The United Kingdom is a country in Europe, with about 69.5 million people (2025) and an area of 243,610 square kilometres. Its capital is London, and its only land neighbour is Ireland.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of the United KingdomThe United Kingdom in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of the United Kingdom's 17, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 17
Britain is an island with the instincts of a global power
The United Kingdom sits just off the European continent, close enough to be entangled with it and far enough to imagine it can stand apart. That island geography shaped the Royal Navy, the empire, and the persistent British instinct that the country's most important relationships are with the wider world, not merely the neighbors across the Channel.
More on island geography
The English Channel is only 34 kilometers wide at its narrowest. That gap has been both a moat and a bridge, keeping invaders out while enabling global maritime projection.
16 more lenses on the United Kingdom in the app
STORY Post-imperial Britain is still negotiating what it became
STORY The City of London is not just a financial center; it is a system
NOW The tenant changes, the inheritance does not
NOW Britain is leaning into defense and AI as post-Brexit identity
THREAD The "special relationship" with the U.S. is Britain's most important alliance
THREAD Scotland and Northern Ireland keep questioning the union
PLACE The country where football was codified
STORY 1966 and the weight of a single triumph
NOW Perfect in qualifying, third in the world
THREAD The Premier League as a global magnet
PLACE Wembley and the cathedrals of the game
STORY The Football Association and a global gift
NOW A modern squad that mirrors the nation
THREAD Four nations, one island, four football associations
PLACE A line from the Tees to the Exe
PLACE The ocean keeps Britain warmer than its latitude
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
Compare the United Kingdom with another country
Opens the country comparison tool with population, area, income and more side by side, every figure dated.
Common questions
What is the capital of the United Kingdom?
The capital of the United Kingdom is London. London lies at about 51.5 degrees north and 0.1 degrees west. The United Kingdom is in Europe. It is home to about 69.5 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of the United Kingdom?
About 69.5 million people live in the United Kingdom, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 22nd most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 243,610 square kilometres, that is about 285 people per square kilometre.
What countries border the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom shares land borders with 1 country: Ireland. Ireland touches a part of the United Kingdom that lies away from its main territory. The map on this page outlines each of them around the United Kingdom. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake.
How big is the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom covers 243,610 square kilometres, or about 94,058 square miles. That makes it the 78th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 69.5 million gives a density of 285 people per square kilometre.
The United Kingdom is a country in Europe, with about 69.5 million people (2025) and an area of 243,610 square kilometres. Its capital is London, and its only land neighbour is Ireland.
Capital
London
Continent
Europe
Population
69,487,000 2025, World Bank. 22nd of 195.
Area
243,610 km² (94,058 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 78th largest of 195.
Population density
285 people per km²
Land neighbours
1: Ireland
Official name
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
Britain is an island with the instincts of a global power
The United Kingdom sits just off the European continent, close enough to be entangled with it and far enough to imagine it can stand apart. That island geography shaped the Royal Navy, the empire, and the persistent British instinct that the country's most important relationships are with the wider world, not merely the neighbors across the Channel.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/united-kingdom/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
United Kingdom
NameDate
Draw the flag
Colour the United Kingdom on the map, then fill in what you find.
Capital
Continent
Population
Area
Languages
Currency
Neighbours
Landmarks
Rivers or mountains
Three things I learned
1
2
3
One question I still have
?
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/united-kingdom/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
