UK United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	14th best
Capital	London
Land Area	241 930km²₁
Location	Europe
Population	67.1m₂
Life Expectancy	80.85yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$37 931 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	GB, GBR, 826₅
Internet Domain	.uk₆
Currency	Pound (GBP)₇
Telephone	+44₈

1. Lonely Planet Introduction₉

“Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace... England does icons like no other place on earth, and travel here is a fascinating mix of famous names and hidden gems. ... In the cities, the streets buzz day and night, filled with tempting shops and restaurants, and some of the finest museums in the world. After dark, cutting-edge clubs, top-class theatre and formidable live music provide nights to remember. Next day, you´re deep in the English countryside admiring quaint villages or enjoying a classic seaside resort. There really is something for everyone, whether you´re eight or 80, going solo or travelling with your friends, your kids or your grandma. Travel here is a breeze, and although the locals may grumble (in fact, it´s a national pastime) public transport is very good, and a train ride through the English landscape can be a highlight in itself. Whichever way you get around, in this compact country you´re never far from the next town, pub, restaurant, national park or the next impressive castle on your hit list of highlights.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀
“From the breathtaking geological wonders of the north coast to the gritty murals of Belfast, Northern Ireland is full of a dramatic beauty that beckons to the traveller. [...] The regional capital, Belfast, has shrugged off its bomb-scarred past and reinvented itself as one of the most exciting and dynamic cities in Britain... You can explore the tensions as they´re expressed today on a tour of the iconic neighbourhoods of West Belfast or in the province´s second city, Derry (or Londonderry), which is leading the north´s cultural revival. And it wouldn´t be Ireland if it didn´t have its fair share of stunning landscapes: from the Antrim Coast and its world-famous Giant´s Causeway to the mountains of Mourne in south County Down.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₁
“Like a fine single malt, Scotland is a connoisseur´s delight - a blend of stunning scenery and sophisticated cities, salt-tanged sea air and dark peaty waters, outdoor adventure and deep history. Scotland harbours some of the largest areas of wilderness left in Western Europe, a wildlife haven where you can see golden eagles soar above the lochs and mountains of the northern Highlands, spot otters tumbling in the kelp along the shores of the Outer Hebrides, and watch minke whales breach through shoals of mackerel off the coast of Mull. It´s also a land with a rich, multilayered history, a place where every corner of the landscape is steeped in the past - a deserted croft on an island shore, a moor that was once a battlefield, a beach where Vikings hauled their boats ashore, or a cave that once sheltered Bonnie Prince Charlie.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₂
“The phrase `good things come in small packages´ may be a cliché, but in the case of Wales it´s undeniably true. Compact but geologically diverse, Wales offers myriad opportunities for escaping into nature. It may not be wild in the classic sense - humans have been shaping this land for millennia - but there are plenty of lonely corners to explore, lurking behind mountains, within river valleys and along surf-battered cliffs. An extensive network of paths makes Wales a hiker´s paradise. Even more untamed are the islands scattered just off the coast, some of which are important wildlife sanctuaries. Castles are... absolutely everywhere. You could visit a different one every day for a year and still not see them all.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₃

2. UK National and Social Development

#economics #human_development

UN HDI (2016)₁₄
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₁₄
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
4	Germany	4
5	Denmark	5
	...
13	New Zealand	13
14	Sweden	14
15	Liechtenstein	15
16	UK	16
17	Japan	17
18	S. Korea	18
	Europe Avg	38.8
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2011)₁₅
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₅
1	Qatar	$129 916
2	Singapore	$78 162
3	Kuwait	$76 075
4	Liechtenstein	$75 065
5	Brunei	$72 843
	...
23	Belgium	$41 243
24	Finland	$38 868
25	France	$38 085
26	UK	$37 931
27	Japan	$37 268
28	Bahrain	$37 236
	Europe Avg	$30 457
	World Avg	$17 240
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₆_,₁₇
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₆_,₁₇
1	Norway	30.8
2	Denmark	31.8
3	Sweden	33.9
4	Taiwan	34.0
5	Netherlands	35.0
	...
11	Iceland	39.3
12	Switzerland	39.8
13	Luxembourg	40.4
14	UK	40.7
15	Australia	42.1
16	Japan	43.2
	Europe Avg	60.1
	World Avg	88.0
q=195.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. UK's Demographics

