The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the United Kingdom:
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United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign country in Europe, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK), or Britain.[1][2][3] Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, it includes the island of Great Britain—a term also applied loosely to refer to the whole country—the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is made up of four countries – England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales each having their own devolved government and national parliament.
General reference
edit- The United Kingdom is...
- both a country and a country made up of countries
- both a nation state and a state made up of nations
- an island country
- a Commonwealth realm (1931–)
- a member state of NATO (1949–)
- Pronunciation: /juːˌnaɪtɪd ˈkɪŋdəm/ ⓘ
- Abbreviations: UK, GB, UKGBNI
- Common English country names: the UK, Britain, Great Britain, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Albion (historical)
- Official English country name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Common endonyms: United Kingdom, UK, Britain
- Official endonyms: the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Adjectivals: British, United Kingdom
- Demonyms: Briton, British, Brit
- Etymology: Name of Britain, Name of the United Kingdom
- International rankings of the United Kingdom
- Official languages: English
- Terminology of the British Isles
- United Kingdom-related topics
- ISO country codes: GB, GBR, 826
- ISO region codes: See ISO 3166-2:GB
- Internet country code top-level domain: .uk, .gb (not used)
Countries of the United Kingdom, Dependencies, Territories and Commonwealth
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Countries of the UK and their subdivisions
edit- England
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
- Subdivisions of Scotland
- Shires of Scotland, 33 historical, geographical or cultural regions that have no administrative function, but remain historical legacies and the means of cultural identification
- Subdivisions of Scotland
- Wales
- Subdivisions of Wales
- Principal areas of Wales
- Preserved counties of Wales
- Historic counties of Wales, 13 historical, geographical or cultural regions that have no administrative function, but remain historical legacies and the means of cultural identification
- Subdivisions of Wales
Crown Dependencies
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British Overseas Territories
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- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Islands
- Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus
- Turks and Caicos Islands
Commonwealth of Nations
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The United Kingdom is a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations
Geography, resources and demography
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Geography of the United Kingdom
- Location:
- Northern Hemisphere, on the prime meridian
- Atlantic Ocean
- Eurasia (but not on the mainland)
- Europe
- Northern Europe and Western Europe
- British Isles
- Great Britain (entire island and adjacent isles)
- Ireland (northeastern sixth of the island)
- British Isles
- Northern Europe and Western Europe
- Europe
- Time zone: Greenwich Mean Time = Western European Time (UTC+00), British Summer Time = Western European Summer Time (UTC+01)
- Area of the United Kingdom: 244,820 km2 (94,530 sq mi) – 79th most extensive country
- Extreme points of the United Kingdom:
- North: Out Stack, Shetland Islands 60°51′N 0°52′W / 60.850°N 0.867°W
- South: Western Rocks, Isles of Scilly 49°51′N 6°24′W / 49.850°N 6.400°W
- East: Lowestoft Ness, Suffolk 52°28.87′N 1°45.77′E / 52.48117°N 1.76283°E
- West: Rockall1 57°35′N 13°41′W / 57.583°N 13.683°W
- High: Ben Nevis, Lochaber at 1,343 m (4,406 ft) 56°47′49.150″N 5°0′17.22″W / 56.79698611°N 5.0047833°W
- Low: The Fens at −4 m (−13 ft) 52°29′18″N 0°13′52″W / 52.48838°N 0.23118°W
- Land boundaries:
Republic of Ireland 360 km - Land boundary:
France undersea in Channel Tunnel - Coastline: 12,429 km
- Atlas of the United Kingdom
Ecoregions
editList of ecoregions in the United Kingdom
Environment
edit- Climate of the United Kingdom
- Environmental issues in the United Kingdom
- Conservation in the United Kingdom
- Energy in the United Kingdom
- Green building in the United Kingdom
- Ecoregions in the United Kingdom
- Renewable energy in the United Kingdom
- Geology of Great Britain
- National parks of the United Kingdom
- Protected areas of the United Kingdom
- Environmentally sensitive area (ESA)
- Heritage coast
- Scenic areas
