ABSTRACT

Background Information The United Kingdom is located off the coast of mainland Europe. It consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The UK has a monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, but in effect is a parliamentary democracy. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have some devolved powers, and there are legal as well as social, cultural, and historical differences between the countries. The legal relationship between the four countries is a topic of regular political and public debate. The UK is a member of the European Union, but has opted out of the eurozone, and therefore has retained its own currency. The country has a population of approximately 61 million.