Key facts: Today's Britain

• Britain has won over 70 Nobel Prizes, more per head than any other country in the world.

• Britain is at the forefront of the internet revolution. The web was invented by a Briton, Tim Berners-Lee. Today, Britain has twice as many internet hosts per head as Germany and five times as many as Japan. 55% of British businesses engage in e-commerce, more than any other European country.

• Britain is widely recognised as the design workshop of the world. Seven out of eight of the world's largest design companies are British. The sector earns over ��12bn a year.

• Britain attracts more overseas investment than any other country except the United States and China. Britain is the largest European investor in Asia, and also the number one choice for Asian investors in Europe.

• Software design is one of Britain's major strengths. Over 70% of the world's computer games are made in Britain, including Tomb Raider, the most successful game ever. Britain leads the world in computer animation and in professional virtual reality software, which helps business solve engineering, manufacturing and design challenges.

• Britain is marking the Millennium with more cultural projects and new attractions than any other country. Britain has invested more than ��2bn in projects including the state of the art 72,000-seat Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, which is the first stadium in Britain to have a retractable roof; the Millennium Dome at Greenwich, London; and the gravity-defying Millennium Bridge in Gateshead.

• Britain is the world's most commercially successful music nation. It generates more album sales than any other country. One fifth of all music in the world has a British connection, either as artist, producer, writer or publisher.

• Manchester United is the world's most popular football club. It is also the world's richest,now valued at more than ��1bn.

- Next key facts