Spain’s powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World War I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. More recently the government has focused on measures to reverse a severe economic recession that began in mid-2008. Austerity measures implemented to reduce a large budget deficit and reassure foreign investors have led to one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe. Spain assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2015-16 term.
🇪🇸 Spain Tourism Information…
🇪🇸 The Best of Spain…
Here is a break out of some of the most interesting and visited places. Cities or areas listed will always have more than just one thing see and do. With the popular cities or areas we list some of the best known, which should go on everyone’s, must see list when they visit.
Balearic Islands
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Canary Islands
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Central Spain
Madrid
Madrid – For more detailed information go to our ➾ Madrid page.
Castile – La Mancha
- Providences:
- Albacete, Ciudad Real. Cuence, Guadalajara, Toledo
- Cities:
- Albacete, Ciudad Real. Cuence, Guadalajara, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo
- Towns:
- Almansa, Alcázar de San Juan, Azuqueca de Henares, Hellín, Illescas, Puertollano, Seseña, Tomelloso, Valdepeñas, Villarrobledo
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
- Consuegra windmills, Toledo Cathedral,
Castile – Leon
- Providences:
- Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid, Zamora
- Cities:
- Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Ponferrada, Salamanca, Segovia,Valladolid, Zamora
- Towns:
- Aranda de Duero, Laguna de Duero, Miranda de Ebro, San Andrés del Rabanedo, Soria
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
- Ávila
- Walls of Ávila
- Burgos
- Burgos Cathedral
- Salamanca
- Plaza Mayor
- Segovia
- Segovia aqueduct
- Alcázar de Segovia
- Segovia Cathedral
- Ávila
Extremadura
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Eastern Spain
Catalonia
- Providences:
- Barcelona, Girona, Lieida, Tarrangona
- Cities:
- Barcelona-For more detailed information go to our Barcelona web page.
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Murcia
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Valencia
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Northwest Spain
Asturias
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Cantabria
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Galicia
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Northern Spain
Aragon
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Basque Country
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Navarre
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
La Rioja
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
Southern Spain
Andalusia
- Providences:
- Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga, Seville
- Cities:
- Algeciras, Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Jerez de la Frontera, Málaga, Marbella, Seville
- Towns:
- Mijas, Fuengirola, Torremolinos, Estepona, Benalmádena, Antequera, Rincón de la Victoria, Ronda, Linares, Andújar, Úbeda, Baeza, Almuñécar, Guadix, Loja, Motril, Lucena, Pozoblanco, Montilla, Puente Genil, La Línea de la Concepción, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, San Fernando, Chiclana de la Frontera, Puerto Real, Arcos de la Frontera, Jerez, El Puerto de Santa María, El Ejido, Níjar, Roquetas de Mar, Vélez-Málaga,
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
- Alméria
- Alcazaba
- Antequera
- Cueva de Menga
- El Torcal
- Córdoba
- Mezquita Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba
- Costa de Alméria
- Costa del Sol
- Costa de la Luz
- Granada
- Alhambra
- Albayzín
- Charterhouse
- Generalife
