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United Kingdom UK Britain. Pop - 60,587,300. Area - 244,820 km². Capital - London. Largest City – London. Currency – Pound Sterling. Language – English, Welsh, Gaelic. Main Religion – Christianity. Time Zone – GMT + 0 hours. Main Airports – London (Heathrow LHR, Gatwick LGW, Stansted STN, Luton LTN, London City LCY), Manchester MAN, Birmingham BHX, Glasgow GLA. Climate – Temperate and Oceanic, and tends to be very changeable. Voltage guide 240V. Dialing code 44. The UK is currently made up of four constituent countries; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The capital cities of these countries are Belfast (Northern Ireland), Cardiff (Wales), Edinburgh (Scotland), and London (England). The largest conurbations are Greater London Urban Area - 8.28 million, West Midlands Conurbation - 2.28 million, Greater Manchester Urban Area - 2.24 million, West Yorkshire Urban Area - 1.50 million, and Greater Glasgow - 1.17 million. Historically, the United Kingdom was a major world power, which has since declined. However, the UK retains significant economic, cultural, military and political influence and is a nuclear power, with the second highest defence spending in the world. The UK was formed under the Acts of Union 1707, England (including Wales) and Scotland, which had been in personal union since the Union of the Crowns in 1603, agreed to a political union in the form of a unified Kingdom of Great Britain. It was after the defeat of Napoleon in the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815)that Britain became the principal world naval power of the 19th century. At its peak the British Empire controlled large amounts of territory in Asia, Africa, Oceania and America. Constitutionally, The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy with the current monarch, Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. Economically the traditional industrial base has diminished with financial and insurance services the new driving force. The City of London is the world's largest financial centre with the London Stock Exchange, the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange, and the Lloyd's of London insurance market all based in The City.

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