United Kingdom Country Facts

 

Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs                                       
August 2007                                                                   
                                                                       
  Background Note: United Kingdom Country Facts                                              
                                           
  Spring flowers in front of St.                                              
  Stephen's tower, containing Big Ben,                                        
  London, United Kingdom, March 7,                                            
  2002. [© AP Images]                                                         
                                                                       
  Flag of United Kingdom is blue field 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), which is superimposed on  
  the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly
  known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack.                
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland                        
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: 243,000 sq. km. (93,000 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than Oregon.       
  Cities: Capital--London (metropolitan pop. about 7.2 million). Other        
  cities--Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Bradford,         
  Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol, Belfast.                                    
  Terrain: 30% arable, 50% meadow and pasture, 12% waste or urban, 7% forested,
  1% inland water.                                                            
  Land use: 25% arable, 46% meadows and pastures, 10% forests and woodland, 19%
  other.                                                                      
  Climate: Generally mild and temperate; weather is subject to frequent changes
  but to few extremes of temperature.                                         
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun--Briton(s). Adjective--British.                           
  Population (2007 est.): 60.8 million.                                       
  Annual population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.275%.                          
  Major ethnic groups: British, Irish, West Indian, South Asian.              
  Major religions: Church of England (Anglican), Roman Catholic, Church of    
  Scotland (Presbyterian), Muslim.                                            
  Major languages: English, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic.             
  Education: Years compulsory--12. Attendance--nearly 100%. Literacy--99%.    
  Health: Infant mortality rate (2007 est.)--5.01/1,000. Life expectancy (2007
  est.)--males 76.23 yrs.; females 81.3 yrs.; total 78.7 years                
  Work force (2007, 31.1 million): Services--80.4%; industry--18.2%;          
  agriculture--1.4%.                                                          
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Constitutional monarchy.                                              
  Constitution: Unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice.   
  Branches: Executive--monarch (head of state), prime minister (head of       
  government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral Parliament: House of Commons,  
  House of Lords; Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, and Northern Ireland   
  Assembly. Judicial--magistrates' courts, county courts, high courts,        
  appellate courts, House of Lords.                                           
  Subdivisions: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland (municipalities, counties,  
  and parliamentary constituencies).                                          
  Political parties: Great Britain--Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats;  
  also, in Scotland--Scottish National Party. Wales--Plaid Cymru (Party of    
  Wales). Northern Ireland--Ulster Unionist Party, Social Democratic and Labour
  Party, Democratic Unionist Party, Sinn Fein, Alliance Party, and other      
  smaller parties.                                                            
  Suffrage: British subjects and citizens of other Commonwealth countries and 
  the Irish Republic resident in the U.K., at 18.                             
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (at current market prices, 2007 est.): $1.93 trillion.                  
  Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.8%.                                       
  Per capita GDP (2006 est.): $31,800.                                        
  Natural resources: Coal, oil, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt,  
  clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica.                                          
  Agriculture (1.1% of GDP): Products--cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables,
  cattle, sheep, poultry, fish.                                               
  Industry: Types--steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles,
  motor vehicles and aircraft, construction (5.2% of GDP), electronics,       
  chemicals.                                                                  
  Trade (2006 est.): Exports of goods and services--$468.8 billion:           
  manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco. Major       
  markets--U.S., European Union. Imports of goods and services--$603 billion: 
  manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs. Major suppliers--U.S.,    
  European Union, Japan.                                                      
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  The United Kingdom's population in 2004 surpassed 60 million--the           
  third-largest in the European Union. Its overall population density is one of
  the highest in the world. Almost one-third of the population lives in       
  England's prosperous and fertile southeast and is predominantly urban and   
  suburban--with about 7.2 million in the capital of London, which remains the
  largest city in Europe. The United Kingdom's high literacy rate (99%) is    
  attributable to universal public education introduced for the primary level 
  in 1870 and secondary level in 1900. Education is mandatory from ages 5     
  through 16. About one-fifth of British students go on to post-secondary     
  education. The Church of England and the Church of Scotland are the official
  churches in their respective parts of the country, but most religions found 
  in the world are represented in the United Kingdom.                         
                                                                       
