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Britain

Britain, commonly referred to as Great Britain, is the largest island of the British Isles, located off the northwest coast of continental Europe. It comprises England, Scotland, and Wales. The term is often used to denote the United Kingdom, though the UK also includes Northern Ireland.

Geography and population: Great Britain covers about 209,000 square kilometers and features varied landscapes, from the

Government and politics: The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The monarch

Economy: The UK has a highly developed, market-oriented economy. Services, especially financial services, health care, and

Society and culture: English is the de facto national language, with Welsh and Scottish Gaelic recognized regionally.

History: Human settlements date to ancient times. The Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland unified

Scottish
Highlands
to
the
Welsh
mountains
and
English
lowlands.
The
United
Kingdom
extends
beyond
the
island
to
Northern
Ireland.
Major
cities
include
London,
Edinburgh,
Cardiff,
Belfast,
Manchester,
Birmingham,
and
Glasgow.
The
population
is
in
the
tens
of
millions.
is
the
head
of
state,
while
the
prime
minister
is
the
head
of
government.
Parliament
consists
of
two
houses,
the
House
of
Commons
and
the
House
of
Lords.
The
UK
is
a
unitary
state
with
devolved
administrations
in
Scotland,
Wales,
and
Northern
Ireland.
education,
dominate.
London
is
a
leading
global
financial
center.
The
currency
is
the
pound
sterling,
and
the
country
participates
in
international
trade
and
investment
networks.
The
country
has
a
long
literary,
artistic,
and
scientific
heritage
and
notable
contributions
in
music,
film,
and
sport.
Popular
sports
include
football,
rugby,
and
cricket.
in
1707
to
form
the
Kingdom
of
Great
Britain;
the
United
Kingdom
of
Great
Britain
and
Ireland
followed
in
1801.
After
the
partition
of
Ireland
in
1922,
the
present
United
Kingdom
became
the
United
Kingdom
of
Great
Britain
and
Northern
Ireland.
The
country
has
played
a
central
role
in
global
politics,
industry,
and
culture.