Country information

General overview

• Area: 242, 514 km² (ONS)
• Population: 62, 262, 000 inh. (ONS 2010 est.)
• Capital: London
  Some powers are devolved to the constituent countries of the UK, these capitals being Edinburgh (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales) and Belfast (Northern Ireland).
• Principal urban areas: Greater London (London), West Midlands (Birmingham), Greater Manchester (Manchester), West Yorkshire (Leeds), Glasgow, Tyneside (Newcastle upon Tyne), Liverpool.
• Official language: English. In Wales, Welsh is also recognised.
• Regions: The primary division is into the four countries of England, Scotland, Wales (which together constitute Great Britain) and Northern Ireland.
  Lower levels of administration are different in each country. Scotland has 32 council areas, Wales has 22 unitary authorities, and Northern Ireland has 26 district council areas.
  In England the administrative structure is complex; local government includes bodies for Greater London and London boroughs, counties and districts, unitary authorities, and metropolitan districts.
• Religious Situation: The established state religion of England is Anglican Christianity, and in Scotland, the national church is Presbyterian. About half of the citizens of the UK still identify with Christianity, but church attendance declined dramatically during the twentieth century, and immigration and demographic change have contributed to the growth of other faiths.

Percentages of population come from the national statistics.

January 2014

D 16 July 2012