Short facts about the geography of United Kingdom

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:  244,820 sq km land:  241,590 sq km water:  3,230 sq km note:  includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:

total:  360 km border countries:  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

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

Elevation extremes:

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, arable land

Land use:

arable land:  25% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  46% forests and woodland:  10% other:  19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

1,080 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

NA

Environment - current issues:

continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has meet Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and hopes to reduce even more); small particulate emissions, largely from vehicular traffic, remain a problem; solid waste continues to rise and recycling is very limited

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - 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

Source: World Factbook