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Location
Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France
Geographic
coordinates
54 00 N, 2 00 W
Area
Total: 244,820 sq km
Comparative: slightly smaller
than Oregon
Land
boundaries
Total: 360 km
Border countries: Ireland 360 km
Coastline
12,429 km
Climate
Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
Terrain
Mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
Elevation
extremes
Lowest point: Fenland -4 m
Highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
Natural
resources
Coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica, arable land
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Population
59,778,002
(July 2002 est.)
Ethnic
groups
English 81.5%, Scottish 9.6%, Irish 2.4%, Welsh 1.9%, Ulster 1.8%, West Indian, Indian, Pakistani, and other 2.8%
Religions
Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million, Muslim 1.5 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000, Sikh 500,000, Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000
Languages
English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
Government
type
Constitutional monarchy
Capital
London
Military
branches
Army, Royal Navy (including Royal Marines), Royal Air Force
Military
manpower
Availability: males age 15-49: 14,632,418 (2002 est.)
Fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,151,734 (2002 est.)
Military
expenditures
Dollar figure: $31.7 billion (2002)
Percent of GDP: 2.32% (2002)
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