Great
Britain
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the
British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain
and Ireland, and about five thousand small islands. Their total area is over
244, 000 square kilometers.
The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast
respectively. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland, and Wales does not
include Northern Ireland. But in everyday speech "Great Britain” is used to
mean the United Kingdom. The capital of the UK is London.
The British Isles are separated from the continent by the Northern Sea and the
English Channel. The Western Coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic
Ocean and the Irish Sea.
Shakespeare called Britain a "precious stone set in the silver sea” because of
its natural beauty. It has a varied countryside where you can find mountains,
plains, valleys and sandy beaches. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest
mountain, but it is only 1343 meters high.
There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but they are not very long. The
Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest one and the most
important one.
The mountains, the
Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of Gulf Stream influence the climate of the
British Isles. It is mild all year round.
The UK is the one of the world smallest countries. It’s population is over 58
million. About 80% of population live in cities.
The UC is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the
world’s largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile,
aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country
is shipbuilding.
The UK is a constitutional monarchy. In law, the Head of State is the Queen. In
practice, the Queen reigns, but does not rule. The country is ruled by the
elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament
consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
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