UNITED KINGDOM

Country Overview

           The United Kingdom is a sovereign nation located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe. The island country is encompassing four constituent nations England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It has a long history as a major player in international affairs and fulfils an important role in the EU, UN and NATO.

             In recent years UK has taken steps to devolve powers to Scotland and Wales. The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff opened in 1999, and the possibility of devolution for the English regions has also been discussed. In Northern Ireland, after decades of violent conflict, the Good Friday agreement of 1998 led to a new assembly with devolved powers, bringing hopes of lasting peace.

History

              United Kingdom started its formation by merging individual European states including Wales and Scotland with the Acts of Union in 1707. Later in the year 1800, an auxiliary Act of Union has included Kingdom of Ireland and formed “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland”. Then after in 1922, the territory of Republic Ireland had independence leaving the Northern Ireland as a part of UK. Consequently in 1927 the union nation has again changed its title to “the United Kingdom”.

Economy

            The economy of United Kingdom is the second largest in Europe after Germany. It is fifth largest economy in the world market’s exchange rate and sixth largest in purchasing power parity (PPP). The GDP per capita of UK in the 2007 was about US $35,300 millions standing with fifth highest in the world and 22nd highest in GDP PPP per capita(source: International Monetary Fund). The City of London is a global financial centre. The growth in UK economy encouraged an influx of international students. It has created 6000 jobs for international students and has contributed around US $ 510.9 million to the country’s economy. This amount was nearly equal to the income from the computer and electronics industry. (Report of Roslyn Kunin & Associates-2006)

Climate

               As United Kingdom is an island country surrounding with the Atlantic Ocean, North Sea, English Channel and Irish Sea, it gives a diverse climate. A good advice for the international students is to get prepared for anything. The whether may be varied from day to day, therefore it is difficult to predict the climate in UK. Generally the climate in UK is called as ‘temperature maritime’, which signifies that the temperature in winter will not be less than 0ºC and in summer it doesn’t exceed than 30ºC. July will be the warmest month and January/February will be the coldest month. Be organized for rain at any time in between the year, encompassing a waterproof coats, warm shoes and sweater or jumper.

Culture

                 English is the official language in UK and you may also find other languages like Scottish, Welsh, and Irish. UK has been at the forefront of youth culture since the heyday of the Beatles and Rolling Stones in the 1960s. It has a rich literary heritage encompassing the works of Englishman William Shakespeare, Scot Robert Burns, Welshman Dylan Thomas and Northern Irishman Seamus Heaney. Traditional music has deep roots across the UK which has also produced classical composers from Henry Purcell in the Baroque period to Benjamin Brittan in the 20th century. Many academies are exercising visual arts which are globally recognized such as, Royal Academy, Slade School of Arts.

Food

             The traditional food in UK was meat and vegetables especially potatoes. But in recent times many people are eating Italian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican and other food like, hamburgers and doner kebabs. Apart from these fish and chips are the well-known meals. Indeed many people are now likely to consume Indian food adopted for British tastebuds, which is served in several Indian restaurants. Tea is the traditional drink in UK and for socializing pub is the traditional place for them to drink alcohols. If there is possibility of self-catering accommodation, it is good to cook yourself. Take away foods are mostly preferred in the country.

Multiculturalism

               Since its formation in1707, United Kingdom has welcomed many newcomers from different religions and countries. The nation has a mixture of various ethic groups with their own culture and language. Christianity is religion in UK and there people from other religions like, Roman Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Neopaganism are found in UK. There are about 1.5 million Muslims in United Kingdom with over 6,000 mosques. Students from overseas can experience authentic multiculturalism within their campus as well as in the society

Job Market

              There is frequent increase in the UK job market. There are good opportunities for the new graduates, which are expected to rise by 16.4% in 2008 (As per Association of Graduate Recruiters). 41% of recruitment was in London, 10.3% were in South east. Finance, law, consulting and related activities are the popular graduate employment sectors in the capital, whereas health and social work are leading in other regions of UK. Many UK employers are looking for certain skills like, management, support, designing, analyst, finance. Therefore students looking for education in these sectors can expect good career scope in UK.

Tourism

              United Kingdom is the beautiful tourist destination for any age group of people. It is the sixth biggest tourism place in the world. Every year around 30 million people visit United Kingdom and the nation has spent £ 21238 millions on tourism in 2007. It has many tourist attractions like Alton Tower and Buckingham Palace in London and many other beautiful experiences in Scotland and Wales. Cities like London, Edinburgh and Glasgow are prominent for food, pubs, and traditional approach. The tourism department of UK has facilities many services for the convenience of both international and domestic tourists. Many universities provide campus tours for their students.

Fast facts

Full name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Population: 60.7 million (UN, 2007)

Capital: London

Area: 242,514 sq km (93,638 sq miles)

Major language: English

Major religion: Christianity

Life expectancy: 77 years (men), 82 years (women) (UN)

Monetary unit: 1 pound sterling = 100 pence

Main exports: Manufactured goods, chemicals, foodstuffs

GNI per capita: US $37,600 (World Bank, 2006)

Internet domain: .uk

International dialing code: +44

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