''For other meanings of the terms "United Kingdom" and "UK”, see United Kingdom (disambiguation) and UK (disambiguation).

For an explanation of these and terms such as Great Britain, British, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, see British Isles (terminology).''

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (usually shortened to the United Kingdom, the UK and Britain) is a country Countries within a country, Number 10. Accessed May 29 2006 Member States: United Kingdom, UK Presidency of the EU 2005. Accessed May 29 2006. "United Kingdom", Encyclopædia Britannica Accessed May 29 2006 and sovereign stateUK or GB?, Directgov (UK government website); accessed May 29 2006 occupying Great Britain and the northeast of Ireland off the northwest coast of mainland Europe. Its territory and population are primarily situated on the island of Great Britain, but it also shares a land border with the Republic of Ireland on the island of Ireland. The United Kingdom is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and its ancillary bodies of water- the North Sea, the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the Irish Sea.

The United Kingdom is a political union made up of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, and Wales on the island of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom also has several overseas territories, including Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands. The Crown has a relationship with the dependencies of the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands; they are part of the British Islands but not part of the United Kingdom. A constitutional monarchy, the United Kingdom has close relationships with fifteen other Commonwealth Realms that share the same monarch — Queen Elizabeth II — as head of state.

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NPR Topics: Politics & Society

Looking Back on Jesse Helms' Life
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:14:00 -0400
Sen. No, as he was often called, "was a real throwback," says Merle Black, a professor of southern politics at Emory University. One of a select group of politicians who helped solidify Republican control in the South, he had a loyal constituency of working-class whites in North Carolina.
Financial Aid Woes Make Community College More Appealing
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:05:00 -0400
Despite efforts by the Bush Administration and Congress to quell turmoil in the student loan market, some students are still struggling to find money for college. We examine the case of two recent high school graduates who have been promised financial aid, but don't know how much they can count on.
When Did Flag Pins Become So Important?
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0400
Sen. Barack Obama Obama was questioned about why he doesn't always wear a flag pin during a Democratic debate in April. His critics say his lack of pin casts doubt on Obama's patriotism, and recently the Democratic candidate has been wearing one.

The Talk of the Town

The Chill
Nick Paumgarten Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000
If you had stumbled into Banjo Jim’s, in the East Village, on a recent Wednesday night and encountered a sixty-something guy leading a band through a fervent rendition of “Wild Thing,” for an audience of two dozen or so, you might have concluded, “This is lame,” and slipped back . . .
Oily Speculations
James Surowiecki Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000
When bad things happen, it’s always nice to have a scapegoat. So, with Americans furious about soaring oil prices, Congress has gone in search of someone to blame. There are a number of usual suspects to choose from, depending on your politics--OPEC, greedy oil companies, lily-livered environmentalists opposed . . .
Obama’s Iraq Problem
George Packer Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:00:00 -0000
In February, 2007, when Barack Obama declared that he was running for President, violence in Iraq had reached apocalyptic levels, and he based his candidacy, in part, on a bold promise to begin a rapid withdrawal of American forces upon taking office. At the time, this pledge represented conventional thinking . . .

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