- Palace of Charles V
- Córdoba
- Medina Azahara
- Mezquita Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba
- Jaén
- Castle of Santa Catalina
- Jaén Cathedral
- Úbeda and Baeza
- Málaga
- Alcazaba
- Buenavista Palace
- Málaga Cathedral
- Caves of Nerja
- Palos de la Frontera
- La Rábida Monastery
- Ronda
- Puente Nuevo
- BullringSevilla
- Sevilla
- Giralda
- Torre del Oro
- Plaza de España
- Seville Cathedral
- Alcázar of Seville
- Sierra Nevada Mountains
- Sierra Nevada National Park
- Alméria
Spanish North Africa
- Providences:
- Cities:
- Towns:
- Villages:
- Others Sights & Attractions:
🇪🇸 Spain Country Information…
Capital:
Madrid
Largest City:
Madrid
Government:
Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Currency:
Euro (€)
Area:
Total: 505,370 km ranked 52nd water: 6,390 km land: 498,980 km
Climate:
Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast
Population:
48,563,476 (July 2016 est.) ranked 29th
Language:
Castilian Spanish (official nationwide) 74%, Catalan (official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community (where it is known as Valencian)) 17%, Galician (official in Galicia) 7%, Basque (official in the Basque Country and in the Basque-speaking area of Navarre) 2%, Aranese (official in the northwest corner of Catalonia (Vall d’Aran) along with Catalan; <5,000 speakers)
note: Aragonese, Aranese Asturian, Basque, Calo, Catalan, Galician, and Valencian are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
Ethnic Groups:
Composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types
Religion:
Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%
Electricity:
230V, 50Hz (European plug C,F,)
Telephone Code:
+34
Local Emergency Phone Number:
112
Internet TLD:
.es
Time Zone:
CET (UTC+1) Summer (UTC+2) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October
Road Driving Side:
Right
Anthem:
Marcha Real (Spanish) “Royal March”
Motto:
“Plus Ultra” (Latin) “Further Beyond”
Monarch:
Felipe VI
Prime Minister:
Pedro Sanchez Perez-Castejon
🇪🇸 Holidays and Observances in Spain in 2021…
Date | Name | Type | Details | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 1 | Wednesday | New Year’s Day | National holiday | |
Jan 2 | Thursday | Reconquest Day | Provincial Holiday | Granada |
Jan 6 | Monday | Epiphany | National holiday | |
Jan 20 | Monday | Feast of Saint Sebastián | Provincial Holiday | Guipúzcoa |
Jan 22 | Wednesday | Feast of Saint Vicente | Provincial Holiday | Huesca |
Jan 22 | Wednesday | Martyr Vicente’s Feast | Provincial Holiday | Valencia |
Jan 23 | Thursday | Day of Saint Ildefonso | Provincial Holiday | Toledo |
Jan 28 | Tuesday | Feast of San Julian | Provincial Holiday | Cuenca |
Jan 29 | Wednesday | St. Valero’s Feast | Provincial Holiday | Zaragoza |
Feb 2 | Sunday | Festival of Candles | Provincial Holiday | Palencia |
Feb 3 | Monday | Day off for Festival of Candles | Provincial Holiday | Palencia |
Feb 14 | Friday | Valentine’s Day | Observance | |
Feb 24 | Monday | Carnival Monday | Provincial Holiday | Cádiz, TF |
Feb 25 | Tuesday | Carnival Tuesday | Provincial Holiday | BA, C, GC, LU, OR, TF |
Feb 26 | Wednesday | Ash Wednesday | Provincial Holiday | Pontevedra |
Feb 26 | Wednesday | Ash Wednesday | Observance | |
Feb 28 | Friday | Day of Andalucía | Autonomous Community Holiday | Andalusia |
Mar 1 | Sunday | Day of the Balearic Islands | Observance | IB |
Mar 5 | Thursday | Fifth of March | Provincial Holiday | Zaragoza |
Mar 13 | Friday | Statute of the Autonomous City of Melilla Day | Autonomous Community Holiday | Melilla |
Mar 16 | Monday | Magdalena Monday | Provincial Holiday | Castellón |
Mar 19 | Thursday | San Jose | Autonomous Community Holiday | CM, GA, MU, NA, PV, VC |
Mar 20 | Friday | March Equinox | Season | |
Mar 29 | Sunday | Daylight Saving Time starts | Clock change/Daylight Saving Time | |