- National Landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, AONB) – England and Wales
- National Landscapes in Wales – Wales
- National scenic area – Scotland
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Northern Ireland)
- National Landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, AONB) – England and Wales
- Scheduled monument
- Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
- Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (European Union)
- Special Protection Area (SPA) (European Union)
- Wetlands designated under the Ramsar Convention (International)
- Wildlife of the United Kingdom
- Climate of the United Kingdom
- Conservation in the United Kingdom
- Environmentally sensitive area
- List of waterfalls of the United Kingdom
- List of natural disasters in the United Kingdom
Geographic features
editRegions
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Municipalities
editNatural Resources
edit- Energy in the United Kingdom inc. Renewable energy in the United Kingdom
- Biodiesel in the United Kingdom
- Coal mining in the United Kingdom
- Geothermal power in the United Kingdom
- Hydraulic fracturing in the United Kingdom
- Hydroelectricity in the United Kingdom
- Marine energy in the United Kingdom
- North Sea oil
- Solar power in the United Kingdom
- Wind power in the United Kingdom
- Food
- Materials
- List of renewable resources produced and traded by the United Kingdom
Demography
editDemographics of the United Kingdom
- Population of the United Kingdom: 64,105,700 (2013 estimate) making it the 22nd most populous country and, with a population density of 259/km2 (679/sq.mile), ranking it 51st on the List of sovereign states and dependent territories by population density. This is largely due to the particularly high population density of England which measures 406/km2.
Ethnicity
editEthnic groups in the United Kingdom
- Commission for Racial Equality
- British
- White British
- White Irish
- Other White Ethnic Groups
- British Asian
- Oriental British
- British Arabs
- Black British
- Latin American migration to the United Kingdom
Government, monarchy, politics and honours
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- Form of government: parliamentary multi-party representative democratic constitutional monarchy
- Censorship in the United Kingdom
- Elections in the United Kingdom
- British elections (specific elections)
- Gun politics in the United Kingdom
- Political parties in the United Kingdom
- Political scandals of the United Kingdom
- Taxation in the United Kingdom
Monarchy
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- Air transport of the Royal Family and government of the United Kingdom
- British royal family
- British monarchs' family tree
- Monarchy of the United Kingdom
- Coronation of the British monarch
- Household Cavalry
- Household Division
- HMY Britannia
- King's Guard and King's Life Guard
- Line of succession to the British throne
- List of British royal residences
- List of British monarchs
- List of Royal Yachts of the United Kingdom
- List of UK place names with royal patronage
- List of organisations in the United Kingdom with a royal charter
- Royal Assent
- Royal charter
- Royal Christmas Message
- Royal Collection Management Committee
- Royal Collection Trust
- Royal Collection
- Royal Household
- Royal Librarian
- Royal Library, Windsor
- Royal Peculiar
- Royal Philatelic Collection
- Royal Prerogative
- Royal Standard
- Royal Style and Titles Act
- Royal Train
- Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom)
- Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
- Royal forest
- Style of the British sovereign
- Succession to the British Throne
Branches of the government
editForeign relations
editForeign relations of the United Kingdom
- History
- Timeline of British diplomatic history
- United Kingdom and the United Nations
- Special Relationship
- Diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom
- Diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom
International organisation membership
editThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a member of:[1]
Local government
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Politics of England
editPolitics of Northern Ireland
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Politics of Scotland
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- Scottish Government
- First Minister of Scotland, and Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, John Swinney
- Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Kate Forbes
- International relations of Scotland
- Scottish Cabinet
- Dewar government (1999–2000)
- McLeish government (2000–01)
- First McConnell government (2001–03)
- Second McConnell government (2003–07)
