FOREIGN
RELATIONS
The United
Kingdom is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) and is one of NATO's major European maritime, air, and
land powers; it ranks third among NATO countries in total defense
expenditure. The United Kingdom has been a member of the European
Community (now European Union) since 1973. In the United Nations,
the United Kingdom is a permanent member of the Security Council.
The U.K. assumed the Presidency of the G-8 on January 1, 2005;
it will also hold the EU Presidency July to December 2005.
The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, promoting Britain's wider security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. The 37,000-member Royal Navy, which includes 6,000 Royal Marine commandos, is in charge of the United Kingdom's independent strategic nuclear arm, which consists of four Trident missile submarines. The British Army, consisting of approximately 97,900 personnel, the Royal Air Force, with 42,000 personnel, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, are active and regular participants in NATO and other coalition operations. Approximately 9% of the British Armed Forces is female, and 4% of British forces represent ethnic minorities.
The United Kingdom stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its military forces are part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The U.K. force in Afghanistan stood at 8,300 as of March 1, 2009. U.K. forces are primarily based in the Helmand region, where they are on the front line in the war against continued Taliban operations. In addition, the U.K. has contributed more than £510 million (approximately $723.4 million) to Afghan reconstruction--the second-largest donor after the United States. The U.K. was the United States' main coalition partner in Operation Iraqi Freedom and continues to have troops deployed in Iraq to help stabilize and rebuild the country. The U.K. has announced it will withdraw its combat forces from Iraq by July 1, 2009. Britain's participation in the Iraq war and its aftermath remains a domestically controversial issue.
U.S.-UNITED
KINGDOM RELATIONS
The United Kingdom is one of the United States' closest allies, and British foreign policy emphasizes close coordination with the United States. Bilateral cooperation reflects the common language, ideals, and democratic practices of the two nations. Relations were strengthened by the United Kingdom's alliance with the United States during both World Wars, and its role as a founding member of NATO, in the Korean conflict, in the Persian Gulf War, and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The United Kingdom and the United States continually consult on foreign policy issues and global problems and share major foreign and security policy objectives.
The United Kingdom is the fifth-largest market for U.S. goods exports after Canada, Mexico, China, and Japan, and the sixth-largest supplier of U.S. imports after Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany. U.S. exports of goods and services to the United Kingdom in 2008 totaled $117 billion, while U.S. imports from the U.K. totaled $104 billion. The United Kingdom is a large source of foreign tourists in the United States. In 2007, 3.6 million U.S. residents visited the United Kingdom, while 4.6 million U.K. residents visited the United States.
The United States and the United Kingdom share the world's largest foreign direct investment partnership. U.S. investment in the United Kingdom reached $399 billion in 2007, while U.K. direct investment in the U.S. totaled $411 billion. This investment sustains more than 1 million American jobs.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Vacant
Deputy Chief of Mission--Richard LeBaron
Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs--Maura Connelly
Minister-Counselor for Commercial Affairs--Dorothy Lutter
Acting Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs--Sandra Clark
Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs--Barry Walkley
Minister-Counselor for Management Affairs--Richard Jaworski
Minister-Counselor for Consular Affairs--John Caulfield
Regional Security Officer--David Kidd
U.S. Consul General in Belfast--Susan Elliott
Principal Officer in Edinburgh--Lisa Vickers
The U.S. Embassy in the United Kingdom is located at 24 Grosvenor Sq., W1A 1AE, London (tel. [44] (207) 499-9000; fax [44] (207) 409-1637).
