Geography of United Kingdom
Location
Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France.
Geographic Coordinates
54 00 N, 2 00 W
Geographical Area
Land
241,590 Sq Km.
Water
3,230 Sq Km.
Land Boundary
360 Km.
Border Countries
Republic of Ireland
360 Km.
Length of Coastline
12,429 Km.
Terrain
Mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast.
Elevation Extremes
Lowest Point
The Fens -4 m
Highest Point
Ben Nevis 1,343 m
Natural Resources
Coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land.
Land Use
Arable Land
23%
Permanent Crops
0%
Other
77%
Irrigated Land
1,700 Sq Km.
Natural Hazards
Winter windstorms; floods.
Environmental Issues
Continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to meet the legally binding target and move toward a domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government reduced the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and recycled or composted at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015.
