United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom, officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is an unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy with its capital in London. This page brings together source-cited key facts, international memberships, economic and social indicators and practical information.
Key facts
Core reference data for United Kingdom. Numbers in brackets link to the sources at the end of this page.
- Official name
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [1]
- Capital
- London [2]
- Official language
- English [2]
- Population
- 69,487,000 [2]2025
- Area
- 242,495 km² [2]
- Currency
- British Pound Sterling (GBP)
- Time zone
- Europe/London [4]
- Calling code
- +44
- Internet domain
- .uk
- UN member since
- 24 October 1945 [3]
- Recognition
- Universally Recognized
- Official portal
- gov.uk
Government and leadership
International memberships
Membership status in major international organizations and groups.
- UNUnited Nations, since 1945Member
- NATONorth Atlantic Treaty OrganizationMember
- IMFInternational Monetary FundMember
- World BankWorld Bank GroupMember
- WTOWorld Trade OrganizationMember
- G20Group of TwentyMember
- G7Group of SevenMember
- UNSC P5Permanent seat, UN Security CouncilMember
- EUEuropean UnionNot a member
- SchengenSchengen AreaNot a member
Economy
Headline indicators. Values marked est. are projections for the current or a future year.
- GDP
- $4,003 B [5]2025
- GDP per capita
- $57,602 [5]2025
- GDP growth
- 1.4% [5]2025
- Inflation
- 3.9% [5]2025
- Unemployment
- 4.7% [5]2025
- Exports
- $506 B [10]Reference year not recorded
- Imports
- $1,275 B [10]Reference year not recorded
Main exports
- Machines
- Vehicles
- Chemicals
- Petroleum
- Financial services
Main imports
- Machines
- Vehicles
- Petroleum
- Pharmaceuticals
- Electronic equipment
Top export partners
Top import partners
Geography
- Area
- 242,495square kilometres
- Coastline
- 12,429kilometres
- Highest point
- 1,345 mBen Nevis
- Coordinates
- 51.5002, -0.126236Geographic centre (approx.)
Bordering countries
Society and development
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years [10]Reference year not recorded
- Literacy rate
- 99.0% [10]2023
- Human Development Index
- 0.940 [6]Rank 15, 2022
- Corruption Perceptions Index
- 71/100 [7]Reference year not recorded
- Press freedom rank
- 18 [8]Reference year not recorded
- Internet use
- 95.5% [10]of population
- International tourist arrivals
- 11.1 M [11]2020
- Majority religion
- Christianity
Practical information
- Emergency number
- 999
- Driving side
- Left
- Electricity
- 230
- Plug types
- Type G
- Tap water
- Generally safe to drinkLocal conditions can vary; follow local advice.
- Calling code
- +44
Travel and visa
- Passport rank
- 6 [9]Henley Passport Index
- Visa-free or on-arrival access
- 186 [9]destinations for this country's passport holders
Visiting United Kingdom? Check official sources before you travel
Entry requirements depend on your nationality, the purpose of your trip and the length of your stay, and they can change at short notice. NexaNations does not provide immigration or legal advice.
Quick answers
What is the capital of United Kingdom?
The capital of United Kingdom is London.
What currency does United Kingdom use?
United Kingdom uses the British Pound Sterling (GBP).
What is the official language of United Kingdom?
The official language of United Kingdom is English.
What is the emergency number in United Kingdom?
The emergency number in United Kingdom is 999.
Which side of the road do people drive on in United Kingdom?
In United Kingdom, traffic drives on the left.
Sources
- Official government portal of United Kingdom. gov.uk
- Wikidata, item Q145. wikidata.org
- United Nations, member states. un.org
- GeoNames, entry 2635167. geonames.org
- International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook. imf.org
- United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report. hdr.undp.org
- Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions Index. transparency.org
- Reporters Without Borders, World Press Freedom Index. rsf.org
- Henley and Partners, Henley Passport Index. henleyglobal.com
- World Bank, World Development Indicators. data.worldbank.org
- UN Tourism, tourism statistics. untourism.int
Data last updated on 24 September 2026. Read how we select and verify sources in our methodology.
Was this page helpful?
NexaNations is an independent reference platform. It is not a government body and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or authorized by any government or institution named on this page.