The United Kingdom is an island country settled in the northwestern coast of mainland Europe. The United Kingdom includes the whole of the British Isles, including England, Wales, and Scotland as well as Northern Ireland. Britain is commonly referred to as United Kingdom as a whole. London which is the capital of the United Kingdom, is one of the world’s leading commercial, financial, and cultural centers, and is a major tourist destination. Other major cities in the UK include Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Belfast, Londonderry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Swansea and Cardiff in Wales.