THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

“Great Britain” has several different names. Some people say ‘Britain” or “the United Kingdom’. There are 4 different countries in the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The United Kingdom is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and a great number of small islands. Britain is one of the world’s smaller countries ( it is twice smaller than France and Spain ), with an area of some 244 000 square kilometres.

The British Isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.

Northern Ireland occupies one third of the island of Ireland. It borders on the Irish Republic in the south.

The island of Great Britain consists of the three main parts: England, Scotland and Wales.

There are no high mountains in Great Britain. The Highlands of Scotland are the tallest of the British mountains. The chief rivers of Great Britain are the Severn and the Thames. Britain’s principal ports are London, Manchester, Glasgow. They have splendid harbours. There are also many beautiful lakes in Great Britain.

The warm currents in the Atlantic Ocean make the climate of Great Britain mild. The winters are warm and the summers are cool. The weather is changeable. The cloudiness is rather dense; fogs along the coast often hide the sun. The fogs of London have a worldwide reputation. The grass remains green all the year round. Thanks to climate conditions, Britain looks like one great park with its old trees and green meadows.

The population of the United Kingdom is over 56 mln. people. The main nationalities are: English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish.

English is the official language. Everyone in Britain speaks English. But in some parts of Scotland people speak Scottish Gaelic as well. The Welsh are especially proud of their language, and you can see road signs in Welsh all over Wales.

Great Britain is a highly-developed industrial country. One of its main industries is the textile industry. The largest cities of Great Britain are London, the capital of the country, Manchester, Glasgow, Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds and Edinburgh.

The flag of the United Kingdom is made of three crosses. Every cross symbolizes the patron saint of each country.

The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy.

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Review the words. How many words do you know? Check yourself.	\|	The Political System of Great Britain

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