Trauksmes ārstēšanas centri Apvienotajā Karalistē

Jūsu darbs IR Klientu apkalpošana Apvienotā Karaliste, Lielbritānijas un Ziemeļīrijas, pazīstams kā Apvienotā Karaliste (UK) vai Lielbritānija, is an island country in Northwestern Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and most of the smaller islands within the British Isles. Northern Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland; otherwise, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea. The total area of the United Kingdom is 93,628 square miles (242,495 km), with an estimated 2023 population of over 68 million people.

The United Kingdom has evolved from a series of annexations, unions and separations of constituent countries over several hundred years. The Treaty of Union between the Kingdom of England (which also included Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland in 1707 resulted in their unification to become the Kingdom of Great Britain. Its union in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Most of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which formally adopted its name in 1927. The nearby Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey are not part of the UK, being Crown Dependencies, but the British government is responsible for their defence and international representation. The UK became the first industrialised country and was the world’s foremost power for the majority of the 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly during the “Pax Britannica” between 1815 and 1914. The British Empire, at its height in the 1920s, encompassed almost a quarter of the world’s landmass and population, and was the largest empire in history; however, its involvement in the First World War and the Second World War, the cumulative crisis and the loss of prestige led to the decolonization of most of the British colonies and the eventual end of the Empire. A part of the core Anglophonic world, British influence can be observed in the language, culture, legal and political systems of many of its former colonies. The UK’s culture remains globally influential, particularly in literature, music and sport.

Apvienotā Karaliste ir konstitucionāla monarhija un parlamentāra demokrātija. The capital and largest city of the United Kingdom (as well as the capital of England) is London, a megacity which, alongside New York City, is one of the world’s two leading financial centres. The cities of Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast are respectively the national capitals of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Other major cities include Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and Leeds. The UK consists of three distinct legal jurisdictions: England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. This is due to these areas retaining their existing legal systems even after joining the UK. Since 1998, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland also have their own devolved governments and legislatures, each with varying powers.

The UK has the world’s sixth-largest economy by nominal gross domestic product (GDP), and the tenth-largest by purchasing power parity. It is a recognised nuclear state and is ranked fourth globally in military expenditure. The UK has been a permanent member of the UN Security Council since its first session in 1946. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Council of Europe, the G7, the OECD, NATO, the Five Eyes, AUKUS and the CPTPP.

In X, Britannia referred to the Roman province that encompassed modern England and Wales. Great Britain encompassed the whole island, taking in the land north of the River Forth known to the Romans as Caledonia in modern Scotland (i.e. “greater” Britain). In the Middle Ages, the name “Britain” was also applied to a small part of France now known as Brittany. As a result, Great Britain (likely from the French “Grande Bretagne“) tika lietots, lai apzīmētu salu, bet Bretaņu bieži dēvē par “Mazo Lielbritāniju”. Tomēr šim nosaukumam nebija oficiālas nozīmes līdz 1707. gadam, kad salas Anglijas un Skotijas karalistes tika apvienotas kā Lielbritānijas Karaliste.

1707. gada Savienības akti paziņoja, ka Anglijas Karaliste un Skotijas Karaliste ir “apvienotas vienā Karalistē ar Lielbritānijas vārdu”. The term “United Kingdom” has occasionally been used as a description for the former Kingdom of Great Britain, although its official name from 1707 to 1800 was simply “Great Britain”. The Acts of Union 1800 united the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Following the partition of Ireland and the independence of the Irish Free State in 1922, which left Northern Ireland as the only part of the island of Ireland within the United Kingdom, the name was changed in 1927 to the “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”.

Lai gan Apvienotā Karaliste ir suverēna valsts, Anglija, Skotija, Velsa un Ziemeļīrija tiek plaši sauktas arī par valstīm. Apvienotās Karalistes premjerministra tīmekļa vietnē Apvienotās Karalistes raksturošanai ir izmantota frāze “valstis valstī”. Some statistical summaries, such as those for the twelve NUTS 1 regions refer to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as “regions”. Northern Ireland is also referred to as a “province”. Attiecībā uz Ziemeļīriju lietotais aprakstošais nosaukums "var būt pretrunīgs, jo izvēle bieži atklāj personas politiskās preferences".

Termins “Lielbritānija” parasti apzīmē Lielbritānijas salu vai politiski Angliju, Skotiju un Velsu kopā. To dažreiz izmanto kā brīvu sinonīmu Apvienotajai Karalistei kopumā. Vārds Anglija laiku pa laikam tiek nepareizi lietots, lai apzīmētu Apvienoto Karalisti kopumā. Šo kļūdu galvenokārt pieļauj cilvēki ārpus Apvienotās Karalistes.

The term “Britain” is used as a synonym for Great Britain, un Apvienotajā Karalistē. Usage is mixed: the UK Government prefers to use the term “UK” rather than “Britain” or “British” on its website (except when referring to embassies), while acknowledging that both terms refer to the United Kingdom and that elsewhere “British government” is used at least as frequently as “United Kingdom government”. Apvienotās Karalistes Pastāvīgā ģeogrāfisko nosaukumu komiteja savās toponīmikas vadlīnijās atzīst “Apvienotā Karaliste”, “UK” un “UK” par saīsinātiem un saīsinātiem ģeopolitiskiem terminiem Lielbritānijas un Ziemeļīrijas Apvienotajai Karalistei; tajā nav minēts “Lielbritānija”, bet ir norādīts, ka “tas ir tikai viens konkrēts nominālais termins “Lielbritānija”, kas vienmēr izslēdz Ziemeļīriju”. BBC vēsturiski deva priekšroku lietot “Lielbritānija” kā saīsinājumu tikai Lielbritānijai, lai gan pašreizējā stila rokasgrāmata neieņem nostāju, izņemot to, ka “Lielbritānija” izslēdz Ziemeļīriju.

Īpašības vārds “britu” parasti tiek lietots, lai atsauktos uz jautājumiem, kas saistīti ar Apvienoto Karalisti, un tiesību aktos tiek lietots, lai atsauktos uz Apvienotās Karalistes pilsonību un jautājumiem, kas saistīti ar pilsonību. Apvienotās Karalistes iedzīvotāji izmanto vairākus dažādus terminus, lai aprakstītu savu nacionālo identitāti, un var identificēt sevi kā britu, angļu, skotu, velsiešu, ziemeļīru vai īru; vai kam ir dažādu nacionālo identitātes kombinācija. Oficiālais Apvienotās Karalistes pilsoņa apzīmējums ir “Lielbritānijas pilsonis”.

Settlement by Cro-Magnons of what was to become the United Kingdom occurred in waves beginning by about 30,000 years ago. By the end of the region’s prehistoric period, the population is thought to have belonged largely to a culture termed Insular Celtic, comprising Brittonic Britain and Gaelic Ireland.

Romiešu iekarošanai, kas sākās mūsu ēras 43. gadā, un 400 gadu valdīšanai Lielbritānijas dienvidos, sekoja ģermāņu anglosakšu kolonistu iebrukums, samazinot britu apgabalu galvenokārt līdz Velsai, Kornvolai un līdz pēdējiem posmiem. no anglosakšu apmetnes Hen Ogledd (ziemeļanglija un daļa Skotijas dienvidu). Lielākā daļa anglosakšu apdzīvotā reģiona 10. gadsimtā tika apvienoti kā Anglijas karaliste. Tikmēr gēlu valodā runājošie Lielbritānijas ziemeļrietumos (ar savienojumiem ar Īrijas ziemeļaustrumiem un tradicionāli bija no turienes migrējuši 5. gadsimtā) apvienojās ar piktiem, lai 9. gadsimtā izveidotu Skotijas karalisti.

In 1066, the Normans invaded England from northern France. After conquering England, they seized large parts of Wales, conquered much of Ireland and were invited to settle in Scotland, bringing to each country feudalism on the Northern French model and Norman-French culture. The Anglo-Norman ruling class greatly influenced, but eventually assimilated with, the local cultures. Subsequent medieval English kings completed the conquest of Wales and tried unsuccessfully to annex Scotland. Asserting its independence in the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath, Scotland maintained its independence thereafter, albeit in near-constant conflict with England.

Angļu monarhi, mantojot ievērojamas teritorijas Francijā un pretenzijas uz Francijas kroni, arī bija ļoti iesaistīti konfliktos Francijā, jo īpaši Simtgadu karā, savukārt Skotijas karaļi šajā periodā bija aliansē ar francūžiem. .
Agrīnās mūsdienu Lielbritānijā bija reliģiskie konflikti, ko izraisīja reformācija un protestantu valsts baznīcu ieviešana katrā valstī. The English Reformation ushered in political, constitutional, social and cultural change in the 16th century. Moreover, it defined a national identity for England and slowly, but profoundly, changed people’s religious beliefs and established the Church of England. Wales was fully incorporated into the Kingdom of England, and Ireland was constituted as a kingdom in personal union with the English crown. In what was to become Northern Ireland, the lands of the independent Catholic Gaelic nobility were confiscated and given to Protestant settlers from England and Scotland.

1603. gadā Anglijas, Skotijas un Īrijas karaļvalstis tika apvienotas personālajā savienībā, kad Skotijas karalis Džeimss VI mantoja Anglijas un Īrijas kroņus un pārcēla savu galmu no Edinburgas uz Londonu; katra valsts tomēr palika atsevišķa politiska vienība un saglabāja savas atsevišķas politiskās, juridiskās un reliģiskās institūcijas.

17. gadsimta vidū visas trīs karaļvalstis bija iesaistītas virknē saistītu karu (tostarp Anglijas pilsoņu karā), kas noveda pie monarhijas īslaicīgas gāšanas, nāvessodu izpildot karaļa Kārļa I un izveidojot īstermiņa karu. dzīvoja Anglijas, Skotijas un Īrijas Sadraudzības unitārā republika.

