The united kingdom

Capital:

London.

Official language:

English.

Official name:

the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

National Anthem:

“God Save the Queen”.

Largest cities:

London (6,578,600), Sheffield (500,500), Birmingham (934,900), Liverpool (448,500), Leeds (674,400), Glasgow (654,542).

Flag:

The United Kingdom’s flag is known as the British Union Flag or the Union Jack. It was officially adopted in 1801. It is made up of three crosses. The upright red cross is the cross of St. George, the patron saint of England. The white diagonal cross is the cross of St. Andrew, the Patron saint of Scotland. The red diagonal cross is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

Area:

244,177 km.

Population:

1991 census – 56,467,000; 1999 – 58,287,000.

Religion:

the United Kingdom has two established (national) churches. They are the Church of England, which is Episcopal, and the Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian. The British monarch must belong to the Church of England, and its head.

Government:

Forms of government: Constitutional Monarchy. In practice a parliamentary democracy.

Head of state:

Monarch (Queen or King).

Head of government:

Prime Minister.

Legislature:

Parliament of two houses: 651-member House of Commons; the House of Lords – about 1,170 members.

Executive:

Prime Minister (chosen by the House of Commons) and Cabinet.

Political subdivisions:

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – four “countries” united under one government. Each country has units of local government.

Economy:

Chief products:

Agriculture – wool, beef cattle, milk, chickens and eggs, pigs, wheat, potatoes, barley, sugar beet.

Manufacturing – foods and beverages, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, electrical and electronic goods, machinery, motor vehicles, textiles and clothing, rubber and plastics goods, iron and steel, metal manufactures, ceramics.

Money:

basic unit – pound, also called pound sterling.

2.

O Lord our God arise,

Scatter her enemies,

And make them fall:

Confound their politics,

Frustrate their knavish tricks

On Thee our hopes we fix.:

God save us all

3.

Thy choicest gifts in store

On her be pleased to pour;

Long may she reign:

May she defend our laws,

And ever give us cause

To sing with heart and voice

God save the Queen.

*Earliest copy of words in Gentleman's Magazine, 1745.

The melody is the same as that of the National Anthem of Liechtenstein.