Background : Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France

Capital : London

Climate : temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Currency : British Pound Sterling (GBP)

Terrain : mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast

Natural Resources : coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land

Population : 60,441,457 (July 2005 est.)

Languages : English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Industries : machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

Government type : constitutional monarchy