United Kingdom

a kingdom of NW Europe, consisting chiefly of the island of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland: became the world's leading colonial power in the 18th century: the first country to undergo the Industrial Revolution. It became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1921, after the rest of Ireland became autonomous as the Irish Free State. Primarily it is a trading nation, the chief exports being manufactured goods; joined the Common Market (now the European Union) in January 1973. Official language: English; Gaelic, Welsh, and other minority languages. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: pound sterling. Capital: London. Pop.: 59 428 000 (2004 est.). Area: 244 110 sq. km (94 251 sq. miles)
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Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

United Kingdom

Official name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (note - Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales)

Capital city: London

Internet country code: .uk

Flag description: 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; 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, and British overseas territories

National anthem: “God Save the Queen”

Geographical description: 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

Total area: 93,000 sq. mi. (243,000 sq. km.)

Climate: Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than onehalf of the days are overcast

Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural); adjective: British

Population: 60,776,238 (July 2007 CIA est.)

Ethnic groups: English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%, African 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6%

Languages spoken: English, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic

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

Legal Holidays:

England and Wales

Boxing Day	Dec 26
Christmas Day	Dec 25
Early May Bank Holiday	May 2, 2011; May 7, 2012; May 6, 2013; May 5, 2014; May 4, 2015; May 2, 2016; May 1, 2017; May 7, 2018; May 6, 2019; May 4, 2020; May 3, 2021; May 2, 2022; May 1, 2023
Easter Monday	Apr 25, 2011; Apr 9, 2012; Apr 1, 2013; Apr 21, 2014; Apr 6, 2015; Mar 28, 2016; Apr 17, 2017; Apr 2, 2018; Apr 22, 2019; Apr 13, 2020; Apr 5, 2021; Apr 18, 2022; Apr 10, 2023
Good Friday	Apr 22, 2011; Apr 6, 2012; Mar 29, 2013; Apr 18, 2014; Apr 3, 2015; Mar 25, 2016; Apr 14, 2017; Mar 30, 2018; Apr 19, 2019; Apr 10, 2020; Apr 2, 2021; Apr 15, 2022; Apr 7, 2023
New Year's Day	Jan 1
Spring Bank Holiday	May 30, 2011; May 28, 2012; May 27, 2013; May 26, 2014; May 25, 2015; May 30, 2016; May 29, 2017; May 28, 2018; May 27, 2019; May 25, 2020; May 31, 2021; May 30, 2022; May 29, 2023
Summer Bank Holiday	Aug 29, 2011; Aug 27, 2012; Aug 26, 2013; Aug 25, 2014; Aug 31, 2015; Aug 29, 2016; Aug 28, 2017; Aug 27, 2018; Aug 26, 2019; Aug 31, 2020; Aug 30, 2021; Aug 29, 2022; Aug 28, 2023

Northern Ireland

Battle of the Boyne	Jul 12
Boxing Day	Dec 26
Christmas Day	Dec 25
Early May Bank Holiday	May 2, 2011; May 7, 2012; May 6, 2013; May 5, 2014; May 4, 2015; May 2, 2016; May 1, 2017; May 7, 2018; May 6, 2019; May 4, 2020; May 3, 2021; May 2, 2022; May 1, 2023
Easter Monday	Apr 25, 2011; Apr 9, 2012; Apr 1, 2013; Apr 21, 2014; Apr 6, 2015; Mar 28, 2016; Apr 17, 2017; Apr 2, 2018; Apr 22, 2019; Apr 13, 2020; Apr 5, 2021; Apr 18, 2022; Apr 10, 2023
Good Friday	Apr 22, 2011; Apr 6, 2012; Mar 29, 2013; Apr 18, 2014; Apr 3, 2015; Mar 25, 2016; Apr 14, 2017; Mar 30, 2018; Apr 19, 2019; Apr 10, 2020; Apr 2, 2021; Apr 15, 2022; Apr 7, 2023
New Year's Day	Jan 1
Spring Bank Holiday	May 30, 2011; May 28, 2012; May 27, 2013; May 26, 2014; May 25, 2015; May 30, 2016; May 29, 2017; May 28, 2018; May 27, 2019; May 25, 2020; May 31, 2021; May 30, 2022; May 29, 2023
St. Patrick's Day	Mar 21, 2011; Mar 19, 2012; Mar 18, 2013; Mar 17, 2014; Mar 16, 2015; Mar 21, 2016; Mar 20, 2017; Mar 19, 2018; Mar 18, 2019; Mar 16, 2020; Mar 15, 2021; Mar 21, 2022; Mar 20, 2023
Summer Bank Holiday	Aug 29, 2011; Aug 27, 2012; Aug 26, 2013; Aug 25, 2014; Aug 31, 2015; Aug 29, 2016; Aug 28, 2017; Aug 27, 2018; Aug 26, 2019; Aug 31, 2020; Aug 30, 2021; Aug 29, 2022; Aug 28, 2023

Scotland

Boxing Day	Dec 26
Christmas Day	Dec 25
Early May Bank Holiday	May 2, 2011; May 7, 2012; May 6, 2013; May 5, 2014; May 4, 2015; May 2, 2016; May 1, 2017; May 7, 2018; May 6, 2019; May 4, 2020; May 3, 2021; May 2, 2022; May 1, 2023
Spring Bank Holiday	May 30, 2011; May 28, 2012; May 27, 2013; May 26, 2014; May 25, 2015; May 30, 2016; May 29, 2017; May 28, 2018; May 27, 2019; May 25, 2020; May 31, 2021; May 30, 2022; May 29, 2023
St. Andrew's Day	Nov 30
Summer Bank Holiday	Aug 29, 2011; Aug 27, 2012; Aug 26, 2013; Aug 25, 2014; Aug 31, 2015; Aug 29, 2016; Aug 28, 2017; Aug 27, 2018; Aug 26, 2019; Aug 31, 2020; Aug 30, 2021; Aug 29, 2022; Aug 28, 2023

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

There were 94 Malis born in 2013 across England and Wales and 86 girls called Ines, but none of them live in the West Midlands.

Similarly, there were no Osians or Cais born in 2013 in the West Midlands, despite there being 135 and 98 respectively in the rest of England and Wales.

Figures cover all children born in 2013 in England and Wales, where three or more children were given the name.

Names more popular here than rest of UK

Both public hospitals and private facilities in England and Wales were relatively slow in adopting early medical abortion.

The private sector in England and Wales has been even slower to adopt medical abortion, in large part because of restrictions imposed by the health authorities.

(45) No waiting period is mandated in England and Wales, but waiting lists at NHS hospitals, which sometimes cause women to wait for more than three weeks, may eliminate medical abortion as an option for women, particularly if they lack access to a non-NHS provider.

In 2000, NHS paid for 98% of all abortions in Scotland, but for 75% of all abortions in England and Wales. (54) In Great Britain, services are free at NHS facilities and, for some clients, at nonprofit clinics under contract with NHS.

([dagger]) Although Scotland is part of Great Britain, its abortion practice is different enough from practice in England and Wales that in some cases, we will discuss it as a separate country.

Mifepristone for early medical abortion: experiences in France, Great Britain and Sweden. (Special Report)

Recent trends in human salmonellosis in England and Wales: the epidemiology of prevalent serotypes other than Salmonella typhimurium.

Epidemiology of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 4 in England and Wales. In: Saeed AM, Gast RK, Potter ME, Wall PG, editors.

Incidence of salmonella infection in animals in England and Wales 1968-1974.

Trends in salmonella food poisoning in England and Wales, 1941-72.

Competitive Exclusion of Salmonella Enteritidis by Salmonella Gallinarum in Poultry