UNITED KINGDOM

Brief Background The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK, or Britain) is a country and sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island nation, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border with another sovereign state, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. Great Britain is linked to continental Europe by the Channel Tunnel.

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and unitary state consisting of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is governed by a parliamentary system with its seat of government in London, the capital, but with three devolved national administrations of varying powers in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland respectively. The Channel Island bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey, and the Isle of Man are Crown Dependencies, which means they are constitutionally tied to the British monarch but are not part of the UK. The UK has fourteen overseas territories that are not constitutionally part of the UK. These territories are remnants of the British Empire, which at its height in 1922 encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface, the largest empire in history. British influence can still be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies.

The UK is a developed country, with the world's sixth largest economy by nominal GDP and the sixth largest by purchasing power parity. It was the world's first industrialized country and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries, but the economic and social cost of two world wars and the decline of its empire in the latter half of the 20th century diminished its leading role in global affairs. The UK nevertheless remains a great power with strong economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence. It is a recognised nuclear weapons state while its military expenditure ranks third or fourth in the world, depending on the method of calculation. It is a Member State of the European Union, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, G8, G20, NATO, OECD and the World Trade Organization.

Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelandas used by Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 to the present (as used in all her realms except Scotland).

Capital: London (Largest city)Official language: English (de facto)Recognized regional languages: Irish, Ulster Scots, Scottish Gaelic , Scots, Welsh, CornishGovernment: Unitary parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy Monarch:Queen Elizabeth II Prime Minister:David Cameron MPAnthem: "God Save the Queen"

Queen Elizabeth II

Population

2010 estimate: 62,041,708 (22nd)Land area: 93,278 sq mi (241,590 sq km); total area: 94,526 sq mi (244,820 sq km)Monetary unit:Pound sterling ()

Religion in UK

Religion PercentChristianity71.8%None15.1%Not Stated7.8%Islam2.8%Hinduism1.0%Sikhism0.6%Judaism0.5%Buddhism0.3%

TOURIST SPOTSBuckingham Palace is the Queens official London residence and is used to receive and entertain guests on state, ceremonial and official occasions for the Royal Family.

The Palace is located between The Green Park, Hyde Park and St. James's Park.

London Eye, UK

The London Eye has now become one of the iconic sights of London. Opened in March 2000 the wheel is a metaphor for the turning of the century.

The London Eye is 135m/443ft high and weighs 2100 tonnes.

There are 32 capsules attached to the wheel which travels gently at a speed of 26cm per second. Each rotation takes 30 minutes in which time you can marvel at the views that span up to 40km in all directions (depending on the weather).

This is the UK's most popular paid for visitor attraction, visited by over 3.5 million people a year.

There are also lots of special packages avaible.

The London Eye is within walking distance from several underground stations including Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross and Westminster. Waterloo is the closest tube station.

Hampton Court Palace, England

Hampton Court has grown from humble beginnings in the 11th century to one of the finest palaces in the world. Over 800 years of history can be explored through this magnificent palace whose previous owners include Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

Visitors are offered an introductory exhibition, a guide through Tudor kitchens, a costume guide tour, and the opportunity to see the Queen's state apartments, the King's apartments and the Wolsey and Georgian rooms. One of the most impressive sights is the Great Hall, Englands last and greatest medievel hall, decorated with sumptuous tapestries.

Outside you can try not to get lost in the worlds most famous maze or visit the Privy garden restored to its 1702 glory.

Refreshments can be found in either the coffee shop, caf or by taking your own picnic.

Stonehenge, Wiltshire

Stonehenge is a circle of ancient stones erected between 3000BC and 1,600BC. It is one of the most important prehistoric monument sites in Britain.

It was constructed in three phases and it has been estimated that this took more than 30 million hours of labour. The Bluestones and Sarsen stones were carried hundreds of miles to the Wiltshire site. Mystery surrounds the stone circle as to why it was built. Some think it was designed as a place to worship the sun, others believe it may have been a place of sacrifice.

Visitors are not permitted near the stones unless pre-arranged. Viewing is behind a fence that runs around the stone circle

Marble Arch, London

Marble Arch is an area in London, named after a white Carrara marble monument situated near Speakers Corner in Hyde Park.

The design by John Nash is based on the triumphal Arch of Constantine in Rome and was originally positioned on the Mall as an entrance to Buckingham Palace. When the Palace was extended in 1851, the arch was moved to the corner of Hyde Park. If rumours are to be believed, it was moved to its current position because the Royal Coach could not fit through the arch.

The site has an interesting history. Up until the 18th century, Tyburn (now Marble Arch) was the site for public executions and is where 50,000 people died on the gallows.

Today, the arch is open to pedestrians who can observe the intricate carvings. The nearest tube station is Marble Arch.

Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire

Salisbury has Britain's finest 13th century Gothic Cathedral boasting the tallest spire in the Kingdom.

Built between 1220 and 1258 it has over 750 years of history including the world's best preserved original Magna Carta and Europe's oldest working clock. The Cathedral is a record holder for having the largest Cathedral close, the largest Cathedral Cloisters and the largest and earliest set of Quire stalls in Britain. The Cathedral is still an active place of worship and visitor access is restricted on Sundays during services.

