The Foreign and Commonwealth Office London is not responsible for the contents or reliability of the linked websites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Listing shall not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over availability of the linked pages.

British diplomatic missions
Argentina: British Embassy Buenos Aires


Ascension Island: Administrator's Office


Australia: British Information Services Canberra


Austria: British Embassy Vienna


Azerbaijan: British Embassy Baku


Bahrain: British Embassy Manama


Barbados: British High Commission Bridgetown


Belgium: British Embassy Brussels


Belgium: UK Representation to the EU, Brussels


Brazil: British Consulate-General Sao Paulo


Brazil: British Embassy Brasilia


Brunei: British High Commission Bandar Seri Begawan


Bulgaria: British Embassy Sofia


Canada: British High Commission Ottawa


Chile: British Embassy Santiago


China: British Consulate-General Shanghai


China: British Embassy Beijing


Colombia: British Embassy Bogota


Cote d'Ivoire: British Embassy Abidjan


Cyprus: British High Commission Nicosia


Czech Republic: British Embassy Prague


Denmark: British Embassy Copenhagen


Ecuador: British Embassy Quito


Egypt: British Embassy Cairo


Estonia: British Embassy Tallinn


Fiji: British High Commission Suva ('Britain in the Pacific')


Finland: British Embassy Helsinki


France: British Embassy Paris


Germany: British Consulate-General Düsseldorf


Germany: British Embassy Berlin


Greece: British Embassy Athens


Hong Kong: British Consulate-General Hong Kong


Hungary: British Embassy Budapest


India: British High Commission New Delhi


Indonesia: British Embassy Jakarta


Ireland: British Embassy Dublin


Israel and the Palestinian Authority: British Consulate-General Jerusalem


Israel: British Embassy Tel Aviv


Italy: British Embassy Rome


Italy: British Consulate-General Milan


Japan: British Embassy Tokyo ('UK Now')


Jordan: British Embassy Amman


Kenya: British High Commission Nairobi


Korea (Republic of): British Embassy Seoul


Kuwait: British Embassy Kuwait


Latvia: British Embassy Riga


Lebanon: British Embassy Beirut


Lesotho: British High Commission Maseru


Libya: British Embassy Tripoli


Lithuania: British Embassy Vilnius


Malaysia: British High Commission Kuala Lumpur


Malta: British High Commission Valetta


Mexico: British Embassy Mexico City


Montserrat Governor's Office


Morocco: British Embassy Rabat


Nepal: British Embassy Kathmandu


Netherlands: British Embassy The Hague


New Zealand: British High Commission Wellington


Norway: British Embassy Oslo


Oman: British Embassy Muscat


Pakistan: British High Commission Islamabad


Poland: British Embassy Warsaw


Portugal: British Embassy Lisbon


Russian Federation: British Consulate-General Ekaterinburg


Russian Federation: British Embassy Moscow


Russian Federation: British Consulate-General St Petersburg


Saudi Arabia: British Embassy Riyadh


Seychelles: British High Commission Victoria


Singapore: British High Commission Singapore


Slovakia: British Embassy Bratislava


Slovenia: British Embassy Ljubljana


South Africa: British Information Services Johannesburg


Spain: British Embassy Madrid ('UK in Spain')


Sweden: British Embassy Stockholm


Switzerland: British Embassy Berne


Thailand: British Embassy Bangkok


Tunisia: British Embassy Tunis


Turkey: British Embassy Ankara


Turkmenistan: British Embassy Ashgabat


UK Permanent Representation to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva


Ukraine: British Embassy Kiev


United Arab Emirates: British Embassies Abu Dhabi / Dubai


United States: British Information Services New York ('BritainUSA')


Uruguay: British Embassy Montevideo


Uzbekistan: British Embassy Tashkent


Venezuela: British Embassy Caracas


Vietnam: British Embassy Hanoi


Zimbabwe: British High Commission Harare


International institutions
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, France, is an international organisation concerned with matters of democracy, education, human rights and culture. The UK was one of the founder members of the Council, which now includes countries from across the continent.

EUROPA: European Commission
EUROPA, a common endeavour of the EU's institutions run by the European Commission, offers information on the European Union's goals and policies. A full range of news and reference material is available, along with links to Member States' own web sites.