  A group of islands close to continental Europe, the British Isles have been 
  subject to many invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the
  continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. Contemporary   
  Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that settled there
  before the 11th century. The pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and    
  Norse influences were blended in Britain under the Normans, Scandinavian    
  Vikings who had lived in Northern France. Although Celtic languages persist 
  in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, the predominant language is       
  English, which is primarily a blend of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French.       
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  The Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC and most of Britain's subsequent     
  incorporation into the Roman Empire stimulated development and brought more 
  active contacts with the rest of Europe. As Rome's strength declined, the   
  country again was exposed to invasion--including the pivotal incursions of  
  the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the fifth and sixth centuries AD--up to the
  Norman conquest in 1066. Norman rule effectively ensured Britain's safety   
  from further intrusions; certain institutions, which remain characteristic of
  Britain, could develop. Among these are a political, administrative,        
  cultural, and economic center in London; a separate but established church; a
  system of common law; distinctive and distinguished university education; and
  representative government.                                                  
                                                                       
  Union                                                                       
  Both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted English rule.
  The English conquest of Wales succeeded in 1282 under Edward I, and the     
  Statute of Rhuddlan established English rule 2 years later. To appease the  
  Welsh, Edward's son (later Edward II), who had been born in Wales, was made 
  Prince of Wales in 1301. The tradition of bestowing this title on the eldest
  son of the British Monarch continues today. An act of 1536 completed the    
  political and administrative union of England and Wales.                    
                                                                       
  While maintaining separate parliaments, England and Scotland were ruled under
  one crown beginning in 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded his cousin 
  Elizabeth I as James I of England. In the ensuing 100 years, strong religious
  and political differences divided the kingdoms. Finally, in 1707, England and
  Scotland were unified as Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at      
  Westminster.                                                                
                                                                       
  Ireland's invasion by the Anglo-Normans in 1170 led to centuries of strife. 
  Successive English kings sought to conquer Ireland. In the early 17th       
  century, large-scale settlement of the north from Scotland and England began.
  After its defeat, Ireland was subjected, with varying degrees of success, to
  control and regulation by Britain.                                          
                                                                       
  The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed on January 
  1, 1801, under the name of the United Kingdom. However, armed struggle for  
  independence continued sporadically into the 20th century. The Anglo-Irish  
  Treaty of 1921 established the Irish Free State, which subsequently left the
  Commonwealth and became a republic after World War II. Six northern,        
  predominantly Protestant, Irish counties have remained part of the United   
  Kingdom.                                                                    
                                                                       
  British Expansion and Empire                                                
  Begun initially to support William the Conqueror's (c. 1029-1087) holdings in
  France, Britain's policy of active involvement in continental European      
  affairs endured for several hundred years. By the end of the 14th century,  
  foreign trade, originally based on wool exports to Europe, had emerged as a 
  cornerstone of national policy.                                             
                                                                       
  The foundations of sea power were gradually laid to protect English trade and
  open up new routes. Defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 firmly established 
  England as a major sea power. Thereafter, its interests outside Europe grew 
  steadily. Attracted by the spice trade, English mercantile interests spread 
  first to the Far East. In search of an alternate route to the Spice Islands,
  John Cabot reached the North American continent in 1498. Sir Walter Raleigh 
  organized the first, short-lived colony in Virginia in 1584, and permanent  
  English settlement began in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. During the next two
  centuries, Britain extended its influence abroad and consolidated its       
  political development at home.                                              
                                                                       
  Great Britain's industrial revolution greatly strengthened its ability to   
  oppose Napoleonic France. By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, the    
  United Kingdom was the foremost European power, and its navy ruled the seas.
  Peace in Europe allowed the British to focus their interests on more remote 
  parts of the world, and, during this period, the British Empire reached its 
  zenith. British colonial expansion reached its height largely during the    
  reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Queen Victoria's reign witnessed the   
  spread of British technology, commerce, language, and government throughout 
  the British Empire, which, at its greatest extent, encompassed roughly      
  one-fifth to one-quarter of the world's area and population. British colonies
  contributed to the United Kingdom's extraordinary economic growth and       
  strengthened its voice in world affairs. Even as the United Kingdom extended
  its imperial reach overseas, it continued to develop and broaden its        
  democratic institutions at home.                                            
                                                                       
  20th Century                                                                
  By the time of Queen Victoria's death in 1901, other nations, including the 
  United States and Germany, had developed their own industries; the United   
  Kingdom's comparative economic advantage had lessened, and the ambitions of 
  its rivals had grown. The losses and destruction of World War I, the        
  depression of the 1930s, and decades of relatively slow growth eroded the   
  United Kingdom's preeminent international position of the previous century. 
                                                                       
