The United Kingdom: England

Abstract

The United Kingdom comprises the island of Great Britain—consisting of England, occupying most of the southern two-thirds of the island; Scotland, occupying the northern one-third of the island; and Wales, lying to the west of England—and Northern Ireland, also known as Ulster, lying in the northeastern part of the island of Ireland. The English are the predominant ethnic group, constituting the majority of the population. Scots, Irish, and Welsh also make up significant proportions. Since the early 1950s a rapidly growing percentage of the country’s population has been formed of Commonwealth immigrants, particularly from India, the West Indies, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. About 80 percent of the population in the United Kingdom lives in urban areas. England and Wales are the most heavily urbanized, followed by Scotland and then by Northern Ireland.