G8 Information Centre
The University of Toronto website contains information on the historical background to G8.

International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been designated by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to be a partner organization of the Federal Foundation handling claims and paying compensation to former forced labourers under the Nazi regime. IOM will take care of claimants who are non-Jewish and who live in the UK and Ireland.

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)
NATO now has its own comprehensive web site, with news and reference material, plus special pages focussing on specific issues such as Bosnia and NATO enlargement.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Based in Paris, the OECD is a unique forum permitting governments of the industrialised democracies to study and formulate the best policies possible in all economic and social spheres.

Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The OSCE is a pan-European security organization whose 55 participating States span the geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok. It takes a comprehensive view of security. Its bodies and institutions take a co-operative approach to a wide range of security-related issues including arms control, preventive diplomacy, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, election monitoring and economic security.

The Commonwealth Secretariat
The 53 Commonwealth member states include people of different races and origins, representing every stage of economic and social development and comprising various traditions and institutions. The special strength of this diverse association of nations lies in its shared heritage of language, culture and the rule of law which has grown out of its common historical connections. The result is a bond of beliefs in fundamental political values.

The Commonwealth: 'Young Commonwealth'
A special web site explaining the role of the Commonwealth to a younger audience,including the ability to send electronic postcards.

United Nations
The official home page of the UN, with information on all its activities.

WEU (Western European Union)
The WEU was originally formed in 1948, but was reactivated in 1984 as a forum for defence cooperation between its member States. It is the only European organisation empowered to carry out military operations.

Linked organisations
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is funded primarily by a grant-in-aid from FCO. It is a constituent part of the BBC and enjoys complete editorial and managerial independence, broadcasting in English and 40 other languages throughout the world. It has an estimated audience of 130 million regular listeners, excluding countries where reliable research has not been possible.

British Chevening Scholarships
The British Chevening Scholarships, funded by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (DFID), are prestigious awards which enable overseas students to study in the United Kingdom. The scholarships are offered in more than 150 countries and enable talented graduates and young professionals to become familiar with the UK and to gain skills which will benefit their countries.

British Council
The British Council promotes a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language, and encourages cultural, scientific, technological and educational co-operation with other countries. Although funded by grants-in-aid from FCO, it sets its own professional standards and devises and manages its own programmes; its priorities, objectives and output measures are set in close consultation with FCO.

British Invisibles
British Invisibles (BI) is a private sector organisation, predominantly funded by membership subscriptions, with 30 years experience of successfully promoting the UK-based financial services industry throughout the world.

British Satellite News
British Satellite News (BSN) is a television news service, providing overseas broadcasters with news and feature packages from the British point of view on topics of international interest. BSN is produced in London by Associated Press Television News (APTN) on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

British-German Journalists' Programme
The German-British Journalists' bursary was founded in 1995 as the third in the range of funding schemes offered by the IJP (International Journalists' Programmes). Sponsored by the Press and Information Office of the German Government in Berlin and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office London, the programme offers five British and five German journalists the opportunity to work in the other country every year.

Foreign Press Association
The Foreign Press Association (FPA) is the London centre for foreign correspondents. Founded in 1888 to help foreign journalists, it now has over 500 journalists from 60 countries as members, along with 250 associate members. The Association hosts briefings, lunches and informal meetings throughout the year with well known personalities, including Members of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers and other Government spokesmen, leading industrialists and City figures, writers, actors and other representatives of public life.

Human Rights in Foreign Policy
The Government has made human rights a central theme of its foreign policy. This site, run by the Human Rights Policy Department of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, allows visitors to search a database of the projects supported by the Foreign Office around the world, demonstrating Britain's commitment to human rights for all.

London Radio Service
London Radio Service (LRS) is an international radio producer and syndicator of news and programmes. Produced by Associated Press Television News (APTN), on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, LRS is used by thousands of broadcasters in more than 120 countries. LRS' clients include national public service broadcasters, large commercial networks, private stations and international broadcasters.

Planet Britain 2000
Planet Britain 2000 offers a wealth of information about the many attractions and opportunities Britain has to offer young people from across the world. The site is divided into 10 themed 'worlds', ranging from 'street culture' to 'sport', 'science and technology' to 'arts, design and media.' Visitors can also have their say on many topical subjects.