  Britain's control over its empire loosened during the interwar period.      
  Ireland, with the exception of six northern counties, gained independence   
  from the United Kingdom in 1921. Nationalism became stronger in other parts 
  of the empire, particularly in India and Egypt.                             
                                                                       
  In 1926, the United Kingdom, completing a process begun a century earlier,  
  granted Australia, Canada, and New Zealand complete autonomy within the     
  empire. They became charter members of the British Commonwealth of Nations  
  (now known as the Commonwealth), an informal but closely-knit association   
  that succeeded the empire. Beginning with the independence of India and     
  Pakistan in 1947, the remainder of the British Empire was almost completely 
  dismantled. Today, most of Britain's former colonies belong to the          
  Commonwealth, almost all of them as independent members. There are, however,
  13 former British colonies--including Bermuda, Gibraltar, the Falkland      
  Islands, and others--which have elected to continue their political links   
  with London and are known as United Kingdom Overseas Territories.           
                                                                       
  Although often marked by economic and political nationalism, the Commonwealth
  offers the United Kingdom a voice in matters concerning many developing     
  countries. In addition, the Commonwealth helps preserve many institutions   
  deriving from British experience and models, such as parliamentary democracy,
  in those countries.                                                         
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT                                                                  
  The United Kingdom does not have a written constitution. The equivalent body
  of law is based on statute, common law, and "traditional rights." Changes may
  come about formally through new acts of Parliament, informally through the  
  acceptance of new practices and usage, or by judicial precedents. Although  
  Parliament has the theoretical power to make or repeal any law, in actual   
  practice the weight of 700 years of tradition restrains arbitrary actions.  
                                                                       
  Executive power rests nominally with the monarch but actually is exercised by
  a committee of ministers (cabinet) traditionally selected from among the    
  members of the House of Commons and, to a lesser extent, the House of Lords.
  The prime minister is normally the leader of the largest party in the       
  Commons, and the government is dependent on its support.                    
                                                                       
  Parliament represents the entire country and can legislate for the whole or 
  for any constituent part or combination of parts. The maximum parliamentary 
  term is 5 years, but the prime minister may ask the monarch to dissolve     
  Parliament and call a general election at any time. The focus of legislative
  power is the 646-member House of Commons, which has sole jurisdiction over  
  finance. The House of Lords, although shorn of most of its powers, can still
  review, amend, or delay temporarily any bills except those relating to the  
  budget. The House of Lords has more time than the House of Commons to pursue
  one of its more important functions--debating public issues. In 1999, the   
  government removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to hold seats in 
  the House of Lords. The current house consists of appointed life peers who  
  hold their seats for life and 92 hereditary peers who will hold their seats 
  only until final reforms have been agreed upon and implemented. The judiciary
  is independent of the legislative and executive branches but cannot review  
  the constitutionality of legislation.                                       
                                                                       
  The separate identities of each of the United Kingdom's constituent parts are
  also reflected in their respective governmental structures. Up until the    
  recent devolution of power to Scotland and Wales, a cabinet minister (the   
  Secretary of State for Wales) handled Welsh affairs at the national level   
  with the advice of a broadly representative council for Wales. Scotland     
  maintains, as it did before union with England, different systems of law    
  (Roman-French), education, local government, judiciary, and national church 
  (the Church of Scotland instead of the Church of England). In addition,     
  separate departments grouped under a Secretary of State for Scotland, who   
  also is a cabinet member, handled most domestic matters. In late 1997,      
  however, following approval of referenda by Scottish and Welsh voters (though
  only narrowly in Wales), the British Government introduced legislation to   
  establish a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. The first elections for
  the two bodies were held May 6, 1999. The Welsh Assembly opened on May 26,  
  and the Scottish Parliament opened on July 1, 1999. The devolved legislatures
  have largely taken over most of the functions previously performed by the   
  Scottish and Welsh offices.                                                 
                                                                       
  Northern Ireland had its own Parliament and prime minister from 1921 to 1973,
  when the British Government imposed direct rule in order to deal with the   
  deteriorating political and security situation. From 1973, the Secretary of 
  State for Northern Ireland, based in London, was responsible for the region,
  including efforts to resolve the issues that lay behind the "the troubles." 
                                                                       
