Part 785

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary (includes Federal Police Force)

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 1,102,080 males fit for military service: 599,439 males reach military age (18) annually: 21,250 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.59 billion, 4.3% of GDP (1994)

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@United Kingdom --------------

Map ---

Location: 54 00 N, 2 00 W -- Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France

Flag ----

Description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others

Geography ---------

Location: Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total area: 244,820 sq km land area: 241,590 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border country: Ireland 360 km

Coastline: 12,429 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in accordance with agreed upon boundaries exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Northern Ireland question with Ireland; Gibraltar question with Spain; Argentina claims Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas); Argentina claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Mauritius claims island of Diego Garcia in British Indian Ocean Territory; Rockall continental shelf dispute involving Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland (Ireland and the UK have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area); territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory)

Climate: temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain: mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast lowest point: Fenland -4 m highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources: coal, petroleum, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica

Land use: arable land: 29% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 48% forest and woodland: 9% other: 14%

Irrigated land: 1,570 sq km (1989)

Environment: current issues: sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants contribute to air pollution; some rivers polluted by agricultural wastes and coastal waters polluted because of large-scale disposal of sewage at sea natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Desertification

Geographic note: lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters

People ------

Population: 58,489,975 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 5,853,545; female 5,565,153) 15-64 years: 65% (male 19,050,420; female 18,797,406) 65 years and over: 15% (male 3,753,361; female 5,470,090) (July 1996 est.)