ington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500

FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, Orlando (reports to Atlanta),
San Juan, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Philip LADER

embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A1AE

mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040

telephone: [44] (0) 207499-9000 (switchboard)

FAX: [44] (171) 409-1637

consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag description: blue with the red cross of Saint George (patron
saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red
cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland) and which is
superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron
saint of Scotland); known as the Union Flag or Union Jack; the
design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis
for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries
and their constituent states or provinces, as well as British
overseas territories

United Kingdom Economy

Economy - overview: The UK, a leading trading power and financial
center, deploys an essentially capitalistic economy, 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. The economy has
grown steadily, at just above or below 3%, for the last several
years. The BLAIR government has put off the question of
participation in the euro system until after the next election, in
June of 2001; Chancellor of the Exchequer BROWN has identified some
key economic tests to determine whether the UK should join the
common currency system, but it will largely be a political decision.
A serious short-term problem is foot-and-mouth disease, which by
early 2001 had broken out in near