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

The UK's population is predicted to rise to 69.31 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.87. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Population (2018)₂
Pos.		Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
4	Indonesia	267.7m
5	Pakistan	212.2m
	...
18	Turkey	82.3m
19	Iran	81.8m
20	Thailand	69.4m
21	UK	67.1m
22	France	65.0m
23	Italy	60.6m
	Europe Avg	14.9m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy (2015)₁₅
Pos.		Higher is better Years₁₅
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
4	Singapore	83.21
5	Switzerland	83.13
	...
24	Ireland	81.05
25	Finland	81.01
26	Belgium	80.98
27	UK	80.85
28	Malta	80.73
29	Slovenia	80.58
	Europe Avg	78.36
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Fertility Rate (2013)₁₈
Pos.		2.0 is best₁₈
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
17	Denmark	1.88
18	Bahamas	1.88
19	Finland	1.87
20	UK	1.87
21	New Zealand	2.15
22	Azerbaijan	2.16
	Europe Avg	1.61
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Per 100₁₉
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
4	Burkina Faso	04.7
5	Sierra Leone	04.8
	...
152	Romania	33.6
153	USA	33.8
154	New Zealand	34.9
155	UK	35.0
156	Barbados	35.6
157	Lithuania	36.0
	Europe Avg	35.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants (2017)₂₀
Pos.		%₂₀
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
4	Liechtenstein	65.1%
5	Monaco	54.9%
	...
39	St Kitts & Nevis	13.7%
40	Seychelles	13.6%
41	Croatia	13.4%
42	UK	13.4%
43	Latvia	13.2%
44	Spain	12.8%
	Europe Avg	13.7%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants (2010)₂₁
Pos.		%₂₁
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
4	Grenada	65.5%
5	St Kitts & Nevis	61.1%
	...
81	Paraguay	7.9%
82	Russia	7.9%
83	Mali	7.6%
84	UK	7.5%
85	Honduras	7.5%
86	Austria	7.1%
	Europe Avg	13.4%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance #UK

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)₂₂_,₂₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₂_,₂₃
1	Sweden	9.9
2	Denmark	14.7
3	Norway	15.5
4	Netherlands	16.5
5	New Zealand	19.0
	...
14	Belgium	26.1
15	Germany	26.8
16	Uruguay	26.9
17	UK	27.9
18	Taiwan	28.2
19	Spain	29.9
	Europe Avg	51.7
	World Avg	89.0
q=199.

When it comes to ensuring human rights and freedom, The UK leads the world, setting excellent examples. The UK performs the best in terms of commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₄. It comes in the best 20 for supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₅, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₆ (one of the best in Europe) and in LGBT equality₂₇. And finally, it does better than average in terms of opposing gender inequality₂₈, supporting press freedom₂₉, speed of uptake of HR treaties₃₀, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₃₁ (but low for Europe) and in freethought₃₂. There are "significant concerns" for the protections of Brits living abroad, and for long-term EU nationals living in the UK₃₃, as popularist rhetoric surrounding a "no deal" Brexit would result in loss of access to pensions and elements of justice and welfare services for up to 10 million Brits throughout the EU₃₄.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in the UK

5. Health

#health #obesity #UK #UK_health

Health (2020)₃₅_,₃₆
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₅_,₃₆
1	Hong Kong	18.0
2	Singapore	41.5
3	Maldives	43.3
4	Japan	50.9
5	S. Korea	52.0
	...
48	Tunisia	80.0
49	Slovakia	80.1
50	Israel	80.8
51	UK	80.9
52	Hungary	81.0
53	Brazil	81.0
	Europe Avg	83.5
	World Avg	92.3
q=187.

The UK's National Security Risk Assessment output classes the state of the UK public health as a Tier 1 national risk, the most potent of the three categories₃₇. It's a well-known and high-profile issue; half of all science stories in the UK media are medical₃₈ although many of the claims made are dubious₃₈.The UK does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. The UK comes in the best 20 for its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₉. It does better than average in its average life expectancy₁₅, its suicide rate₄₀, its adolescent birth rate₂₈ (but bad for Europe), its fertility rate₁₈ (but bad for Europe) and in its immunizations take-up₄₁. The UK does not succeed in everything, however. The UK does worse than average in terms of its smoking rate₄₂ (yet still one of the best in Europe) and in its alcohol consumption rate₄₃. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

The United Kingdom Suffers as a Result of Poor National Health

6. UK's Modernity and Learning

#education #english #intelligence #it_security #maths #modernity #politics #religion #research #science #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2020)₄₄
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₄
1	Finland	8.0
2	Belgium	9.1
3	Denmark	10.0
4	Sweden	13.3
5	Switzerland	14.9
6	Estonia	14.9
7	Czechia	15.5
8	UK	15.8
9	Ireland	16.4
10	Norway	16.6
11	Germany	17.1
12	Netherlands	18.6
13	Austria	18.9
	Europe Avg	33.3
q=44.

