| Climate United Kingdom :
| temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast
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| Terrain United Kingdom :
| mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in east and southeast
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| Elevation extremes lowest United Kingdom :
| The Fens -4 m
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| Elevation extremes highest United Kingdom :
| Ben Nevis 1,343 m
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| Natural resources United Kingdom :
| coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate, arable land
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| Land use arableland United Kingdom :
| 23,46%
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| Irrigated land United Kingdom :
| 1,080 sq km (1998 est.)
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| Natural hazards United Kingdom :
| winter windstorms; floods
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| Environment current issues United Kingdom :
| continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to meet the legally binding target and move towards a domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government aims to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015; between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling increased from 8.8% to 10.3%
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| Geography note United Kingdom :
| lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters
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