Country Profile The UK

Introduction Quick Reference Demographic Profile Cultural Profile Political System The Economy Economic Statistics Major Industries Geography Transport and Communication Systems Culture, Customs and Lifestyle Approach to Business

Introduction
Located in northwest Europe, the United Kingdom occupies most of the British Isles, sharing a border with Ireland. It is made up of four separate countries, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, each with its own capital. English is generally spoken throughout the United Kingdom. Welsh is the first language in parts of Wales with English taught as a second language. About 60,000 Scots, mainly inhabitants of the Highlands and Islands region, also speak the Scottish form of Gaelic. As an island nation the United Kingdom has been isolated from the rest of Europe. Membership of the EU - and the Channel Tunnel - has helped to remedy this situation. The Flag of the United Kingdom

Quick Reference
Capital City Currency Languages Entry into the London The pound (GBP) English Welsh Gaelic (Many other languages are used by minority groups and immigrants in the United Kingdom) 1973

EU

Demographic Profile
Demographic Profile ( 2011 figures) Population Age Groupings 62,698,362 0 - 14 17.3% (male 5,575,119; female 5,301,301)

15 - 64 66.2% (male 20,979,401; female 20,500,913) 65+ Population Density Birth Rate Death Rate Infant Mortality Rate Life expectancy 16.5% (male 4,564,375; female 5,777,253)

248 per sq km 12.29 births / 1,000 population 9.33 deaths / 1000 population 4.62 deaths / 1000 births Male 77.95 years Female 82.25 years

Population Growth Rate 0.279%

Cultural Profile
Cultural Profile (2004 figures) Ethnic Groups White 92.1% (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9% Northern Irish 2.9%) Black Indian Pakistani Mixed Other 2% 1.8% 1.3% 1.2% 1.6

Literacy Rate 99% of population (aged 15 and over) Religion Christian Anglican Roman Catholic, Presbyterian Methodist Hindu Muslim Other Unspecified or none 71.6% 1% 2.7% 1.6% 23.1%

Political System
The United Kingdom is made up of the four countries of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The union between England and Wales occurred in 1284. The Act of Union of 1707 unified England and Scotland. The union of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1926, the Anglo-Irish treaty led to the partition of Ireland, six northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland. The name United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was adopted in 1927. Administratively the United Kingdom is divided into counties and metropolitan boroughs. Each nation within the United Kingdom has its own capital city and administrative centre: London in England, Cardiff in Wales, Edinburgh in Scotland, and Belfast in Northern Ireland. Other major cities include Birmingham in England, Swansea in Wales, Glasgow in Scotland, and Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Politically the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State. The Prime Minister is the head of the government, and is appointed by the Monarch after a General Election. The Prime Minister appoints a Cabinet of Ministers to form the government. The Parliament is organised in two chambers, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords has approximately 618 members, 92 are hereditary peers, 26 are members of the clergy and the rest are appointed Life Peers. The House of Commons has 646 members who are directly elected to serve 5-year terms of office. This can be shortened however, if the government decide to call an early General Election. There are regional assemblies in Wales and Scotland. The Queen came to the throne on 6 February 1952 and her coronation took place on 2 June 1953. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee (25 years) in 1977 and her Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2002. The only other British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee was Queen Victoria in 1897.

To mark 60 years of the Queen's reign the Diamond Jubilee will take place in 2012. The celebrations will centre around an extended weekend in 2012 on 2, 3, 4 and 5 June. The voting age is 18.

The Economy
In terms of its capita GDP. total GDP, the UK is ranked 2nd in the EU and 7th in terms of per

The traditional industries in the United Kingdom, iron and steel production, heavy engineering, textiles and vehicle manufacture, have declined mainly as a result of competition from abroad, particularly from countries where wage and other costs are significantly lower than in the United Kingdom or productivity is higher. These industries have not disappeared completely. In some cases they have moved into specialist markets producing high-quality, high-value goods rather than low-cost highvolume markets, for example textiles. In other cases they have attracted inward investment from non-EU countries looking to establish a manufacturing base within the EU in order to gain better access to the EU marketplace. The motor industry is a good case in point with Japanese carmakers investing heavily in the United Kingdom. Although these industries still have some significance, they are not as important as in the past and now only employ about a quarter of the workforce. The new expanding manufacturing industries include computer technology, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. The United Kingdom has large reserves of coal, oil and natural gas and this energy production accounts for 10% of GDP , which is one of the highest of any industrial nation. As in most EU countries, the service industries such as banking, finance, tourism and the media are major employers. The service sector is now a major contributor to overall United Kingdom GDP . Many of these companies are now multi-national corporations. The United Kingdom is still a world leader in international trade with London in particular being a major seaport for transit trade. Of London's 3 airports Heathrow is the world's busiest and flights from here connect with all parts of the globe. The UK government introduced a minimum wage applicable to all employees in all employment sectors in April 1999. From 1st October 2011 new rates and age bands has applied 6.08 per hour for workers aged 21 and over

