The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a sovereign state located off the north-western coast of continental Europe. The country includes the island of Great Britain (a term sometimes loosely applied to the whole state), the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another state: the Republic of Ireland. The UK's form of government is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system and its capital city is London. The current British monarch—since 6 February 1952—is Queen Elizabeth II.

The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world's sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and eighth-largest by purchasing power parity. The UK has a partially regulated market economy.

Climate

The United Kingdom has a temperate climate, with plentiful rainfall all year round. The temperature varies with the seasons seldom dropping below -11 °C (12 °F) or rising above 35 °C (95 °F).

Geography

The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 243,610 square kilometres (94,060 sq mi).The United Kingdom lies between latitudes 49° to 61° N, and longitudes 9° W to 2° E. The UK lies between the North Atlantic and the North Sea, and comes within 35 km (22 mi) of the northwest coast of France, from which it is separated by the English Channel. It shares a 360 km international land boundary with the Republic of Ireland. The Channel Tunnel bored beneath the English Channel, now links the UK with France.

Demographics

In the 2011 census the total population of the United Kingdom was 63,181,775.It is the third largest in the European Union, the fifth largest in the Commonwealth and the twenty-first largest in the world.

Education

The education system in the UK is different to that in many other countries. At the age of 16, British children take General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations. Students then transfer to studying A-Levels which last for two years and qualify them for entry to university. Students tend to specialize in these courses and often study for three or four A-Levels. This means that degrees do not last as long in the UK as other countries.

If you left school with qualifications other than A-Levels or the International Baccalaureate, you may need to take a Foundation course. A Foundation year gives you important focused skills that UK students receive during their A-Levels and often includes English Language tuition.

The United Kingdom has had a total of 115 Nobel Prize winners to-date. With few of the recent winners Michael Levitt, Chemistry 2013,Peter Higgs, Physics 2013,John B. Gurdon, Physiology or Medicine, 2012. The total number of universities in the UK sum up to 163 universities, which includes one of the world's best institutions.

Distinct Advantages of Study in the UK

• The UK Education has high reputation globally. The UK has the official body to access the quality of education known as Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). QAA guarantees that the long-term education standards are maintained by the Universities and Colleges.

• Duration of courses in the UK is shorter as compare to other countries. Accelerated Bachelor’s Degree is of 2 years & Honors degree in 3-years and Post Graduate Degree can be completed in 1 year only, thus, saves the time and money both.

• The UK has stopped Post-Study work visa but its Degree carry high recognition internationally and thus employers are keen to hire candidates passed out of Universities from the UK.

• The International Education reputation of the UK attracts the aspiring students from all around the world, making it a cultural diverse country.

• The UK has English speaking environment, thus, a person improves upon his English skills. This improves his credibility globally to find good job and salary package.

• The students studying in the UK are allowed to work for 20 hours per week in University days and 40 hours per week during off season

• Higher education institutions in the UK offer a broad range of courses. Therefore, you are sure to find one that caters for your interests and career goals. You can search over 50,000 courses on the UCAS website to find the right one for you.

• The UK provides International students with medical and health facilities. The students have to register to official body like NHS to get medical facilities. Once registered, students don’t have to pay anything in hospitals for any check-ups or other medical help.

• Students get good discounts in various shops, eating joints, bus and train passes etc. Thus, students can enjoy quality life at affordable rates.

• The UK includes England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. A student having the UK visa can travel to any of these countries (including Switzerland) without applying to any additional visa. Students can apply for Schengen visa and can visit any other European country like France, Italy, Spain etc. The beauty of the UK is impeccable.