ve
those of her major trading partners, declined significantly in 1991. Between
1986 and 1990 unemployment fell from 11% to about 6%, but crept back up to
8% in 1991 because of the economic slowdown. As a major trading nation, the
UK will continue to be greatly affected by world boom or recession, swings
in the international oil market, productivity trends in domestic industry,
and the terms on which the economic integration of Europe proceeds.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $915.5 billion, per capita $15,900; real
growth rate -1.9% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.8% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
8.1% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $435 billion; expenditures $469 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY92 est.)
Exports:
$186.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods,
transport equipment
partners:
EC 53.2% (FRG 12.7%, France 10.5%, Netherlands 7.0%), US 12.4%
Imports:
$211.9 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
manufactured goods, machinery, semifinished goods, foodstuffs, consumer
goods
partners:
EC 52.2% (FRG 15.6%, France 9.3%, Netherlands 8.4%), US 11.5%
External debt:
$10.5 billion (1990)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0% (1991)
Electricity:
98,000,000 kW capacity; 316,500 million kWh produced, 5,520 kWh per capita
(1991)

:United Kingdom Economy

Industries:
production machinery including machine tools, electric power equipment,
equipment for the automation of production, railroad equipment,
shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, electronics and
communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and
paper products, food processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer
goods
Agriculture:
accounts for only 1.5% of GDP and 1% of labor force; highly mechanized and
efficient farms; wide variety of crops and livestock products produced;
about 60% self-sufficient in food and feed needs; fish catch of 665,000
metric tons (1987)
Economic aid:
donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $21.0 billion
Currency:
British pound or pound sterling (plural - pounds); 1 British pound (#) = 100
pence
Exchange rates:
British pounds (#) per US$1 - 0.5799 (March 1992), 0.5652 (1991), 0.5603
(1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987