Short for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The UK currently consists of a few islands and bits of islands, mostly off the northwest coast of Europe. _And mostly rather soggy: see BritishWeather --TL_ In BenJeapes' book HisMajestysStarship, the UK consists entirely of a large spacecraft (in fact, the largest human spacecraft in existence) which roams the asteroid belt, supporting and supported by the mining industry. _supporting and supported by the mining industry? Was this book written in the 70s then?_ The North Will Rise!