United Kingdom, London Cost of Living April 2010

Country Full Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Location: The United Kingdom is in Western Europe, and consists of islands including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, northwest of France.

Country Climate: Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast.

Country Terrain: Mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast.

Major Languages: English.

Major Religions: Christianity.

Country Population: 61.3 million (2008 est.) 61.5 million (2009 est.).

Country Economy: The economy of the United Kingdom is that of a major developed capitalist economy. The United Kingdom is one of the world's most globalised countries. The British economy is made up of the economies of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In 1973, the UK acceded to the European Economic Community which is now known as the European Union after the ratification of the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993. The UK economy had been one of the strongest EU economies in terms of inflation, interest rates and unemployment, all of which remained relatively low until the 2008-09 recession, when unemployment rose dramatically, and interest rates fell to 0.5%.

Currency: British Pound (GBP).

Country Inflation: 3.6% (2008 est.) 1.9% (2009 est.).

City: London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest and most populous metropolitan area and the largest urban zone in the European Union.

City Economy: London is a leading global city and the world's largest financial centres with the largest city GDP in Europe. Central London is home to the headquarters of most of the UK's top 100 listed companies (the FTSE 100) and more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest. London's influence in politics, finance, education, entertainment, media, fashion, the arts and culture in general contributes to its global position. It is a major tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors.
Cost of Living: London has an overall cost of living index which equates it with high cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups. London is currently ranked 30 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 282 international locations.

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