Apr 5 | Sunday | Palm Sunday | Observance | |
Apr 9 | Thursday | Maundy Thursday | Autonomous Community Holiday | 16 states |
Apr 9 | Thursday | Fair Wednesday | Provincial Holiday | Seville |
Apr 10 | Friday | Good Friday | National holiday | |
Apr 12 | Sunday | Easter Sunday | Observance | |
Apr 13 | Monday | Easter Monday | Autonomous Community Holiday | CT, IB, LO, NA, PV, S, VC |
Apr 14 | Tuesday | Día del Bando de la Huerta | Provincial Holiday | Murcia |
Apr 14 | Tuesday | Sermon of the Tortillas | Provincial Holiday | Teruel |
Apr 20 | Monday | Day of Saint Vicente Ferrer | Provincial Holiday | Valencia |
Apr 23 | Thursday | Santa Faz | Provincial Holiday | Alicante |
Apr 23 | Thursday | Day of Aragón | Autonomous Community Holiday | Aragon |
Apr 23 | Thursday | St George’s Day | Provincial Holiday | Cáceres |
Apr 23 | Thursday | St George’s Day | Local observance | Catalonia |
Apr 23 | Thursday | Castile and León Day | Autonomous Community Holiday | Castile-Leon |
Apr 28 | Tuesday | San Prudencio | Provincial Holiday | Álava |
May 1 | Friday | Labor Day / May Day | National holiday | |
May 2 | Saturday | San Segundo | Provincial Holiday | Ávila |
May 2 | Saturday | Day of Madrid | Autonomous Community Holiday | Madrid |
May 3 | Sunday | Mothers’ Day | Observance | |
May 11 | Monday | Feast of Anastasi | Provincial Holiday | Lleida |
May 13 | Wednesday | Day of Saint Pedro Regalado | Provincial Holiday | Valladolid |
May 15 | Friday | Feast Day of St Isidore | Provincial Holiday | Madrid |
May 17 | Sunday | Galicia Literature Day | Observance | Galicia |
May 29 | Friday | San Fernando Fair | Provincial Holiday | Cáceres |
May 30 | Saturday | Day of the Canary Islands | Autonomous Community Holiday | Canary Islands |
May 31 | Sunday | Day of Castile-La Mancha | Observance | CM |
May 31 | Sunday | Whit Sunday/Pentecost | Observance | |
Jun 1 | Monday | Whit Monday | Provincial Holiday | Barcelona, Girona |
Jun 1 | Monday | Virgin of Alarcos | Provincial Holiday | Ciudad Real |
Jun 1 | Monday | Festival of Hiniesta | Provincial Holiday | Zamora |
Jun 1 | Monday | Feast of Virgin of Light | Provincial Holiday | Cuenca |
Jun 9 | Tuesday | Day of Murcia | Autonomous Community Holiday | Murcia |
Jun 9 | Tuesday | Day of La Rioja | Autonomous Community Holiday | La Rioja |
Jun 11 | Thursday | Virgen de la Capilla | Provincial Holiday | Jaén |
Jun 11 | Thursday | Corpus Christi | Autonomous Community Holiday | CM, GR, SE |
Jun 12 | Friday | Day of San Juan of Sahagún | Provincial Holiday | Salamanca |
Jun 13 | Saturday | San Antonio | Observance | Ceuta |
Jun 19 | Friday | Curpillos | Provincial Holiday | Burgos |
Jun 20 | Saturday | June Solstice | Season | |
Jun 22 | Monday | Fogueres | Provincial Holiday | Alicante |
Jun 24 | Wednesday | Saint John the Baptist Day | Autonomous Community Holiday | AB, CT, GA, VC |
Jun 24 | Wednesday | Feast of San Juan | Provincial Holiday | AL, BA, GC, LE |
Jun 25 | Thursday | La Saca Thursday | Provincial Holiday | Soria |
Jun 29 | Monday | San Pedro | Provincial Holiday | BU, CS, SG, ZA |
Jul 11 | Saturday | Day of Saint Benito | Provincial Holiday | Pontevedra |
Jul 13 | Monday | Festival of the Vaquillas | Provincial Holiday | Teruel |
Jul 25 | Saturday | Feast of Saint James the Apostle | Autonomous Community Holiday | Basque Country, Galicia |
Jul 28 | Tuesday | Day of the Institutions | Autonomous Community Holiday | Cantabria |
Jul 31 | Friday | San Ignacio de Loyola | Provincial Holiday | Guipúzcoa, Vizcaya |
Jul 31 | Friday | Eid al-Adha | Autonomous Community Holiday | Ceuta, Melilla |
Aug 3 | Monday | Fiestas Colombinas | Provincial Holiday | Huelva |
Aug 5 | Wednesday | Feast of the White Virgin | Provincial Holiday | Álava |
Aug 5 | Wednesday | The Day of Our Lady of Africa | Observance | Ceuta |
