UNITED KINGDOM

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (usually shortened to the United Kingdom, the UK, Great Britain, or Britain) is a sovereign state that lies to the northwest of Continental Europe with the Republic of Ireland to the west. The United Kingdom is made up of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It occupies all of the island of Great Britain and the northeast part of the island of Ireland, sharing a land border with the Republic of Ireland.
The United Kingdom also has sixteen overseas territories, including Bermuda, Gibraltar, Pitcairn Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory, the Falkland Islands, and British Antarctica among others. The dependencies of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, formally possessions of the Crown, form a federacy with the United Kingdom collectively known as the British Islands.
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. The current monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who is also the Queen and Head of State of fifteen other Commonwealth Realms, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica.
Despite the decline of the British Empire, the UK remains a Great power. A member of the G8, the United Kingdom is the fifth largest economy in the world and second largest in Europe. It is the third most populous state in the European Union and is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (UN), where it holds permanent membership on the Security Council. The UK is a major military power and is an acknowledged nuclear power.