THE UNITED KINGDOM

1: Summarize the geography of the United Kingdom

TOPIC: THE UNITED KINGDOM

GROUP: 8

Full name: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Capital: London

Major languages: English, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Gaelic

Type of government: Constitutional monarchy

Prime Minister: David Cameron (from 2010)

Establishment: 1801

Area: 242.514 km2

Population: 64.6 million (National Statistic, mid-2014)

Currency: Pound sterling (GBP)

The United Kingdom is located off the north-western coast of the European continent. The UK is encompassed by the North Sea, the English Channel, the Irish Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Most sides of the UK are surrounded by water, Northern Ireland is the only part that has a land border (with The Republic of Ireland). The United Kingdom is made up by 4 constituent parts: England, Wales, Scotland – situated on the island of the Great Britain, and Northern Ireland – situated on the island of Ireland. Many smaller islands such as the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, Shetland… are also part of the UK.

The United Kingdom is one of the most highly developed countries in the world. It is a member state of the Europe Union, NATO, the G7 Finance Ministers, the European Economic Community (EEC)... It is also one of major nuclear weapon states.

2: The national anthem and the flags

The national anthem

(If the country has a king at the time, the word ‘Queen’ is replaced by ‘King’)

Music: Unknown composer

Adopted: 1745

"God Save the Queen" is the British national anthem and also has this role in some British territories. It is one of two national anthems for New Zealand (since 1977) and for several of Britain's territories that have their own additional local anthem. It is the royal anthem of Australia (since 1984), Canada (since 1980[3]), Barbados, and Tuvalu. In countries not previously part of the British Empire, the tune of "God Save the Queen" has provided the basis for various patriotic songs, though still generally connected with royal ceremony.[4] In the United States, the British anthem's melody is used for the patriotic song, "My Country, 'Tis of Thee".(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org)

National flags

( Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_flags#cite_note-6)

The Union Jack

Flag Date Use Description

1 January

1801

The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack. Used as the flag of the United Kingdom

A superposition of the Flags of England, Scotland, and St Patrick’s Flag of Ireland

The current design of the Union Jack dates from the union of Ireland and Great Britain in 1801. It consists of the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England), edged in white, superimposed on the Cross of St Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which are superimposed on the Saltire of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland). Wales, however, is not represented in the Union Flag by Wales's patron saint, Saint David, as at the time the flag was designed Wales was part of the Kingdom of England.

The flag's correct height-to-length proportions are 1:2.[2] However, the version used by the British Army modifies the proportions to 3:5 and also crops two of the red diagonals. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org)

3: Mountains, rivers, lakes of the United Kingdom and British industry

Mountains of the United Kingdom:

UK includes all 2008 hills and mountains in the British Isle with a relative height of of at least 150 m,with a relative height of 600 m or more ,there are 120 in total:82 in Scotland, 24 in Ireland , 8 in Wales ,4 in England and one each in Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.Of these,the top 110 are above 2000 feet (610m).(en.m.wiki web).

The ten tallest mountains in the UK are all found in Scotland.The hightest peaks in each part of the UK are

Scotland:Ben Nevis (Nevis Range , 1 344 metres)

Wales: Snowdon (Cambrian Mountains , 1085 metres)

England :Scafell Pike (Cumbrian Mountains ,977 metres)

Northern Ireland:Slieve Donard ( Mourne Mountains, 852 metres)

Rivers and lake

The longest river in the UK is the River Severn (220 miles,354 km) which flows through both Wales and England.

The longest rivers in the UK are :

England; River Thames( 215 miles,346 km)

Scotland: River Tay( 117 miles ,188 km)

N.Ireland: River Bann( 76 miles,122 km)

Wales:River Towy(64 miles,103 km).

The largest lakes in the UK are:

N.Ireland:Lough Neagh(147.39 sq mi)

Scotland: Loch Lomond(27.46 sq mi)

England:Windermere ( 5.69 sq mi)

Wales: Lake Vyrnwy (3.18 sq mi)

The deepest lakes in the UK are:

Scotland:Loch Morar ( 309 metres)

England :Wastwater(79 metres)

British industry

Before the second world war: many manufacturing industries

After the second world war: service industries,especially banking and relating are expanded.

Labour force by occupation:

Agriculture:1,5 %

Industry: 18,8% (2011, en.m.wiki web)

Service:79,7 %

High-technology manufacturing industries(airplane engines and pharmaceuticals) replace hevy industries (steel manufacture and shipbuilding).

Made in Britain:

The large companies often invest a lot of money in research and development to find new and better,usually high-technology,products.

Example:Ineos,Mclaren technology group....

The small companies use first-class materials,have excellent quality control and the workers are proud of what they make.

Example:J.Barbour and Sons,Morgan company, Quad Electroacoustics,....

4 : Britain and Commonwealth

Commonwealth’s flag

Commonwealth’s logo

Cause: Britain is an island.it has always forced to trade with other countries.