Lai gan monarhija tika atjaunota, Interregnum kopā ar 1688. gada krāšņo revolūciju un tai sekojošo 1689. gada tiesību likumprojektu Anglijā un 1689. gada tiesību prasību likumu Skotijā nodrošināja, ka atšķirībā no daudzām pārējām Eiropas valstīm karaliskais absolūtisms neņems virsroku, un ticīgs katolis nekad nevarētu kāpt tronī. Lielbritānijas konstitūcija izstrādātos, pamatojoties uz konstitucionālo monarhiju un parlamentāro sistēmu. Līdz ar Karaliskās biedrības dibināšanu 1660. gadā zinātne tika ļoti veicināta. Šajā periodā, īpaši Anglijā, jūras spēku attīstība un interese par atklājumu braucieniem noveda pie aizjūras koloniju iegūšanas un apmešanās, īpaši Ziemeļamerikā un Karību jūras reģionā.

Lai gan iepriekšējie mēģinājumi apvienot abas karalistes Lielbritānijā 1606., 1667. un 1689. gadā bija izrādījušies neveiksmīgi, 1705. gadā uzsāktais mēģinājums noveda pie tā, ka 1706. gada Savienības līgums tika saskaņots un ratificēts abos parlamentos.

On 1 May 1707, the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed, the result of the Acts of Union 1707.

In the 18th century, cabinet government developed under Robert Walpole, in practice the first prime minister (1721–1742). A series of Jacobite Uprisings sought to remove the Protestant House of Hanover from the throne and restore the Catholic House of Stuart. The Jacobites were finally defeated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, after which the Scottish Highlanders were forcibly assimilated into Scotland by revoking the feudal independence of clan chiefs. The British colonies in North America that broke away in the American War of Independence became the United States, recognised by Britain in 1783. British imperial ambition turned towards Asia, particularly to India.

Britain played a leading part in the Atlantic slave trade, mainly between 1662 and 1807 when British or British-colonial slave ships transported nearly 3.3 million slaves from Africa. The slaves were taken to work on plantations, principally in the Caribbean but also North America. Slavery coupled with the Caribbean sugar industry had a significant role in strengthening the British economy in the 18th century. However, with pressure from the abolitionism movement, Parliament banned the trade in 1807, banned slavery in the British Empire in 1833, and Britain took a role in the movement to abolish slavery worldwide through the blockade of Africa and pressing other nations to end their trade with a series of treaties.

In 1801 the parliaments of Great Britain and Ireland each passed an Act of Union, uniting the two kingdoms and creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

After the defeat of France at the end of the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars (1792–1815), the United Kingdom emerged as the principal naval and imperial power (with London the largest city in the world from about 1830). Unchallenged at sea, British dominance was later described as Pax Britannica (“Britu miers”), relatīvā miera periods starp lielvalstīm (1815–1914), kura laikā Britu impērija kļuva par globālo hegemonu un pieņēma globālā policista lomu. By the time of the Great Exhibition of 1851, Britain was described as the “workshop of the world”. From 1853 to 1856, Britain took part in the Crimean War, allied with the Ottoman Empire against Tsarist Russia, participating in the naval battles of the Baltic Sea known as the Åland War in the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, among others. Following the Indian Rebellion in 1857, the British government led by Lord Palmerston assumed direct rule over India. Alongside the formal control it exerted over its own colonies, British dominance of much of world trade meant that it effectively controlled the economies of regions such as East Asia and Latin America.

Throughout the Victorian era, political attitudes favoured free trade and laissez-faire policies, as well as a gradual widening of the voting franchise, with the 1884 Reform Act championed by William Gladstone granting suffrage to a majority of males for the first time. The British population increased at a dramatic rate, accompanied by rapid urbanisation, causing significant social and economic stresses. By the late 19th century, the Conservatives under Benjamin Disraeli and Lord Salisbury initiated a period of imperial expansion in Africa, maintained a policy of splendid isolation in Europe, and attempted to contain Russian influence in Afghanistan and Persia, in what came to be known as the Great Game. During this time, Canada, Australia and New Zealand were granted self-governing dominion status. At the turn of the century, Britain’s industrial dominance became challenged by the German Empire and the United States. The Edwardian era saw social reform and home rule for Ireland become important domestic issues, whilst the Labour Party emerged from an alliance of trade unions and small socialist groups in 1900, and suffragettes campaigned for women’s right to vote.

Britain was one of the principal Allies that defeated the Central Powers in the First World War (1914–1918). Alongside their French, Russian and (after 1917) American counterparts, British armed forces were engaged across much of the British Empire and in several regions of Europe, particularly on the Western Front. The high fatalities of trench warfare caused the loss of much of a generation of men, with lasting social effects in the nation and a great disruption in the social order. After the war, Britain became a permanent member of the Executive Council of the League of Nations and received a mandate over a number of former German and Ottoman colonies. Under the leadership of David Lloyd George, the British Empire reached its greatest extent, covering a fifth of the world’s land surface and a quarter of its population. Britain had suffered 2.5 million casualties and finished the war with a huge national debt. Kara sekas pārliecināja valdību paplašināt tiesības balsot valsts un pašvaldību vēlēšanās ar 1918. gada likumu par tautas pārstāvniecību.

Līdz 1920. gadsimta XNUMX. gadu vidum lielākā daļa Lielbritānijas iedzīvotāju varēja klausīties BBC radio programmas. Eksperimentālās televīzijas pārraides sākās 1929. gadā, un pirmais plānotais BBC televīzijas pakalpojums sākās 1936. gadā. Īru nacionālisma pieaugums un strīdi Īrijā par Īrijas pašpārvaldes noteikumiem galu galā noveda pie salas sadalīšanas 1921. gadā. The Irish Free State became independent, initially with Dominion status in 1922, and unambiguously independent in 1931. Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom. The 1928 Equal Franchise Act gave women electoral equality with men in national elections. Strikes in the mid-1920s culminated in the General Strike of 1926, which ended in a victory for the government led by Stanley Baldwin. Britain had still not recovered from the effects of the First World War when the Great Depression (1929–1932) led to considerable unemployment and hardship in the old industrial areas, as well as political and social unrest with rising membership in communist and socialist parties. A coalition government was formed in 1931.

Nonetheless, “Britain was a very wealthy country, formidable in arms, ruthless in pursuit of its interests and sitting at the heart of a global production system.” After Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Britain entered the Second World War. Winston Churchill became prime minister and head of a coalition government in 1940. Despite the defeat of its European allies in the first year, Britain and its Empire continued the war against Germany alone. Churchill engaged industry, scientists and engineers to support the government and the military in the prosecution of the war effort.

In 1940, the Royal Air Force defeated the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. Urban areas suffered heavy bombing during the Blitz. The Grand Alliance of Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union formed in 1941, leading the Allies against the Axis powers. There were eventual hard-fought victories in the Battle of the Atlantic, the North Africa campaign and the Italian campaign. British forces played important roles in the Normandy landings of 1944 and the liberation of Europe. The British Army led the Burma campaign against Japan, and the British Pacific Fleet fought Japan at sea. British scientists contributed to the Manhattan Project whose task was to build an atomic weapon. Once built, it was decided, with British consent, to use the weapon against Japan.

The UK was one of the Big Three powers (along with the US and the Soviet Union) who met to plan the post-war world; it was an original signatory to the Declaration by United Nations and became one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. It worked closely with the United States to establish the IMF, World Bank and NATO. Kara rezultātā Apvienotā Karaliste bija stipri novājināta un finansiāli atkarīga no Māršala plāna, taču tā tika pasargāta no kopējā kara, kas izpostīja Austrumeiropu.

In the immediate post-war years, the Labour government under Clement Attlee initiated a radical programme of reforms, which significantly impacted British society in the following decades. Major industries and public utilities were nationalised, a welfare state was established, and a comprehensive, publicly funded healthcare system, the National Health Service, was created. The rise of nationalism in the colonies coincided with Britain’s much-diminished economic position, so that a policy of decolonisation was unavoidable. Independence was granted to India and Pakistan in 1947. Over the next three decades, most colonies of the British Empire gained their independence, and many became members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The UK was the third country to develop a nuclear weapons arsenal (with its first atomic bomb test, Operation Hurricane, in 1952), but the post-war limits of Britain’s international role were illustrated by the Suez Crisis of 1956. The international spread of the English language ensured the continuing international influence of its literature and culture. As a result of a shortage of workers in the 1950s, the government encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries. In the following decades, the UK became a more multi-ethnic society. Despite rising living standards in the late 1950s and 1960s, the UK’s economic performance was less successful than many of its main competitors such as France, West Germany and Japan.

In the decades-long process of European integration, the UK was a founding member of the Western European Union, established with the London and Paris Conferences in 1954. In 1960 the UK was one of the seven founding members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), but in 1973 it left to join the European Communities (EC). In a 1975 referendum 67% voted to stay in it. When the EC became the European Union (EU) in 1992, the UK was one of the 12 founding member states.

From the late 1960s, Northern Ireland suffered communal and paramilitary violence (sometimes affecting other parts of the UK) conventionally known as the Troubles. It is usually considered to have ended with the 1998 Belfast “Good Friday” Agreement.

Following a period of widespread economic slowdown and industrial strife in the 1970s, the Conservative government of the 1980s led by Margaret Thatcher initiated a radical policy of monetarism, deregulation, particularly of the financial sector (for example, the Big Bang in 1986) and labour markets, the sale of state-owned companies (privatisation), and the withdrawal of subsidies to others.

In 1982, Argentina invaded the British territories of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, leading to the 10-week Falklands War in which Argentine forces were defeated. The inhabitants of the islands are predominantly descendants of British settlers, and strongly favour British sovereignty, as shown by a 2013 referendum. From 1984, the UK economy was helped by the inflow of substantial North Sea oil revenues.

Apmēram 20. gadsimta beigās Apvienotās Karalistes pārvaldībā notika lielas izmaiņas, izveidojot decentralizētas administrācijas Skotijai, Velsai un Ziemeļīrijai. Likumā noteiktā iekļaušana notika pēc Eiropas Cilvēktiesību konvencijas pieņemšanas. Apvienotā Karaliste palika lielvalsts ar globālu diplomātisko un militāro ietekmi un vadošo lomu Apvienoto Nāciju Organizācijā un NATO.

