Geographical facts - location

north-west part of Europe

half size of France

neighbours: the Republic of Ireland, (France, Belgium, the Netherlands)

separated from the continent by the English Channel

Geographical facts - location

between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea

two large islands (Britain and Ireland)

small islands (the Isle of Man,...)

archipelagos (the Orkneys, the Shetlands, the Hebrides,...)

Geographical facts - mountainsvaried landscape (mountains, highlands, lowlands)the highest mountains:

Ben Nevis (1.343m) in the Scottish Highlands

Snowdon (1.085m) in Walesmountain ranges:

the Highlands (Scotland)

the Cumbrian Mountains (Lake District)

the Cambrians (Wales)

the Pennines (northern England)

Ben Nevis in Scotland

Snowdon in Snowdonia NP

Riversthe Thames – the largest

the Severn – the longest

the Avon, the Trent, …

LakesLake District

– in the north of England

– the largest lake:

Windermere

Lakes in Scotland̶4called “lochs”̶4very attractive for tourists̶4Loch Ness, Loch Lomond (the

largest in Scotland), …

Lake District

Lakes in Scotland

Loch Lomond

Loch Ness Loch Ness Monster

Division of the UK England

- capital London- 40 counties (Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex,

Cornwall,….)

Wales - capital Cardiff

- 8 counties (Clwyd, Gwynedd, Gwent,..)

Scotland

- capital Edinburgh

- 12 regions and 53 districts (Highland, Grampian, Lothian, .…)

Northern Ireland (Ulster)

- capital Belfast

- 6 counties

What is UK politically?the United Kingdom of Great Britain

and Northern Ireland

constitutional monarchy – the head of state the queen (Elizabeth II, since 1952, the Windsor family)

prime minister - the head of government (David Cameron, since May 2010, Conservative Party)

Symbols of the UKUnion Jack (the flag - officially adopted in 1801)

3 crosses:- St. George’s Cross (the patron saint of

England)- St. Andrew’s Cross (the patron saint of

Scotland)- St. Patrick’s cross (the patron saint of

Ireland)

the flag of Wales – dragon on red and green field (saint patron of Wales – St. David)

Symbols of the UK

anthem – God save the Queen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qq_UhePJZ0

currency – pounds, pence

units of measurement

- pound = 0,45kg

- mile = 1,6km

- yard = 0,91m

- inch = 2,54cm

- gallon = 4,5l

People, language

about 60,4 million people (2003)

origin - first people came from Europe (3500-3000 BC)

later tribes: the Celts, the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, ….

ethnic groups - British, Irish, immigrants from British colonies, Europeans (Greeks, Russians, Poles, Serbs,…)

languages – English, Welsh, Scottish (about 75 000 speak Gaelic)

Agriculture, industry

cattle, sheep breeding

wool, potatoes, barley, sugar beat

gas and oil industry

textile industry, electronic goods, food processing, beverages