The Remnants of The British Empire


The UK (United Kingdom, also known as Great Britain and Northern Ireland) is a country lying off the coast of Europe, with the English Channel being the only thing between them. The UK's importance lies in many areas, including its economic system and powerm its former imperial status, and its continuing political and cultural influence around the world. Both the population and population density of the UK are quite high, with 61 million people crammed into quite a small land mass.

The UK possesses the world's 6th-largest economy. It was the first industrialized economy in the world, and that style of economy has spread to most countries throughout the world. In addition to the British economy style, its cultural life has also impacted the world, with English now the de facto world lingua franca, and football being the most dominant sport around the world.giving the gift of culture to many. The British system of law has also formed the core foundation of many countries' legal systems around the world.

The UK reached such heights of influence mostly through its former imperial power. The British Empire was the largest empire in history, at its peak controlling one quarter of the Earth's land surface. Even now, the UK continues to hold onto 14 colonial territories outside of the UK's borders. It is also a permanent member of the UN Security Council. However, today the UK plays second fiddle to the United States and its empire, backing them up on most foreign policy issues such as the war in Iraq.

The UK's military forces may lack huge numbers of personnel, but its power is formidable. It has a force of around 100,000 men, making it the 27th largest army in terms of numbers of men. In terms of defense spending, however, the UK is in fourth . It is a nuclear power, and is a member of Nato.

The UK may no longer be a mammoth empire that rules a quarter of the Earth, but its global influence continues to linger on both politically and culturally. This will definitely be the case for a long time into the future.

I am an avid traveler with a deep interest in geography and culture. I recommend the blog Free Printable Maps which features country profiles with maps such as this UK map showing counties.