Capital: London

Population: 60,441,457 (July 2005 est.)

Languages: English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Religions: Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census)

Currency: British pound (GBP)

Timezone: GMT (Summer - also known as "Daylight-Saving" - Time is observed in the UK. The time is moved forward 1 hour)

The United Kingdom (UK), a member of the European Union, is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is a leading commercial, financial and industrial nation, with one of the strongest economies in the world. The UK currently has a low unemployment rate (4.8% in 2004) and low inflation. It has historically been a very popular destination for migrants from many different parts of the world.

The UK offers some of the best educational institutions in the world, as well as excellent job opportunities and career prospects in many different areas of employment. It is also a very popular tourist destination, with one of the main attractions being its very rich historical and cultural heritage.

Geographically the UK is very diverse, with a wide variety of landscapes. Although there are vast areas of countryside, most of the population lives in towns and cities. Around four fifths of the population lives in England, and around 40% in the major conurbations of London, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle upon Tyne.

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