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Programs Offered:
WISE Abroad offers
internships in London, England.
About England and London:
London, the capital of England and of the United Kingdom, is by
any standard one of the greatest cities in the world, and the
world's most popular destination for study abroad programs.
Known as the City of Culture, it has a population of over eight
million people with a multitude of social and cultural
backgrounds making it one of the most vibrant cosmopolitan
cities in Europe. Even after serving for four hundred
years as the hub of the British Empire, London today remains at
the center of the world's commercial and financial stage.
London offers numerous cultural activities including world-class
theatre, restaurants, and fascinating historical sites. It
is conveniently located only a few hours away by train to
popular cities such as Oxford, Cambridge, York and Bath.
Location:
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
Population
60,270,708 (July 2004 est.)
Religion
Anglican and Roman Catholic 40 million,
Muslim 1.5 million, Presbyterian 800,000, Methodist 760,000,
Sikh 500,000, Hindu 500,000, Jewish 350,000
Language
English, Welsh (about 26% of the population
of Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
Government Type
Constitutional monarchy
Economy:
The UK, a leading trading power and financial
center, is one of the quartet of trillion dollar economies of
Western Europe. Over the past two decades the government has
greatly reduced public ownership and contained the growth of
social welfare programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly
mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about
60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor force. The UK has
large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy
production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of
any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking,
insurance, and business services, account by far for the largest
proportion of GDP while industry continues to decline in
importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global
downturn, the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the
"new economy" bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Still, the
economy is one of the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest
rates, and unemployment remain low. The relatively good economic
performance has complicated the BLAIR government's efforts to
make a case for Britain to join the European Economic and
Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out, however, that the
economy is doing well outside of EMU, and they point to public
opinion polls that continue to show a majority of Britons
opposed to the euro. Meantime, the government has been speeding
up the improvement of education, transport, and health services,
at a cost in higher taxes. The war in March-April 2003 between a
US-led coalition and Iraq, together with the subsequent problems
of restoring the economy and the polity, involve a heavy
commitment of British military forces.
NOTE: Please visit the CIA World
FactBook for more country facts at:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
Source: CIA World Factbook |
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