Aug 9 | Sunday | The Day of Cantabria | Local observance | Cantabria |
Aug 10 | Monday | Feast of Saint Lorenzo | Provincial Holiday | Huesca |
Aug 15 | Saturday | Assumption of Mary | National holiday | |
Aug 19 | Wednesday | Reconquest Day | Provincial Holiday | Málaga |
Aug 19 | Wednesday | Feast of Saint Maginus | Provincial Holiday | Tarragona |
Aug 22 | Saturday | The Eighth of the Virgin of Prado | Provincial Holiday | Ciudad Real |
Aug 28 | Friday | Viernes Semana Grande | Provincial Holiday | Vizcaya |
Aug 29 | Saturday | Virgin of the Sea | Provincial Holiday | Almería |
Sep 2 | Wednesday | Day of the Independent City of Ceuta | Autonomous Community Holiday | Ceuta |
Sep 2 | Wednesday | Day of Saint Antolín | Provincial Holiday | Palencia |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Victory Day | Provincial Holiday | Málaga |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Feast of Our Lady of the Cinta | Provincial Holiday | Huelva |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Virgin of the Plains | Provincial Holiday | Albacete |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Festival of Virgin of Guadalupe | Provincial Holiday | Córdoba |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Feast of Virgin of the Antigua | Provincial Holiday | Guadalajara |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Day of Asturias | Autonomous Community Holiday | Asturias |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Day of Extremadura | Autonomous Community Holiday | Extremadura |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Virgin of the Victory | Autonomous Community Holiday | Melilla |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Day of Our Lady of San Lorenzo | Provincial Holiday | Valladolid |
Sep 8 | Tuesday | Day of the Virgin of the Vega | Provincial Holiday | Salamanca |
Sep 11 | Friday | Day of Catalonia | Autonomous Community Holiday | Catalonia |
Sep 15 | Tuesday | Pilgrimage of the Virgin of Fuensanta | Provincial Holiday | Murcia |
Sep 15 | Tuesday | Nuestra Señora de la Bien Aparecida | Autonomous Community Holiday | Cantabria |
Sep 17 | Thursday | Day of Melilla | Autonomous Community Holiday | Melilla |
Sep 18 | Friday | Fair Friday | Provincial Holiday | Guadalajara |
Sep 22 | Tuesday | September Equinox | Season | |
Sep 23 | Wednesday | Day of Saint Tecla | Provincial Holiday | Tarragona |
Sep 24 | Thursday | Virgin of Mercy | Provincial Holiday | Barcelona |
Sep 29 | Tuesday | Feast of Saint Miguel | Provincial Holiday | Lleida |
Oct 2 | Friday | Feast of Saint Saturio | Provincial Holiday | Soria |
Oct 5 | Monday | Feast of San Froilán | Provincial Holiday | León, Lugo |
Oct 7 | Wednesday | Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary | Provincial Holiday | A Coruña, Cádiz |
Oct 9 | Friday | Day of the Valencian Community | Autonomous Community Holiday | Valencia |
Oct 12 | Monday | Hispanic Day | National holiday | |
Oct 15 | Thursday | Feast of Saint Teresa of Jesus | Provincial Holiday | Ávila |
Oct 24 | Saturday | San Rafael Day | Provincial Holiday | Córdoba |
Oct 25 | Sunday | Daylight Saving Time ends | Clock change/Daylight Saving Time | |
Oct 25 | Sunday | Feast of Saint Frutos | Provincial Holiday | Segovia |
Oct 26 | Monday | Day off for Feast of Saint Frutos | Provincial Holiday | Segovia |
Oct 29 | Thursday | Feast of Saint Narcís | Provincial Holiday | Girona |
Nov 1 | Sunday | All Saints’ Day | Observance | AN, AR, CL, EX, M, O |
Nov 2 | Monday | All Saint’s Day Holiday | Autonomous Community Holiday | AN, AR, CL, EX, M, O |
Nov 9 | Monday | La Almudena | Provincial Holiday | Madrid |
Nov 11 | Wednesday | Feast of Saint Martín | Provincial Holiday | Ourense |
Nov 25 | Wednesday | Feast of Saint Catalina | Provincial Holiday | Jaén |
Dec 3 | Thursday | Day of Navarre | Autonomous Community Holiday | Navarre |