Modernity and Learning (2020)₄₄
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₄
1	Finland	8.0
2	Belgium	9.1
3	Denmark	10.0
4	Sweden	13.3
5	Australia	14.8
6	Switzerland	14.9
7	Estonia	14.9
8	Czechia	15.5
9	New Zealand	15.6
10	UK	15.8
11	Ireland	16.4
12	Norway	16.6
13	Germany	17.1
	World Avg	69.0
q=180.

Modernity and Education:

Research and Development (2016)
Pos.		Higher is better % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₄₅
2	Israel	4.11₄₅
3	Japan	3.58₄₅
4	Finland	3.17₄₅
5	Sweden	3.16₄₅
	...
18	Netherlands	1.97₄₅
19	Iceland	1.89₄₅
20	Norway	1.70₄₅
21	UK	1.70₄₅
22	Canada	1.61₄₅
23	Ireland	1.52₄₅
	Europe Avg	1.32
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education (2018)₄₆
Pos.		Higher is better₄₆
1	Luxembourg	100.0%
2	Estonia	100.0%
3	Austria	100.0%
4	Canada	100.0%
5	Finland	100.0%
	...
50	Cuba	87.4%
51	Poland	85.3%
52	Belgium	84.8%
53	UK	84.5%
54	Jordan	84.0%
55	France	83.5%
	Europe Avg	88.3%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling (2018)₄₇
Pos.		Higher is better Years₄₇
1	Australia	22.1
2	Belgium	19.7
3	Finland	19.3
4	Iceland	19.2
5	Denmark	19.1
	...
10	Netherlands	18.0
11	Spain	17.9
12	Argentina	17.6
13	UK	17.4
14	Slovenia	17.4
15	Greece	17.3
	Europe Avg	16.0
	World Avg	13.2
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
4	Denmark	4
5	UK	5
6	Austria	6
7	Finland	7
8	Netherlands	8
9	Belgium	9
10	Slovenia	10
11	Switzerland	11
12	New Zealand	12
	Europe Avg	31.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Maths, Science & Reading (2015)₄₈
Pos.		Higher is better Score₄₈
1	Singapore	1655
2	Hong Kong	1598
3	Japan	1586
4	Macau	1582
5	Estonia	1573
	...
20	Belgium	1508
21	Vietnam	1507
22	Australia	1507
23	UK	1499
24	Portugal	1491
25	France	1487
	Europe Avg	1417
	World Avg	1389
q=70.

Religiosity (2009)₄₉
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₉
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
4	Japan	24
5	Hong Kong	24
6	UK	27
7	France	30
8	Vietnam	30
9	Russia	34
10	Belarus	34
11	Latvia	39
12	Luxembourg	39
	Europe Avg	55.2
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

IQ (2006)₅₀
Pos.		Higher is better₅₀
1	Hong Kong	108
2	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
4	Japan	105
5	Taiwan	105
	...
11	Netherlands	100
12	Norway	100
13	Austria	100
14	UK	100
15	New Zealand	99
16	Poland	99
	Europe Avg	96.6
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users (2016)₅₁
Pos.		Higher is better₅₁
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
4	Bermuda	97%
5	Andorra	97%
	...
9	Netherlands	94%
10	Sweden	93%
11	Monaco	93%
12	UK	93%
13	Finland	93%
14	Qatar	92%
	Europe Avg	76.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet (2012)₅₂
Pos.		Lower is better₅₂
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
4	Australia	18
5	Hungary	19
6	Philippines	23
7	Italy	23
8	UK	25
9	S. Africa	26
10	Argentina	26
11	Ukraine	27
12	Brazil	27
	Europe Avg	31.4
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security (2013)₅₃
Pos.		Lower is better₅₃
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
4	Hong Kong	0.12
5	Mexico	0.16
	...
58	Turkmenistan	1.23
59	Kazakhstan	1.23
60	Djibouti	1.29
61	UK	1.34
62	Mongolia	1.42
63	Uganda	1.44
	Europe Avg	0.80
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

