United Kingdom

Country in Europe

In brief

Access to electricity: 100% (2024). World rank 1 of 214 (1 = best); in Europe, 1 of 47. Air passengers per year: 118.9M (2023). World rank 7 of 163; in Europe, 2 of 38. Scientific articles per year: 97,536 (2023). World rank 5 of 197; in Europe, 2 of 45. From 2015 to 2025: electricity use 5,078 → 4,208 (kWh per person) and electricity from fossil fuels 53% → 32.2%. Better than all its neighbours (Ireland): home broadband per 100 people, electricity from renewables, research spending, and electricity from fossil fuels. Worse than all its neighbours (Ireland): using the internet and renewable share of energy use.

Internet and communications

Using the internet: 95.5% 2024
Mobile subscriptions per 100 people: 122 2024
Home broadband per 100 people: 42.2 2024
Internet domain: .uk

Energy

Access to electricity: 100% 2024
Electricity use, kWh per person: 4,208 2025
Renewable share of energy use: 12.2% 2021
Electricity from renewables: 40.2% 2021
Electricity from fossil fuels: 32.2% 2025
Mains voltage: 230 V
Plug types: G

Transport

Driving side: Left
Air passengers per year: 118,945,920 2023
Airports: 1,057 2025
Railways, km: 16,390 2020

Science and innovation

Research spending, share of GDP: 2.7% 2023
Researchers per million people: 4,473 2017
Scientific articles per year: 97,536 2023
Patent applications by residents: 11,105 2024
High-tech share of manufactured exports: 29.2% 2024