United kingdom

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Scots: Unitit Kinrick o Great Breetain an Northren Ireland Ulster Scots: Claught Kängrick o Docht Brätain an Norlin Airlann Welsh: Teyrnas Unedig Prydain Fawr a Gogledd Iwerddon Cornish: Rywvaneth Unys Breten Veur ha Kledhbarth Iwerdhon Scottish Gaelic: Rìoghachd Aonaichte Bhreatainn is Èireann a Tuath Irish: Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire agus Thuaisceart Éireann
Flag Royal coat of arms
Anthem: "God Save the Queen"
Location of the  United Kingdom  (dark green) – in Europe  (green & dark grey) – in the European Union  (green)
Capital and largest city	London 51°30′N 0°7′W / 51.500°N 0.117°W / 51.500; -0.117
Official language and national language	English
Recognised regional languages	Scots Ulster Scots Welsh Cornish Scottish Gaelic Irish
Ethnic groups (2011)	87.1% White 7.0% Asian 3.0% Black 2.0% Mixed 0.9% others
Demonym	British Briton
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	Elizabeth II
• Prime Minister	Theresa May
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	House of Lords
• Lower house	House of Commons
Formation
• Laws in Wales Acts	1535 and 1542
• Union of the Crowns under James, King of Scots	24 March 1603
• Acts of Union of England and Scotland	1 May 1707
• Acts of Union of Great Britain and Ireland	1 January 1801
• Irish Free State Constitution Act	5 December 1922
• EEC accession	1 January 1973
• Devolution of powers	Since 1999
Area
• Total	242,495 km2 (93,628 sq mi) (78th)
• Water (%)	1.34
Population
• 2016 estimate	65,110,000 (22nd)
• 2011 census	63,181,775 (22nd)
• Density	255.6/km2 (662.0/sq mi) (51st)
GDP (PPP)	2016 estimate
• Total	$2.79 trillion (9th)
• Per capita	$42,514 (25th)
GDP (nominal)	2016 estimate
• Total	$2.65 trillion (5th)
• Per capita	$43,902 (13th)
Gini (2014)	31.6 medium · 33rd
HDI (2014)	0.907 very high · 14th
Currency	Pound sterling (GBP; £)
Time zone	GMT(UTC​)
• Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (AD)
Drives on the	left
Calling code	+44
ISO 3166 code	GB
Internet TLD	.uk

– in Europe  (green & dark grey)
– in the European Union  (green)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, it includes the island of Great Britain (the name of which is also loosely applied to the whole country), the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands.Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state—​​the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the North Sea to its east, the English Channel to its south and the Celtic Sea to its south-south-west, giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland. With an area of 242,500 square kilometres (93,600 sq mi), the UK is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants. Together, this makes it the fourth most densely populated country in the European Union.