IPv6 Uptake (2017)₅₄
Pos.		Higher is better Ratio₅₄
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
4	USA	35.0
5	Greece	33.5
6	Luxembourg	32.4
7	India	26.8
8	Portugal	26.6
9	Ireland	26.1
10	UK	24.7
11	Japan	22.1
12	France	18.8
	Europe Avg	8.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

7. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

World Giving Index (2013-2021)₅₅
Pos.		Lower is better₅₅
1	Myanmar (Burma)	2.7
2	New Zealand	4.0
3	USA	4.7
4	Australia	4.9
5	Indonesia	9.0
6	Qatar	9.0
7	UK	9.3
8	Ireland	9.6
9	Canada	10.1
10	UAE	11.6
11	Bahrain	11.7
12	Kenya	12.0
	Europe Avg	75.2
	World Avg	67.9
q=160.

Corruption (2012-2016)₅₆
Pos.		Higher is better Avg Score₅₆
1	Denmark	90.8
2	New Zealand	90.6
3	Finland	89.4
4	Sweden	88.2
5	Norway	86.0
	...
11	Australia	80.8
12	Germany	79.6
13	Iceland	79.2
14	UK	78.0
15	Belgium	76.0
16	Hong Kong	75.6
	Europe Avg	57.63
	World Avg	43.05
q=176.

Happiness (2018)₅₇
Pos.		Higher is better₅₇
1	Finland	7.6
2	Norway	7.6
3	Denmark	7.6
4	Iceland	7.5
5	Switzerland	7.5
	...
16	Belgium	6.9
17	Luxembourg	6.9
18	USA	6.9
19	UK	6.8
20	UAE	6.8
21	Czechia	6.7
	Europe Avg	6.06
	World Avg	5.38
q=156.

Creativity and Culture (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
4	Switzerland	4
5	Sweden	5
6	Denmark	6
7	Austria	7
8	Ireland	8
9	Czechia	9
10	Luxembourg	10
11	UK	11
12	Portugal	12
	Europe Avg	35.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid and Development (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
4	Netherlands	4
5	Switzerland	5
	...
32	Barbados	32
33	Mongolia	33
34	Spain	34
35	UK	35
36	Italy	36
37	Estonia	37
	Europe Avg	42.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

11.1. Statistics

#religion_in_uk

Global Peace Index (2021)₅₈
Pos.		Lower is better₅₈
1	Iceland	1.10
2	New Zealand	1.25
3	Denmark	1.26
4	Portugal	1.27
5	Slovenia	1.32
	...
30	Estonia	1.61
31	Spain	1.62
32	Italy	1.65
33	UK	1.66
34	Taiwan	1.66
35	Latvia	1.69
	Europe Avg	1.69
	World Avg	2.08
q=163.

Peacekeeping and Security (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
4	Egypt	4
5	Nigeria	5
	...
45	Bolivia	45
46	Burkina Faso	46
47	Philippines	47
48	UK	48
49	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	49
50	Ireland	50
	Europe Avg	84.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees and UN Treaties (2017)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₉
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
4	Sweden	4
5	Malta	5
	...
9	Denmark	9
10	Switzerland	10
11	Canada	11
12	UK	12
13	Belgium	13
14	Italy	14
	Europe Avg	37.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism (2019)₅₉
Pos.		Lower is better Score₅₉
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
4	Equatorial Guinea	0.00
5	Cambodia	0.00
	...
120	Bangladesh	5.21
121	Saudi Arabia	5.24
122	Ethiopia	5.35
123	UK	5.41
124	Burkina Faso	5.42
125	Myanmar (Burma)	5.51
	Europe Avg	1.62
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

11.2. Northern Ireland₆₀

#climate_change #environmentalism #religion_in_uk #UK

Northern Ireland is a portion of the island of Eire that has remained under British rule since, when in the 1920s, the rest of the Island was granted independence as Britain dismantled its empire. The Protestants of Northern Ireland refused to part, claiming by majority that they would remain part of the UK despite the mainland's wish to leave. The resulting conflict has had the British government pinned down, with feelings running very deep on all sides and militant actions by freedom fighters, terrorists and even government forces all stirring the "the troubles". Sometimes intense criticism of Britain comes from Irish voices who either want the UK out, sometimes it comes from those who want to stop the UK from leaving. It's a no-win situation. At its worst, it verged on civil war, and at its best, peace is obtained largely because both sides have stopped making progress, and the adherence to common EU markets meant that borders could be ignored.

