The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation.
The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic's withdrawal from the union.
At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science.