of Lorn Headlands The geology of the United Kingdom is such that there are many headlands along its coast. A list of headlands of the United Kingdom details many of them. Tidal flats A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were of tidal flats in the United Kingdom, making it the 12th ranking country in terms of how much tidal flat occurs there. Islands In total, it is estimated that the UK is made up of over one thousand small islands, the majority located off the north and west coasts of Scotland. About 130 of these are inhabited according to the 2001 Census. The largest island in the UK is Great Britain. The largest islands by constituent country are Lewis and Harris in Scotland at , Wales' Anglesey at , the Isle of Wight in England at , and Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland at roughly ; Climate The climate of the UK is generally temperate, although significant local variation occurs, particularly as a result of altitude and distance from the coast. In general the south of the country is warmer than the north, and the west wetter than the east. Due to the warming influence of the Gulf Stream, the UK is significantly warmer than some other locations at a similar latitude, such as Newfoundland. The prevailing winds are southwesterly, from the North Atlantic Current. More than 50% of the days are overcast. There are few natural hazards, although there can be strong winds and floods, especially in winter. Average annual rainfall varies from over in the Scottish Highlands down to in Cambridge. The county of Essex is one of the driest in the UK, with an average annual rainfall of around , although it typically rains on over 100 days per year. In some years rainfall in Essex can be below , less than the average annual rainfall in Jerusalem and Beirut. The highest temperature recorded in the UK was at Coningsby in Lincolnshire, on 20 July 2022. The lowest was recorded at Braemar in the Grampian Mountains, Scotland, on 11 February 1895 and 10 January 1982 and Altnaharra, also in Scotland, on 30 December 1995. Human geography Demographics Political geography National government The UK is governed as a whole by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Of the four countries that make the UK, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved administrations and legislatures: Northern