“The 'troubles' began in 1968 when a civil rights movement created by the Roman Catholic minority flared into violent protest in Londonderry. [...] The IRA's campaign extended even to the mainland, where not only army establishments, but civilian targets too, were attacked with bombs.”
"Conflict in Peace 1963-1999" by John Strawson (1994)₆₁

9. The Natural Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

Forest Area Change 1990-2015 (2015)₆₂
Pos.		Higher is better %₆₂
1	Iceland	+205.6
2	Bahrain	+144.4
3	Uruguay	+131.3
4	Kuwait	+81.2
5	Dominican Rep.	+79.5
	...
34	Chile	+16.2
35	Hungary	+14.0
36	Morocco	+13.7
37	UK	+13.2
38	Denmark	+12.6
39	Lithuania	+12.1
	Europe Avg	+15.0
	World Avg	+02.8
q=184.

Environmental Performance (2018)₆₃
Pos.		Higher is better₆₃
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
4	Malta	80.9
5	Sweden	80.5
6	UK	79.9
7	Luxembourg	79.1
8	Austria	79.0
9	Ireland	78.8
10	Finland	78.6
11	Iceland	78.6
12	Spain	78.4
	Europe Avg	69.6
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency (2014)₆₄
Pos.		Higher is better₆₄
1	Hong Kong	26.32
2	Sri Lanka	20.00
3	Panama	17.86
4	Colombia	17.54
5	Ireland	17.54
	...
11	Denmark	14.93
12	Peru	14.49
13	Uruguay	14.08
14	UK	13.89
15	Costa Rica	13.51
16	Philippines	13.51
	Europe Avg	09.80
	World Avg	09.29
q=119.

Convention on Biological Diversity
Pos.		Earlier is better Signed
1	China	1993 Dec 29
2	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
3	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
4	Vanuatu	1993 Dec 29
5	Papua New Guinea	1993 Dec 29
	...
58	Luxembourg	1994 Aug 07
59	Georgia	1994 Aug 31
60	Egypt	1994 Aug 31
61	UK	1994 Sep 01
62	Chad	1994 Sep 05
63	Gambia	1994 Sep 08
	Europe Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment (2011)₆₅
Pos.		Higher is better %₆₅
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
4	Trinidad & Tobago	74.5%
5	Costa Rica	74.2%
	...
122	Netherlands	23.0%
123	Finland	22.9%
124	Congo, DR	22.8%
125	UK	22.6%
126	Malawi	22.0%
127	UAE	20.8%
	Europe Avg	33.6%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Taking into account the long-term costs of climate change, it is the Green Party in the UK that are pushing for the most sensible policies on combatting climate change. Equally unsurprisingly, closest to them are the centrist Liberal Democrats. Unfortunately, these two parties do not enjoy a great many voters. Although the Labour Party do have some good policies, it's the Conservative party, which has been in power more than any other party in recent decades, that sets the rules. They are held back by leadership that lacks an ethical framework, and, a large number of climate skeptics. Many of its politicians are influenced directly by fossil fuel contributions to the party and some of these congrgate in the backwards "Global Warming Policy Foundation", members including climate idiots such as Nigel Lawson and Steve Baker₆₆.

Even worse than the Conservatives are the UK's true denialists, who can be found in fringe parties such as UKIP₆₇, the racist British National Party (who describe the global evidence for climate change as a 'left wing conspiracy')₆₇ and Reform UK (a rebranding of the Brexit Party). Thankfully these parties have little influence.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy (2019)₆₈
Pos.		Higher is worse₆₈
184	Chad	40.90
183	Central African Rep.	40.10
182	Sierra Leone	39.00
181	Somalia	38.90
180	Nigeria	37.10
	...
32	Poland	4.30
31	Croatia	4.30
30	Hungary	4.20
29	UK	4.10
28	Germany	3.80
27	France	3.80
	Europe Avg	4.86
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) (2017)₆₉
Pos.		Lower is better %₆₉
1	Ukraine	25.0
2	Belarus	25.4
3	Slovenia	25.4
4	Czechia	25.9
5	Moldova	25.9
	...
41	Tunisia	32.8
42	Mali	33.0
43	Bosnia & Herzegovina	33.0
44	UK	33.2
45	Pakistan	33.5
46	Armenia	33.6
	Europe Avg	31.5
	World Avg	38.1
q=152.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#afterlife #belief #buddhism #christianity #god #heaven #hell #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religion_in_uk #universalism

