ECONOMY
/ STATISTICS
Over the last three years inflation has
continued to grow, 1.6% in 1993, 2.5% in 1994 and
3.4% in 1995.
GREAT BRITAIN (Source of information (1995)
Scottish Abstract of Statistics and Central
Statistical Office (CSO)) :
Great Britain is listed among the leading
industrial countries in the world.
The agricultural sector contributes 2% of the Gross
National Product (GNP), mining and industry 38% and
the service industry, the biggest sector, is 60% of
the GNP.
The main mining sectors are coal, a production of
50,600 tons, petrol (125,000 tons) and natural gas
(75.4 billion m3).
In 1995 external commerce represented £127,000
million of manufactured products exported.
In 1995 the working population was estimated at
24,572,000 for a 8.2% rate of unemployment.
The largest part of the population lives in the
countryside compared to 43.8% who live in the
towns.
The growth rate for 1995 is 2.6%.
The Gross Domestic Product for the year 1995 came
to £509.2 billion , that is a GDP of
£17,500 per inhabitant.
SCOTLAND (Source of information (1995) Scottish
Abstract of Statistics and Central Statistical
Office (CSO)) :
In the 1995 census, the working population was made
up of 2,202,000 inhabitants. On the other hand the
unemployment rate the same year was 7.9%.
Since 1982 the GDP in Scotland has gone up by 115%.
In 1995 it represented 46 billion pounds, that is
£17,265 per person.
A crisis was avoided due to a rise of 14.7% in
manufactured products between 1993 and 1994.
Economic growth for 1995 was 2.7%.
The external commerce in 1995 totalled £11,500
million of exported manufactured products.
The principal sectors destined for export are
office automation (34% in 1994), electronics (15%),
whisky (15%),
chemical products (10%), mechanical products (6%),
drinks and food (3%).
The sector of electrical appliances, electronics
and office automation made up half the Scottish
exports.
Whisky production rose by 14% in 1994.
AGRICULTURE
The agricultural sector is an important
factor in the UK economy.
Animal breeding represents 63% of the agricultural
production : 29.3 million head of sheep, 11.7
million head of cattle and 7.9 million head of
pigs.
Over the last 10 years the number of cases of "Mad
Cow" disease have been estimated at
160,000, which only represents 1.4% of the British
livestock.
Agricultural production represents the other 37% of
the overall production, it is mainly made up of
wheat, cereals, barley and potatoes.
Forestry development covered 7 million
m3 in 1994. This is a protected sector
with a fixed limit.
The overall agricultural balance showed a deficit
of 16.3 billion dollars in 1994, that is 1.6% of
the GDP.
GREAT BRITAIN :
The agricultural sector only employs 2.3%
of the working population.
Barley (20%) and wheat (30%) are the main plant
products.
SCOTLAND :
Scotland's wealth is due to its whisky
production : exports are valued at £2.2
billion. It is exported to over 200 different
destinations.
The quality of Scottish animal breeding is very
high.
Scottish fishing makes up 75% of the total catch of
the UK. 2/3 of the catch is processed.
Scotland is the third biggest salmon breeder in the
world with a production of 50,000 tons a year (a
thriving sector).
INDUSTRY
UNITED KINGDOM (Source of
information from the Strategy Group, January 1996)
:
Between 1993 and 1995 the growth index of
industrial production showed 2%.
Mining and industy employ 29% of the English
population.
Great Britain is the leading mining country in
Europe and the 6th biggest in the world.
UK has a subsoil which is very rich in reserves of
energy products like coal, natural gas and petrol,
as well as tin and sulphur.
SCOTLAND :
During the third quarter of 1995 the Scottish
industrial production went up by 1.4%.
Between 1993 and 1995; the index grew 2.8%.
The sale of Scottish products in Paris (traditional
products like whisky, cashmere or salmon) rose by
145% in 1995 (Scotland the Brand, an organization
created and run by the Scottish Trade
International, Scottish Tourist Board, Highlands
and Islands Enterprise, British Council and the
private sector).
Scotland's main customers are the United States,
France and Germany (New York, Paris and
Hambourg).
The 'Silicon Glen' products have an important place
in Scottish exports, there exists 460 companies
employing 50,000 people.
Other developing sectors include the multimedia,
telecommunications and biotechnologies.
Since 1980 Scotland has become one of the principal
European centres in research and development and
production in the following domains :
-data processing
-electronics
-petrol high tech
- telecommunications
-defence systems
The software sector is represented by 300 companies
and employs 20,000 people (electronic games,
control systems, transatlantic air trafic security,
artificial intelligence or control
instruments).
Numerous foreign companies are present in the
electronic and computer science industries in
Scotland : IBM, Compaq Computers, Hewlett Packard,
NCR, NEC, JVC, Motorola, Honeywell Bull Information
Systems, Mitsubishi, etc.
In the Silicon Glen Scotland produces 11% of
semi-conductors, 33% of home computers, 50% of
automatic bank distributors, 60% of European
terminals and 20% software.
PETROL / GAS
The subsoil of the North Sea is rich in petrol
: 4 zones of exploitation have been developed :
Forties, Claysmore, Piper, Brent-Statfjord and
Frigg.
