FoxyLoxy said:
wow thats pretty weak, seems like theyre screwin themselves. not givin companies much incentive to do business in or with england. because eventually ppl (like you) are just gonna use the internet.
The UK does plenty of international trading thanks.
Did u know the USA is Britains biggest exporter.
Seeing as this thread seems to contain about 50 different topics and i've not posted yet i'd thought i'd share this
Quite an interesting read
What are Britain's main
Trade and Industries?
Britain's traditional industries included iron and steel production, coal mining and textiles.
The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares of any industrial nation.
Britain is the fourth largest trading nation in the world. Computers and robots have taken over much of the work people used to do by hand. Japanese car makers have built factories in Britain and now employ many people.
London is an important financial center of Europe and the world's largest insurance market.
GDP (GDP at current market prices, 2002): £1.04 trillion=($1.60 trillion).
Annual growth rate (2001): 2.0%.
Per capita GDP (2002): £16,428 ($25,300).
Industry
Our main industries today are banking and finance, steel, transport equipment, oil and gas, and tourism.
Types of Industry
Steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles, motor vehicles and aircraft, construction (5.2% of GDP), electronics, chemicals.
Industries in each area of England
Exports
Exports of goods and services - £185.9 billion
Products: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco.
The chemical industry is Britain's largest export earner. British Petroleum (BP) is Britain's biggest industrial company.
UK pharmaceutical companies make three of the world's best selling medicines: 'Zantac' (made by Glaxo Wellcome) for ulcer treatment; 'Tenormin' (ICI), a beta-blocker for high blood pressure; and 'AZT' (Glaxo Wellcome), a drug used in the treatment of AIDs.
Britain is also a major supplier of machinery, vehicles, aerospace products, electrical and electronic equipment. Britain is responsible for 10 per cent of the world's export of services, including banking, insurance, stockbroking, consultancy and computer programming.
Export Partners (2002):
US 15.5%,
Germany 11.2%,
France 9.4%,
Ireland 8%,
Netherlands 7.1%,
Belgium 5.2%,
Italy 4.4%,
Spain 4.3%
Imports
Imports of goods and services - £214.4 billion:
Products: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs.
Food, beverages and tobacco account for half of non-manufactured imports, whilst machinery and road vehicles account for two-thirds of finished imported manufactures. Other major imports include chemicals, fuels, clothing and footwear.
Import Partners (2002):
Germany 12.9%,
US 11.9%,
France 7.8%,
Netherlands 6.3%,
Belgium 5%,
Italy 4.4%
Natural resources:
Coal, oil, natural gas, tin, limestone, iron ore, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, lead, silica.