About the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland comprises Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland) and Northern Ireland. The Parliament of the United Kingdom can legislate for Great Britain as a whole, or for any part of the country. For 50 years from 1921 Northern Ireland had its own devolved Parliament. Inter-communal violence lead to a decision of the United Kingdom Government to take over responsibility for law and order in 1972. The Northern Ireland Government resigned in protest against this decision and direct rule began. Northern Ireland continues to be governed by direct rule under legislation passed in 1974. This allows the Parliament of United Kingdom to approve all laws for Northern Ireland and places its government departments under the direction and control of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who is a Cabinet Minister. Attempts have been made to find a means of restoring a widely acceptable form of devolved government to Northern Ireland. A 78-member Assembly was elected in 1982. Four years later it was dissolved.

The United Kingdom is also responsible for security and external affairs of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, which are Crown dependencies and not part of the United Kingdom. They have their own legislatures. The laws they make need formal sanction by a Royal Order in Council.

The United Kingdom has responsibility for 14 dependent territories and for over 6 million British citizens who live overseas. Most territories have considerable self-government, with their own legislature and civil service. The United Kingdom is generally responsible for defence, security, external affairs, and the judiciary. The territories are:

• Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn, Ducie, Henderson and Oeno Saint Helena and Dependencies (Ascension and Tristan da Cunha) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands

There are no permanent inhabitants in the British Antarctic Territory, the British Indian Ocean Territory, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Ducie, Henderson and Oeno. Pitcairn has less than a hundred inhabitants.

The Falkland Islands are the subject of a territorial claim by Argentina, but the inhabitants wish to retain the link with Britain. The United Kingdom is committed to the defence of the Islanders' right to live under a government of their own choosing. The Islanders' right of self-determination is set out in the Falkland Islands Constitution. Argentina also claims South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Gibraltar is the subject of a territorial claim by Spain. The United Kingdom is committed to honouring the wishes of the people of Gibraltar as to their future, as set out in the 1969 Gibraltar Constitution.