Religion in the United Kingdom: Diversity, Trends and Decline: Statistical and analytical review of mainstream and minority faiths in the UK

Religiosity (2009)₄₉
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₉
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
4	Japan	24
5	Hong Kong	24
6	UK	27
7	France	30
8	Vietnam	30
9	Russia	34
10	Belarus	34
11	Latvia	39
12	Luxembourg	39
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

Disbelief In God (2007)₇₀
Pos.		Higher is better %₇₀
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
4	Czechia	61
5	Estonia	49
6	Denmark	48
7	France	44
8	Belgium	43
9	Netherlands	42
10	Germany	42
11	UK	42
12	Cuba	40
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₇₁:

Christian	71.1%
Muslim	4.4%
Hindu	1.3%
Buddhist	0.4%
Folk Religion	0.3%
Jew	0.5%
Unaffiliated	21.3%

By adding up the Pew Forum data for the major monotheistic religions we can see that these make up 76% of the population. Yet there are simply too many who disbelieve in God for this to be true (42%). This is due to the so-called 'Census Effect', whereby many put down a religion for cultural reasons rather than because it reflects their beliefs. In highly Christian countries, as many as half of those who say they're a Christian lack any connection to a Church, and do not hold Christian beliefs (such as believing in God!).

It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 78% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 27% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".

For more on this phenomenon, see:

"Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

The Afterlife: Ipsos-NA in 2011 gathered some statistics on UK₇₂. Despite the large numbers of Christians, not many have traditional beliefs in the afterlife - just 10%. More people don't know what to believe (32%). Some believe that upon death, you simply cease to exist (31%). Also, 3% specifically believe in heaven but not in hell (which is nice - making them possible "universalists"). 5% believe in reincarnation.

With over 170 distinct religions counted, the religious make-up of the UK is diverse, complex and multicultural. The 2011 Census shows that minority and alternative religions are steadily growing, as is Islam (at 5% of the population). Less than half of the British people believe in a god and from 2009 the annual British Social Attitudes results has revealed that over 50% aren't religious₇₃. A 2014 YouGov poll saw 77% of the British public say they're not very, or not at all, religious₇₄. Comprehensive professional research in 2006 by Tearfund found that 66% of the people of the UK have no connection with any religion or church₇₅.

However, people continue to put down what they think is their "official" religion on official forms. As a result of this Census Effect in the 2011 National Census, 59.3% of us put their religion down as "Christian"₇₆. Half of those who say they have no religion to pollsters still put one down on the 2011 Census. Even despite this, Christian numbers are substantially down from the 2001 figure of 72%. Religion in Britain has suffered an immense general decline since the 1950s. Between 1979 and 2005, half of all Christians stopped going to church on a Sunday. Four in five Britons want religion to be private, not public, and have no place in politics₇₇. All indicators show a continued secularisation of British society in line with other European countries such as France.

Link:

"Religion in the United Kingdom: Diversity, Trends and Decline" by Vexen Crabtree (2020)

Freedom of Religion and Belief:

Links:

12. Christian Child Abuse in the UK (partial coverage up until 2008)₇₈

National abuse unit for Church (BBC News 2001)
Police investigating that a known paedophile resumed as a priest in 1985 (BBC News 2000)
Catholic church shaken by sex scandals (BBC News 2002)

The United Kingdom has seen many cases of paedophile priests, including many cases where Bishops and other senior Christians have protected paedophiles, moving them from post to post when accusations surface.

