Great Britain Ireland and other smaller islands such as the Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey A World Power Throughout its history the UK has had far reaching connections with other countries Over the centuries the British gained control of many distant lands and eventually ruled a vast empire Ships brought natural resources from faraway places and British factories turned those materials into goods that were sold around the world British people also settled in the colonies taking with them their language art religions and customs This helped British culture spread throughout the world Although virtually all the colonies are now independent many of them have kept cultural and political ties with the UK 쏡 The UK has a central government based at the Houses of Parliament in London but Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own national governments

United Kingdom in Our World — page 3 — UNITED KINGDOM IN OUR WORLD International Relations The United Kingdom remains close to most of its former colonies and dominions Many of them belong to the Commonwealth of Nations an organization formed by the UK in 1931 Its members work together to promote shared goals around the world such as democracy equal rights free trade and world peace The United States is one of the UK’s closest allies and the two nations fought together during World War I 1914 18 and World War II 1939 45 Today they are major trading partners and have joined forces in the War on Terror focused in the Middle East and Central Asia Other nations are also helping in this struggle GOING GLOBAL The English language is one of the UK’s greatest exports Today more than 40 nations use it as their official language and about 350 million people speak it as their first language Experts estimate that around one billion people are currently learning English 쏡 U S president Barack Obama and British prime minister Gordon Brown The UK and the U S have close political ties

United Kingdom in Our World — page 4 — INTRODUCING THE UNITED KINGDOM BASIC DATA Official name The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Capital London Size 94,058 sq miles 243,610 sq km Population 61,113,205 2010 est Currency Pound 쏟 The UK’s multicultural society has developed from years of immigration particularly since the end of World War II Looking Ahead Despite its wealth the UK faces some tough challenges The population is expected to grow by about six million people by 2020 partly because of the large numbers of immigrants settling in the UK They will need education jobs and services such as healthcare and the government will need to find ways of paying for these Therefore not everyone in the UK welcomes immigrants fearing they will take away jobs and housing The government hopes to provide for everyone’s needs and end any tension between the immigrants and citizens The UK is also facing competition in selling its goods and services in global markets especially from countries such as China and India which are developing strong economies Government officials hope that by promoting education and new ideas in science and technology the UK can continue to be a global influence 7

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