The United Kingdom

Otherwise known as Great Britain

Certain materials are included under the fair use exemption of the U.S. Copyright

Law and have been prepared according to the multimedia fair use guidelines and are

restricted from further use.

Flags and maps obtained from:http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook

/

© 2006 -Jon Benignus

Countries of UK

• England• Ireland – conquered c

1200• Wales – conquered c

1300• Scotland – joined in

1603http://goeurope.about.com/cs/unitedkingdom/l/bl_uk_map.htm

The Union Jack

Government • Constitutional Monarchy• Head of State - Monarch

–Queen Elizabeth II• Head of Government

–Prime Minister David Cameron

Queen Elizabeth II

http://www.bb.org.nz/publications/officers/2002_04/queen.jpg

David Cameron• David Cameron new Prime Minister

– Since May 2010 Conservative Leader

http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/0512-cameron-clegg/7879182-1-eng-US/0512-Cameron-Clegg_full_600.jpg

• Nick Clegg– Deputy PM– Lib / Dem

Leader• Coalition

Government

Parliament• Parliament elects the Prime

Minister• All power invested in Parliament• Few checks and balances

Prime Minister Question Time• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v

=0ZBLML9seIo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Empire• The Sun never set on the British

Empire• Had a huge navy• Received raw materials from the

colonies

The British Empire - 1905

http://www.mapsworldwide.com/map_19353.htm

End of Colonialism• Pressured to end Colonialism

after WWII• Formed the Commonwealth of

Nations• Economic downturn

–WWII and loss of colonies

NATO Member

• Helped found NATO in 1955• Firm ally of the United States

around the world• British troops in Germany to

defend against Soviet attack• Troop helping U.S. in Iraq and

Afghanistan

Famous Prime Ministers

Winston ChurchillMargaret Thatcher

http://www.chiasmus.com/mastersofchiasmus/churchill.jpg

http://www-hoover.stanford.edu/publications/digest/004/images/thatcher.jpg