Child abuse priest housed by Church (BBC News 2002)
Archbishop defends paedophile move (BBC News 2000)
Father Michael Hill was a known paedophile, who was jailed for a 20-year span of sexual child abuse. "Archbishop Cormac Murphy-O'Connor ignored the advice of doctors and therapists that Father Michael Hill would carry on assaulting children" and reinstated him in 1985. Father Michael Hill then went on to indecently assault more altar boys before being jailed in 1997. His other victims included retards and homeless boys. When he was released, the Church again took him back under its wing, and he lived rent-free in a £100,000 flat a few minutes from a primary school. The Church argued that it wanted him to be in a position where they could supervise him, but I rather think that the Church is last organisation I'd trust to 'supervise' a paedophile, and, that when people give to church they'd rather their money went to good causes. Not many working people can even afford such a flat!
UK Church ignoring rules on child abuse (BBC News 1999)
An investigation a year earlier, in 1999, found similar results: "An investigation for Radio 5 Live found one priest under investigation who was still working. Another, recently suspended, was allowed to work in a primary school while under suspicion of abusing children. He had been accused of abuse twice before. Since 1996, six priests have been convicted of child abuse. In each case, the church knew of previous allegations". This was before the horrific explosion of exposés that occurred in 2002, when the world truly learnt that paedophilia and child abuse was rife within the Christian hierarchy.
London's Ealing Abbey and St Benedicts School: "The Charity Commission has issued an unusually strongly-worded criticism of the monks of Ealing Abbey in west London, when one of their number, who was known to have abused children, was allowed to have contact with a teenager at the abbey, who he then sexually assaulted. "Father" David Pearce, a former head teacher at St Benedict's Junior School, was jailed in October after he belatedly admitted 10 indecent assaults and one sexual assault. Complaints of abuse against Pearce had already been heard in a civil court and damages were awarded against him. He was allowed to return to the Abbey, but was arrested in 2008 for sexually assaulting a sixth-form pupil who was employed to wash up for the monks. [...] The report said that the Diocese of Westminster was well aware of the allegations against Pearce and had told the trustees to keep him away from children or young people. The trustees failed to do this, and the consequent assault took place"₇₉.
As of 2011 November, two perpetrators of sex crimes against children have been convicted, and another has jumped bail. In 2009 Oct, Father David Pearce "was jailed for eight years over a string of sex attacks on five young boys, four under 14, at St Benedict's over a period of 36 years. Earlier this month police revealed they were hunting a Catholic cleric wanted over allegations of child abuse reported to date back to when he taught at St Benedict's. Father Laurence Soper, who was abbot of Ealing Abbey from 1991 to 2000, failed to return to a police station for questioning. He is believed to have been living in a monastery in Rome and was due to return to London to answer bail in March, but he failed to turn up".₈₀
Buckfast Abbey in Devon was under investigation for clerical child abuse, and the Catholic Church had appointed Christopher Jarvis to lead their inquiry. "The scale of abuse now being uncovered at Buckfast Abbey is disturbing. Paul Crouch 'Father Benedict' had already been jailed for ten years in 2007 for a string of offences with boys stretching over 20 years. One victim had been 'so terrified that he hid in his locker' and had 'complained to the school Matron in 1987', After an internal investigation, Crouch was allowed to carry on teaching and the police were not alerted. Father William Manahan, called 'Daddy Prior', was jailed, also in 2007, for 15 months for abuse between 1971 and 1978". Unfortunately, the safeguarding officer Chris Jarvis has now himself been jailed "for having 4,000 child abuse images on his work laptop computer, including ten involving sadistic violence, the most serious category"₈₁ and including making and distributing child porn₈₀.
That's not quite the end due to another case unrelated to Buckfast Abbey. A now-deceased monk Father Edward Stewart 'is alleged to have repeatedly abused a young boy over three years. Even worse is that it has become clear that Stewart was moved around parishes in Britain and Scandinavia despite (and of course because of) 'frequent complaints about his behaviour'.'
Buckfast Abbey brought in a replacement safeguarding co-ordinator, Father James Courtney, who has happened to previously 'discovered a trunk of photographs of adolescent boys engaged in sexual activities belonging to Stewart but neither he nor the Abbot reported them to the police, and the incriminating material was destroyed.' Such inactivity in the face of such serious immoral and criminal behaviour is hardly a good sign for a safety officer whose job it is to look after children's welfare against sexual abuse, especially as that person is replacing the previous safeguarding officer because he's been convicted for the type of offense he was supposed to be stopping!₈₁
Keith Porteous Wood of the National Secular Society again highlighted his common-sense argument that no-one in the Church should be a child protection officer, and that all current plans to try to curb child abuse by Church officials lack independence.

[ + Further Cases + ]

Clergy suicide during sex abuse investigation (The Guardian 2003)

John Pugh, 54 was a minister of the United Reformed church in Stowmarket, Suffolk. Accused of indecently assaulting a teenage boy on multiple occasions, he committed suicide rather than try to defend himself in court.

Child porn charge priest in court (BBC News 2002)
Priest jailed on child porn charge (BBC News 2003)

The Dean of Reading, the Catholic priest "Michael O'Kelly, 46, appeared at Newbury Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with possessing indecent photographs of children" (BBC News 2002). He was found with 18,000 indecent photographs of children that were "disturbing, degrading and disgusting" and spent up to £1500 a month downloading these images and talking in chat rooms. He described it as his "guilty secret" and said he couldn't control it.

