United Kingdom

The United Kingdom, with an estimated 2014 population of 64,596,800, consists of Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and Northern Ireland. The islands of Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man are also part of the United Kingdom. The islands that make up the United Kingdom exist as a sovereign state, located in northwest Europe but separated from mainland Europe by the North Sea and the English Channel. Elsewhere, the nation-state—once a colonizing power—has overseas territories that include the British Virgin Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, and part of the Antarctic and the Indian Ocean. After detailing the history of the British Isles, this entry focuses on recent conflicts involving the United Kingdom, including the First and Second World Wars and the Falkland Islands War.