Picture choosen by: MissKan Kongsom Key Facts of United Kingdom Location
Northwest Europe.

Time
GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Area
242,514 sq km (93,788 sq miles).

Population
60.8 million (official estimate 2007).

Population Density
250.7 per sq km.

Capital
London. Population: 7.5 million (official estimate 2004).

EU
Member since 1973.

Government
Constitutional monarchy.

Head of State
HM Queen Elizabeth II since 1953.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Language
English. Some Welsh is spoken in parts of Wales, Gaelic in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, and French and Norman French in the Channel Islands. The many ethnic minorities within the UK also speak their own languages (eg Cantonese, Greek, Hindi, Mandarin, Turkish, Urdu, etc).

Religion
Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million (66%)- Roman Catholics are about 10% of the population and rising, Muslim 1.5 million (2.5%), Presbyterian 800,000 (1.3%), Methodist 760,000 (1.3%), Sikh 336,000 (0.6%), Hindu 559,000 (0.9%), Jewish 267,000 (0.4%), Buddhist 152,000 (0.25%), no religion 9,104,000 (15%).

Electricity
240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs are standard.

Social Conventions
It's acceptable to address someone by their first name in most social situations. First names are sometimes avoided among strangers to avoid seeming overly familiar. In very formal or business situations first names are not commonly used until people are better-acquainted.
The British can be extremely indirect when requesting things from people they do not know
Handshaking is customary when introduced to someone for the first time. Normal social courtesies should be observed when visiting someone’s home and a small present such as flowers or chocolates is appreciated. It is polite to wait until everyone has been served before eating.
Gifts are appreciated when invited to your friends’ home. Flower or chocolate is the most popular.

Clothing: Some nightclubs and restaurants do not allow jeans and trainers; otherwise casual wear is widely acceptable.

Use of public places: Topless sunbathing is allowed on certain beaches and tolerated in some parks. Smoking is banned in all enclosed public places, including stations, pubs and restaurants, throughout the UK.