Establishment: 1949

Purposes: to encourage cultural relations between members.

Members: 53 countries.

Country Date Status

Antigua and Barbuda 1981 Realm

Australia 1931 Realm

The Bahamas 1973 Realm

Bangladesh 1972 Republic

Barbados 1966 Realm

Belize 1981 Realm

Botswana 1966 Republic

Brunei 1984 Monarchy

Cameroon 1995 Republic

Canada 1931 Realm

Cyprus 1961 Republic

Dominica 1978 Republic

Fiji1970 (rejoined in 1997 after 10 year lapse)

Republic

Ghana 1957 Republic

Grenada 1974 Realm

Guyana 1966 Republic

India 1947 Republic

Jamaica 1962 Realm

Kenya 1963 Republic

Kiribati 1979 Republic

Lesotho 1966 Monarchy

Malawi 1964 Republic

Malaysia 1957 Monarchy

The Maldives 1982 Republic

Malta 1964 Republic

Mauritius 1968 Republic

Mozambique 1995 Republic

Namibia 1990 Republic

Nauru 1968 Republic

New Zealand 1931 Realm

Nigeria 1960 Republic

Pakistan 1947 Republic

Papua New Guinea 1975 Realm

Rwanda 2009 Republic

St. Christopher and Nevis 1983 Realm

St. Lucia 1979 Realm

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

1979 Realm

Samoa 1970 Republic

Seychelles 1976 Republic

Sierra Leone 1961 Republic

Singapore 1965 Republic

Solomon Islands 1978 Realm

South Africa 1931(withdrew in 1961, rejoined in 1994)

Republic

Sri Lanka 1948 Republic

Swaziland 1968 Monarchy

Tanzania 1961 Republic

Tonga 1970 Monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago 1962 Republic

Tuvalu 1978 Realm

United Kingdom Realm

Uganda 1962 Republic

Vanuatu 1980 Republic

Zambia 1964 Republic

Head : Queen Elizabeth 1

Secretary general: Kamalesh Sharma.

Chairperson in office: Maithripala Sirisena

The members of the Commonwealth have many different styles of goverment.

5: EnglandOfficial language: English.

Capital: London.

Area: 130,395 km2 (the largest country in the UK,occupying most of the sourthern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain)

Highest point: Scaffell Pike 978 m (3210 ft)

Longest river: Thames (346 km)

Largest Lake: Windermere(14.7 sq km)

Population:     54.3 million (National Statistics)

Currency: Pound sterling( GBP)

National flower : the Tudor rose (red,white)

Patron saint: St George.

Location:

-sharing its land boundary with Wales to itswest and Scotland in the north

- Irish sea bounds England in the north west and the north sea in the north

-England is the southern part of Great Britain.

-35 km from France.

History:

-937 , England became one country when it was ruled by King Athelstan.

-1066,William the Conqueror took over England.

-In the 13th century ,England took over the country of Wales.

-In 1707,England joined with Scotland to form the kingdom of Great Britain.

- In 1800 Ireland was united with Great Britain to form the United Kingdom.

England is mostly low hills and plains ,forming meadowlands and pastures .uplands include the Pennine chain(backbone of England ).the north east

include the rugged landscape of the Yorkshire moors,while the south west hasthe upland moors of Dartmoor and Exmoor.\

The overall climate in Englnd is called temperate maritime.This means that it is mild with temperatures not much lower than 0oC in winter and not much higher than 32oC in the summer.It also means that it is damp and is subject to frequent changes.

July is normally the warmest month in England,around the coasts, February is normally the coldest month.

Cities of interest to tourists:

London: a vast metropolitan area ,and a global capital of finance, fashion and culture.

Birmingham: cultural, sporting, entertainment, shopping and media hub.

Bristol: vibrant music scene, lovely historic buildings and an attractive waterfront.

Brighton: Victorian seaside resort turned into one of the major nightlife entres of Europe.

Liverpool: nautical city and home and home of Beatles(European capital of culture 2008).

Manchester: a cultural,sporting ,entertainment ,shopping and media hub.

Newcastle upon Tyne: World-famous nightlife .

Nottingham : home of Robin Hood and Nottingham castle .

York: ancient capital of Yorkshire,with Roman ,Viking and Mediaeval remains.

Bath: historical city,stunning Georgian architecture and Roman thermal baths.

Chester: historical city with Roman ruins.

The ancient university cities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Many well-known English people:

-William Shakespear :the famous English playwright (Romeo and Juliet)

-Sir Isaac Newton the scientist (the laws of motion and universal gravitation...)

-Charles Dickens :the famous 19th century author (David Copperfield,A Christmas Carol...)

-Sir Tim Berners –Lee:inventor of World Wide Web

-The Beatles who came from the city of Liverpool

-Sir Winston Churchill led the country in World War Two.

- Queen Victoria was the Queen for most of the 19th century.