  By the mid-1990s, gestures toward peace encouraged by successive British    
  governments and by President Clinton began to open the door for restored    
  local government in Northern Ireland. An Irish Republican Army (IRA)        
  cease-fire and nearly 2 years of multiparty negotiations, led by former U.S.
  Senator George Mitchell, resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of April 10, 
  1998, which was subsequently approved by majorities in both Northern Ireland
  and the Republic of Ireland. Key elements of the agreement include devolved 
  government, a commitment of the parties to work toward "total disarmament of
  all paramilitary organizations," police reform, and enhanced mechanisms to  
  guarantee human rights and equal opportunity. The Good Friday Agreement also
  called for formal cooperation between the Northern Ireland institutions and 
  the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and it established the           
  British-Irish Council, which includes representatives of the British and    
  Irish Governments as well as the devolved Governments of Northern Ireland,  
  Scotland, and Wales. Devolved government was reestablished in Northern      
  Ireland in December 1999.                                                   
                                                                       
  The Good Friday Agreement provides for a 108-member elected Assembly,       
  overseen by a 12-minister Executive Committee (cabinet) in which unionists  
  and nationalists share leadership responsibility. Northern Ireland elects 18
  representatives to the Westminster Parliament in London. However, the five  
  Sinn Fein Members of Parliament (MPs), who won seats in the 2004 election,  
  have refused to claim their seats.                                          
                                                                       
  Progress has been made on each of the key elements of the Good Friday       
  Agreement. Most notably, a new police force has been instituted; the IRA has
  decommissioned its weapons, and the security situation in Northern Ireland  
  has normalized. Since 2002, when the last devolved government was suspended,
  the British Government, with Irish and U.S. support, continued to push      
  Northern Ireland's main parties towards a power-sharing agreement. In October
  2006, intense negotiations led to the St. Andrews Agreement, which set up a 
  Transitional Assembly, as the precursor for the return of devolved          
  government. Parties were given until March 26, 2007 to work out arrangements
  for a power-sharing agreement. As part of these negotiations, the Democratic
  Unionist Party (DUP) insisted that Sinn Fein endorse policing structures, a 
  key U.S. objective as well.                                                 
                                                                       
  In a historic move, Sinn Fein's general membership finally agreed to support
  policing in late January 2007. New assembly elections were held on March 7, 
  returning the unionist (Protestant) DUP and nationalist (Catholic) Sinn Fein
  again as the two largest parties. While party leaders Ian Paisley (DUP) and 
  Gerry Adams (Sinn Fein) did not reach agreement on power-sharing in time for
  the March 26 deadline, they did hold a historic joint meeting that day. At  
  the meeting, they agreed to begin a power-sharing government on May 8 with  
  Paisley as First Minister and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein as Deputy First
  Minister. On May 8, 2007 Paisley and McGuinness took their oath of office in
  the presence of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Irish Prime Minister     
  Bertie Ahern, and a bipartisan U.S. presidential delegation headed by Special
  Envoy Paula Dobriansky, who was accompanied by Senator Ted Kennedy.         
                                                                       
  While most attributes of government have been devolved to the Northern      
  Ireland Assembly, responsibility for security and justice remains in the    
  hands of the Parliament in Westminster. The St. Andrews Agreement envisioned
  devolution of policing and justice by May 2008. Other outstanding issues    
  relate to continued paramilitary activities. While the IRA has completely   
  decommissioned its weapons and is no longer considered a terrorist threat, a
  few loyalist (Protestant) paramilitary groups have thus far refused to stand
  down or decommission. While one large loyalist paramilitary group recently  
  announced it has placed its weapons "out of use", it has not formally       
  decommissioned them. There is also some concern about dissident republican  
  groups who are believed responsible for a number of fire bombs in November  
  2006 around Northern Ireland.                                               
                                                                       
  The United States also is committed to Northern Ireland's economic          
  development, and through the U.S. Agency for International Development      
  (USAID) almost $462 million was obligated to the International Fund for     
  Ireland from 1986 to 2006. The fund provides grants and loans to businesses 
  to improve the economy, redress inequalities of employment opportunity, and 
  improve cross-border business and community ties.                           
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  Head of State--Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II                               
  Prime Minister (Head of Government)--The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, MP          
  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs--The Rt. Hon. David 
  Miliband, MP                                                                
  Ambassador to the U.S.--Sir David Manning                                   
  Ambassador to the UN--Sir Emyr Jones Parry, KCMG                            
                                                                       