4.98 per hour for workers 18 - 20 3.68 per hour for workers aged 16 - 17 and workers above school leaving age but under 18. Apprenticeship rate - Apprentices aged 19 or over 19 in the first year of an apprenticeship will increase to 2.60 per hour. Therefore workers from October 2011 began to receive the top rate from the age of 21 and not 22 as previously.

Economic Statistics
Economic Statistics (All 2010) figures unless shown otherwise) Inflation Currency GDP (in Euros) Ranking of GDP in EU Economy GDP by sector Economic Growth Rate Work force Work force by sector Unemployment rate 3.3% The Pound (GBP) 1,696,583 million per year 3rd Agriculture 0.7% Industry 21.7% Service Sector 77.6% 1.3% 31.52 million Agriculture 1.4% Industry 21.7% Service Sector 80.4% 7.8%

Exports Exports (2008 figures) Major Exports Total Value Manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco 348.8 billion Euros

Export Markets EU Others Germany 11.06%, France 8%, Ireland 6.89%, Netherlands 7.79%, Belgium 4.65%, Spain 4% US 14.71%

Imports Imports (2008 figures) Major Imports Total Value Source of Imports (2009) EU Others Germany 12.87%, France 6.64%, Netherlands 6.94%, Belgium 4.86% Italy 3.99% US 9.74%, China 8.88% Manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs 448 billion Euros

Major Industries
Major Industries Sector Primary Industry Agriculture cereals, oilseeds, potatoes, sugar beet, beef & dairy cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep Horticulture, flowers, soft & orchard fruit Fishing Forestry Oil and Gas production Secondary or Manufacturing Electronics & communications equipment Major locations East Anglia.

Cornwall, Devon, Vale of Evesham. Various ports around the coast Scotland, Lake District North Sea London area

Production machinery Motor vehicles & parts Petroleum refining Food processing Chemicals Pharmaceuticals Textiles, clothing, electrical equipment, energy production Tertiary or Service Sector Financial services, Business services, Media & communications Tourism

North East, West Midlands Merseyside, Southampton, North East Merseyside

Tyneside, Merseyside Nottingham Yorkshire, Lancashire London, Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool London, SW England, Scotland, Wales, Lake District

Trade & transport

Geography
Throughout the country there are mountains, lakes, lowlands and many beaches around its coastline. Wales and Scotland are generally more mountainous than England and Northern Ireland. The UK shares a single land border of some 360 km with Ireland. Climate The British Isles have a temperate climate that is moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current. This gives mild winters and cool summers. Rainfall is relatively high and more than one-half of the days are overcast Resources Geographical Resources Land area 241,590 sq km

Land Use

Arable Land Permanent Crops Other

23.23% 0.2% 76.57%

Natural Resources Coastline

Coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable land Long irregular coastline stretching for 12,429 km and providing many natural harbours. Major ports: London, Liverpool, Southampton, Belfast, Cardiff, Leith Major rivers: Thames, Tyne, Tay, Mersey, Severn.

Inland water

Transport and Communication Systems

Air British Airways operates one of the largest route networks in the world. In 1976, together with Air France, British Airways initiated the world's first supersonic passenger service using Concorde. Gatwick and Heathrow are two of the busiest airports in the world. There are Major airports at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester. Road There is a comprehensive system of roads and motorways. On some routes such as the north-south routes between England and Scotland, 90% of all travel is by road. The United Kingdom has some 241,096 miles of road and 2,187 miles of motorway Rail Services between all the major towns and cities are good but there have been reductions in services to outlying districts. The major rail project in recent years was the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1993 (a service tunnel was completed in 1990) providing a direct link with France. There are several daily services between London and Paris. The United Kingdom has 10,660 miles of track Water

As an island nation, shipping routes are a vital link to other countries although most British ports rely on inter-coastal trade. There are many navigable rivers and a network of canals. Major ports include London, Liverpool, Manchester (an inland seaport), Southampton and Glasgow. There are some 1988 miles of waterways. Telecommunications The United Kingdom has well-developed, technologically advanced systems. The original state-owned post-office has been divided into postal services and telecommunications. The later has been privatised as British Telecom. Other companies are now operating in the telecommunications market.

