The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. It consists of four parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast respectively. England, Wales and Scotland occupy the territory of Great Britain. Northern Ireland is situated in the northern part of Ireland.
The territory of the United Kingdom is about 244,000 square kilometers, it takes the 75-th place among other countries in the world. The population is more than 60 million people. About 80% of the population is urban. The capital of the country is London.
Great Britain is separated from the continent by the English Channel, which is 34 km wide in its narrowest point. The country is also washed by the North Sea, the Irish Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The landscape of Great Britain varies greatly. The northern and western parts of the country are mountainous and are called the Highlands. All the rest: south, east and the center are a vast plain, which is called the Lowlands. The mountains are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain (1343m). 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 and the most important one. The largest lake is Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland.
The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream influence the climate of Great Britain. It is mild the whole year round. The summer is not very hot and winter temperature seldom falls below zero. It is often foggy and rainy. Weather is one of the favorite subjects for discussion when Englishmen meet.
Great Britain is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of iron and steel products, machinery and electronics, chemicals and textiles, aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding. Liverpool and Glasgow are the main seaports, where it is highly developed. Glasgow is also associated with heavy industry. Birmingham is the country’s major engineering center. Manchester is the world’s leading producer of cotton goods and Leeds became the leading producer of woolen goods.
Great Britain is rich in coal, iron, non-ferrous metals. There is much coal in Wales. It is a big coal-mining district of the country.
Great Britain is a country with old cultural traditions and customs. The most famous educational centers are Oxford and Cambridge Universities. They are considered to be intellectual centers of Europe. All British children study at school from the age of 5 until they are 16. Then they get higher education at universities and colleges of Great Britain.
On the lowlands of south-eastern England there are almost no minerals. This part of the country is an agricultural region. Seven per cent of the population is engaged in farming and cattle breeding. Most of England’s wheat is grown there. Much of the soil in this part is under such crops as wheat, barley, rye and oats. Fruit-growing is extensively developed. An Englishman is fond of gardening. He is at heart a great lover of Nature. England in truth looks like one great well-ordered park with its old trees and green meadows.
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and the Queen is the head of the state. But in practice it is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The Queen’s power is limited by Parliament. The legislative power in the country is exercised by the Houses of Parliament. The Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords is composed of hereditary or life peers and peeresses. The members of the House of Commons are elected by people. The executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. Prime Minister is the majority party leader and is appointed by the Queen. The judiciary branch of the Government determines common law and is independent of both legislative and executive branches.
There are two main political parties in Great Britain: the Conservative party and the Labour party. The Labour party with Anthony Blair at the head is the ruling party nowadays.
Exercise 4. Answer the following comprehension questions.
1. Where is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland situated?
2. What parts does it consist of?
3. What is the territory and the population of Great Britain?
4. What is the capital of the country?
5. What is Great Britain separated from the continent by?
6. What seas and oceans is Great Britain washed by?
7. What is the landscape of the country? What parts does it consist of?
8. Are there any rivers, mountains and lakes?
9. What is the climate of Great Britain?
10. What goods does the British industry produce?
11. What are the main industrial cities of the country and what do they produce?
12. Are there any educational establishments in Great Britain?
13. When do students start education?
14. Which part of the country is an agricultural region?
15. What crops are grown in Great Britain?
16. Are Englishmen fond of gardening?
17. Who is the head of the state?
18. How many chambers does the British Parliament consist of?
20. What are the main political parties of Great Britain?
21. Who is the Prime Minister of Great Britain nowadays and what party does he represent?
Exercise 5. Complete the following sentences.
1. The UK consists of …
2. The country is washed by …
3. The territory of Great Britain is …
4. The population equals to …
5. The northern and western part of the country is called …
6. The southern and eastern is called …
7. The climate of the country is …
8. Great Britain is a producer and exporter of …
9. The main industrial cities are …
10. Oxford and Cambridge Universities are considered to be …
11. The population in the south-eastern part of England is engaged in …
12. England in truth looks like …
13. The Parliament consists of …
14. There are such political parties as …
Exercise 6. Make up sentences using the table below.