Guides can take you on a free tour of the Cathedral or there are self guiding leaflets in English and other languages. If you want to see the tallest spire at close hand then the Tower tour will take you up the 332 steps in easy stages, by narrow spiral staircases and interior roof walkways, to reach the base of the Spire. Not for the the faint hearted or young children!

There is a restaurant which offers a self service buffet and has a special childrens menu. There is also a shop for souvenirs.

St. Paul's Cathedral, LondonSt Paul's Cathedral was designed by court architect Sir Christopher Wren and was completed in 1710. Its famous dome is one of the world's largest, measuring 111.3 metres high and is an iconic part of London's skyline.

St Pauls is one of the places where national events of great importance take place. The funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill took place in the Cathedral, Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer and more recently the Queen celebrated the Golden Jubilee and her 80th birthday with thanksgiving services in this place of worship.

Over the years, decoration has been added and removed so that today the history of the nation can be seen in mosaics and stone carvings throughout the building.

The Whispering Gallery which runs around the interior of the Dome and is 259 steps up from ground-level fascinates both children and adults because a whisper made against its walls can be heard on the opposite side.

Visitors can book on to a supertour, or take an audio tour which is available in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish.

The Royal Pavilion

A very famous tourist spot in United Kingdom that is a sea-side summer house specifically constructed for King George IV when he was still the Prince Regent. It is a structure that displays the literal meaning of over the top. It has an appearance of a so-called Indian palace but its interiors are Chinese-influenced.

St Ives (Cornish: Porth Ia) is a seaside town, civil parish and port in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town lies north of Penzance and west of Camborne on the coast of the Celtic Sea. In former times it was commercially dependent on fishing. The decline in fishing, however, caused a shift in commercial emphasis and the town is now primarily a holiday resort. St Ives was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1639. St Ives has become renowned for its number of artists. It was named best seaside town of 2007 by the Guardian newspaper.

Top Ten Philippine Imports from UKPharmaceutical preparations Other petroleum productsPassenger cars Crude oil Civilian aircraft engines Collectibles (antiques, artwork, stamps) Industrial engines Civilian aircraft parts Precious metals other than gold Nuclear fuel

Top ten Philippine Exports to UKSemiconductors & related devicesCotton household furnishings & clothingComputer accessories, peripherals & parts Non-cotton household furnishings & clothing Automotive parts & accessoriesFurniture & other household itemsElectric apparatus Household items Fish & shellfish Goods returned then re-exported

Trade AgreementThe Philippines is pursuing a free trade agreement with the European Union (EU) after negotiations for a EU-ASEAN trade deal suffered a major setback.

Speaking before the 12th Asia Pacific Conference of German Business (APK) in Singapore, Trade and Industry Secretary Jesli A. Lapus said that an FTA between the Philippines and the European Union is not only desirable but also in order.

He said the Philippines would have a long list of market access issues to take up with the EU, starting with canned tuna and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. He stressed there should be a mutuality in access commitments, and that negotiators should pay close attention to the objectives and aspirations of the private sector.

Lapus said that FTA negotiations between the EU and some ASEAN countries are ongoing. He noted that many other ASEAN countries are also engaged with the EU in Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) negotiations, including the Philippines. The PCA will have to move on at some point in time for FTA negotiations.

In any further ASEAN-EU FTA talks, Lapus emphasized that the two regions must compete in an open environment, and not perpetuate regional monopolies. He also said that with ASEAN experience in FTAs, the region is on the course of stability with growth. He expressed confidence that a strong ASEAN makes it able to negotiate from a position of strength.

Likewise, he lauded the generally smooth implementation experience in ASEAN engagements with other countries like China and Japan.

The experience thus far has been positive because ASEAN countries have been prodded to look more closely at their competitiveness and issues of good governance, he said.

RP, EU Initial Landmark Framework AgreementThe Philippines and the European Union (EU) initialled the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in Brussels, Belguim today.

The initialling of the PCA is an important step in establishing a framework agreement that will ensure that RP-EU relations are in tune with the times.

The formal signature of the agreement will follow later in the year, once the necessary procedures are completed by both parties.

The PCA will advance bilateral cooperation, through dialogue and capacity building, in the areas of politico-security cooperation, human rights, counter-terrorism, trade and investment, development cooperation, education and culture, migration, energy and transport for the mutual benefit of both parties. The agreement is a reaffirmation of declared Philippine policies on the above issues and reflective of Philippine relations with the EU.

The PCA provides the framework and basis to undertake further agreements, including a free trade agreement in the future. As presently negotiated, no amendments of existing Philippine laws nor new laws are required for its implementation.

Words with English translationThank you: Go raibh maith agatYou're welcome: T filte romhatHello: Dia dhuitWhat is your name?: Cad is ainm duit?My name is Judith Flynn: Judith Flynn is ainm domHow are you?: Conas t t?

Monday: D LuainTuesday: D MirtWednesday: D ChadaoinThursday: DardaoinFriday: D hAoineSaturday: D SathairnSunday: D Domhnaigh