Country Information on the United Kingdom 

Terrain

Variety of scene is a main characteristic of the United Kingdom. Back in the times of the Ice Age, almost all of the country's territory was covered by glaciers, blessing the Lake District in England, the valleys of Wales and the Scottish highlands with an intriguing idiosyncrasy.

Scotland can be divided into three geographical areas, being the highlands with UK's highest elevation, Ben Nevis (1343m), the Scottish lowlands, and the highlands in the south. Apart from coastal areas, Wales is dominated by the Cambrian Mountains. England comprises three highland and two lowland areas, as well as being characterized by the Pennins mountain range, the Lake District, and marshlands.

Climate

Given the country's proximity to the sea, climatic conditions can be described as relatively mild. Average temperatures in Scotland are quite low (6°C), but higher in the south-west of England (11°C).

The country's average highs and lows are around -10°C to 32°C. Oceanic winds bring about high levels of humditiy, resulting in annual average precipitation of about 1000 mm, with higher levels in the west compared to the east of the country.

Fauna/Flora

The UK's enormous diversity in plant life has suffered a great deal from the effects of human activity on unspoiled nature. The remainder of what once was dense oak forestation all over the island can be found in the south of the country. The UK's territory is largely dominated by marshlands, characterized by heather, broom, bog moss, rowan, and bilberry.

The country's forests still provide a sufficient habitat for deer and red deer, and half wild ponies is what you come across on the Shetland Islands. Other mammals typical for the UK's wild life are fox, badger, otter, marten, polecats, squirrels, hedgehogs, European hare, and even a small number of lynx (in some areas of Scotland).

The country is abounding in bird life, around 200 species include birds like chaffinchs, robins, kingfishers, wrens, and various duck species. Typical fresh-water fishes comprise salmon, trout, and perch, among common sea fish caught are cod, plaice, haddock, and herring.

History/Politics

The presence of humans settling in the area can be dated back to the Bronze Age (around AD 2300). In AD 55, the Romans (lead by Julius Cesar) conquered the region, remaining there until the 5th and 6th centuries BC, when the region was conquered by Angles and Saxons.

Centuries to follow saw Scotland and England develop distinct historical features, both countries being unified as late as 1707. With both countries presenting a united front, it was easier to face challenges (like armed conflicts in the 18th century) posed by France, Austria and Spain. The 18th century also saw the advent of independence for English overseas colonies.

In the face of Napoleonic threats, Great Britain and Ireland joined forces. Domestic reform was of paramount importance after victory over the French armies had been achieved. In 1837, young Queen Victoria ascended the throne, personifying (together with her husband Prince Albert) British values and the dawn of the country's future economic prosperity and wealth. Towards the end of the Victorian Period, governments in London had to cope with disputes over British colonies in Africa.

Germany's violation of Belgium's neutrality caused Britain to enter World War I (1914-1918). Following the bitter experience of World War I, Great Britain was not willing to get involved in any further European wars. However, when Nazi Germany invaded Poland, the United Kingdom declared war on Germany, resulting in her direct involvement in World War II (1938-1945).

Post-war years saw British governments focused on rebuilding the economy, coping with civil rights movements in Northern Ireland, emancipation of British colonies, and growing calls for independence in Scotland and Wales.

The United Kingdom is an EU-member country but will not be participating in the European Monetary Union for the time being. On 8 June 2001, Tony Blair (Labour Party) was elected Prime Minister for a second consecutive term.

Economy

The United Kingdom is still one of the leading industrialized countries in the world. Only 1% of the active population is employed in the UK's high-tech agricultural sector, covering 60% of domestic demand. Principal crops include wheat, barley, rape seed, sugar beet, potatoes, and oats. Husbandry has suffered severely from the effects of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and BSE (first recorded outbreak in 1995). Fishing, a traditional economic sub-sector, covers around 5% of domestic demand.

The United Kingdom is rich in mineral resources like coal, natural gas and oil. Manufacturing is another important sector, the emphasis being on food processing, electronic equipment, and processing of cellulose and paper. Whisky and processing of textiles, like e.g. tweed, are products Scotland and Northern Ireland are famous for. Gross domestic product growth was 3% in 2000, with the unemployment rate amounting to 5.5% and inflation at 2.4%.

Culture

Over the centuries, intellectual achievements of countless outstanding artists have made the United Kingdom a focus of world-wide attention.

Authors William Shakespeare, Lord Byron, and Oscar Wilde have gained international acclaim. Painters J.M.W. Turner and Thomas Gainsborough went down in the history of landscape painting, with William Hogarth being considered one of the most important portrait artists.

Benjamin Britten spurred a successful opera revival in 20th-century Britain. The mid-20th century marked the beginning of the country's leading role in Pop and Rock music (e.g. The Beatles). World-famous British actors include Alec Guiness, John Gielgud or Vanessa Redgrave.