| The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) is divided into four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Geographically,
the British Isles consist of two large islands: Great Britain and Ireland, and a host of smaller islands. Great Britain (GB) is, politically, the combination of England, Scotland, and Wales,
and, when the term Great Britain is used, it is referring to these three "constituent" countries. Ireland consists of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (ROI). While there are a
number of territories, most notably the Falkland Islands off the coast of Argentina and Gibraltar on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, the four constituent countries essentially make
up the United Kingdom.
The UK can be described, very briefly, as follows. Northern Ireland occupies the northeastern corner of Ireland, and is one of the constituent countries of the UK. The largest city, principal
seaport, and capital, is Belfast. For many years The Troubles pitted Catholic and Protestant factions within the country against one another, but in recent years relative peace has reigned.
Scotland occupies approximately the northernmost third of the Island of Great Britain. The city of Edinburgh is the capital and the leading economic sectors are financial services, electronics,
and oil. Major cities in Scotland, besides Edinburgh, include Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Stirling, and Glasgow. Wales is located on a rather large peninsula west of London. Most of the area is
mountainous with the bulk of the population living in South Wales. Cardiff, on the southern coast bordered by the Bristol Channel, is the capital and, in the past, was known as a coal seaport
and for steel production. Other cities of note include Newport and Swansea. Swansea is known for tourism and high-tech industry. England occupies about two-thirds of Great Britain and 83% of
the population of the UK lives there. London is the largest city by far and the capital of both England and the United Kingdom. Manchester and Birmingham vie for the "second largest" title.
Outside of London proper, popular tourist sites include Stonehenge at Salisbury and the Roman baths at Bath about 95 miles southwest and 114 miles west of London respectively. London is the
capital, and principal cultural and economic hub of the UK, so it is only natural that many visitors spend the majority of their time in the UK in London.
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