Dec 6 | Sunday | Constitution Day | Observance | 13 states |
Dec 7 | Monday | Constitution Day Holiday | Autonomous Community Holiday | 13 states |
Dec 8 | Tuesday | Immaculate Conception | National holiday | |
Dec 9 | Wednesday | Day of Saint Leocadia | Provincial Holiday | Toledo |
Dec 21 | Monday | December Solstice | Season | |
Dec 24 | Thursday | Christmas Eve | Observance | |
Dec 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | National holiday | |
Dec 26 | Saturday | St Stephen’s Day | Autonomous Community Holiday | Catalonia, IB |
Dec 27 | Sunday | Feast of the Holy Family | Observance | |
Dec 31 | Thursday | New Year’s Eve | Observance |
Travel Facts
US State Dept. Travel Advisory:
The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens DO NOT TRAVEL to the United Kingdom due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution due to terrorism. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.
Passport/Visa Requirements:
US citizens should make sure their passport is valid at the date of their entering the country and during the length of their entire visit. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required. A visa is not required as long as you do not stay in the country more than 6 months.
US Embassy/ Consulate:
[44] 20 7499-9000; Embassy of the United States of America, 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US (mailing postcode), SW8 5DB (driving/GPS postcode), United Kingdom; SCSLondon@state.gov; https://uk.usembassy.gov/
Telephone Code:
44
Local Emergency Phone:
112, 999
Internet TLD:
.uk
Vaccinations:
See WHO recommendations at http://www.who.int
Climate
Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one half of the days are overcast
Currency (Code)
British pounds (GBP)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s):
230 V / 50 Hz / plug type(s): G
Major Languages:
English, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Irish, Cornish
Religions:
Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, none 25.7%
Time Zone
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October; note: applies to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories
Potable Water
Yes
International Driving Permit
Suggested
Road Driving Side
Left
Tourist Destinations
London (includes the Tower of London, British Museum, Parliament, Trafalgar Square); Windsor Castle; Stonehenge; Roman Baths & Georgian City of Bath; York Minster & historic Yorkshire; Chester Zoo; Cotswolds & Lake District; Hadrian’s Wall; Edinburgh; Cardiff
Major Sports
Soccer, cricket, rugby, badminton, tennis, netball, field hockey
Cultural Practices
It is considered rude to wave one’s hand or to call when summoning a waiter at a restaurant.
Tipping Guidelines
It is customary to leave 10-15% of the total bill as a tip when eating out, although some restaurants add on a service charge instead. Tip bartenders 1 pound. It is polite to tip 10-15% of the taxi fare, or round up to the nearest pound as a convenience. Tip porters 2 pounds to bring luggage to your room.
Government
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II
Government:
Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Capital:
London
Largest City:
London
Legislature:
London
Judiciary:
London
Ambassador to US:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Michael Tatham
US Ambassador:
Ambassador Robert Wood “Woody” Johnson IV
Geography
Area:
Total: 243,61km world rank 80th, land: 241,930km, water: 1,680km
Natural Resources:
Coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
People & Society
Population:
64,430,428 (July 2016 est.) world rank 23rd England 84%, Scotland 8%, Wales 5%, Northern Ireland 3%
Population Growth:
0.51% (2018 est.)
Ethnic Groups:
White 87.2%, black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.)
