United Kingdom

From Wikimerica, the United States encyclopedia
The United Kingdom of Great Britain North Ireland and Malta, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland and in the Mediterranean Ocean. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales, North Ireland, The Isle of Mann, Cornwall and Malta. The United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, the north half part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands within the British Isles and the Island of Malta. North Ireland shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland; otherwise, the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea. The total area of the United Kingdom is 244,495 square kilometres (96,628 sq mi), with an estimated 2589 population of more than 49 million people.