Great
Britain
officially United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland, constitutional monarchy (1994 pop. 58,135,000), 94,226 sq
mi (244,044 sq km), on the British Isles, off W Europe. It comprises England,
Wales, and Scotland on the island of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland on the
island of Ireland. The capital is LONDON.
Great Britain is one of the world's leading industrial nations. It lacks most
of the raw materials needed for industry, however, and must also import about
40% of its food supplies. Thus, its prosperity is heavily dependent on the
export of manufactured goods in exchange for raw materials and foodstuffs, and
it has long been an extremely active trading nation. Manufacturing and service
industries employ more than one third of the total work force. Major industries
include mechanical and electrical engineering, food processing, iron and steel,
paper and printing, motor vehicles, chemicals, textiles, and aircraft.
Production of oil from NORTH SEA
wells began in 1975, and by 1979 the country was self-sufficient in petroleum.
Coal is also mined in large quantities. Almost 30% of the land is arable, and
almost half is suitable for meadows and pastures. Chief commodities are dairy
products and beef cattle and other livestock, including many sheep, which are
raised for meat and wool. The coal, gas, electricity, railroad, shipbuilding,
nuclear energy, and aerospace industries, which were mainly publicly owned
until the late 1970s, have undergone increasing PRIVATIZATION. Great Britain is the fourth most
populous nation in Europe; the greatest population concentration is in England.
English is the universal language, but Welsh is widely spoken in Wales and some
Gaelic in Scotland. The Church of England is the established church in England;
the Presbyterian Church is legally established in Scotland. There are also
large numbers of Roman Catholics and Methodists and smaller minorities of
Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists. Immigration has made Great Britain
a multiracial society; Indian, Pakistani, West Indian, African, Chinese, and
other minorities total 2.7 million. The hereditary monarch plays a largely
ceremonial role in the government. Sovereignty rests in PARLIAMENT, which consists of an elected House
of Commons and a nonelected House of Lords. Effective power resides in the
Commons, where the leading party usually provides the executive-the cabinet,
headed by the prime minister. For physical geography, see ENGLAND; IRELAND, NORTHERN;
SCOTLAND; WALES; for the early history of Scotland (to
1707) and Wales (to 1536), prior to incorporation in Great Britain, see
separate articles.