Culture, Customs and Lifestyle

Special Days A Saturday in June 5th November The Queen's Official Birthday Bonfire Night (mainly England and Wales)

Other recognised holidays include Christmas, Easter and New Year

Culture The United Kingdom is a modern multicultural society. In addition to various ethnic groups from many other countries, four separate nations make up the indigenous population. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each have their own cultural heritage that is linked to the other three but has a character of it own. Although England is the largest and politically dominant country, hosting the seat of government, a strong feeling of nationalism exists in Wales, Scotland and Ireland, which has resulted in the establishment of Regional Assemblies and a Scottish Parliament that has some devolved powers from Westminster. The Welsh are well known for their love of singing, and their hymns and folk songs are widely known throughout the world. The Royal National Eisteddfod is a showpiece for Welsh music, poetry reading and Welsh folk arts. The national pride of Scotland has historical origins in the clan system upon which Scottish society was based and illustrated today by wearing the kilt on special occasions. This is traditionally made in a special pattern and colours according to the clan membership. Also Scotland also has its traditional folk music and culture, a notable instrument being the Scottish bagpipes.

Ireland shares a Gaelic heritage with Scotland. In spite of the recent troubles, the Northern Irish people share many of the characteristics of their Irish neighbours, notably their warmth and friendliness. Like the other nations, the English also have a strong sense of national pride although it is hard to recognise an average Englishman as there are such diversities of characteristics and dialects found throughout the country. London has won the bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Customs In common with most western countries, the traditional holidays are well celebrated. Christmas is the most important festival, followed by Easter. At Christmas time there are nativity plays, parties, and religious ceremonies. For many people it is the only time in the year that they go to church. Most families make a special effort to see each other at Christmas. Christmas Eve is also the night when Father Christmas (or Santa) traditionally leaves presents for every child. Shrove Tuesday is the day for pancakes. A pancake race is held in some villages every year where local people run a certain distance carrying a frying pan and tossing the pancake in it. Easter follows shortly after and then the coming of spring is marked with May festivals, called galas or fetes. Maypoles are still decorated with ribbons in some villages and young children are taught to dance with these. Also there are traditional Morris and Clog Dancers who give displays outside. Summer is followed by harvest festivals. Guy Fawkes Night on 5th November commemorates Guy Fawkes' attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1615. Most towns and villages have a bonfire with an effigy of a "guy" on top and a firework display. People from other cultures are adding their traditions. For example the building of mosques and the celebration of feasts such as at the ending of Ramadan and Diwali by the Muslim and Hindu communities. The celebration of the Chinese New Year and the Gregorian New Year are others that are important.

Approach to Business
American and Japanese companies have invested in British industry in recent years and the result is that many business ideas and customs are being imported as well. Business lunches, breakfasts and dinners are very much a part of business networking, as is corporate entertaining at big sporting events and on the golf course. The European influence is now increasing and continental customs such as wine drinking, and policies such as a minimum wage, are being brought in. Generally there is a greater formality in conducting business than in the US for example. Apart from the traditional Bank holidays, employees who practise other religions often have their own religious holidays and companies and schools may

decide to incorporate these. Company uniforms and canteen food may also be adapted to allow for different cultural ideas. Lifestyle Although the traditional social class system is still evident, the boundaries between the classes are less clear. Most people would consider themselves to be middle class though many are proud to be known as working class. Life still centres on the family, though divorces and second marriages are common. Where families used to spend the weekend together after working all week, now work extends into the weekend for many people, especially those in the service sector or retail trade. All sports are popular, and leisure centres offering a wide range of sports are established in most towns. Young children and teenagers are often taken to sport, drama and music clubs in the evenings and at weekends. Football is the most popular spectator sport, fishing being the most common participant sport. Rugby, tennis and cricket are also taught in schools and have good levels of support. Vegetarianism is becoming increasingly common in the United Kingdom. Family Life Families usually have between one and three children but some couples choose not to have any. The trend for many women is to leave childbearing until they are in their late twenties or early thirties. Single parent families are increasing, as the divorce rate gets higher. Families do get together for special occasions, particularly at Christmas time, but this is dependent on individual families rather than a common practice. Traditional family ties are not as strong as in the past and most students going into higher education, expect to live away from home. Use Of Technology Advanced technological developments are used in most areas of industry and commerce. Linguistic Skills Knowledge of English is essential. Equal Opportunities There is a policy of equal rights for men and women but generally women receive lower wages then men although this gap is now closing.