United Kingdom
Quick Facts
- Capital:
- London
- Official Language(s):
- English
- Currency:
- British pound (£)
- Population:
- 67,215,293
Overview
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The UK includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and most of the smaller islands within the British Isles, covering 94,354 square miles (244,376 km2). Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland; otherwise, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the Irish Sea. The United Kingdom had an estimated population of 68.2 million people in 2023. The capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom is London, whose wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. The cities of Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast are the national capitals of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, respectively.
Institutional Framework
- Rule of law and contract enforcement
- Control of corruption
- Government effectiveness and regulatory quality
* Indicators normalized to 0-100 scale
Economic Structure
Economic Health & Trade
Economic Scale & Power
An economy with $3.14TB(2021) GDP, showing strong growth at 8.6%(2021). Advanced economy with high living standards.
- GDP Growth
- 8.6%(2021)
- GDP PPP
- $3.42T
Economic Structure
Economic structure shows 72.2%(2021) in services, 16.7%(2021) in industry, and 0.7%(2021) in agriculture. Service-oriented advanced economy.
Economic Health & Trade
Economic health indicators show 4.8%(2021) unemployment and 2.5%(2021) inflation. Trade profile with 29.2%(2021) exports and 29.4%(2021) imports as % of GDP.
Innovation & Competitiveness
High-Tech Exports
23.9
% of manufactured exports
ICT Exports
3.7
% of total goods exports
Digital Adoption
95.3
% of population using internet
Mobile Connectivity
118.6
Subscriptions per 100 people
Manufacturing Value
8.6
% of GDP
International Position
Financial & Trade Geography
Trade Profile
Trade represents 58.58%(2021) of GDP, with a trade balance of -0.22%(2021).
- FDI Inflows
- 0.16%(2021)
- FDI Outflows
- 5.11%(2021)
Financial Security
External Debt
N/A
Foreign Reserves
$194.18B(2021)(1.9 months of imports)
Supply Chain & Technology
Technology Trade
- ICT Imports
- 7.56%(2021)
- High-Tech Exports
- 23.87%(2021)
Economic Structure
- Manufacturing
- 8.65%(2021)
- Services
- 72.17%(2021)
Trade Agreements & Dependencies
Trade Agreements
Critical Dependencies
Growth Trajectory
Growth Potential Indicators
Human Capital
Education and workforce development
Trade Position
International trade and competitiveness
Economic Structure
Sectoral balance and sophistication
Demographics & Human Capital
Demographics
Population Overview
Total population of 67,026,292(2021) with -0.1%(2021) annual growth. Median age is N/A with fertility rate at 1.56 births/woman(2021).
- Life Expectancy
- 80.7 years(2021)
- Birth Rate
- 10.1 per 1,000(2021)
Age Structure
Working-age population (63.4%(2021)) with youth at 17.8%(2021) and elderly at 18.7%(2021). Total dependency ratio: 57.6%(2021).
- Young Dependency
- 28.1%(2021)
- Old Dependency
- 29.5%(2021)
Gender & Migration
Population is 50.8%(2021) female and 49.2%(2021) male, with sex ratio of 1.055 males/female(2021) at birth. Net migration: 462,967(2021).
- Male Mortality
- 97.839/1,000(2021)
- Female Mortality
- 60.214/1,000(2021)
Development Indicators
Urban population growing at 0.2%(2021) annually, with 15.8%(2021) in rural areas. Literacy rate: N/A.
- Urbanization
- 84.2%(2021)
- Infant Mortality
- 3.6 per 1,000(2021)
Population Structure
- Labor force participation and productivity
- Tax contributions to support social services
- Innovation and economic growth
An aging population (top-heavy pyramid) or youth bulge (bottom-heavy) can create demographic pressures on social systems and economic stability.
Source: World Bank Development Indicators
Security Context
Geographic & Resource Security
Food & Agriculture
Arable land comprises 24.8%(2021) of territory, with 71.2%(2021) total agricultural land. Cereal yield: 6,966.8 kg/hectare(2021).
- Food Production Index
- 100.53(2021)
- Cereal Production
- 22,369,109 MT(2021)
Energy Security
Net energy imports at N/A of consumption. Renewable energy makes up 100.0%(2021) of total. Electricity access: N/A.
- Resource Rents
- N/A
Water Resources
Fresh water resources of 1,220 m³/capita(2021) per person. Annual precipitation: 13.221 mm(2021).
- Forest Area
- 2.1%(2021)
Environmental Vulnerability
2163.3%(2021) of population affected by climate disasters. Forest coverage at 2.1%(2021) providing natural buffer.
- Annual Rainfall
- 13.221 mm(2021)
Military & Security
Military Capabilities
Military expenditure at N/A of GDP. Armed forces personnel: 878,000,000(2021) ( 717000000.00%(2021) of labor force).
- Arms Exports
- 137,078 USD(2021)
- Arms Imports
- N/A
Strategic Status
Military Alliances
Nuclear Status
NPT Nuclear Weapon State
Security Environment
Refugee population: 1,905,793(2021)Internally displaced: 2,120,680(2021)
Strategic Geography
Strategic Features
- Borders 1 countries