Iran: Lesser Tunb
(called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek
in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic
by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); claims
island in the Persian Gulf jointly administered with Iran (called
Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by
Iran) - over which Iran has taken steps to exert unilateral control
since 1992, including access restrictions and a military build-up on
the island; the UAE has garnered significant diplomatic support in
the region in protesting these Iranian actions

Illicit drugs: growing role as heroin transshipment and
money-laundering center due to its proximity to southwest Asian
producing countries and the bustling free trade zone in Dubai

======================================================================

@United Kingdom

United Kingdom Introduction

Background: Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime
power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing
parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At
its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the
earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's
strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half
witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself
into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five
permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of
NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to
foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its
integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to
remain outside of the European Monetary Union for the time being.
Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK.
Regional assemblies with varying degrees of power opened in
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 1999.

United Kingdom Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 244,820 sq km

land: 241,590 sq km

water: 3,230 sq km

note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 360 km

border countries: Ireland 360 km

Coastline: 1