The state is located on the British Isles (the island of Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, as well as a large number of smaller islands and archipelagos, including the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland Islands, Anglesey, Arran, White) in the Atlantic Ocean. It is washed by the Northern, Irish, Celtic and Hebrides seas. The southeast coast is located just 35 km from the northern coast of France, which are separated by the English Channel.

Major cities in the UK

The area of ​​Great Britain is 243,809 km², of which land - 240,579 km², inland waters - 3230 km². Coastline has 17,820 km of length. The southern coast is connected to continental Europe through a 50 km long Eurotunnel (of which 38 km is under water). This is the longest underwater tunnel in the world. Northern Ireland shares a 360 km land border with the Republic of Ireland and is the UK's only land border.

England occupies a little more than half of the entire territory of Great Britain, covering 130,395 km². Most of it consists of lowlands. Uplands are concentrated in the north (Pennines) and northwest (Cumberland Mountains). Among the latter, the highest peak in England is Scafell Pike (978 m). The longest rivers are the Thames, the Severn and the Humber. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest point in the British Isles.

Scotland occupies just under a third of the entire territory of Great Britain, covering 78,772 km². It includes about eight hundred islands, mainly in the west and north of the main territory.

Wales occupies only less than one tenth of the entire territory of Great Britain, covering 20,779 km². Wales is mostly mountainous, although South Wales is less mountainous than the rest. The main population and industrial zones are located in South Wales, including the coastal cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport. The highest mountains in Wales are located in Snowdonia (including Mount Snowdon 1085 m high). The coastline of Wales has a length of 1200 km. the largest island is Anglesey in the northwest.

Northern Ireland covers only 13,843 km² and is mostly hilly. Here is Loch Neagh, the largest lake in the British Isles (388 km²). The highest point in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard in the Morne Mountains with a height of 852 m.

Great Britain has a temperate oceanic climate with a lot of rain throughout the year. Temperatures vary seasonally but rarely fall below -11°C or rise above 35°C. The main winds come from the southwest and often bring cold and wet weather from Atlantic Ocean, however, the eastern parts of the country are mostly protected from these winds, and since most of the precipitation falls in the western regions, the eastern ones are the driest. The Atlantic currents, heated by the Gulf Stream, bring mild winters, with occasional snowfalls in winter and early spring, although the snow usually does not last long.

Great Britain is an island state occupying the territory of the British Isles, located in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean, in close proximity to the coast of continental Europe and separated from it by a small strait. Another official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The largest number the inhabitants are English, which is why the country is also called England. The capital city of London is considered one of the largest in Europe.

As part of the united country, there are two main and most famous and large islands - Great Britain and Ireland directly (the latter is part of the Kingdom only in the northern part), and there are almost 5 thousand small islands. The island of Great Britain is slightly elongated from north to south, its length is 966 km, the widest part is less than this value by more than two times. The British archipelago is located in the Atlantic Ocean and is washed by the North, Irish, Celtic and Hebrides seas.

In the southeast, Britain borders continental France across the English Channel. In the last decade of the last century, an overpass was laid under the strait for unhindered rail and road communication between the island and the continent. The tunnel began to function in 1993, its length is about 50 km, the duration of the train trip between London and the capital of France - Paris, takes about 3 hours.

Almost all external borders of the Kingdom are maritime, only on the island of Ireland there is a land state border with a length of 360 km. This geographical feature predetermined the relatively safe existence and development of British society. Thanks to maritime borders, which make it difficult for the movement of enemy manpower, Britain for many hundreds of years did not happen to experience the "charms" of hostilities on its territory, although it itself took part in many continental wars.

Through London, more precisely through its observatory in Greenwich, the so-called prime meridian passes, from which geographical coordinates any point on the planet.

The country is located at the crossroads from European countries to the World Ocean and provides access to the North American continent and other maritime powers. This creates an advantageous economic position for the state, thanks to which the coastal cities are large shopping malls with a developed maritime port economy.

The area of ​​the UK, including inland waters, is 243,809 km2, the population according to the latest data is more than 62 million people. More than half of the entire territory is occupied by England, it also leads in terms of population - more than 80%. Great Britain is the leader of the British Commonwealth of Nations, which includes almost all former colonies, dominions and protectorates, and there are about 50 of them. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent states, which allows maintaining diplomatic relations, as well as political and economic ties.