Eight years' jail for sex priest (BBC News 2000)

"Father Jordan, who was Cardiff City Football Club's chaplain, kept a hoard of hard core child porn on a personal computer at his presbytery in St Helen's church, Barry". This Roman Catholic priest was eventually convicted for 8 years for a "string of sex offences" including indecent assault. But a major complication was the fact that when the investigation started, someone in the Church warned him a week before he was arrested. He used the time to hide evidence - it was months after the (first) trial before police knew of the Priests computer, which contained hundreds of pictures of boys.

Abuse inquiry at top Catholic school (BBC News 2000)

Father David Martin was a chaplain at Catholic school in London. An investigation into 6 cases of abuse in the attached Church follows even though he died from a disease related to a STD which he was alleged to also have passed on to two of his victims.

Paedophile cases haunt the church (BBC News 2000)

"In October 1999, Pope John Paul II sacked Father John Lloyd, who raped a 16-year-old girl and indecently assaulted two altar boys in south Wales".

Paedophile priest jailed (BBC News 1998)

The paedophile Roman Catholic priest, Father Eric Taylor, was convicted on 16 charges of indecent assault. He worked at an Orphanage in Staffordshire. He already had previous convictions for indecent assault in 1975, where he abused four boys at his vicarage. Some of his victims had committed suicide "because they could not live with what the priest had done to them".

Father Anthony McSweeney, a Catholic priest aged 68, was under investigation for abusing 3 boys. He owned a "large collection" of gay porn, which he admitted to Southwark Crown Court, and, John Stingemore, a friend, had previously shown him porn including some child porn, and he did not think to do anything about it, and did not tell anyone about it, even though Mr Stingemore is a care home manager.₈₂. Together, they preyed on children at Grafton Close children's home in Hounslow, London. McSweeney was also "a member of the governing body of a Catholic school. [...] He was also found guilty of three counts of making indecent images of children between 2012 and 2013". Two Bishops in the Catholic Church had "ignored at least two clear warning signs of his sexual interest in children" but he was merely made subject to internal disciplinary procedures - he was sent for therapy and not reported to the police. He was jailed for three years.₈₃. If the Bishops involved acted properly, the police could have obtained more timely evidence and the conviction could have been somewhat longer, and sooner.

For more, see:

"Organized Coverups of Sexual Child Abuse by Priests, Clergy and Christian Institutions" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

13. Brexit

#belgium #brexit #EU #france #netherlands #politics #UK

The UK's population faced a referendum in June 2016 on membership of the EU. The results were very close, with Leave winning by just a 2% margin (37% Voted Leave, 35% Voted Remain), but many news (and government) outlets scale up the difference by ignoring the "don't knows", and citing "Leave" as "the will of the people"₈₄.

Also in June 2016, the EU appointed Michel Barnier to lead a team of legal experts. A full year later, he complained that the UK had still not appointed a representative to talk to him₈₅. The UK arrived late and unprepared for negotiations, and engaged in a series of embarrassing and harmful name-calling tactics, publicly insulting the very people they were trying to negotiate with₈₆. A month into talks, and Mr Barnier is still trying to ascertain what the UK's stance is on most issues₈₇. The UK government has been surprised by simple facts: It argued that Euratom's treaty only covers uranium even whilst its own scientific advisors cried out that hospitals need Euratom to source medical isotopes from Belgium, the Netherlands and France as the UK doesn't have the specialist nuclear reactors to make its own₈₈. And as July 2017 drew to a close, the UK government finally thought to commission a year-long investigation on the economic and employment ramifications of losing EU workers. Most other responsible governments would have engaged in a fact-finding mission before making the most important decision made for 40 years. Even in 2019, when a last minute "here are the effects you need to prepare for" document was released, the title of the document was "[Insert title of report]".

Most of the prominent "Brexiteers" have themselves exited the scene₈₉, leaving a void filled with politicians who are pursuing a policy they don't think is good for their own country.

But before the people rise up against all this disorganisation, it is worth noting that it is not just Conservative politicians who are uninformed about the EU; in 2016 researchers found that the UK's citizens were the least knowledgeable about the EU₉₀. After the vote, humorously, data released by Google shows that ... well, the Washington Post summarized it the best: "The British are frantically Googling what the E.U. is, hours after voting to leave it". The UK has suffered from many high-profile long-term campaigns ran by sensationalist newspapers that have managed to misinform the masses on almost every aspect of EU involvement with the UK₉₁_,₉₂.