  The United Kingdom maintains an embassy in the United States at 3100        
  Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-588-6500; fax         
  202-588-7870).                                                              
                                                                       
  POLITICAL CONDITIONS                                                        
  Tony Blair became the first Labour Prime Minister ever to win a third       
  consecutive term when he was re-elected on May 5, 2005. Labour has a 67-seat
  majority in the House of Commons. The Conservative (Tory) Party and         
  Liberal-Democrats (LibDems) form the major opposition parties. Blair stepped
  down as Prime Minister in June 2007. Labour Party leader Gordon Brown       
  succeeded him. The main British parties support a strong transatlantic link,
  but have become increasingly absorbed by European issues as Britain's       
  economic and political ties to the continent grow in the post-Cold War world.
  Prime Minister Brown is expected to continue Blair's policy of having the   
  United Kingdom play a leading role in Europe even as the United Kingdom     
  maintains its strong bilateral relationship with the United States. Britain's
  relationship with Europe is a subject of considerable political discussion in
  the United Kingdom.                                                         
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  The United Kingdom has the fifth-largest economy in the world, is the       
  second-largest economy in the European Union, and is a major international  
  trading power. A highly developed, diversified, market-based economy with   
  extensive social welfare services provides most residents with a high       
  standard of living. Unemployment and inflation levels are amongst the lowest
  within the European Union.                                                  
                                                                       
  Since 1979, the British Government has privatized most state-owned companies,
  including British Steel, British Airways, British Telecom, British Coal,    
  British Aerospace, and British Gas, although in some cases the government   
  retains a "golden share" in these companies. The Labour government has      
  continued the privatization policy of its Conservative predecessor,         
  particularly by encouraging "public-private partnerships" (partial          
  privatization) in such areas as the London Underground. The economy of the  
  United Kingdom is now primarily based on private enterprise, accounting for 
  approximately four-fifths of employment and output.                         
                                                                       
  London ranks alongside New York as a leading international financial center.
  London's financial exports contribute greatly to the United Kingdom's balance
  of payments. Ratings agencies rank the United Kingdom's banking sector as one
  of the strongest in the world and its banks are amongst the most profitable 
  in the G-8. It is a global leader in emissions trading and is home to the   
  Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is also a government priority to make
  London the leading center of Islamic finance.                               
                                                                       
  The United Kingdom is the European Union's only significant energy exporter.
  It is also one of the world's largest energy consumers, and most analysts   
  predict a shift in U.K. status from net exporter to net importer of energy by
  2020, possibly sooner. Oil production in the U.K. is leveling off. While    
  North Sea natural gas production continues to rise, gains may be offset by  
  ever-increasing consumption. North Sea oil and gas exploration activities are
  shifting to smaller fields and to increments of larger, developed fields,   
  presenting opportunities for smaller, independent energy operators to become
  active in North Sea production.                                             
                                                                       
  DEFENSE AND FOREIGN RELATIONS                                               
  The United Kingdom is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty        
  Organization (NATO) and is one of NATO's major European maritime, air, and  
  land powers; it ranks third among NATO countries in total defense           
  expenditure. The United Kingdom has been a member of the European Community 
  (now European Union) since 1973. In the United Nations, the United Kingdom is
  a permanent member of the Security Council. The U.K. held the Presidency of 
  the G-8 during 2005; it held the EU Presidency from July to December 2005.  
                                                                       
  The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom and 
  its overseas territories, promoting Britain's wider security interests, and 
  supporting international peacekeeping efforts. The 37,000-member Royal Navy,
  which includes 6,000 Royal Marine commandos, is in charge of the United     
  Kingdom's independent strategic nuclear arm, which consists of four Trident 
  missile submarines. The British Army, consisting of approximately 99,200    
  personnel, the Royal Air Force, with 42,000 personnel, along with the Royal 
  Navy and Royal Marines, are active and regular participants in NATO and other
  coalition operations. Approximately 9% of the British Armed Forces is female,
  and 4% of British forces represent ethnic minorities.                       
                                                                       
