Country profile · 12 papers

What about the United Kingdom?

One sovereign state, four nations, three legal systems and a constitution that was never written down. Almost every confusing thing about British public life traces back to that arrangement — which is why this section starts with the country itself before getting to how anything works.

Land area: 243,610 km²; About the size of Oregon
Population: ≈ 69.3 million; ONS mid-year estimate
Nations: 4; England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
Legal systems: 3; England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Head of state: King Charles III; Constitutional monarch
Currency: Pound sterling (GBP); Issued by the Bank of England

Figures from the Office for National Statistics and Ordnance Survey. Each is sourced again, in context, on the page it belongs to.

Country profile

What is the United Kingdom — and how is it different from Britain?The United Kingdom is one sovereign state made up of four nations, with three legal systems, four health services and no written con…9 min8 sources

Government & law

Devolution explained — what is devolved and what is reservedSince 1999 Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have had their own legislatures with different powers, while England has none. This …8 min8 sources

How the UK is governedA constitutional monarchy with a sovereign parliament, an unelected second chamber, first-past-the-post elections and no written con…9 min9 sources

The UK's three legal systems, and the rights they give youEngland and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own courts, procedure and terminology. This explains how they diffe…8 min7 sources

Nations & regions

The four nations of the UK, and why the differences matterFour nations with different laws, health services, education systems, prescription charges and tax rates. This is what each one is, …9 min9 sources

People & society

British culture and etiquette, for people who did not grow up hereIndirect to the point of being cryptic, obsessed with queues and apologies, and governed by unwritten rules about class, tipping, sm…8 min5 sources

Who lives in the UKAbout 69.3 million people across four nations, in a country where Christianity fell below half the population for the first time and…8 min8 sources

Economy

The cost of living in the UKHousing dominates, energy is expensive by European standards, and healthcare and university are far cheaper than headline figures su…9 min9 sources

The UK economy — what Britain actually earns fromA services economy of roughly £2.8 trillion, dominated by finance, professional services and the creative industries, with manufactu…9 min8 sources

Land & environment

The UK's climate and environmentA temperate maritime climate that produces mild, changeable, wet weather and almost no extremes — until recently. This covers what B…8 min9 sources

History & symbols

A short history of the United KingdomHow four nations became one state, what the empire was and how it ended, and the post-war settlement that produced the NHS, the welf…10 min9 sources

The UK's flags, anthem, patron saints and national daysA flag that contains three crosses and represents Wales not at all, an anthem with no official status in law, and four national days…7 min7 sources