United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | ||||||
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Anthem: God Save the Queen |
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Capital | London | |||||
Official languages | English | |||||
Recognised regional languages | Irish, Ulster Scots, Scottish Gaelic , Scots, Welsh, Cornish | |||||
Demonym | British or Briton | |||||
Government | constitutional monarchy | |||||
- | Monarch | Elizabeth II | ||||
- | Prime Minister | David Cameron | ||||
Legislature | Parliament of the United Kingdom | |||||
- | Upper House | House of Lords | ||||
- | Lower House | House of Commons | ||||
Establishment | ||||||
- | Acts of Union 1707 | 1 May 1707 | ||||
- | Acts of Union 1800 | 1 January 1801 | ||||
- | Anglo-Irish Treaty | 12 April 1922 | ||||
Currency | Pound (£ ) |
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain) is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea.