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What do you think of when you think of the UK?
For many people, a common image of the UK is likely to include the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Harrods, Manchester United, The Beatles, rain, fish and chips, Margaret Thatcher.
But like any stereotype, this is a limited and perhaps out of date view of the UK. On this page we can't show the enormous diversity of the UK, but we can give you an idea. Not only is the UK made up of different countries with their own identities, but there is also a huge range of ethnic and religious diversity, and social diversity in terms of age, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
One of the best guides to the UK is produced by Woodlands Junior School in Tonbridge Kent. Visit their Project Britain website for information on all things British: from identity to average pocket money to social etiquette to the insides of British houses!
What is the difference between "the UK" and "Great Britain"?
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The United Kingdom is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The official name is actually the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". |
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Geography and population
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Great Britain is the name given to England, Scotland, and Wales, while the British Isles is a geographical term which includes Great Britain, the whole of Ireland, and all the offshore islands. The UK has a population of 61m (UN, 2008). |
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England accounts for just over half of the total area of the UK's 242,000 square kilometres, and over 80% of its population (51m). Eight of the ten most populous cities in the UK are in England – Glasgow at number 3 and Edinburgh at number 7 are the exceptions. London is the largest city, with a population of over 7m, followed by Birmingham with a population of nearly 1m.
Age
In 2007, the population of the UK was 61 million. 16% of the population – almost 10m people - were aged 65 and over. By 2031, it is projected that the UK population will be 71.1 million, with 22% of the population – more than 15m people - aged 65 and over, with nearly 2.9 million people aged 85 or more.
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As in other countries, the British government is seeking to address issues such as increased health care and pension costs and changing patterns of work. |
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Ethnic diversity
The UK is also increasing in ethnic diversity. While the majority ethnic group is classified as 'White British', the proportion of individuals classified as 'White' decreased from 93% in 2001 to 90% in 2007. Ethnic diversity also differs geographically across the UK: Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are not as ethnically diverse as England.
London is particularly diverse with about 35% of the population from non-White groups. The largest minority groups are Asian or Asian British (14%) and then Black or Black British (12%). Half of the 1.2 million pupils that attend schools in London are from minority ethnic groups. It is estimated that over 300 languages are spoken in London.
However, there are also other diverse cities in the UK such as Birmingham, Leicester and Bradford. The latter has the second largest Muslim community outside of London.
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The Race Relations Act 1976 was established by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race. In 2006 additional legislation, the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006, included the additional offence of inciting religious hatred. |
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The UK's diversity is a great asset, and part of the fabric of life, but it also brings challenges, and recently has given rise to discussion of issues around multiculturalism, immigration and national identity.
Disability
Around 19% of the population (about 11m people) have a long term illness or disability. Significant efforts have been made in the UK to enable people with physical disabilities to lead a fulfilling life in areas such as access to transport and to buildings. Issues of mental health have also received increased attention
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The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which makes it unlawful to discriminate against people in respect of their disabilities in relation to employment, the provision of goods and services, education and transport. It is a civil rights law. |
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Religion
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In the 2001 Census, 77% of the population identified with a religion, with 72% Christian, 3% (1.6m people) Muslim, 1% Hindu and 1% other religions. Of the remaining 23%, 15% identified with having no religion and the remaining 8% did not respond to the question. |
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Sexual orientation
There are no comprehensive official statistics on sexual identity but currently it is estimated that the lesbian, gay men and bisexual population of then UK is between 5% and 7% of the total population. Recent surveys have shown that Britain is a tolerant country with a widespread acceptance that prejudice has no place in civil society. However, in one survey, more than a third of adults said they’ve witnessed homophobic bullying in schools.
Civil partnerships in the United Kingdom, granted under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, give same-sex couples rights and responsibilities identical to civil marriage. There are large and vibrant lesbian and gay communities especially in London, Brighton and Manchester.
Government
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The government of the United Kingdom and the Royal Family are situated in London. In comparison to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, England does not have a devolved government on its own and is governed directly by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II. The elected current Prime Minister is MP David Cameron. |
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Facts about England
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As part of the United Kingdom, the basic political system in England is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. |
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The name "England" is derived from the Old English word Engaland, which means "land of the Angles". The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that settled in England during the Early Middle Ages. |
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The national flag of England, known as St. George's Cross - who is the patron saint of England- has been the national flag since the 13th century. The flag shows a red cross on white background, referring to the cross on which St. George was crucified. |
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Famous English men and women include: Shakespeare, poet and playwright; Charles Dickens, author, Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Broadway producer; Tracy Emin and Rachel Whiteread, artists; Kate Winslet und Keira Knightly, actresses; Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, models; and rock and pop stars The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Sting, Sir Elton John, Amy Winehouse, The Babyshambles |
Facts about Scotland
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With a population of just over 5 million, Scotland has partial self-government within the United Kingdom as well as representation in the UK Parliament. The Scottish Government is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, rural affairs, and transport. It is led by a First Minister (currently Alex Salmond). |
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English is the official language of Scotland: Gaelic is spoken by less than 2% of the population. However Gaelic has in recent years experienced a renaissance. There are now many Gaelic units in primary schools, Gaelic Youth Clubs, many Gaelic television programmes, and Gaelic writing is flourishing. |
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The Scottish flag, called the Saltire, is a white diagonal cross on a blue background and it derives from the X shape of the cross on which Scotland's patron saint, St Andrew, was crucified. |
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Famous Scots include: David Hume, philosopher; architect, designer and artist, Charles Rennie Mackintosh; Billy Connelly, comedian and actor; Sean Connery; Evelyn Glennie, one of the world's most talented percussionists (despite being deaf since childhood); ex-Prime Minster Gordon Brown; and pop and rock stars Annie Lennox, Franz Ferdinand, Travis, and the Proclaimers |
Facts about Wales
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Like Scotland, Wales has partial self-government through the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government. The First Minister of Wales is Rhodri Morgan. |
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Wales has a population of about 3 million and about 20% of those are Welsh speakers. Since the introduction of the Welsh Language Act 1993, Welsh has equal status with English in the public sector in Wales. |
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Technically, Wales is a principality, ruled by a prince. Traditionally the Prince of Wales is the eldest son of the English monarch. The Flag of Wales incorporates a red dragon on a green and white background. While the flags of England and Scotland can clearly be seen in the Union flag, the National Flag of the United Kingdom, the Welsh flag is not represented. This is because when the first Union Flag was created in 1606, Wales was already united with England. |
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Famous Welsh men and women include: poets Dylan Thomas and RS Thomas; singers Tom Jones and Katherine Jenkins; Manic Street Preachers, Stereophonics, Catatonia |
Facts about Northern Ireland
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Northern Ireland is situated in the north east of the island of Ireland. Its population is just under 2 million and its capital is Belfast. |
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Northern Ireland has devolved government within the United Kingdom. There is a Northern Ireland Executive together with the 108 member Northern Ireland Assembly. |
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For many years it was the site of a bitter ethno-political conflict known as “the Troubles” between those claiming to represent Nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, and those claiming to represent Unionists, who are predominantly Protestant. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom, while nationalists wish it to be politically united with the rest of Ireland. In general, Unionists consider themselves British (or "Ulstermen") and Nationalists see themselves as Irish, though these identities are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Since the signing of the "Good Friday Agreement" in 1998, the paramilitary groups involved in the Troubles have ceased their armed campaigns. |
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Ireland has been represented in the Union Flag since the Act of Union in 1801. The red diagonal cross of St Patrick (on a white background) was added to English and Scottish crosses. |
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Famous Northern Irish men and women include: the poet Seamus Heaney; actors Liam Neeson, Siobhán McKenna and Kenneth Branagh; rock and pop stars U2, Van Morrison, Snow Patrol, The Corrs, The Cranberries |
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