The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a sovereign state, island country located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe with a population of 61 million. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and unitary state consisting of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The UK has fourteen overseas territories. The Channel Island of Jersey and Guernsey, and the Isle of Man are Crown Dependencies and not part of the UK.
The UK is a developed country, with the world’s sixth largest economy by nominal GDP and the seventh largest by purchasing power parity. It was the world’s first industrialised country and the world’s foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries, but the economic cost of two world wars and the decline of its empire in the latter half of the 20th century diminished its leading role in global affairs. The UK nevertheless remains a major power with strong economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence. The United Kingdom is today the sixth largest economy in the world and the third largest in Europe after Germany and France. Manufacturing remains a significant part of the economy, but accounts for only one-sixth of national output. The British motor industry is a significant part of this sector. The chemical and pharmaceutical industry is also strong in the UK.