United Kingdom

London

5 Inworth Grange
Grange Road,
Tiptree, Essex CO5 0QQ
London
United Kingdom

Email:
london@ibng.com

Contact person: Mr Kevin Norman

 

General Information

Country (name in full):	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Capital:	London
Surface Area:	244,820 sq km
Official Languages:	English, Welsh, Scottish
Population:	60,609,153 (July 2006 est.)
Exchange Rates:	Real Time Converter
Real GDP Growth:	1.9% (2005 est.)
GDP per capita:	purchasing power parity - $30,100 (2005 est.)
Head of State:	Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
Head of Government:	Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May 1997)

Principal Trading Partners

Export Destinations
US 15.1%, Germany 10.5%, France 8.9%, Ireland 7.3%, Netherlands 5.5%, Belgium 5%, Spain 4.4% (2005)

Import Destinations
Germany 12.8%, US 8.7%, France 7.1%, Netherlands 6.6%, China 5%, Norway 4.7%, Belgium 4.6%, Italy 4% (2005)

UK Overview

Geography & Population
The UK comprises England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the off-lying islands, and is part of the European Union (EU). It is connected to mainland Europe by ferry, air and sub-sea tunnel. Over 60 million people live in the UK. As with other western European countries, the population is aging, single person households are increasing and there is pressure on leisure time.

The United Kingdom is in 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.

Language
The official language is English, however Welsh and Scottish is widely used as well.

Government and Law
The UK has a stable parliamentary democracy, and is a constitutional monarchy, with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. Tony Blair is the current Prime Minister, with a popularly elected House of Commons and selective House of Lords. While they are considered to be one country (and known collectively as the UK), Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have devolved governments, but also elect representatives to the House of Commons in London. Scotland has separate powers for education, health, justice and finance.

The legal system is based common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; no judicial review of Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; British courts and legislation are increasingly subject to review by European courts.

Climate
The UK has a maritime climate controlled by Atlantic ocean weather patterns. The best weather is usually between May and September. Weather forecasts are available on TV and in all newspapers. 

Religion
Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census)

UK Calendar

Business travellers to the UK should note that the UK enjoys a wide range of public holidays due to religious, national and other festive periods.   

IBN clients are recommended to consult with their regional Business Centres to obtain more specific regional travel advice in relation to public holidays as they may impact upon visit schedules.

Exhibitions and Conferences

IBN clients should consult their regional Business Centre for more detailed information on exhibitions and conferences including exhibiting, booking requirements etc.

For a useful link on exhibition details, please visit the Fair Guide - www.fairguide.com.

To contact us, click here.

Travel Information

The main airports for London are Heathrow and Gatwick, however, Stanstead, Luton and City are also classified as London airports and have completely different travel times into London, so it is best to check your flight details carefully.

Heathrow is closest to London, but the congestion on the roads means that travel times can be well over an hour. The quickest way into central London is by the Heathrow Express (train), which takes 15 minutes and runs every 15 minutes to and from Paddington railway station.

Gatwick is south of London, and again road transport is not recommended if you are in a hurry. The quickest way into central London is by the Gatwick Express (train), which takes 30 minutes and runs every 15 minutes to and from Victoria railway station. 

Paddington and Victoria are linked into the rail and the underground rail (tube) networks.

The following information is provided to assist travellers when planning to visit UK:

IDD:                                                      +44
Time:                                                    GMT (+1 Hr Mar - Oct)
Voltage:                                                 220V
Cell Phone System:                                 Dual Band system (GSM and CDMA)
Dress:                                                    Business Suit
Taxi Fare to city from airport (average):     Various
Departure:                                             Yes (normally included in ticket prices)

Foreign Visa Requirements

The requirement for a visa, entry clearance, or work permit depends on the activity planned in the UK.

Normally a work permit is not required for a business visitor. You are classified as a business visitor if you attend meetings and negotiate on behalf of your company. If you actually undertake work for your company while in the UK, then you will probably be considered to be a consultant and will require a permit.

Work permits are usually only granted to senior employees with significant specialist or technical knowledge, but the rules are complex and it is advisable to check the position with the British Consulate offices in your country or with a commercial specialist well in advance of your planned trip.

For more information on travel visas to UK, contact your local British Embassy or Consulate.   IBN clients are able to obtain more specific information including supporting Letters of Invitation for business travel (if required) from their respective IBN Business Centres.

Health Considerations

There is no specific health advice for travel to the UK.

Local Currency

The local currency is British Pound (GBP) 1.00 = 100 pence. The UK has not yet adopted the Euro.

Currency exchange facilities are readily available in most cities, however visitors should ensure that they obtain sufficient local currency prior to travel in remote regional areas as exchange facilities are not always available in particular for selected foreign currencies.

To use our Real-Time Converter, click here. 

UK Trade Link

For general information on British companies involved in international trade the British Government provides a range of trade information services.

IBN clients and visitors to this site are encouraged to visit British Trade International (Trade UK).   To contact Trade UK, click here.

Other Useful Links

For other business, national and regional news as well as current affairs, government and a more indepth view of the UK today, the following links should prove to be useful.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London - http://www.fco.gov.uk
UK Travel Guide - http://www.uktravel.com
Financial Times UK - http://news.ft.com/home/uk

Disclaimer

Whilst IBN Group Pty Ltd (IBN) has taken due care to obtain and provide the country information detailed on this site, it cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the same information and data. As this country information and data has been received from various sources, accepted by IBN as being reliable, IBN itself makes no representation concerning its completeness, truth or accuracy or its suitability for any particular purposes.