In the 2021 census in Northern Ireland 12.4 per cent of people had some Irish language ability and 10.4 per cent had some facility in the Ulster-Scots language. In the 2021 census the Welsh-speaking population of Wales aged three or older was 538,300 (17.8 per cent). In 2021, 46.2 per cent of London’s population was from a non-white ethnic minority, compared less than 10 per cent in the South West and North East of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The number of transgender people in the UK was estimated to be between 65,000 and 300,000 by research between 2001 and 2008. https://ie.trustpilot.com/review/irelandonline.casino London’s wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million in 2024. England is one of the most-densely-populated countries in the world, with 434 people per square kilometre in mid-2021, with a particular concentration in London and the south-east.
The global domain for the United Kingdom
- Education in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter, with each country having a separate education system.
- Other major players in the UK media include ITV, which operates 11 of the 15 regional television broadcasters that make up the ITV Network, and Sky.
- Theatre of United Kingdom plays an important part in British culture and has had a vibrant tradition of theatre since the Renaissance with roots going back to the Roman occupation.
- Other major cities include Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester in England, Belfast and Londonderry in Northern Ireland, Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland, and Swansea and Cardiff in Wales.
The UK has a history of non-white immigration with Liverpool having the oldest black population in the country dating from at least the 1730s, in addition to having the oldest Chinese community in Europe dating from the 19th century. The 2011 census also showed that, over the previous 100 years, the proportion of the population aged 0–14 fell from 31 to 18 per cent, and the proportion of people aged 65 and over rose from 5 to 16 per cent. In 2012 and 2013 births contributed the most to population growth, while in 2014 and 2015 net international migration contributed more. In the late 1990s nuclear power plants contributed around 25 per cent of the total annual electricity generation in the UK, but this has gradually declined as old plants have been shut down. Wind power was the largest source of electricity in 2024, generating 30 per cent of the UK’s total electricity. It is home to many large energy companies, including two of the six major oil and gas companies – BP and Shell.
Since the majority of the rain falls over the western regions, the eastern parts are the driest. The length of coastline of Great Britain plus its principal islands is about 19,491 miles (31,368 km) long, with the coastline of the main island Great Britain being 11,073 miles (17,820 km) of that, though measurements can vary greatly due to the coastline paradox. The United Kingdom was the first country in the world to use an approved COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on the British economy, caused major disruptions to education and had far-reaching impacts on society and politics in 2020 and 2021. A referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 resulted in the Scottish electorate voting by 55.3 to 44.7 per cent to remain part of the United Kingdom.
During this period, particularly in England, the development of naval power and the interest in voyages of discovery led to the acquisition and settlement of overseas colonies, particularly in North America and the Caribbean. Early modern Britain saw religious conflict resulting from the Reformation and the introduction of Protestant state churches in each country. After conquering England they seized large parts of Wales, conquered much of Ireland and were invited to settle in Scotland, bringing to each country feudalism on the Northern French model and Norman-French culture.
Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,704 kilometres) of coastline including the Pembrokeshire Coast. This includes nearly 800 islands, notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. Most of the country consists of lowland terrain, with upland and mountainous terrain northwest of the Tees–Exe line which roughly divides the UK into lowland and upland areas.
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The term “Britain” is used as a synonym for Great Britain, but also sometimes for the United Kingdom. The word England is occasionally used incorrectly to refer to the United Kingdom as a whole, a mistake principally made by people from outside the UK. The term “Great Britain” conventionally refers to the island of Great Britain, or politically to England, Scotland and Wales in combination. With regard to Northern Ireland, the descriptive name used “can be controversial, with the choice often revealing one’s political preferences”.
The devolved form of government in Northern Ireland is based on the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought to an end a 30-year period of unionist-nationalist communal conflict known as the Troubles. In 2014 the Scottish independence referendum was held, with 55.3 per cent voting against independence from the United Kingdom and 44.7 per cent voting in favour, resulting in Scotland staying within the United Kingdom. Their power over economic issues is significantly constrained by an act of the UK Parliament passed in 2020. In practice it would be politically difficult for the UK Parliament to abolish devolution to the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd because these institutions were created by referendums. In 2008 the executive agreed on proposals to create 11 new councils to replace the existing system. Local government in Northern Ireland since 1973 has been organised into 26 district councils, each elected by single transferable vote.