The vote was 52 percent to 48 percent in favor of leaving the EU. Global markets are down in the wake of the news. Prime Minister David Cameron, who advocated remaining in the EU, says he will resign.
Should they stay or should they go? The United Kingdom votes today on whether to remain in the European Union. Votes are counted by hand, and the result likely won't be known until Friday morning.
The United Kingdom's cultural makeup has shifted many times through the centuries, but for some struggling in England, the latest changes are coming too fast.
Britain was an outward-looking nation that built the world's largest empire. But it's been turning inward and Thursday's vote on leaving the European Union could further shrink its international role.
U.S. firms that do business in the United Kingdom, such as Mars and Chase, are speaking out against the idea of the U.K. leaving the EU. They say it would complicate their operations in Europe.
Most economists say an upcoming vote to determine the United Kingdom's role in the EU is a big deal. The so-called Brexit vote might upset trade deals, financial markets and currencies, they argue.
Britain's farming minister favors leaving the European Union. But some farmers fear losing subsidies and foreign workers if that happens. "As a farmer," says one, "I want to stay in business."
Retired economics professor Alexander Van der Bellen edged out anti-immigrant populist candidate Norbert Hofer by just more than 31,000 votes — 0.6 percent of the vote.