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United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth’s surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK’s strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic’s withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998.

The UK has been an active member of the EU since its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU. The UK is scheduled to depart the EU on 31 January 2020, but negotiations on the future EU-UK economic and security relationship will continue throughout 2020 and potentially beyond.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom Tourism Information…

Visit Britain

Visit England

Visit Scotland

Scotland Is Now

Discover Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Historic Scotland

Wales Cymur

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The Best of England

Southern England
Midlands
Northern England

The Best of Northern Ireland…

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The Best of Scotland

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The Best of Wales…

United Kingdom Dependencies …

🇬🇮 Gibraltar

🇬🇬 Guernsey

🇮🇲 Isle of Man

🇯🇪 Jersey

🇬🇧 United Kingdom Country Information…

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)

🇬🇧 Holidays and Observances in United Kingdom in 2021…

Date NameTypeDetails
Jan 1FridayNew Year’s DayBank holiday 
Jan 4Monday2nd January (substitute day)Local Bank HolidayScotland
Jan 5TuesdayTwelfth NightObservance 
Jan 6WednesdayEpiphanyChristian 
Jan 7ThursdayOrthodox Christmas DayOrthodox 
Jan 14ThursdayOrthodox New YearOrthodox 
Jan 25MondayBurns NightLocal observanceScotland
Jan 28ThursdayTu B’Shevat (Arbor Day)Jewish holiday 
Feb 12FridayChinese New YearObservance 
Feb 14SundayValentine’s DayObservance 
Feb 16TuesdayCarnival / Shrove TuesdayChristian 
Feb 17WednesdayCarnival / Ash WednesdayChristian 
Feb 26FridayPurimJewish holiday 
Mar 1MondaySt. David’s DayObservanceWales
Mar 11ThursdayMaha ShivaratriHindu Holiday 
Mar 11ThursdayIsra and Mi’rajMuslim 
Mar 14SundayMothering SundayObservance 
Mar 17WednesdaySt Patrick’s DayLocal Bank HolidayNIR
Mar 20SaturdayMarch EquinoxSeason 
Mar 28SundayPalm SundayChristian 
Mar 28SundayFirst day of PassoverJewish holiday 
Mar 28SundayDaylight Saving Time startsClock change/Daylight Saving Time 
Mar 29MondayHoliHindu Holiday 
Apr 1ThursdayMaundy ThursdayChristian 
Apr 2FridayGood FridayBank holiday 
Apr 3SaturdayHoly SaturdayChristian 
Apr 4SundayLast day of PassoverJewish holiday 
Apr 4SundayEaster SundayObservance, Christian 
Apr 5MondayEaster MondayObservanceScotland
Apr 5MondayEaster MondayCommon local holidayENG, NIR, WAL
Apr 8ThursdayYom HaShoahJewish commemoration 
Apr 13TuesdayRamadan StartMuslim 
Apr 15ThursdayYom HaAtzmautJewish holiday 
Apr 22ThursdayStephen Lawrence DayObservance 
Apr 23FridaySt. George’s DayObservance 
Apr 23FridayShakespeare DayObservance 
Apr 30FridayLag B’OmerJewish holiday 
Apr 30FridayOrthodox Good FridayOrthodox 
May 1SaturdayOrthodox Holy SaturdayOrthodox 
May 2SundayOrthodox EasterOrthodox 
May 3MondayOrthodox Easter MondayOrthodox 
May 3MondayEarly May Bank HolidayBank holiday 
May 8SaturdayLaylatul Qadr (Night of Power)Muslim 
May 13ThursdayAscension DayChristian 
May 13ThursdayEid ul FitrMuslim 
May 17MondayShavuotJewish holiday 
May 23SundayPentecostChristian 
May 24MondayWhit MondayChristian 
May 30SundayTrinity SundayChristian 
May 31MondaySpring Bank HolidayBank holiday 
Jun 3ThursdayCorpus ChristiChristian 
Jun 12SaturdayQueen’s BirthdayObservance 
Jun 20SundayFather’s DayObservance 
Jun 21MondayJune SolsticeSeason 
Jun 22TuesdayWindrush DayObservance 
Jul 12MondayBattle of the BoyneLocal Bank HolidayNIR
Jul 18SundayTisha B’AvJewish holiday 
Jul 20TuesdayEid ul AdhaMuslim 
Jul 21WednesdayEid ul AdhaMuslim 
Aug 2MondaySummer Bank HolidayCommon local holidayScotland
Aug 10TuesdayMuharram/Islamic New YearMuslim 
Aug 15SundayAssumption of MaryChristian 
Aug 19ThursdayAshura (Tentative Date)Muslim 
Aug 22SundayRaksha BandhanHindu Holiday 
Aug 30MondayJanmashtami (Smarta)Hindu Holiday 
Aug 30MondayJanmashtamiHindu Holiday 
Aug 30MondaySummer Bank HolidayCommon local holidayENG, NIR, WAL
Sep 7TuesdayRosh HashanaJewish holiday 
Sep 10FridayGanesh ChaturthiHindu Holiday 
Sep 16ThursdayYom KippurJewish holiday 
Sep 21TuesdayFirst day of SukkotJewish holiday 
Sep 22WednesdaySeptember EquinoxSeason 
Sep 27MondayHoshana RabbahJewish holiday 
Sep 28TuesdayShemini AtzeretJewish holiday 
Sep 29WednesdaySimchat TorahJewish holiday 
Oct 4MondayFeast of St Francis of AssisiChristian 
Oct 7ThursdayNavaratriHindu Holiday 
Oct 14ThursdayDussehraHindu Holiday 
Oct 19TuesdayMilad un Nabi (Mawlid)Muslim 
Oct 31SundayHalloweenObservance 
Oct 31SundayDaylight Saving Time endsClock change/Daylight Saving Time 
Nov 1MondayAll Saints’ DayChristian 
Nov 2TuesdayAll Souls’ DayChristian 
Nov 4ThursdayDiwali/DeepavaliHindu Holiday 
Nov 5FridayGuy Fawkes DayObservance 
Nov 14SundayRemembrance SundayObservance 
Nov 28SundayFirst Sunday of AdventObservance 
Nov 29MondayFirst Day of HanukkahJewish holiday 
Nov 30TuesdaySt Andrew’s DayLocal Bank HolidayScotland
Dec 6MondayLast day of HanukkahJewish holiday 
Dec 8WednesdayFeast of the Immaculate ConceptionChristian 
Dec 21TuesdayDecember SolsticeSeason 
Dec 24FridayChristmas EveObservance 
Dec 25SaturdayChristmas DayBank holiday 
Dec 26SundayBoxing DayBank holiday 
Dec 27MondaySubstitute Bank Holiday for Christmas DayBank holiday 
Dec 28TuesdaySubstitute Bank Holiday for Boxing DayBank holiday 
Dec 31FridayNew Year’s EveObservance