United Kingdom travel guide

Overview

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain, is a sovereign island country off the north-west coast of mainland Europe. The Kingdom is comprised of England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and many small islands. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Irish Sea.s grown since that time to be the world's pre-eminent military and cultural power.

History

The world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th century, the United Kingdom was central in the development of parliamentary democracy and the advancement of literature and science. At its height, the British Empire comprised one-fourth of the earth's surface. Two World Wars and the Irish withdrawal from the union depleted its power in the first half of the 20th century. It has evolved into a modern and prosperous European nation over the latter part of the 20th century.