The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or the UK, is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe. It comprises four neighboring island countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Although England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are “nations”, they are not officially independent countries. Instead, they are part of the country of the United Kingdom (UK)—and bound by the UK constitution. Each of the four UK countries has local governments, which manage local affairs, such as healthcare and other social services. A democratically-elected UK government oversees all national and international affairs, including student visas and other education related regulations. The capital city, and the largest city of the UK, is London. It is also the capital of England. The capital of Scotland, Wales and Northern Island are Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast respectively. The population of the UK is 67.7 million people (2019 estimate). The UK is a highly multicultural country, made up of people from many different cultural and religious backgrounds. In fact, nearly 15% of the residents identify themselves as an ethnic minority.