The UK broadly supported the United States’ approach to the “war on terror” in the early 21st century. British troops fought in the War in Afghanistan, but controversy surrounded Britain’s military deployment in Iraq, which saw the largest protest in British history demonstrating in opposition to the government led by Tony Blair.

The 2008 global financial crisis severely affected the UK economy. The Cameron–Clegg coalition government of 2010 introduced austerity measures intended to tackle the substantial public deficits. Studies have suggested that policy led to significant social disruption and suffering. A referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 resulted in the Scottish electorate voting by 55.3 to 44.7% to remain part of the United Kingdom.

In 2016, 51.9 per cent of voters in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. The UK left the EU in 2020. On 1 May 2021 the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement came into force.

Covid-19 pandēmija smagi ietekmēja Apvienotās Karalistes ekonomiku, izraisīja lielus traucējumus izglītībā un tālejoši ietekmēja sabiedrību un politiku 2020. un 2021. gadā. The United Kingdom was the first country in the world to use an approved COVID-19 vaccine, developing its own vaccine through a collaboration between Oxford University and AstraZeneca, which allowed the UK’s vaccine rollout to be among the fastest in the world.

On 8 September 2022, Elizabeth II, the longest-living and longest-reigning British monarch, died at the age of 96. Upon the Queen’s death, her eldest child Charles, Prince of Wales, acceded to the British throne as Charles III.

Apvienotās Karalistes kopējā platība ir aptuveni 244,820 94,530 kvadrātkilometri (22 35 kvadrātjūdzes). Valsts aizņem lielāko Britu salu arhipelāga daļu un ietver Lielbritānijas salu, Īrijas salas ziemeļaustrumu sesto daļu un dažas mazākas apkārtējās salas. Tā atrodas starp Ziemeļatlantijas okeānu un Ziemeļjūru, un dienvidaustrumu krasts atrodas XNUMX jūdžu (XNUMX km) attālumā no Francijas ziemeļu krasta, no kura to atdala Lamanšs.

The Royal Greenwich Observatory in London was chosen as the defining point of the Prime Meridian at the International Meridian Conference in 1884.

Apvienotā Karaliste atrodas starp 49° un 61° ziemeļu platuma grādiem un 9° rietumu un 2° austrumu garuma grādiem. Ziemeļīrijai ir 224 jūdzes (360 km) gara sauszemes robeža ar Īrijas Republiku. Lielbritānijas krasta līnija ir 11,073 17,820 jūdzes (XNUMX XNUMX km) gara. To ar kontinentālo Eiropu savieno Lamanša tunelis, kas 31 jūdzes (50 km) (24 jūdzes (38 km) zem ūdens) ir garākais zemūdens tunelis pasaulē.

The UK contains four terrestrial ecoregions: Celtic broadleaf forests, English Lowlands beech forests, North Atlantic moist mixed forests, and Caledon conifer forests. The area of woodland in the UK in 2023 is estimated to be 3.25 million hectares, this represents 13% of the total land area in the UK.

Lielākajā daļā Apvienotās Karalistes ir mērens klimats ar parasti vēsu temperatūru un bagātīgu nokrišņu daudzumu visu gadu. Temperatūra mainās atkarībā no gadalaikiem, kad tas reti nokrītas zem 0 °C (32 °F) vai paaugstinās virs 30 °C (86 °F). Dažās Anglijas kalnu, Velsas, Ziemeļīrijas un lielākās daļas Skotijas daļās, kas atrodas prom no krasta, ir subpolārais okeāna klimats (cfc). Skotijā augstākajos paaugstinājumos valda kontinentāls subarktiskais klimats (dfc) un kalnos valda tundras klimats (ET).

The prevailing wind is from the southwest and bears frequent spells of mild and wet weather from the Atlantic Ocean, although the eastern parts are mostly sheltered from this wind. Since the majority of the rain falls over the western regions, the eastern parts are the driest. Atlantic currents, warmed by the Gulf Stream, bring mild winters, especially in the west where winters are wet and even more so over high ground. Summers are warmest in the southeast of England and coolest in the north. Heavy snowfall can occur in winter and early spring on high ground, and occasionally settles to great depth away from the hills.

The average total annual sunshine in the United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible. The hours of sunshine vary from 1200 to about 1580 hours per year, and since 1996 the UK has been and still is receiving above the 1981 to 2010 average hours of sunshine.

As of 2022, the United Kingdom is ranked 2nd out of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index. A law has been passed that UK greenhouse gas emissions will be net zero by 2050.

England accounts for 53 per cent of the UK, covering 50,350 square miles (130,395 km). Most of the country consists of lowland terrain, with upland and mountainous terrain northwest of the Tees–Exe line which roughly divides the UK into lowland and upland areas. Lowland areas include Cornwall, the New Forest, the South Downs and the Norfolk Broads. Upland areas include the Lake District, the Pennines, the Yorkshire Dales, Exmoor, and Dartmoor. The main rivers and estuaries are the Thames, Severn, and the Humber. England’s highest mountain is Scafell Pike, at 978 metres (3,209 ft) in the Lake District; its largest island is the Isle of Wight.

Scotland accounts for 32 per cent of the UK, covering 30,410 square miles (78,772 km). This includes nearly 800 islands, notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. Scotland is the most mountainous constituent country of the UK, the Highlands to the north and west are the more rugged region containing the majority of Scotland’s mountainous land, including the Cairngorms, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs and Ben Nevis which at 1,345 metres (4,413 ft) is the highest point in the British Isles.

Wales accounts for less than 9 per cent of the UK, covering 8,020 square miles (20,779 km). Wales is mostly mountainous, though South Wales is less mountainous than North and mid Wales. The highest mountains in Wales are in Snowdonia and include Snowdon (Welsh: Wyddfa gads) which, at 1,085 metres (3,560 ft), is the highest peak in Wales. Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,704 kilometres) of coastline including the Pembrokeshire Coast. Several islands lie off the Welsh mainland, the largest of which is Anglesey (Ynys Pirm).

Northern Ireland, separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea and North Channel, has an area of 5,470 square miles (14,160 km) and is mostly hilly. It includes Lough Neagh which, at 150 square miles (388 km²), is the largest lake in the British Isles by area, Lough Erne which has over 150 islands and the Giant’s Causeway which is a World Heritage Site. The highest peak in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard in the Mourne Mountains at 852 metres (2,795 ft).

The UK is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy operating under the Westminster system, otherwise known as a “democratic parliamentary monarchy”. It is a centralised, unitary state wherein the Parliament of the United Kingdom is sovereign. Parliament is made up of the elected House of Commons, the appointed House of Lords and the Crown (as personified by the monarch). The main business of parliament takes place in the two houses, but royal assent is required for a bill to become an act of parliament (that is, statute law). As a result of parliamentary sovereignty, the British constitution is uncodified, consisting mostly of disparate written sources, including parliamentary statutes, judge-made case law and international treaties, together with constitutional conventions. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court recognises a number of principles underlying the British constitution, such as parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law, democracy, and upholding international law.

King Charles III is the current monarch and head of state of the UK and of 14 other independent countries. These 15 countries are today referred to as “Commonwealth realms”. The monarch is formally vested with all executive authority as the personal embodiment of the Crown and is “…fundamental to the law and working of government in the UK.” The disposition of such powers however, including those belonging to the royal prerogative, is generally exercised only on the advice of ministers of the Crown responsible to Parliament and thence to the electorate. Nevertheless, in the performance of official duties, the monarch has “the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn”. In addition, the monarch has a number of reserve powers at his disposal, albeit rarely used, in order to uphold responsible government and prevent constitutional crises.

For general elections (elections to the House of Commons), the UK is currently divided into 650 constituencies, each of which is represented by one member of Parliament (MP) elected by the first-past-the-post system. MPs hold office for up to five years and must then stand for re-election if they wish to continue to be an MP. The Conservative Party, colloquially known as the Tory Party or the Tories, and the Labour Party have been the dominant political parties in the UK since the 1920s, leading to the UK being described as a two-party system. However, since the 1920s other political parties have won seats in the House of Commons, although never more than the Conservatives or Labour.

The prime minister is the head of government in the UK. Acting under the direction and supervision of a Cabinet of senior ministers selected and led by the prime minister, the Government serves as the principal instrument for public policymaking, administers public services and, through the Privy Council, promulgates statutory instruments and tenders advice to the monarch.
Nearly all prime ministers have served concurrently as First Lord of the Treasury and all prime ministers have continuously served as First Lord of the Treasury since 1905, Minister for the Civil Service since 1968, and Minister for the Union since 2019. While appointed by the monarch, in modern times the prime minister is, by convention, an MP, the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons, and holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the House of Commons. The current Prime Minister, as of October 2022, is Rishi Sunak MP, leader of the Conservative Party.

The geographical division of the United Kingdom into counties or shires began in England and Scotland in the early Middle Ages, and was completed throughout Great Britain and Ireland by the early Modern Period. Modern local government by elected councils, partly based on the ancient counties, was established by separate Acts of Parliament: in England and Wales in 1888, Scotland in 1889 and Ireland in 1898, meaning there is no consistent system of administrative or geographic demarcation across the UK.
Līdz 19. gadsimtam šajos izkārtojumos bija maz izmaiņu, taču kopš tā laika ir notikusi pastāvīga loma un funkciju evolūcija.

Local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to local arrangements. The upper-tier subdivisions of England are the nine regions, now used primarily for statistical purposes. One of the regions, Greater London, has had a directly elected assembly and mayor since 2000 following popular support for the proposal in a 1998 referendum.

Local government in Scotland is divided into 32 council areas with a wide variation in size and population. The cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee are separate council areas, as is the Highland Council, which includes a third of Scotland’s area but only just over 200,000 people. Local councils are made up of elected councillors, of whom there are 1,223.

Vietējā valdība Velsā sastāv no 22 vienotām iestādēm, katru vada vadītājs un kabinets, ko ievēl pati padome. To skaitā ir Kārdifas, Svonsī un Ņūportas pilsētas, kas ir vienotas iestādes pašas par sevi. Vēlēšanas notiek ik pēc četriem gadiem saskaņā ar pirmo amatu sistēmu.