- First Salmond government (2007–11)
- Second Salmond government (2011–14)
- First Sturgeon government (2014–16)
- Second Sturgeon government (2016–21)
- Third Sturgeon government (2021–23)
- First Yousaf government (2023–24)
- Second Yousaf government (2024)
- Swinney government (2024–)
- History of Scottish devolution
- Local government in Scotland
- Pressure Groups in Scotland
- Scottish Parliament
Politics of Wales
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- Local government in Wales
- Senedd (Welsh Parliament)
Honours
editMilitary and defence
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Command
edit- Commander-in-chief: The Sovereign – King Charles III
- Chief of the Defence Staff: Admiral Sir Tony Radakin
- First Sea Lord: Admiral Sir Ben Key
- Chief of the General Staff: General Sir Patrick Sanders
- Chief of the Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston
- Chief of the Defence Staff: Admiral Sir Tony Radakin
- Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
Forces
editMilitary history
editRelated topics
editLaw and order
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- 9-9-9 emergency telephone number
- British citizenship, British nationality law
- Cannabis in the United Kingdom
- Capital punishment in the United Kingdom
- Common law
- Constitution of the United Kingdom
- Courts of the United Kingdom
- Crime in the United Kingdom
- Law of the European Union
- Human rights in the United Kingdom
- High treason in the United Kingdom
- Law enforcement in the United Kingdom
- List of prisons in the United Kingdom
- United Kingdom prison population
Law of England and Wales
editLaw of Northern Ireland
editLaw of Scotland
editInfrastructure
editRegulatory bodies
Trade Union Federations
Transport
Transport in the United Kingdom
- British Rail
- Airports in the United Kingdom
- Bus transport in the United Kingdom
- Coach transport in the United Kingdom
- List of long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
- Railway system
- Trams and Light Rail Trams and light rail systems
- Roads in the United Kingdom
- Waterways in the United Kingdom
- Tunnels in the United Kingdom
- Cycleways in the United Kingdom
- Common Travel Area
- Transport Scotland
Economy
edit- Economic rank, by nominal GDP (2008): 6th (sixth)
- Economic history of the United Kingdom
- Financial services industry of the United Kingdom
- Communications in the United Kingdom
- Companies of the United Kingdom
- Manufacturing in the United Kingdom
- Construction industry of the United Kingdom
- Mining in the United Kingdom
- Energy in the United Kingdom
- Legal services in the United Kingdom
- Real estate in the United Kingdom
- Tourism in the United Kingdom
- Transport in the United Kingdom
- Economy of London
History
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- History of the United Kingdom
- History of England
- History of Scotland
- History of Wales
- History of Northern Ireland
- History of the formation of the United Kingdom
- British Empire and the Commonwealth
- UK underground
History by period
edit- Georgian era
- Victorian era
- Edwardian era
- First World War
- Interwar
- Second World War
- Postwar
- Since 1979
Historical states of the British Isles
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- Ancient Britain
- Avalon
- Roman Britain
- Caledonia
- Hibernia
- Kingdom of the Picts
- Kingdom of the Scots
- Heptarchy
- States in Medieval Britain
- Commonwealth of England
- Kingdom of England
- Kingdom of Ireland
- Kingdom of Scotland (when Picts and Scots merged in 843)
- Kingdom of Great Britain (when England & Scotland merged in 1707);
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (when Great Britain and Ireland merged in 1801)
By subject
edit- Economic history of the United Kingdom
- Maritime history of the United Kingdom
- Military history of the United Kingdom
- History of agriculture in Scotland
- History of Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom
- History of Christianity in Scotland
- History of company law in the United Kingdom
- History of education in England
- History of education in Scotland
- History of electroconvulsive therapy in the United Kingdom
- History of fire brigades in the United Kingdom
- History of fire safety legislation in the United Kingdom
- History of football in England
- History of football in Scotland
- History of labour law in the United Kingdom
- History of law enforcement in the United Kingdom
- History of lidos in the United Kingdom
- History of local government in the United Kingdom
- History of medical regulation in the United Kingdom
- History of Megabus routes in the United Kingdom
- History of metrication in the United Kingdom
- History of psychosurgery in the United Kingdom
