Political pressure groups and leaders:
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British
Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress
International organization participation:
AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C,
CBSS (observer), CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5,
G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), UN, UN Security
Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING; note - will be
replaced the Sir Nigel E. SHEINWALD in the autumn of 2007
chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, New York, San Francisco
consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, Orlando
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert Holmes TUTTLE embassy: 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040 telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000 FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124 consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh
Flag description:
blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of
Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on
the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);
properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union
Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been
the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth
countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British
overseas territories
Economy United Kingdom
Economy - overview:
The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the
quintet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the
past two decades, the government has greatly reduced public
ownership and contained the growth of social welfare programs.
Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by
European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than
2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil
reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of
the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services, particularly
banking, insurance, and business services, account by far for the
largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in
importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn,
the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new economy"
bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Output recovered in 2004, to
3.2% growth, then slowed to 1.7% in 2005 and 2.6% in 2006. The
economy is one of the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest
rates, and unemployment remain low. The relatively good economic
performance has complicated the BLAIR government's efforts to make a
case for Britain to join the European Economic and Monetary Union
(EMU). Critics point out that the economy is doing well outside of
EMU, and public opinion polls show a majority of Britons are opposed
to the euro. Meantime, the government has been speeding up the
improvement of education, transport, and health services, at a cost
in higher taxes and a widening public deficit.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.903 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.341 trillion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2006 est.)