Local government in Northern Ireland since 1973, has been organised into 26 district councils, each elected by single transferable vote. Their powers are limited to services such as waste collection, dog control, and maintaining parks and cemeteries. In 2008 the executive agreed on proposals to create 11 new councils and replace the present system.

Since 1999, Scotland has had a devolved national government and legislature called the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government and Parliament have wide-ranging powers over any matter that has not been specifically reserved to the UK Parliament, including education, healthcare, Scots law and local government. Their power over economic issues is significantly constrained by an act of the UK parliament passed in 2020. The current Scottish Government is a Scottish National Party and Scottish Greens coalition, led by First Minister Humza Yousaf, leader of the Scottish National Party. In 2014, the Scottish independence referendum was held, with 55.3% voting against independence from the United Kingdom and 44.7% voting in favour, resulting in Scotland staying within the United Kingdom. Local government in Scotland is divided into 32 council areas with a wide variation in size and population. Local councils are made up of elected councillors, of whom there are 1,223.

Since 1999, Wales has a devolved national government and legislature, known as the Senedd. Elections to the Senedd use the additional member system. They have more limited powers than those devolved to Scotland. The Senedd is able to legislate on any matter not specifically reserved to the UK Parliament through Acts of Senedd Cymru. The Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly have powers similar to those devolved to Scotland. The Executive is led by a diarchy representing unionist and nationalist members of the Assembly. The current Welsh Government is Labour, led by First Minister Mark Drakeford, who has been the First Minister since 2018. Local government in Wales consists of 22 unitary authorities, each led by a leader and cabinet elected by the council itself.

Since 1998, Northern Ireland has a devolved government, the Executive, and legislature, the Assembly. Elections to the Assembly use the single transferable vote system. The Island of Ireland has a turbulent and violent modern political history, a period referred to as the Troubles. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement acts as a faktiski constitution for Northern Ireland. Local government in Northern Ireland since 2015 has been divided between 11 councils with limited responsibilities.

The UK does not have a codified constitution and constitutional matters are not among the powers devolved to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Under the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, the UK Parliament could, in theory, therefore, abolish the Scottish Parliament, Senedd or Northern Ireland Assembly. In practice, it would be politically difficult for the UK Parliament to abolish devolution to the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd, because these institutions were created by referendum decisions. The political constraints placed upon the UK Parliament’s power to interfere with devolution in Northern Ireland are greater still, because devolution in Northern Ireland rests upon an international agreement with the Government of Ireland. The UK Parliament restricts the three devolved parliaments’ legislative competence in economic areas through an act passed in 2020.

The UK is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a member of NATO, AUKUS, the Commonwealth of Nations, the G7 finance ministers, the G7 forum, the G20, the OECD, the WTO, the Council of Europe and the OSCE. The UK has the British Council which is a British organisation based in over 100 countries specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. The UK is said to have a “Special Relationship” with the United States and a close partnership with France – the “Entente cordiale” – and shares nuclear weapons technology with both countries; the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance is considered to be the oldest binding military alliance in the world. The UK is also closely linked with the Republic of Ireland; the two countries share a Common Travel Area and co-operate through the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference and the British-Irish Council. Britain’s global presence and influence is further amplified through its trading relations, foreign investments, official development assistance and military engagements. Canada, Australia and New Zealand, all of which are former colonies of the British Empire which share King Charles as their head of state, are the most favourably viewed countries in the world by British people.

Apvienotā Karaliste, 14 Lielbritānijas aizjūras teritorijas un trīs kroņa atkarības veido 'vienu nedalītu valstību'. Visas valstības daļas ir Lielbritānijas kroņa suverenitātē, bet teritorijas un atkarības nav Apvienotās Karalistes daļa. Tas atšķiras no Sadraudzības valstību statusa, kurām ir atsevišķas monarhijas, bet kurām ir viens un tas pats monarhs.

14 Lielbritānijas aizjūras teritorijas ir Britu impērijas paliekas: Angilja; Bermudu salas; Lielbritānijas Antarktikas teritorija; Britu Indijas okeāna teritorija; Britu Virdžīnu salas; Kaimanu salas; Folklenda salas; Gibraltārs; Montserrata; Svētā Helēna, Debesbraukšanas un Tristans da Kunja; Tērksas un Kaikosas salas; Pitkērnas salas; Dienviddžordžija un Dienvidsendviču salas; un Akrotiri un Dhekelia Kipras salā. Britu pretenzijām Antarktīdā ir ierobežota starptautiskā atzīšana. Kopumā Lielbritānijas aizjūras teritorijas aptver aptuveni 480,000 640,000 kvadrātjūras jūdzes (1,600,000 XNUMX kvadrātjūdzes; XNUMX XNUMX XNUMX km), ar kopējo iedzīvotāju skaitu aptuveni 250,000 6,805,586. Aizjūras teritorijas nodrošina Apvienotajai Karalistei arī pasaulē piekto lielāko ekskluzīvo ekonomisko zonu XNUMX XNUMX XNUMX km garumā.² (2,627,651 kv. Jūdzes).

Kroņa atkarības ir kroņa īpašums pretstatā Apvienotās Karalistes teritorijām. Tās ietver trīs neatkarīgi administrētas jurisdikcijas: Džersijas un Gērnsijas Bailiwicks Lamanšā un Menas salu Īrijas jūrā. Pēc savstarpējas vienošanās Lielbritānijas valdība pārvalda salu ārlietas un aizsardzību, un Apvienotās Karalistes parlamentam ir tiesības pieņemt tiesību aktus salu vārdā. Starptautiski tās tiek uzskatītas par “teritorijām, par kurām ir atbildīga Apvienotā Karaliste”. The power to pass legislation affecting the islands ultimately rests with their own respective legislative assemblies, with the assent of the Crown (Privy Council or, in the case of the Isle of Man, in certain circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor). Since 2005, each Crown dependency has had a Chief Minister as its head of government.

Apvienotajai Karalistei nav vienotas tiesību sistēmas, jo 19. gada Savienības līguma 1706. pants paredzēja Skotijas atsevišķās tiesību sistēmas turpināšanu. Mūsdienās Apvienotajā Karalistē ir trīs atšķirīgas tiesību sistēmas: Anglijas tiesības, Ziemeļīrijas tiesības un Skotijas tiesības. Jauna Apvienotās Karalistes Augstākā tiesa tika izveidota 2009. gada oktobrī, lai aizstātu Lordu palātas Apelācijas komiteju. Slepenās padomes Tiesu komiteja, kurā ietilpst tie paši locekļi kā Augstākā tiesa, ir augstākā apelācijas tiesa vairākām neatkarīgām Sadraudzības valstīm, Lielbritānijas aizjūras teritorijām un kroņa atkarībām.

Both English law, which applies in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland law are based on common-law principles. The courts of England and Wales are headed by the Senior Courts of England and Wales, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice (for civil cases) and the Crown Court (for criminal cases). Scots law is a hybrid system based on common-law and civil-law principles. The chief courts are the Court of Session, for civil cases, and the High Court of Justiciary, for criminal cases. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom serves as the highest court of appeal for civil cases under Scots law.

Noziedzība Anglijā un Velsā pieauga laika posmā no 1981. līdz 1995. gadam, lai gan kopš šī maksimuma no 66. līdz 1995. gadam reģistrēto noziedzības gadījumu skaits kopumā ir samazinājies par 2015 procentiem, liecina noziedzības statistika. Anglijas un Velsas ieslodzīto skaits ir pieaudzis līdz 86,000 148, tādējādi Anglijā un Velsā ir augstākais ieslodzīto skaits Rietumeiropā – 100,000 uz XNUMX XNUMX.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in England, Scotland, and Wales since 2014, and in Northern Ireland since 2020. LGBT equality in the United Kingdom is considered advanced by modern standards.

Viņa Majestātes bruņotie spēki sastāv no trim profesionālā dienesta filiālēm: Karaliskā flote un Karaliskā jūras kājnieki (kas veido Jūras dienestu), Lielbritānijas armija un Karaliskā gaisa spēki. Apvienotās Karalistes bruņotos spēkus pārvalda Aizsardzības ministrija un kontrolē Aizsardzības padome, ko vada Aizsardzības valsts sekretārs. Virspavēlnieks ir Lielbritānijas monarhs, kuram spēku dalībnieki zvēr uzticības zvērestu. Bruņotajiem spēkiem ir pienākums aizsargāt Apvienoto Karalisti un tās aizjūras teritorijas, veicināt Apvienotās Karalistes globālās drošības intereses un atbalstīt starptautiskos miera uzturēšanas centienus. Viņi aktīvi un regulāri piedalās NATO, tostarp Sabiedroto ātrās reaģēšanas korpusā, Piecu spēku aizsardzības mehānismos, RIMPAC un citās pasaules koalīcijas operācijās. Aizjūras garnizoni un iekārtas tiek uzturētas Debesbraukšanas salā, Bahreinā, Belizā, Brunejā, Kanādā, Kiprā, Djego Garsijā, Folklenda salās, Vācijā, Gibraltārā, Kenijā, Omānā, Katarā un Singapūrā.

According to sources which include the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the UK has either the fourth- or the fifth-highest military expenditure. Total defence spending amounts to 2.0 per cent of national GDP. Following the end of the Cold War, defence policy has a stated assumption that “the most demanding operations” will be undertaken as part of a coalition.

The UK has a partially regulated market economy. Based on market exchange rates, the UK is the sixth-largest economy in the world and the second-largest in Europe by nominal GDP.

The United Kingdom uses the pound sterling, currently the fourth most-traded currency in the foreign exchange market and the world’s fourth-largest reserve currency (after the United States dollar, euro, and yen). The pound sterling was the best performing currency in the first quarter of 2023, gaining 2.5pc against the dollar, ahead of all other G10 economies. London is the world capital for foreign exchange trading, with a global market share of 38.1% in 2022 of the daily $7.5 trillion global turnover. HM Treasury, led by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is responsible for developing and executing the government’s public finance policy and economic policy. The Bank of England is the UK’s central bank and is responsible for issuing notes and coins in the pound sterling. Banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland retain the right to issue their own notes, subject to retaining enough Bank of England notes in reserve to cover their issue.

