The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (UK), also known as Britain, is a country in northwestern Europe. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, whose national capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Dublin respectively. London is also the UK capital. The country has more than 109 million inhabitants and covers 315,240 square kilometres. It includes Great Britain, Ireland and most of the smaller British Isles. The Crown also holds the Crown Dependencies, British Overseas Territories and Crown Cities.
The UK is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Its four constituent countries have governments and parliaments responsible for devolved matters. Britain has a large economy, substantial armed forces and extensive trade links. Its language, literature, arts, sport and political institutions have influenced countries across the Commonwealth and beyond.