- History of rail transport in the United Kingdom
- History of rugby union in Scotland
- History of taxation in the United Kingdom
- History of the Church of England
- History of the Constitution of the United Kingdom
- History of the formation of the United Kingdom
- History of the Green Party of England and Wales
- History of the Jews in the United Kingdom
- History of the Marranos in England
- History of rail transport in Great Britain
- History of rail transport in Ireland
- History of the Reformation in Scotland
- History of the socialist movement in the United Kingdom
- History of the trust movement in Scotland
- History of trial by jury in England
- History of violence against LGBT people in the United Kingdom
Culture
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- British cuisine
- Festivals in the United Kingdom
- Gambling in the United Kingdom
- British humour
- Marriage in the United Kingdom
- Media of the United Kingdom
- Symbols of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
- Prostitution in the United Kingdom
- Public holidays in the United Kingdom
- Religion in the United Kingdom
- World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom
Architecture
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Architecture of the United Kingdom
- Cathedrals in the United Kingdom
- Council houses
- Energy efficiency in British housing
- Housing associations
- List of bridges in the United Kingdom
- National House Building Council
- New towns
- Piers (England and Wales)
- Reservoirs and dams in the United Kingdom
- Town and Country Planning in the United Kingdom
Architecture of England
Architecture of Scotland
Architecture of Wales
Architecture of Northern Ireland
Gardens
The arts
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Music
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Popular music
editClassical music
edit- BBC Symphony Orchestra
- BBC National Orchestra of Wales
- BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
- BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO)
- Hallé Orchestra
- Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Royal Scottish National Orchestra
- Philharmonia
- London Symphony Orchestra
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
- Scottish Chamber Orchestra
- The Proms
- British opera
- Ulster Orchestra
Folk music
editTheatre
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Film
editCultural icons
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United Kingdom icons
edit- AEC Routemaster red double-decker bus
- Baked beans
- Basil Fawlty
- The Beano
- The Beatles
- Big Ben chimes
- Black Cab (hackney cab)
- Boudica
- Bowler hat
- Britannia
- British Monarchy
- Britpop
- British Rail
- British Bulldog
- Cap of Maintenance
- A Clockwork Orange
- Cool Britannia
- Concorde
- Coronation Street
- Crossroads
- Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
- Cutty Sark
- Dad's Army
- Doctor Who
- Dig for Victory
- EastEnders
- England expects that every man will do his duty
- Excalibur
- Excalibur (comics)
- Fawlty Towers
- The Few, "..so much owed by so many to so few"
- Fish and chips
- Football (soccer)
- Frank Spencer
- Full breakfast: Full English, Ulster fry, Scottish, Welsh
- Gentleman's Relish
- God Save the King
- The Great Escape
- Hackney carriage
- Harry Potter
- HP sauce
- Hyacinth Bucket
- InterCity 125
- The Italian Job
- Jaffa Cakes
- James Bond
- John Bull
- King Arthur
- Land of Hope and Glory
- Land Rover Defender
- Last Night of the Proms
- The Lion and the Unicorn
- Lonsdale Belt
- The Lord of the Rings
- Marks & Spencer
- Marmite
- Mini
- Miniskirt
- Miss Marple
- Mod
- Monty Python
- Morrissey
- Page Three girl
- Pantomime
- Pint glass
- Police box
- Pub
- Punk
- King's Guard
- RMS Queen Mary
- Red Arrows
- Red post boxes
- Red telephone boxes
- Robin
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
- Royal Warrant
- Rule Britannia
- Rugby
- The Sex Pistols
- Sherlock Holmes
- Skinhead
- Special Air Service (SAS)
- Sten
- Suffragettes
- Supermarine Spitfire
- Swinging Sixties
- Tea (cup of)
- Tea (meal)
- Test Card F
- Thunderbirds
- Tommy Atkins (generic name for a British soldier)
- Brodie helmet (helmet worn by the above)
- Trooping the Colour
- Twiglets
- Umbrella
- Union Flag
- Weather
- We shall never surrender, ..fight them on the beaches speech
- Wallace and Gromit
- Wellington boot
- Winston Churchill
- Woolworths Group plc
English icons
edit- 1966 World cup squad
- And did those feet in ancient time
- Angel of the North
- Bangers and mash
- The Boat Race
- Clapham Junction
- Cricket
- Del Boy
- Dixon of Dock Green
- EastEnders
- English rose
- Full English breakfast
- Jack the Ripper
- King Arthur
- London Bridge
- London Eye
- M25 motorway
- Morris dance