The service sector made up around 80% of the UK’s GVA in 2021. As of 2022, the UK is the world’s second-largest exporter of services. London is one of the world’s largest financial centres, ranking second in the world in the Global Financial Centres Index in 2022. London also has the largest city GDP in Europe. Edinburgh ranks 17th in the world, and sixth in Western Europe in the Global Financial Centres Index in 2020. Tourism is very important to the British economy; London was named as Europe’s most popular destination for 2022. The creative industries accounted for 5.9% of the UK’s GVA in 2019, having grown by 43.6% in real terms from 2010. Creative industries contributed more than £111bn to the UK economy in 2018, growth in the sector is more than five times larger than growth across the UK economy as a whole as reported in 2018. Lloyd’s of London is the world’s largest insurance and reinsurance market and is located in London. WPP plc, the world’s biggest advertising company, is also based in the UK.

The automotive industry employs around 800,000 people, with a turnover in 2022 of £67 billion, generating £27 billion of exports (10% of the UK’s total export of goods). In 2022, the UK produced around 775,000 passenger vehicles and 101,600 commercial vehicles, including luxury cars such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Range Rover. The UK is a major centre for engine manufacturing: in 2021 around 1.6 million engines were produced. The UK motorsport industry employs more than 40,000 people, comprises around 4,300 companies and has an annual turnover of around £10 billion. 7 of the 10 Formula One teams are based in the UK, with their technology being used in supercars and hypercars from McLaren, Aston Martin and Lotus.

The aerospace industry of the UK is the second largest national aerospace industry in the world depending upon the method of measurement and has an annual turnover of around £30 billion. The UK space industry was worth £17.5bn in 2020/21 and employed 48,800 people. Since 2012, the number of space organisations has grown on average nearly 21% per year, with 1,293 organisations reported in 2021. The UK Space Agency has stated in 2023 that it is investing £1.6 billion in space related projects.

The agriculture industry is intensive, highly mechanised and efficient by European standards, producing about 60 per cent of food needs with less than 1.6 per cent of the labour force (535,000 workers). Around two-thirds of production is devoted to livestock, one-third to arable crops. The UK retains a significant, though much reduced fishing industry. It is also rich in a variety of natural resources including coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica and an abundance of arable land.

The United Kingdom has among the highest levels of income inequality in Europe and the OECD, and is one of the most regionally unequal high-income countries in the world.

England and Scotland were leading centres of the Scientific Revolution from the 17th century. The United Kingdom led the Industrial Revolution from the 18th century, and has continued to produce scientists and engineers credited with important advances. Major theorists from the 17th and 18th centuries include Isaac Newton, whose laws of motion and illumination of gravity have been seen as a keystone of modern science; from the 19th century Charles Darwin, whose theory of evolution by natural selection was fundamental to the development of modern biology, and James Clerk Maxwell, who formulated classical electromagnetic theory; and more recently Stephen Hawking, who advanced major theories in the fields of cosmology, quantum gravity and the investigation of black holes.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for helping to encourage, develop and manage the UK’s scientific, research, and technological outputs. Scientific research and development remains important in British universities, with many establishing science parks to facilitate production and co-operation with industry. In 2022 the UK retained its number one spot for technology in Europe reaching a combined market value of $1 trillion. Cambridge was named the number one university in the world for producing successful technology founders.

The UK was ranked fourth in the Global Innovation Index 2020, 2021 and 2022, which is based on around 80 indicators, including measures of the political environment, education, infrastructure and knowledge creation. During 2022, the UK produced 6.3 per cent of the world’s scientific research papers and had a 10.5 per cent share of scientific citations, the third highest in the world (for both). The UK ranked 1st in the world for Field-Weighted Citation Impact. Scientific journals produced in the UK include publications by the Royal Society, daba, tad British Medical Journal un Lancet.

Radiālais ceļu tīkls kopā veido 29,145 46,904 jūdzes (2,173 3,497 km) galveno ceļu, 213,750 344,000 jūdzes (25 km) automaģistrāļu un XNUMX XNUMX jūdzes (XNUMX XNUMX km) asfaltētu ceļu. MXNUMX, kas ieskauj Londonu, ir lielākais un noslogotākais apvedceļš pasaulē. In 2022, there were a total of 40.8 million licensed vehicles in Great Britain.

The UK has an extensive railway network of 10,072 miles (16,209 km). In Great Britain, the British Rail network was privatised between 1994 and 1997, followed by a rapid rise in passenger numbers. The UK was ranked eighth among national European rail systems in the 2017 European Railway Performance Index assessing intensity of use, quality of service and safety. High Speed 2 (HS2) is a new high speed railway under construction linking up London, the Midlands, the North and Scotland, serving over 25 stations, including eight of Britain’s 10 largest cities and connecting around 30 million people, capable of speeds of up to 225 mph. Crossrail, which was renamed the Elizabeth line in 2016, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II, opened in 2022. It was Europe’s largest construction project at the time and will bring in an estimated £42 billion to the UK economy.

Great British Railways is a planned state-owned public body that will oversee rail transport in Great Britain. In 2014, there were 5.2 billion bus journeys in the UK, 2.4 billion of which were in London. The red double-decker bus has entered popular culture as an internationally recognised icon of England. Londonas autobusu tīkls ir plašs, ar vairāk nekā 6,800 regulāriem reisiem katru darba dienu, kas pārvadā apmēram sešus miljonus pasažieru vairāk nekā 700 dažādos maršrutos, padarot to par vienu no plašākajām autobusu sistēmām pasaulē un lielāko Eiropā.

In the year from October 2009 to September 2010, UK airports handled a total of 211.4 million passengers. In that period the three largest airports were London Heathrow Airport (65.6 million passengers), Gatwick Airport (31.5 million passengers) and London Stansted Airport (18.9 million passengers). London Heathrow Airport, located 15 miles (24 km) west of the capital, is the world’s second busiest airport by international passenger traffic and has the most international passenger traffic of any airport in the world; it is the hub for the UK flag carrier British Airways, as well as Virgin Atlantic.

In 2021, the UK was the world’s 14th-largest consumer of energy and the 22nd-largest producer. The UK is home to many large energy companies, including two of the six major oil and gas companies – BP and Shell.

The total of all renewable electricity sources provided 43% of the electricity generated in the UK in 2020. The UK is one of the best sites in Europe for wind energy, and wind power production is the country’s fastest-growing supply; in 2022, 26.8% of the UK’s total electricity was generated by wind power. The UK has the largest offshore wind farm in the world, which is located off the coast of Yorkshire.

In 2023, the UK had 9 nuclear reactors normally generating about 15 per cent of the UK’s electricity. Unlike Germany and Japan, there are two reactors under construction and more planned. In the late 1990s, nuclear power plants contributed around 25 per cent of the total annual electricity generation in the UK, but this has gradually declined as old plants have been shut down. The UK government is investing in Small Modular Reactors and Advanced Modular Reactors research and development.

In 2021, the UK produced 935 thousand barrels per day (bbl/d) of oil (and other liquids) and consumed 1,258 thousand bbl/d. Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of oil since 2005. In 2020, the UK had around 2 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves.

In 2021, the UK was the 21st-largest producer of natural gas in the world. Production is now in decline and the UK has been a net importer of natural gas since 2004. In 2020, the UK produced 1.8 million tonnes of coal falling 91% in 10 years. In 2020 it had proven recoverable coal reserves of 26 million tonnes. Apvienotās Karalistes Ogļu pārvalde ir paziņojusi, ka, izmantojot pazemes ogļu gazifikāciju (UCG) jeb “fracking”, ir iespējams saražot no 7 līdz 16 miljardiem tonnu ogļu, un, pamatojoties uz pašreizējo Apvienotās Karalistes ogļu patēriņu, šādas rezerves varētu pietikt no 200 līdz 400 miljardiem tonnu ogļu. XNUMX gadi.

Piekļuve uzlabotai ūdens apgādei un sanitārijai Apvienotajā Karalistē ir universāla. Tiek lēsts, ka kanalizācijas tīklam ir pieslēgti 96 procenti mājsaimniecību. Saskaņā ar Vides aģentūras datiem 16,406. gadā Apvienotajā Karalistē sabiedriskā ūdens apgādei kopējais ūdens ieguve bija 2007 XNUMX megalitri dienā.

Anglijā un Velsā ūdens un kanalizācijas pakalpojumus nodrošina 10 privāti reģionālie ūdensapgādes un kanalizācijas uzņēmumi un 13 pārsvarā mazāki privātie “tikai ūdens” uzņēmumi. Skotijā ūdens un kanalizācijas pakalpojumus nodrošina viens valsts uzņēmums Scottish Water. Ziemeļīrijā ūdens un kanalizācijas pakalpojumus sniedz arī viena valsts iestāde Northern Ireland Water.

In the 2011 census the total population of the United Kingdom was 63,181,775. It is the fourth-largest in Europe (after Russia, Germany and France), the fifth-largest in the Commonwealth and the 22nd-largest in the world. In mid-2014 and mid-2015 net long-term international migration contributed more to population growth. In mid-2012 and mid-2013 natural change contributed the most to population growth. Between 2001 and 2011 the population increased by an average annual rate of approximately 0.7 per cent. The 2011 census also showed that, over the previous 100 years, the proportion of the population aged 0–14 fell from 31 per cent to 18 per cent, and the proportion of people aged 65 and over rose from 5 to 16 per cent. 2018. gadā Apvienotās Karalistes iedzīvotāju vidējais vecums bija 41.7 gadi.

England’s population in 2011 was 53 million, representing some 84 per cent of the UK total. It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with 420 people per square kilometre in mid-2015, ar īpašu koncentrāciju Londonā un dienvidaustrumos. 2011. gada tautas skaitīšanā Skotijas iedzīvotāju skaits sasniedza 5.3 miljonus, Velsā 3.06 miljoni un Ziemeļīrijā 1.81 miljons.

