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The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''', generally called the '''United Kingdom''' or the '''UK''', is a sovereign [[state]] north west of mainland [[Europe]]. It consists of the nations of [[England]], [[Wales]] and [[Scotland]], which occupy the island of Great Britain, and the province of [[Northern Ireland]] on the island of Ireland. It attained its current form in 1922 after most of [[Ireland]] was granted independence (although the current name 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was not adopted until 1927), but its origins can be traced back at least to 1603, when England and Scotland came to be ruled by a single monarch (James I of England and VI of Scotland).  England and Scotland were formally united under a single parliament, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain, on [[1 May]] [[1707]].<ref>Murdoch, Alexander, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/themes/96/96282.html England, Scotland, and the Acts of Union (1707)], Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Oxford University Press, Jan 2007, accessed 1 May 2007</ref>

The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''', generally called the '''United Kingdom''' or the '''UK''', is a sovereign [[state]] north west of mainland [[Europe]]. It consists of the nations of [[England]] and [[Scotland]], and the Principality of [[Wales]] - all of which occupy the island of Great Britain, together with the province of [[Northern Ireland]] on the island of Ireland. It attained its current form in 1922 after most of [[Ireland]] was granted independence (although the current name 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was not adopted until 1927), but its origins can be traced back at least to 1603, when England and Scotland came to be ruled by a single monarch (James I of England and VI of Scotland).  England and Scotland were formally united under a single parliament, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain, on [[1 May]] [[1707]].<ref>Murdoch, Alexander, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/themes/96/96282.html England, Scotland, and the Acts of Union (1707)], Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Oxford University Press, Jan 2007, accessed 1 May 2007</ref>

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Its current [[head of state]] is Queen [[Elizabeth II]], and its [[head of government]] is Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]].

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Its current [[head of state]] is Queen [[Elizabeth II]], and its [[head of government]] is Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]].