Urbanization:
Urban population: 83.7% of total population (2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Economy
Economic Overview:
Leading trading power and financial center; third-largest economy in Europe after Germany and France; large coal, natural gas, and oil resources; banking, insurance, and business services, drive GDP growth
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
$2.92 trillion (2017 est.)
GDP per capita
$44,300 (2017 est.)
Exports:
$441.2 billion (2017 est.)
partners: US 13.2%, Germany 10.5%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.2%, Ireland 5.6%, China 4.8%, Switzerland 4.5% (2017)
Travel Facts
US State Dept. Travel Advisory:
The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens DO NOT TRAVEL to the United Kingdom due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution due to terrorism. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.
Passport/Visa Requirements:
US citizens should make sure their passport is valid at the date of their entering the country and during the length of their entire visit. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required. A visa is not required as long as you do not stay in the country more than 6 months.
US Embassy/ Consulate:
[44] 20 7499-9000; Embassy of the United States of America, 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US (mailing postcode), SW8 5DB (driving/GPS postcode), United Kingdom; SCSLondon@state.gov; https://uk.usembassy.gov/
Telephone Code:
44
Local Emergency Phone:
112, 999
Internet TLD:
.uk
Vaccinations:
See WHO recommendations at http://www.who.int
Climate
Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one half of the days are overcast
Currency (Code)
British pounds (GBP)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s):
230 V / 50 Hz / plug type(s): G
Major Languages:
English, Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Irish, Cornish
Religions:
Christian (includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 59.5%, Muslim 4.4%, Hindu 1.3%, none 25.7%
Time Zone
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October; note: applies to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories
Potable Water
Yes
International Driving Permit
Suggested
Road Driving Side
Left
Tourist Destinations
London (includes the Tower of London, British Museum, Parliament, Trafalgar Square); Windsor Castle; Stonehenge; Roman Baths & Georgian City of Bath; York Minster & historic Yorkshire; Chester Zoo; Cotswolds & Lake District; Hadrian’s Wall; Edinburgh; Cardiff
Major Sports
Soccer, cricket, rugby, badminton, tennis, netball, field hockey
Cultural Practices
It is considered rude to wave one’s hand or to call when summoning a waiter at a restaurant.
Tipping Guidelines
It is customary to leave 10-15% of the total bill as a tip when eating out, although some restaurants add on a service charge instead. Tip bartenders 1 pound. It is polite to tip 10-15% of the taxi fare, or round up to the nearest pound as a convenience. Tip porters 2 pounds to bring luggage to your room.
Government
Chief of State:
Queen ELIZABETH II
Government:
Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Capital:
London
Largest City:
London
Legislature:
London
Judiciary:
London
Ambassador to US:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Michael Tatham
US Ambassador:
Ambassador Robert Wood “Woody” Johnson IV
Geography
Area:
Total: 243,61km world rank 80th, land: 241,930km, water: 1,680km
Natural Resources:
Coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
People & Society
Population:
64,430,428 (July 2016 est.) world rank 23rd England 84%, Scotland 8%, Wales 5%, Northern Ireland 3%
Population Growth:
0.51% (2018 est.)
Ethnic Groups:
White 87.2%, black/African/Caribbean/black British 3%, Asian/Asian British: Indian 2.3%, Asian/Asian British: Pakistani 1.9%, mixed 2%, other 3.7% (2011 est.)
Urbanization:
Urban population: 83.7% of total population (2019)
rate of urbanization: 0.89% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Economy
Economic Overview:
Leading trading power and financial center; third-largest economy in Europe after Germany and France; large coal, natural gas, and oil resources; banking, insurance, and business services, drive GDP growth
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
$2.92 trillion (2017 est.)
GDP per capita
$44,300 (2017 est.)
Exports:
$441.2 billion (2017 est.)
partners: US 13.2%, Germany 10.5%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.2%, Ireland 5.6%, China 4.8%, Switzerland 4.5% (2017)
Imports:
$615.9 billion (2017 est.)
partners: Germany 13.7%, US 9.5%, China 9.3%, Netherlands 8%, France 5.4%, Belgium 5% (2017)