2017. gadā vidējais kopējais auglības līmenis (TFR) visā Apvienotajā Karalistē bija 1.74 bērni, kas dzimuši uz vienu sievieti. Lai gan pieaugošais dzimstības līmenis veicina iedzīvotāju skaita pieaugumu, tas joprojām ir ievērojami zemāks par bērnu uzplaukuma maksimumu, proti, 2.95 bērni uz vienu sievieti 1964. jeb 6.02 bērni, kas dzimuši uz vienu sievieti 1815. gadā, kas ir zemāks par aizstāšanas koeficientu 2.1, bet augstāks par 2001. gada rekordzemo līmeni 1.63. In 2011, 47.3 per cent of births in the UK were to unmarried women. The Office for National Statistics reported in 2015 that out of the UK population aged 16 and over, 1.7 per cent identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual (2.0 per cent of males and 1.5 per cent of females); 4.5 per cent of respondents responded with “other”, “I don’t know”, or did not respond. Pētījumos laikā no 65,000. līdz 300,000. gadam transpersonu skaits Apvienotajā Karalistē tika lēsts no 2001 2008 līdz XNUMX XNUMX.

Historically, indigenous British people were thought to be descended from the various ethnic groups that settled there before the 12th century: the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Norse and the Normans. Welsh people could be the oldest ethnic group in the UK. The UK has a history of non-white immigration with Liverpool having the oldest Black population in the country dating back to at least the 1730s during the period of the African slave trade. During this period it is estimated the Afro-Caribbean population of Great Britain was 10,000 to 15,000 which later declined due to the abolition of slavery. The UK also has the oldest Chinese community in Europe, dating to the arrival of Chinese seamen in the 19th century. In 2011, 87.2 per cent of the UK population identified themselves as white, meaning 12.8 per cent of the UK population identify themselves as of one of an ethnic minority group.

Etniskā daudzveidība Apvienotajā Karalistē ievērojami atšķiras. 30.4. gadā tika lēsts, ka 37.4 procenti Londonas iedzīvotāju un 2005 procenti Lesteras iedzīvotāju nebija baltie. tā kā saskaņā ar 5. gada tautas skaitīšanu mazāk nekā 2001 % Ziemeļaustrumu Anglijas, Velsas un Dienvidrietumu iedzīvotāju bija no etniskajām minoritātēm. 2016. gadā, 31.4 per cent of primary and 27.9 per cent of secondary pupils at state schools in England were members of an ethnic minority.

The English language is the official and most spoken language of the United Kingdom that originated from England. The United Kingdom proactively promotes the language globally to build connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. Tiek lēsts, ka 95 procenti Apvienotās Karalistes iedzīvotāju ir vienvalodīgi angliski. Tiek lēsts, ka 5.5 procenti iedzīvotāju runā valodās, kuras Apvienotajā Karalistē ievestas salīdzinoši nesenās imigrācijas rezultātā. Dienvidāzijas valodas ir lielākā grupa, kurā ietilpst pandžabu, urdu, bengāļu, silheti, hindi un gudžarati. Saskaņā ar 2011. gada tautas skaitīšanu poļu valoda ir kļuvusi par otro lielāko valodu, kurā runā Anglijā, un tajā runā 546,000 XNUMX cilvēku. 2019. gadā aptuveni trīs ceturtdaļas miljonu cilvēku runāja maz vai vispār nerunāja angļu valodā.

Apvienotajā Karalistē runā trīs vietējās ķeltu valodas: velsiešu, īru un skotu gēlu. Kornvolu valoda, kas kā pirmā valoda izzuda 18. gadsimta beigās, ir pakļauta atdzimšanas centieniem, un tajā ir neliela otrās valodas runātāju grupa. Saskaņā ar 2021. gada tautas skaitīšanu velsiešu valodā runājošo Velsas iedzīvotāju skaits vecumā no trim gadiem bija 538,300 17.8 cilvēku (200,000 procenti). Turklāt tiek lēsts, ka Anglijā dzīvo aptuveni XNUMX XNUMX velsiešu valodas runātāju. 2011. gada tautas skaitīšanā Ziemeļīrijā 167,487 10.4 cilvēki (92,000 %) norādīja, ka viņiem ir “zināmas īru valodas zināšanas” (sk. īru valodu Ziemeļīrijā), gandrīz tikai nacionālistu (galvenokārt katoļu) iedzīvotāju vidū. Vairāk nekā 2 72 cilvēku Skotijā (nedaudz mazāk nekā XNUMX procenti iedzīvotāju) bija gēlu valodas prasmes, tostarp XNUMX procenti no tiem, kas dzīvo Ārējos Hebridu salās. Pieaug to bērnu skaits, kuriem māca velsiešu vai skotu gēlu valodu. Skotu valoda, kas cēlusies no agrīnās ziemeļu vidus angļu valodas, ir ierobežota atpazīstamība līdzās tās reģionālajam variantam, olsterskotu valodai Ziemeļīrijā, bez īpašām saistībām aizsargāt un veicināt. As of April 2020, there are said to be around 151,000 users of British Sign Language (BSL), a sign language used by deaf people, in the UK.

Kristietības formas ir dominējušas reliģiskajā dzīvē tagadējās Apvienotās Karalistes teritorijā vairāk nekā 1,400 gadus. Lai gan lielākā daļa pilsoņu daudzās aptaujās joprojām identificējas ar kristietību, regulāra baznīcas apmeklēšana kopš 20. gadsimta vidus ir dramatiski samazinājusies. savukārt imigrācija un demogrāfiskās pārmaiņas ir veicinājušas citu ticību, īpaši islāma, izaugsmi. Tas ir licis dažiem komentētājiem dažādi raksturot Apvienoto Karalisti kā vairāku ticību valsti, sekularizēta jeb postkristīgā sabiedrība.

2001. gada tautas skaitīšanā 71.6 procenti no visiem aptaujātajiem norādīja, ka ir kristieši, un nākamās lielākās ticības bija islāms (2.8 procenti), hinduisms (1.0 procenti), sikhisms (0.6 procenti), jūdaisms (0.5 procenti). , budisms (0.3 procenti) un visas pārējās reliģijas (0.3 procenti). No aptaujātajiem 15 procenti norādīja, ka viņiem nav reliģijas, un vēl 7 procenti nav minējuši reliģisko izvēli. Tearfund aptauja 2007. gadā parādīja, ka tikai katrs desmitais brits patiešām apmeklē baznīcu katru nedēļu. Laikā no 2001. gada līdz 2011. gada tautas skaitīšanai par 12 procentiem samazinājās to cilvēku skaits, kuri sevi identificēja kā kristiešus, savukārt to cilvēku skaits, kuri nav ziņojuši par reliģisko piederību, ir dubultojies. Tas bija pretstatā pieaugumam citās galvenajās reliģisko grupu kategorijās, musulmaņu skaitam pieaugot par ievērojamāko starpību līdz aptuveni 5 procentiem. Musulmaņu iedzīvotāju skaits ir pieaudzis no 1.6 miljoniem 2001. gadā līdz 2.7 miljoniem 2011. gadā, padarot to par otro lielāko reliģisko grupu Apvienotajā Karalistē.

Anglijas baznīca ir Anglijas dibinātā baznīca. Tā saglabā pārstāvniecību Apvienotās Karalistes parlamentā, un Lielbritānijas monarhs ir tās augstākais gubernators. Skotijā Skotijas baznīca ir atzīta par nacionālo baznīcu. Tas nav pakļauts valsts kontrolei, un Lielbritānijas monarhs ir parasts loceklis, kuram pēc pievienošanās jādod zvērests “saglabāt un saglabāt protestantu reliģiju un prezbiteriešu baznīcas valdību”. Velsas baznīca tika likvidēta 1920. gadā, un, tā kā Īrijas baznīca tika likvidēta 1870. gadā pirms Īrijas sadalīšanas, Ziemeļīrijā nav izveidotas baznīcas. Lai gan 2001. gada tautas skaitīšanā Apvienotajā Karalistē nav datu par piekrišanu atsevišķām kristiešu konfesijām, ir aprēķināts, ka 62 procenti kristiešu ir anglikāņi, 13.5 procenti katoļi, 6 procenti presbiterieši un 3.4 procenti metodisti. daudzas citas protestantu konfesijas, piemēram, Plimutas brāļi un pareizticīgo baznīcas.

Imigrācija tagad veicina Apvienotās Karalistes iedzīvotāju skaita pieaugumu, un migrantu ieceļotāji un Apvienotajā Karalistē dzimušie bērni veido apmēram pusi no iedzīvotāju skaita pieauguma laikā no 1991. līdz 2001. gadam. Saskaņā ar oficiālo statistiku, kas tika publicēta 2015. gadā, 27 procenti no Apvienotajā Karalistē dzimušajiem 2014. gadā bija dzīvi dzimuši. mātēm, kas dzimušas ārpus Apvienotās Karalistes. ONS ziņoja, ka migrācijas saldo no 2009. līdz 2010. gadam palielinājās par 21 procentu līdz 239,000 XNUMX.

2013. gadā par Lielbritānijas pilsoņiem naturalizējās aptuveni 208,000 1962 ārvalstu pilsoņu, kas ir lielākais skaits kopš 125,800. gada. 2014. gadā šis skaitlis samazinājās līdz aptuveni 2009 2013. No 195,800. līdz 2014. gadam vidējais Lielbritānijas pilsonību skaits gadā tika piešķirtas XNUMX XNUMX. XNUMX. gadā naturalizēto personu biežākās pilsonības bija Indijas, Pakistānas, Filipīniešu, Nigērijas, Bangladešas, Nepāliešu, Ķīnas, Dienvidāfrikas, Polijas un Somālijas. Kopējais apmetnes pabalstu skaits, kas nodrošina pastāvīgu dzīvesvietu Apvienotajā Karalistē, bet ne pilsonību, 154,700. gadā bija aptuveni 2013 XNUMX, kas ir vairāk nekā iepriekšējos divos gados.

Emigrācija bija svarīga britu sabiedrības iezīme 19. gadsimtā. Laikā no 1815. līdz 1930. gadam aptuveni 11.4 miljoni cilvēku emigrēja no Lielbritānijas un 7.3 miljoni no Īrijas. Aplēses liecina, ka līdz 20. gadsimta beigām aptuveni 300 miljoni britu un īru izcelsmes cilvēku bija pastāvīgi apmetušies visā pasaulē. Šobrīd ārzemēs dzīvo vismaz 5.5 miljoni Apvienotajā Karalistē dzimušu cilvēku, galvenokārt Austrālijā, Spānijā, ASV un Kanādā.

