| Location： |
The United Kingdom is located in the northwest of the European continent. Its territory consists of England, Scotland and Wales on the Isle of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland which occupied one-sixth of the northeastern part of Ireland, and its surrounding islands. The United Kingdom is located between the North Atlantic and the North Sea, faces France across the English Channel to the south. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland share a border of 360 kilometers. |
| Coastline： |
Approx. 17,820 km |
| Area： |
Approx. 243,610 sq km |
| Population： |
Approx. 66.36 million |
| Capital： |
London |
| Language： |
English |
| Currency： |
Pound Sterling (GBP) |
| Climate： |
Britain is mild and rainy throughout the year, with a temperate maritime climate. The temperature in the four seasons is rarely lower than -11℃ and higher than 35℃. The average temperature in July is 13-17℃. The wind blows mostly from the northwest, bringing wet weather in the Atlantic Ocean. The east is located in the leeward zone of the westerly wind, so the east is drier than the west. The warmest summer is in southern England, while the colder is northern Scotland. There is heavy snow in winter and early spring in the highlands. |
| Education System: |
The British government provides compulsory education for students from 5 to 16 years old across the country. The British school system implements a dual-track system: public schools provide free education, and private schools are at students’ own expenses. The educational structure and type of institution are basically the same in all four regions of England, Scotland, Wales and North Ireland, while Scotland is slightly different from other regions in some aspects. |
| Tax System： |
The United Kingdom has maintained a low-tax business environment to facilitate the development of British business and attract foreign investment. Income tax is the largest source of income collected by the government, followed by national insurance tax, value added tax and corporate tax. Income from UK is generally subject to UK taxation, no matter the citizenship nor the place of residence of the individual, nor the place of registration of the company. |
| Welfare： |
The welfare system in the United Kingdom is roughly divided into 7 categories: child and maternity benefits, disability or illness benefits, retirement benefits, widow benefits, unemployment benefits, low-income people benefits and social funds. Public healthcare is provided to all UK permanent residents and is mostly free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation. |
