Who governs the UK?
The UK is governed by the Parliament at Westminster in London, where the Houses of Parliament stand beside the River Thames.
On top of that, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own parliament or assembly. The central government has handed over power in some areas to them. This is called devolution, and the powers they hold are called devolved powers. England has no parliament of its own; Westminster deals with England directly.
To find out how these three bodies were set up, see Britain Since 1945 in the History topic. What each of them controls is explained in the topic "The UK government, the law and your role".
Quiz
Where does the parliament that governs the whole of the UK sit?
The UK Parliament sits at Westminster in London. Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast are home to the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland parliaments or assemblies, which only have devolved powers.