Education in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter, with each country having a separate education system. About 38 per cent of the United Kingdom population has a university or college degree, which is the highest percentage in Europe, and among the highest percentages in the world. The United Kingdom is home to many universities, including the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge which often achieve first place on global rankings.

In 2018, the Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the OECD, ranked the overall knowledge and skills of British 15-year-olds as 13th in the world in reading, literacy, mathematics, and science. The average British student scored 503.7, well above the OECD average of 493.

The modern-system of universal publicly funded in the United Kingdom has its origins in the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1949 which still exists to this day and is the primary healthcare provider in the United Kingdom. The widespread popularity of the NHS has led to it being described as a “national religion”. Healthcare in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter and each constituent country has its own system of universal publicly funded healthcare, although private healthcare is also available. Public healthcare is provided to all UK permanent residents and is mostly free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation. The World Health Organization, in 2000, ranked the provision of healthcare in the United Kingdom as fifteenth best in Europe and eighteenth in the world.

Since 1979, expenditure on healthcare has been increased significantly. The 2018 OECD data, which incorporates in health a chunk of what in the UK is classified as social care, has the UK spending £3,121 per head. 2017. gadā Apvienotā Karaliste veselības aprūpei iztērēja £2,989 uz vienu cilvēku, kas ir aptuveni Ekonomiskās sadarbības un attīstības organizācijas locekļu vidējais rādītājs.

Apvienotajā Karalistē ir izveidotas regulējošās iestādes, piemēram, Vispārējā medicīnas padome, Māsu un vecmāšu padome un nevalstiskās institūcijas, piemēram, Karaliskās koledžas. Politiskā un operatīvā atbildība par veselības aprūpi gulstas uz četrām valstu izpildvarām; par veselības aprūpi Anglijā atbild Apvienotās Karalistes valdība; veselības aprūpe Ziemeļīrijā ir Ziemeļīrijas izpildvaras pārziņā; par veselības aprūpi Skotijā atbild Skotijas valdība; un veselības aprūpe Velsā ir Velsas valdības atbildība. Katram Nacionālajam veselības dienestam ir atšķirīga politika un prioritātes, kā rezultātā rodas pretrunas.

The culture of the United Kingdom is influenced by many factors including: the nation’s island status; its history; and being a political union of four countries with each preserving elements of distinctive traditions, customs and symbolism. As a result of the British Empire, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies, in particular, the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland, a common culture known today as the Anglosphere. The substantial cultural influence of the United Kingdom has led to it being described as a “cultural superpower”. BBC veiktajā globālajā sabiedriskās domas aptaujā Apvienotā Karaliste 2013. un 2014. gadā ieņēma trešo pozitīvāk vērtēto valsti pasaulē (aiz Vācijas un Kanādas).

British literature includes literature associated with the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Most British literature is in English. In 2005, some 206,000 books were published in the United Kingdom and in 2006 it was the largest publisher of books in the world.

Angļu dramaturgs un dzejnieks Viljams Šekspīrs tiek plaši uzskatīts par visu laiku lielāko dramaturģi. 20. gadsimta angļu kriminālrakstniece Agata Kristija ir visu laiku visvairāk pārdotā romānu rakstniece. Divpadsmit no 25 labākajiem no 100 britu rakstnieku romāniem, kas izvēlēti BBC globālās kritiķu aptaujā, ir sievietes; tajos ietilpa Džordža Eliota, Virdžīnijas Vulfas, Šarlotes un Emīlijas Brontē, Mērijas Šellijas, Džeinas Ostinas, Dorisas Lesingas un Zadijas Smitas darbi.

Skotijas ieguldījums ir Arturs Konans Doils (Šerloka Holmsa radītājs), sers Valters Skots, Dž. M. Barijs, Roberts Luiss Stīvensons un dzejnieks Roberts Bērnss. Pavisam nesen Hjū Makdiarmids un Nīls M. Gunns sniedza ieguldījumu Skotijas renesansē ar drūmākiem Iana Rankina un Iena Benksa darbiem. Skotijas galvaspilsēta Edinburga bija UNESCO pirmā pasaules literatūras pilsēta.

Velsas literatūrā ietilpst Lielbritānijas vecākais zināmais dzejolis, Gododdin, kas sacerēts, visticamāk, 6. gadsimta beigās. Tas tika uzrakstīts cumbric vai vecajā velsiešu valodā, un tajā ir agrākā zināmā atsauce uz karali Arturu. Artūra leģendu tālāk attīstīja Džefrijs no Monmutas. Dzejnieks Dafids ap Gvilims (fl. 1320–1370) tiek uzskatīts par vienu no sava laikmeta lielākajiem Eiropas dzejniekiem. Daniels Ouens tiek uzskatīts par pirmo velsiešu valodas romānu autoru, kurš publicē Raiss Lūiss 1885. gadā. Pazīstamākie no anglovelsiešu dzejniekiem ir Dilans Tomass un RS Tomass, pēdējais tika nominēts Nobela prēmijai literatūrā 1996. gadā. Divdesmitā gadsimta vadošie velsiešu romānisti ir Ričards Levellins un Keita Robertsa.

Īru rakstnieki, kas dzīvoja laikā, kad visa Īrija bija Apvienotās Karalistes daļa, ir Oskars Vailds, Brems Stokers and George Bernard Shaw. There have been many authors whose origins were from outside the United Kingdom but who moved to the UK, including Joseph Conrad, TS Eliots, Kazuo Išiguro, Sers Salmans Rušdi un Ezra Paunds.

Apvienotā Karaliste ir slavena ar "britu empīrisma" tradīciju, zināšanu filozofijas atzaru, kurā teikts, ka derīgas ir tikai zināšanas, kas pārbaudītas pieredzē, un "skotu filozofiju", ko dažreiz dēvē par "Skotijas veselā saprāta skolu". . Slavenākie britu empīrisma filozofi ir Džons Loks, Džordžs Bērklijs un Deivids Hjūms; savukārt Dugalds Stjuarts, Tomass Rīds un Viljams Hamiltons bija galvenie skotu “veselā saprāta” skolas pārstāvji. Divi briti ir ievērojami arī ar utilitārisma ētisko teoriju, morāles filozofiju, kuru savā īsajā darbā vispirms izmantoja Džeremijs Bentems un vēlāk Džons Stjuarts Mills. Utilitārisms.

Apvienotajā Karalistē populāri ir kļuvuši dažādi mūzikas stili, tostarp Anglijas, Velsas, Skotijas un Ziemeļīrijas pamatiedzīvotāju folkmūzika. Vēsturiski ir bijusi izcila Tjūdoru laikmeta renesanses mūzika ar Tomasa Talisa, Džona Tavernera, Viljama Bērda, Orlando Gibonsa un Džona Daulenda mesām, madrigāliem un lautas mūziku. Pēc Stjuarta restaurācijas Anglijā izveidojās dramatisko masku, himnu un ēteru tradīcija, kuru vadīja Henrijs Pērsels, kam sekoja Tomass Ārns un citi. Vācu izcelsmes komponists Džordžs Frīdrihs Hendelis kļuva naturalizēts Lielbritānijas pilsonis 1727. gadā, kad viņš komponēja himnu. Priesteris Zadoks par Džordža II kronēšanu; tā kļuva par tradicionālo ceremoniālo mūziku visu nākamo monarhu svaidīšanai. Hendeļa daudzas oratorijas, piemēram, viņa slavenās Mesija, were written in the English language. In the second half of the 19th century, as Arthur Sullivan and his librettist W. S. Gilbert wrote their popular Savoy operas, Edward Elgar’s wide range of music rivalled that of his contemporaries on the continent. Increasingly, however, composers became inspired by the English countryside and its folk music, notably Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Benjamin Britten, a pioneer of modern British opera. Among the many post-war composers, some of the most notable have made their own personal choice of musical identity: Peter Maxwell Davies (Orkney), Harrison Birtwistle (mythological), and John Tavener (religious).

Saskaņā ar New Grove mūzikas un mūziķu vārdnīca, termins “popmūzika” radās Lielbritānijā 1950. gadu vidū, lai aprakstītu rokenrola saplūšanu ar “jauno jauniešu mūziku”. Oksfordas mūzikas vārdnīca states that artists such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones drove pop music to the forefront of popular music in the early 1960s. Birmingham became known as the birthplace of heavy metal, with the band Black Sabbath starting there in the 1960s. In the following years, Britain widely occupied a part in the development of rock music, with British acts pioneering hard rock; raga rock; heavy metal; space rock; glam rock; Gothic rock, psychedelic rock, and punk rock. British acts also developed neo soul and created dubstep. The modern UK is known to produce some of the most prominent English-speaking rappers along with the United States, including Stormzy, Kano, Yxng Bane, Ramz, Little Simz and Skepta.

The Beatles ir starptautiski pārdoti vairāk nekā 1 miljards vienību, un tā ir visvairāk pārdotā un ietekmīgākā grupa populārās mūzikas vēsturē. Other prominent British contributors to have influenced popular music over the last 50 years include the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Queen, Led Zeppelin, the Bee Gees, and Elton John, all of whom have worldwide record sales of 200 million or more. The Brit Awards are the BPI’s annual music awards, and some of the British recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Music award include the Who, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, the Police, and Fleetwood Mac (who are a British-American band). More recent UK music acts that have had international success include George Michael, Oasis, Spice Girls, Radiohead, Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Robbie Williams, Amy Winehouse, Susan Boyle, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Lewis Capaldi, One Direction and Harry Styles.

