lephone (202)
462-1340; there are British Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston,
Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco,
and Consulates in Dallas, Miami, and Seattle;

US--Ambassador Raymond SEITZ; Embassy at 24/31 Grosvenor Square,
London, W.1A1AE, (mailing address is FPO New York 09509);
telephone [44] (71) 499-9000; there are US Consulates General in Belfast
and Edinburgh

_#_Flag: 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) 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
dependencies, Commonwealth countries, and others

_*_Economy
_#_Overview: The UK is one of the world's great trading powers and
financial centers, and its economy ranks among the four largest in
Europe. The economy is essentially capitalistic with a generous admixture
of social welfare programs and government ownership. Over the last decade
the Thatcher government halted the expansion of welfare measures and
promoted extensive reprivatization of the government economic sector.
Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European
standards, producing about 60% of food needs with only 1% of the labor
force. Industry is a mixture of public and private enterprises, employing
about 27% of the work force and generating 22% of GDP. The UK is an
energy-rich nation with large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves;
primary energy production accounts for 12% of GDP, one of the highest
shares of any industrial nation. In mid-1990 the economy fell into
recession after eight years of strong economic expansion, which had
raised national output by one quarter. Britain's inflation rate, which
has been consistently well above those of her major trading partners,
is expected to decline in 1991. Between 1986 and 1990 unemployment
fell from 11% to about 6%, but it is now rising rapidly 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: $858.3 billion, per capita $15,000