Following a period of widespread economic slowdown and industrial strife in the 1970s, the Conservative government of the 1980s led by Margaret Thatcher initiated a radical policy of monetarism, deregulation, particularly of the financial sector (for example, the Big Bang in 1986) and labour markets, the sale of state-owned companies (privatisation), and the withdrawal of subsidies to others. [115] Lipgens, Walter; Loth, Wilfried (1985). Documents on the History of European Integration: Continental plans for European union, 1939–1945 (including 250 documents in their original languages on 6microfiches). Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-009724-5. Main articles: History of England, History of Wales, History of Scotland, and History of Ireland Stonehenge in Wiltshire is a ring of stones, each about 4m (13ft) high, 2m (7ft) wide and 25 tonnes, erected 2400–2200BC. As early as 21 October 1942, in a minute to his Foreign Secretary, Winston Churchill had written, "I look forward to a United States of Europe in which the barriers between the nations will be greatly minimised and unrestricted travel will be possible". [27] Main articles: Treaty of Union and Kingdom of Great Britain The Treaty of Union led to a united kingdom of all of Great Britain.

Both English law, which applies in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland law are based on common-law principles. [229] The courts of England and Wales are headed by the Senior Courts of England and Wales, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice (for civil cases) and the Crown Court (for criminal cases). [230] Scots law is a hybrid system based on common-law and civil-law principles. The chief courts are the Court of Session, for civil cases, [231] and the High Court of Justiciary, for criminal cases. [232] The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom serves as the highest court of appeal for civil cases under Scots law. [233] An ambitious and innovative value supply chain is essential to our operations. Suppliers play a crucial part in meeting the needs of our customers, so it’s only right that we invest in, and nurture, strong, lasting relationships. There are 44 countries in Europe today, according to the United Nations. The full list is shown in the table below, with current population and subregion (based on the United Nations official statistics).

Northern Europe

The United Kingdom lies between latitudes 49° and 61° N, and longitudes 9° W and 2° E. Northern Ireland shares a 224-mile (360km) land boundary with the Republic of Ireland. [137] The coastline of Great Britain is 11,073 miles (17,820km) long. [140] It is connected to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel, which at 31 miles (50km) (24 miles (38km) underwater) is the longest underwater tunnel in the world. [141]

One thing is obvious and shines through these stories… the respect, admiration and affection that everybody holds for Sir Bobby Charlton. Scotland accounts for 32 per cent of the UK, covering 30,410 square miles (78,772km 2). [153] This includes nearly 800 islands, [154] notably the Hebrides, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. Scotland is the most mountainous constituent country of the UK, the Highlands to the north and west are the more rugged region containing the majority of Scotland's mountainous land, including the Cairngorms, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs and Ben Nevis which at 1,345 metres (4,413ft) [155] is the highest point in the British Isles. [156] The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 244,820 square kilometres (94,530sqmi). The country occupies the major part of the British Isles [136] archipelago and includes the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern one-sixth of the island of Ireland and some smaller surrounding islands. It lies between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea with the southeast coast coming within 22 miles (35km) of the coast of northern France, from which it is separated by the English Channel. [137] Greenland, which geographically belongs to North America, is as well an autonomous Danish territory.

The Royal Greenwich Observatory in London was chosen as the defining point of the Prime Meridian [138] at the International Meridian Conference in 1884. [139] In 1982, Argentina invaded the British territories of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, leading to the 10-week Falklands War in which Argentine forces were defeated. The inhabitants of the islands are predominantly descendants of British settlers, and strongly favour British sovereignty, expressed in a 2013 referendum. From 1984, the UK economy was helped by the inflow of substantial North Sea oil revenues. [116] Several pan-European institutions exist separate from the EU. The European Space Agency counts almost all EU member states in its membership, but it is independent of the EU and its membership includes nations that are not EU members, notably Switzerland, Norway and as a result of Brexit, the United Kingdom. The European Court of Human Rights (not to be confused with the European Court of Justice) is also independent of the EU. It is an element of the Council of Europe, which like ESA counts EU members and non-members alike in its membership. The European Political Community is an intergovernmental organization which was founded in 2022 and calls for greater cooperation among European nations, with 47 European states participating. J. William Fulbright (May 1948), "A United States of Europe?", The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Sage Publications, Inc. in association with the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 257 (257, Peace Settlements of World War II): 151–156, doi: 10.1177/000271624825700116, JSTOR 1026642, S2CID 145490100 Since 1999, Wales has a devolved national government and legislature, known as the Senedd. Elections to the Senedd use the additional member system. They have more limited powers than those devolved to Scotland. [203] The Senedd is able to legislate on any matter not specifically reserved to the UK Parliament through Acts of Senedd Cymru. The current Welsh Government is Labour, led by First Minister Mark Drakeford, who has been the First Minister since 2018. Local government in Wales consists of 22 unitary authorities, each led by a leader and cabinet elected by the council itself.

Settlement by Cro-Magnons of what was to become the United Kingdom occurred in waves beginning by about 30,000 years ago. [53] By the end of the region's prehistoric period, the population is thought to have belonged largely to a culture termed Insular Celtic, comprising Brittonic Britain and Gaelic Ireland. [54] The Roman Baths in Bath, Somerset, are a well-preserved thermae from Roman Britain.

European Council

National quarterly estimate "National Statistical portal of the Republic of Belarus". www.belstat.gov.by. At present, the European Union is a free association of sovereign states (a de facto, but not de jure, confederation) designed to further their shared aims. [ citation needed] Other than the vague aim of "ever closer union" in the Solemn Declaration on European Union, the EU (meaning its member governments) has no current policy to form a federal union. However, in the past Jean Monnet, a person associated with the EU and its predecessor the European Economic Community, did make such proposals. A wide range of other terms are in use to describe the possible future political structure of Europe as a whole and/or the EU. Some of them, such as "United Europe", are used often and in such varied contexts, but they have no definite constitutional status. The Roman conquest, beginning in 43 AD, and the 400-year rule of southern Britain, was followed by an invasion by Germanic Anglo-Saxon settlers, reducing the Brittonic area mainly to what was to become Wales, Cornwall and, until the latter stages of the Anglo-Saxon settlement, the Hen Ogledd (northern England and parts of southern Scotland). [55] Most of the region settled by the Anglo-Saxons became unified as the Kingdom of England in the 10th century. [56] Meanwhile, Gaelic-speakers in north-west Britain (with connections to the north-east of Ireland and traditionally supposed to have migrated from there in the 5th century) [57] united with the Picts to create the Kingdom of Scotland in the 9th century. [58] The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings, 1066, and the events leading to it.