Vairākas Apvienotās Karalistes pilsētas ir pazīstamas ar savu mūziku. Acts no Liverpūles ir ieguvuši 54 Apvienotās Karalistes topa 1. singlus, kas ir vairāk uz vienu iedzīvotāju nekā jebkurā citā pilsētā pasaulē. Glāzgovas ieguldījums mūzikā tika atzīts 2008. gadā, kad tā tika nosaukta par UNESCO mūzikas pilsētu. Manchester played a role in the spread of dance music such as acid house, and from the mid-1990s, Britpop. London and Bristol are closely associated with the origins of electronic music sub-genres such as drum and bass and trip hop. Influential UK dance acts include the Prodigy, Underworld, Leftfield, Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers, Sub Focus, Chase & Status and Calvin Harris.

Major British artists include: the Romantics William Blake, John Constable, Samuel Palmer and J. M. W. Turner; the portrait painters Sir Joshua Reynolds and Lucian Freud; the landscape artists Thomas Gainsborough and L. S. Lowry; the pioneer of the Arts and Crafts Movement William Morris; the figurative painter Francis Bacon; the Pop artists Peter Blake, Richard Hamilton and David Hockney; the pioneers of Conceptual art movement Art & Language; the collaborative duo Gilbert and George; the abstract artist Howard Hodgkin; and the sculptors Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor and Henry Moore. During the late 1980s and 1990s the Saatchi Gallery in London helped to bring to public attention a group of multi-genre artists who would become known as the “Young British Artists”: Damien Hirst, Chris Ofili, Rachel Whiteread, Tracey Emin, Mark Wallinger, Steve McQueen, Sam Taylor-Wood and the Chapman Brothers are among the better-known members of this loosely affiliated movement.

Londonas Karaliskā akadēmija ir galvenā organizācija vizuālās mākslas veicināšanai Apvienotajā Karalistē. Apvienotās Karalistes lielākās mākslas skolas ir: sešu skolu Londonas Mākslas universitāte, kurā ietilpst Centrālā Senmārtina Mākslas un dizaina koledža un Čelsijas Mākslas un dizaina koledža; Goldsmiths, Londonas Universitāte; Sleida tēlotājmākslas skola (daļa no Londonas Universitātes koledžas); Glāzgovas Mākslas skola; Karaliskā mākslas koledža; un Ruskina zīmēšanas un tēlotājmākslas skola (daļa no Oksfordas universitātes). Courtauld Mākslas institūts ir vadošais mākslas vēstures mācīšanas centrs. Svarīgas mākslas galerijas Apvienotajā Karalistē ir Nacionālā galerija, Nacionālā portretu galerija, Tate Britain un Tate Modern (visvairāk apmeklētā modernās mākslas galerija pasaulē ar aptuveni 4.7 miljoniem apmeklētāju gadā).

Apvienotajai Karalistei ir bijusi ievērojama ietekme uz kino vēsturi. Britu režisori Alfrēds Hičkoks, kura filma Reibonis Daži kritiķi to uzskata par visu laiku labāko filmu, un Deivids Līns ir viens no visu laiku visvairāk kritiķu atzinību guvušajiem. Daudzi britu aktieri ir guvuši starptautisku slavu un kritiskus panākumus. Dažas no visu laiku komerciāli veiksmīgākajām filmām ir ražotas Apvienotajā Karalistē, tostarp divas no ienesīgākajām filmu franšīzēm (Harijs Poters un James Bond).

2009. gadā britu filmas visā pasaulē nopelnīja aptuveni 2 miljardus ASV dolāru un sasniedza aptuveni 7 procentus pasaules tirgū un 17 procentus Apvienotajā Karalistē. Apvienotās Karalistes kases ieņēmumi 944. gadā sasniedza 2009 miljonus mārciņu ar aptuveni 173 miljoniem. Ikgadējo Britu Kinoakadēmijas balvu pasniegšanas ceremoniju rīko Lielbritānijas Kino un televīzijas mākslas akadēmija.

British cuisine developed from various influences reflective of its land, settlements, arrivals of new settlers and immigrants, trade and colonialism. The British Empire facilitated a knowledge of Indian cuisine with its “strong, penetrating spices and herbs”. British cuisine has absorbed the cultural influence of those who have settled in Britain, producing hybrid dishes, such as chicken tikka masala. The British have embraced world cuisine and regularly eat recipes or fast food from Europe, the Caribbean and Asia. Afternoon tea is a light afternoon meal served with tea in tea rooms and hotels around the United Kingdom, with the tradition dating back to around 1840.

A 2019 YouGov poll rated classic British food, the following had more than 80% of people like them who had tried them: Sunday roast, Yorkshire pudding, Fish and chips, Crumpets, and Full English breakfast. Sweet foods are common within British cuisine, and there is a long list of British desserts.

Pēdējos gados Lielbritānijā ir pieaudzis vegānu un veģetāro diētu skaits. 2021. gadā aptauja atklāja, ka 8% Lielbritānijas respondentu ēd augu izcelsmes diētu un 36% respondentu labvēlīgi vērtē augu diētu.

BBC, kas dibināta 1922. gadā, ir Apvienotās Karalistes valsts finansēta radio, televīzijas un interneta apraides korporācija, kā arī vecākā un lielākā raidorganizācija pasaulē. Tas pārvalda daudzas televīzijas un radio stacijas Apvienotajā Karalistē un ārvalstīs, un tās iekšzemes pakalpojumus finansē no televīzijas licences. BBC World Service ir starptautiska raidorganizācija, kas pieder un to pārvalda BBC. Tas ir pasaulē lielākais jebkura veida. Tajā tiek pārraidītas radio ziņas, runas un diskusijas vairāk nekā 40 valodās.

Other major players in the UK media include ITV, which operates 11 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, and Sky. Newspapers produced in the United Kingdom include the Daily Mail, Guardian, Telegraph, The Times, Kā arī Financial Times. Apvienotajā Karalistē izdotie žurnāli un žurnāli, kas ir sasnieguši pasaules apriti, ietver Skatītāju, Ekonomists, Jaunais Statesman, un Radio Times.

London dominates the media sector in the UK: national newspapers and television and radio are largely based there, although MediaCityUK in Manchester is also a significant national media centre. Edinburgh and Glasgow, and Cardiff, are important centres of newspaper and broadcasting production in Scotland and Wales, respectively. The UK publishing sector, including books, directories and databases, journals, magazines and business media, newspapers and news agencies, has a combined turnover of around £20 billion and employs around 167,000 people. 2015. gadā Apvienotajā Karalistē tika izdoti 2,710 grāmatu nosaukumi uz miljonu iedzīvotāju, kas ir vairāk nekā jebkura cita valsts, un liela daļa no tiem tika eksportēta uz citām anglofoniskajām valstīm.

In 2010, 82.5 per cent of the UK population were Internet users, the highest proportion amongst the 20 countries with the largest total number of users in that year. The UK has the largest video game sector in Europe, and is the third-largest producer of video games after Japan and the United States.

Association football, tennis, table tennis, badminton, rugby union, rugby league, rugby sevens, golf, boxing, netball, water polo, field hockey, billiards, darts, rowing, rounders and cricket originated or were substantially developed in the UK, with the rules and codes of many modern sports invented and codified in late 19th-century Victorian Britain.

2003. gadā veiktā aptauja atklāja, ka futbols ir populārākais sporta veids Apvienotajā Karalistē. FIFA ir atzinusi Angliju par klubu futbola dzimteni, un Futbola asociācija ir vecākā šāda veida asociācija, kuras futbola noteikumus 1863. gadā pirmo reizi izstrādāja Ebenezers Kobs Morlijs. Katrai no vietējām valstīm (Anglijai, Skotijai, Velsai un Ziemeļīrijai) ir sava futbola asociācija, nacionālā komanda un līgas sistēma, un katra atsevišķi ir Starptautiskās Futbola asociācijas valdes vadošā locekle līdzās FIFA. Anglijas augstākā divīzija Premjerlīga ir skatītākā futbola līga pasaulē. Pirmo starptautisko futbola spēli Anglija un Skotija aizvadīja 30. gada 1872. novembrī. Anglija, Skotija, Velsa un Ziemeļīrija starptautiskās sacensībās parasti sacenšas kā atsevišķas valstis.

2003. gadā regbija savienība tika ierindota kā otrais populārākais sporta veids Lielbritānijā. Šis sporta veids tika izveidots Regbija skolā, Vorvikšīrā, un pirmais regbija starptautiskais turnīrs notika 27. gada 1871. martā starp Angliju un Skotiju. Anglija, Skotija, Velsa, Īrija, Francija un Itālija sacenšas sešu nāciju čempionātā, kas ir galvenais starptautiskais regbija savienības turnīrs ziemeļu puslodē. Sporta pārvaldes institūcijas Anglijā, Skotijā, Velsā un Īrijā spēli organizē un regulē atsevišķi. Ik pēc četriem gadiem Home Nations izveido apvienotu komandu, kas pazīstama kā britu un īru lauvas, kas apceļo Austrāliju, Jaunzēlandi un Dienvidāfriku.

The United Kingdom hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1908, 1948 and 2012, with London acting as the host city on all three occasions. Birmingham hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games, the seventh time a constitute country in the United Kingdom hosted the Commonwealth Games (England, Scotland and Wales have each hosted the Commonwealth Games at least once).

The flag of the United Kingdom is the Union Flag (also referred to as the Union Jack). It was created in 1606 by the superimposition of the flag of England, representing Saint George, on the flag of Scotland, representing Saint Andrew, and was updated in 1801 with the addition of Saint Patrick’s Flag. Velsa nav pārstāvēta Savienības karogā, jo Velsa tika iekarota un pievienota Anglijai pirms Apvienotās Karalistes izveidošanas. Nav pilnībā izslēgta iespēja pārveidot Savienības karogu, iekļaujot tajā Velsas pārstāvniecību. Apvienotās Karalistes valsts himna ir “God Save the King”, un dziesmu tekstos “King” ir aizstāts ar “Queen” ikreiz, kad monarhs ir sieviete.

Britannia is a national personification of the United Kingdom, originating from Roman Britain. Beside the lion and the unicorn and the dragon of heraldry, the bulldog is an iconic animal and commonly represented with the Union Flag. A now rare personification is a character originating in the 18th century, John Bull.

England, Wales, and Scotland each have a number of their own national symbols, including their national flags. Northern Ireland also has a number of symbols, many of which are shared with Republic of Ireland.

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