The United Kingdom, a country located in the Northern European region of the world, continues to rise in population as the economy, culture, and government globalize. The UK is composed of Scotland, Wales, England and parts of Northern Ireland. The combination of Scotland, Wales, and England is sometimes called Great Britain. You can view the four main sectors in the image below.
A controversial issue lies within the determination of whether The United Kingdom constitutes as its own country, or whether each of the four areas constitutes as their own country. In my opinion, The United Kingdom should be considered a country in its entirety while Scotland, Wales, England, and parts of Northern Ireland should exist as separate nations.
London is the capital of the United Kingdom. English is the main language of the country. Welsh is an official language of the Wales nation. The United Kingdom has the third largest economy in Europe.
A constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy form the country’s government. A queen and a parliament, consisting of two houses, authorize executive governmental decisions. The House of Lords and The House of Commons make up the parliament. Like most countries around the world, The United Kingdom’s government is imperfect. There is a push towards reconstruction, while others favor the parliamentary leadership.
The Telegraph is a popular news source distributed throughout the United Kingdom. Top news stories in this region include The Royal Family updates, educational reforms, rebellion against the Prime Minister, hoax terror attacks, and worldwide interactions with the United Kingdom. The UK suffered financially in 2008, so their economy is continuing to tackle a large budget deficit. The United Kingdom’s international affairs with surrounding countries and involvement with NATO show up in the headlines daily. Britain and The United States are teaming up with other NATO countries to form a coalition against Isis (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria). A debate has arisen regarding form of attack on Isis. Some people of the United Kingdom do not believe air strikes are aggressive enough, while others believe the air strikes are a necessary measure. Because the UK is such a large country, news sources such as The Telegraph are essential forms of communication amongst all of the people. I will continue to follow the current issues surrounding this country throughout the semester.
Sources:
http://geography.about.com/od/unitedkingdommaps/a/united-kingdom-geography-overview.htm
Exploring Northern Europe 