- Only Fools and Horses
- Oxbridge
- Premier League
- Robin Hood
- Saint George's Cross
- Soho
- Spaghetti Junction
- Status Quo
- Stilton cheese
- Stonehenge
- There'll Always Be an England
- Three Lions
- Tower Bridge
- Tube map
- Tudor rose
- Yeoman
- Yeomen Warders
- White Cliffs of Dover
Northern Irish icons
editScottish icons
edit- Alex Ferguson
- Auld Lang Syne
- Bagpipes
- Ben Nevis
- Billy Connolly
- Common riding
- Dundee cake
- Edinburgh Castle
- Eilean Donan Castle
- Flower of Scotland
- Forth Bridge
- Full Scottish breakfast
- Great Highland bagpipe
- Hackle
- Haggis (with neeps and tatties)
- Highland games
- Kilt
- Loch Lomond
- Loch Ness
- Old Firm
- Oatcake
- Porridge
- Robert the Bruce
- Robert Burns
- St Andrew's Cross
- Scotch whisky
- Scotland the Brave
- Scottish Premier League
- Scots Wha Hae
- Sgian-dubh
- Shinty
- Shortbread
- Stirling Castle
- Tam o' shanter
- Tartan
- Thistle
- Trews
- Tweed (cloth)
- Unicorn
- Up Helly Aa
Welsh icons
editLanguages
editLanguages of the United Kingdom
- English Language
- Celtic languages
- Scots in Scotland and Ulster
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- Romany
- Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi languages
People
editReligion
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Religion in the United Kingdom
- Christianity
- Assemblies of God in Great Britain
- Church of England (the established church in England)
- Church of Scotland (the national church of Scotland)
- Church of Ireland
- Church in Wales
- Episcopal Church of Scotland
- Free Church of Scotland (post 1900)
- Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
- Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
- Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland
- Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland
- Presbyterian Church of Ireland
- Presbyterian Church of Wales
- General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
- Methodism
- Open Brethren
- Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland
- Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales
- Roman Catholic Church in Scotland
- Coptic Orthodox Church in Britain and Ireland
- United Reformed Church
- Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Hinduism in the United Kingdom
- Islam in the United Kingdom
- Judaism
- Sikhism in the United Kingdom
- Buddhism in the United Kingdom
- Druidism
- Other
Sports, games, and pastimes
editSport in the United Kingdom The following are the major sports; local groups may well play many others.
Angling
editChess
editCricket
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Hiking
editAssociation football
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- England
- Scotland
- Scottish Football Association
- Scotland national football team
- List of Scottish Football Clubs
- Scottish Football League
- Scottish Premier League
- Highland Football League
- East of Scotland Football League
- South of Scotland Football League
- Scottish Junior Football Association
- North Caledonian Football League
- Scottish Cup
- Northern Ireland
- Irish Football Association (not to be confused with the Football Association of Ireland)
- Northern Ireland national football team
- Irish Football League (not to be confused with the League of Ireland)
- Wales
Polo
editRugby
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Sport rowing
edit- Boat Race (Oxford vs Cambridge)
- Henley Royal Regatta
Skiing
editOther sports, games, and pastimes
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Education
edit- Education in the United Kingdom
- Schools in the United Kingdom
- Universities in the United Kingdom
Education in England
editEducation in Northern Ireland
editEducation in Scotland
editEducation in Wales
editSee also
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References
edit- 1 2 "United Kingdom". The World Factbook. United States Central Intelligence Agency. 2 July 2009. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
- ↑ "Encyclopædia Britannica". Retrieved 25 September 2007.
Island country located off the north-western coast of mainland Europe
- ↑ "Countries within a country". number-10.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 September 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2007.
Countries within a country
External links
edit
the United Kingdom at Wikipedia's sister projects
Definitions from Wiktionary
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Resources from Wikiversity
Wikimedia Atlas of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom travel guide from Wikivoyage- Official website of the British Monarchy
- Official website of the United Kingdom Government
- Official website of the national tourism agency (VisitBritain)