  The United Kingdom stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States        
  following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its     
  military forces are part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The U.K.    
  force in Afghanistan will increase to 7,700 by the end of 2007. U.K. forces 
  are primarily based in the Helmand region, where they are on the front line 
  in the war against continued Taliban operations. In addition, the U.K. has  
  contributed more than £500 million to Afghan reconstruction--the            
  second-largest donor after the U.S. The U.K. was the United States' main    
  coalition partner in Operation Iraqi Freedom and continues to have more than
  5,000 troops deployed in Iraq to help stabilize and rebuild the country.    
  Under UN Security Council Resolution 1483, the U.K. also shared with the    
  United States responsibility for civil administration in Iraq and was an    
  active participant in the Coalition Provisional Authority before the handover
  of Iraqi sovereignty on June 28, 2004. Britain's participation in the Iraq  
  war and its aftermath remains a domestically controversial issue.           
                                                                       
  U.S.-UNITED KINGDOM RELATIONS                                               
  The United Kingdom is one of the United States' closest allies, and British 
  foreign policy emphasizes close coordination with the United States.        
  Bilateral cooperation reflects the common language, ideals, and democratic  
  practices of the two nations. Relations were strengthened by the United     
  Kingdom's alliance with the United States during both World Wars, and its   
  role as a founding member of NATO, in the Korean conflict, in the Persian   
  Gulf War, and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The United Kingdom and the United 
  States continually consult on foreign policy issues and global problems and 
  share major foreign and security policy objectives.                         
                                                                       
  The United Kingdom is the fifth-largest market for U.S. goods exports after 
  Canada, Mexico, Japan, and China, and the sixth-largest supplier of U.S.    
  imports after Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany. U.S. exports of    
  goods and services to the United Kingdom in 2006 totaled $92 billion, while 
  U.S. imports from the U.K. totaled $93 billion. The United States has had a 
  trade deficit with the United Kingdom since 1998. The United Kingdom is a   
  large source of foreign tourists in the United States. In 2005, 3.4 million 
  U.S. residents visited the United Kingdom, while 4.2 million U.K. residents 
  visited the United States.                                                  
                                                                       
  The United States and the United Kingdom share the world's largest foreign  
  direct investment partnership. U.S. investment in the United Kingdom reached
  $324 billion in 2005, while U.K. direct investment in the U.S. totaled $282 
  billion. This investment sustains more than 1 million American jobs.        
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Officials                                                    
  Ambassador--Robert Holmes Tuttle                                            
  Deputy Chief of Mission--Richard LeBaron                                    
  Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs--Maura Connelly                    
  Minister-Counselor for Commercial Affairs--Dorothy Lutter                   
  Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs--Mark Tokola                        
  Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs--Barry Walkley                        
  Minister-Counselor for Management Affairs--Richard Jaworski                 
  Minister-Counselor for Consular Affairs--John Caulfield                     
  Regional Security Officer--Scott Farquar                                    
  U.S. Consul General in Belfast--Susan Elliott                               
  Principal Officer in Edinburgh--Lisa Vickers                                
                                                                       
  The U.S. Embassy in the United Kingdom is located at 24 Grosvenor Sq., W1A  
  1AE, London (tel. [44] (207) 499-9000; fax [44] (207) 409-1637).            
                                                                       
  TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION                                             
  The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans
  traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information Sheets, Public   
  Announcements, and Travel Warnings. Consular Information Sheets exist for all
  countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency  
  regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political       
  disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
  Public Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly about    
  terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that  
  pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
  are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel 
  to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.        
                                                                       
  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad  
  should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet
  web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution,
  Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs    
  Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
  safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For    
  additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/     
  Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.                                  
                                                                       
  The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens traveling or residing   
  abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or
  at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your
  presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an 
  emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security 
  conditions.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained 
  by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular   
  toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.           
                                                                       
  The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of   
  State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport         
  information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service   
  representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 
  a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.           
                                                                       
  Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for 
  Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
  (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the
  most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements,
  and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A   
  booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS         
  publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government       
  Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.                 
                                                                       
  Further Electronic Information                                              
  Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://          
  www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global     
  access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background    
  Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of 
  Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
  provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies  
  working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov                      
                                                                       
  Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market    
  information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free
  export counseling, help with the export process, and more.                  
  STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides   
  authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from  
  the Federal government. The site includes current and historical            
  trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, 
  and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.   

 

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See http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/ for all Background notes
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