Publications from Britain
An online bookstore, where you can purchase booklets and wallcharts on Britain and British life using your credit card.

UK@Expo2000, Hanover
'Diversity: It's in our Nature' was the theme of the UK Pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hanover. The Pavilion, which offered a thought-provoking and entertaining interactive experience exploring the role of diversity in creating a sustainable future, ran between 1 June and 31 October 2000. The website provides more information.

Visit Britain: British Tourist Authority
The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is an official body set up by Parliament in 1969. Its main functions are to increase tourism to Britain from overseas, to advise the Government and public bodies on tourism matters which affect Britain as a whole, and to encourage the provision and improvement of tourist facilities and amenities in Britain.

Westminster Foundation for Democracy
The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) was established in March 1992 to provide assistance in building and strengthening pluralist democratic institutions overseas. It receives a grant-in-aid from the Government and accounts to Parliament for the resources through the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. The three main UK political parties are each represented on the Board of Governors, and are appointed by the Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs.

Wilton Park
For over 50 years, Wilton Park has been bringing together policy-makers, politicians, NGO representatives, academics, business executives and journalists from all over the world to focus on key policy issues. Wilton Park's status as an autonomous Executive Agency of the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office gives it a unique role in international policy-making.

Related UK Government resources
CCTA Government Information Service
CCTA, the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency maintains a centralised World Wide Web site containing information from dozens of public sector sources, including a number of government departments. It also offers links to, and a searchable database of all UK government information on the Internet.

Central Office of Information
As part of its News Distribution Service, the Central Office of Information posts all UK governmental press releases on the Internet.

Department for International Development (DFID)
Formerly the aid wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, now a department in its own right, the Department for International Development manages Britain's aid to around 150 developing countries, as well as the states of central and eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union.

DTI: Department of Trade and Industry
DTI aims to help UK business compete successfully at home, in the rest of Europe, and throughout the world. Its Internet service aims to help business people find the right contact points in the DTI quickly and easily, and provides a range of more general information about the Department's activities.

Export Credits Guarantee Department
The Export Credits Guarantee Department is the UK's official export credit agency, a separate department of the UK Government, reporting to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The ECGD has over 80 years’ experience of working closely with exporters, project sponsors, banks and buyers to help UK exporters compete effectively in overseas markets where the private sector may be unable to help.

Houses of Parliament
Parliament's web site offers the full text of Hansard, free on the Internet within 24 hours. It also offers a number of fact sheets on various facets of the Houses, along with details of Parliamentary business. For live TV pictures of Parliament, try the BBC web site.

Immigration & Nationality Directorate
As part of the Home Office, the Immigration & Nationality Directorate (IND) is responsible for immigration control at air and sea ports throughout the United Kingdom. The IND also considers applications for permission to stay, citizenship and asylum. The IND website provides information on UK immigration control and what your rights and responsibilities are when you make an application.

Invest UK
Invest UK is the only investment agency covering the whole of the UK. It helps the world's companies to set up or expand business from a British base. Working with its UK network partners Invest UK can provide companies with all the information needed about starting or expanding a business in Britain, in a single package containing details of locations, financial incentives, product sectors, availability of labour, employee costs and skills, and tax. Invest UK has offices based in British Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates around the world.

Overseas Labour Service
OLS administers the Work Permit Scheme. This service allows employers based in Great Britain to employ people who are not nationals of a European Economic Area country and are not entitled to work in this country. You can only make a work permit application if you are an employer based in Great Britain and you need to employ a person to work in England, Scotland or Wales.

The Foreign Affairs Committee
The Foreign Affairs Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and associated public bodies. The Committee's web page includes the membership of the Committee, and the text of its reports.

Trade Partners UK
Through this joint FCO-DTI operation, the British Government provides a wide range of export support to UK companies. Its aim is clear: to encourage and help potential exporters to think seriously about selling overseas and existing exporters to sell more.

UK Passport Agency
An executive agency of the Home Office, the UK Passport Agency issues and services UK passports, and issues visas for entry into British dependent territories overseas to foreign nationals and Commonwealth citizens already in the UK.