The total expenditure estimated by the petrol
companies for 1995-1999 was 44 million pounds and
covered development costs like construction,
platform installation, etc. Twenty -two new
drilling sites should be active before 1999 in the
northern sector and forty-seven in the southern
sector.
Twenty-eight sites for gas extraction will also be
set up.
There is a law limiting the quantity of foreign
equipment that can be used in the petrol
industry.
France is strongly represented by
Bouygues-offshore, Schlumberger, Coflexip, Ipedex
Production, ETPM, Forasol Foramer,
Géoservices, Stolt Comex and Cristal Protor.
In petrol production there is Total and
Elf-Aquitaine
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The Aberdeen Offshore Technology Park (AOTP),
the Institute of Engineering of the Heriot Watt
University in Edinburgh analyses risks and impacts
on the environment. The Petroleum Science and
Technology Institute manage £8 million coming
from 35 petrol companies destined for 50 R and D
projects.
In Scotland the engineering sector is very
developed, it is a reflection of the high level of
education (13 universities and 54 colleges). With
35% of its students doing science and
technology, Scotland has a highly skilled and high
level work force.
OTHER SECTORS
68.5% of the working population are
employed in the service industries.
The main commercial partners are the USA, France,
Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Japan.
SCOTLAND :
The Scottish banks are : the Royal Bank of
Scotland, Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale Bank and the
TSB Bank which has merged with Lloyds Bank.
The biggest Scottish insurance companies hold 20%
of the British insurance market. They manage funds
to a value of £90 billion (Standard Life, the
biggest member of a mutual insurance company in
Europe had an active of over £37 billion in
1994).
By the intermediary of investment companies with
fixed capital, the Scottish financial community
(composed also of independent fund managers)
manages funds from pension schemes and from open
investments. They are estimated at more than
£31 billion, essentially invested in long term
investments.
In 1995 the tourism sector noted a turnover of more
than £2 billion ( and more than 170,000
jobs).
THE POPULATION
GREAT BRITAIN :
The population of Great Britain was composed of
58,600,000 inhabitants in 1995 for a total surface
of 244,046 km2, that is 240 inhabitants
a square kilometer.
SCOTLAND :
Number of inhabitants : 5,120,000.
THE LANGUAGE
The official language is English. In Wales
the "Welsh Language Act" established in 1967 the
equality of the English and the Welsh languages in
workings of justice and public affairs.
In Northern Ireland some families speak Irish
Gaelic. On the Isle of Man and in Cornwall, Celtic
is still used, especially in a cultural domain. In
the Anglo-Norman islands (Jersey and Guernesey) a
provincial Norman dialect is still in use. French
is the official language in Jersey, but since 1945
English is the dominant language. In Guernsey
English is more commonly spoken.
RELIGION
Freedom of worship is practised. (91%
Protestants, 8% Catholics approx.) Great Britain
has a State Church, Anglican in England,
Presbyterian in Scotland.
WEIGHTS, MEASURES & VOLTAGE
The metric system was put into effect on
1st January 1978, but the people continue to use
the ancient English measures. You will sometimes
find the duodecimal system in use. The voltage is
240 volts - 50 hertz.
International adapters are available in the big
stores and in the airports, they are useful to use
French equipment.
MONEY - FINANCE
The pound sterling is the official
currency. It is divided into 100 pence. In 1994
£1 = 8.377 FF.
1 FF = £0.12. Exchange bureaus are available
in all the big towns. The Visa card is accepted in
nearly all the shops and restaurants.
PRINCIPAL TOWNS
London : The capital of Great Britain and
the Commonwealth. It is situated on the Thames and
has a population of 6,756,000. It has the main port
in the UK, which is the second biggest in Europe,
and is a very significant financial and commercial
centre.
Birmingham : On the Rea River, with a
population of 990,000. It is a major industrial
centre characterized by metallurgy and textile
industries.
Bristol : Situated in the county of
Gloucestershire, a port on the Avon. A pop. of
399,000. Naval and aeronautic construction. Food
and chemical industries.
Leeds : In the county of Yorkshire, there
are 711,000 inhabitants. Major centre of wool and
metallurgy.
Liverpool : On the Mersey estuary in the
county of Lancashire. Its port is the second
biggest in the country. A pop. of 730,000. Its main
industries are automobile metallurgy, chemicals,
textiles and food.
Manchester : Situated on the Irwell, pop. of
545,000. It is a large centre of textile
industries, especially cotton, metallurgy and
chemical industries.
Sheffield : 526,000 inhabitants.
Metallurgical centre (stainless steel,
cutlery).
Belfast : Capital of Northern Ireland. A
British port with a pop. of 345,800. The main local
activities are naval shipyards, the aeronautic
industry, textiles, petrol refineries and the
pneumatic industry.
Edinburgh : Capital of Scotland. Situated on
the Forth estuary, pop. 421,000. Famous for its
university and its different industries.
Glasgow : A major industrial city in
Scotland situated on the Clyde River. A busy port
with a pop. of 654,000. It is a commercial and
industrial centre with naval shipyards,
metallurgical and textile industries.
|