Territory composition

The country combines several large historical and geographical, previously sovereign regions, namely England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These regions have their own administrative territorial divisions. This association also includes 14 dependent lands and territories. In addition, there are the so-called crown lands, which are not formally part of it, but are not overseas lands either.

As part of the entire British Commonwealth, England is the largest in terms of area, occupying more than half of its territory - over 133 thousand km2. In second place is Scotland, with an area of ​​78,772 km2. Wales, which is in third place, accounts for only a tenth of the total area. The smallest area is Northern Ireland - less than 14 thousand km2.

The English part of the kingdom is located in the southern part of the island between Scotland and Wales, it is home to 53 million people. Here is the capital - London and the largest cities such as Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and others.

England is rich in historical sights, is the center of the education of the English language, its legislation forms the basis of the legal systems of different countries of the world, and the Anglican Church was formed here. Historically, London became the center of this country, the birthplace of the industrial revolution and, as a result, it was England that became the most industrialized country in the world. An important role in the economy is played by industrial production, agriculture, sports business and the development of new technologies.

Scotland. Located in the northern part of the island. It is washed by the North Sea in the east and the Irish Sea in the southwest. It is home to 5.2 million people. It owns many small islands, mostly uninhabited. The capital, the city of Edinburgh, became the center of the Scottish Enlightenment. However, the country's largest city is Glasgow, a former industrial leader. Its third largest city, Aberdeen, has the status of the oil capital of Europe, since it contains large oil fields. The famous Loch Ness is also located here.

Wales is the southwest of the country with a total area of ​​20,779 km2, the eastern border is adjacent to the counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire. The remaining three sides are washed by the sea. The population is just over 3 million people, most of whom are Welsh and English. The population and industry are concentrated in the cities of Cardive, Swansea, Newport. The coastline is more than 1 thousand km. Most of the territories are occupied by mountains formed during the ice age. The border between Wales and England is divided conditionally. Wales has many parks such as Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast, Brecon Beacons.

Northern Ireland. It is located 21 km from the Scottish coast and occupies the northeast of the island of Ireland. The total area is almost 14 thousand km2, the population is 1.8 million people. The capital and largest city of Ireland is Belfast. Historically, the island is divided into four zones, one of them is Ulster, part of which is under the rule of the British crown. Ulster consists of 35 administrative divisions, some of them - 6 counties and 26 districts - British, the remaining 3 counties are Irish.

The national composition of Northern Ireland is heterogeneous, there are several groups:

• Presbyterians - Scottish settlers, concentrated in the eastern part;
• The British - traditionally prefer the Anglican Church, live in the center and in the north;
• The Irish are Catholics by religious preferences, they make up the remnants of the indigenous population. They live in the west and along the border with Ireland.

The heterogeneity of the population is expressed not only in culture and religion, but also in the nature of the peoples, they treat each other with distrust. Over one and a half million people live in British Ulster, the vast majority are in rural areas and are engaged in agriculture.

Household of the United Kingdom

Great Britain is a highly developed industrial country with a concentration on its own territory of the world's financial institutions and trade operations. The result of vigorous activity is the gross domestic product, reaching up to a trillion dollars. The country has a developed banking system, insurance, transport - all modern industries included in the definition of a service. For a long time, the most important source of income for the international monopolies that settled in Britain was the export of capital, although according to some reports, the country has lost control over this sector of the economy.

There are a number of problems in the UK economy at present:

1. Unlimited control over world deposits of oil, natural rubber, non-ferrous metals has been lost;
2. Lost influence in the field of agriculture;
3. The world market for manufactured goods was filled with competitive countries;
4. The unrestricted possibilities of spreading capital to other continents have been lost.

One third of the country's population is employed in industry, which is a significant part of the domestic product. And although imported raw materials are used for its work, the industry is oriented towards the foreign market. Some areas of production, traditional for island nation lag behind modern technologies that use the latest developments in technology, work organization and effective management methods. The development of production within specific industries has led to the formation of "sharks" of world business, such as Unilever, British Airspace, Rolls Royce, General Electric and others.

Most industrial companies are located in densely populated areas adjacent to the metropolitan conglomerate, so London and its suburbs are the center of the financial and industrial economy of the entire state. To a lesser extent, but also noticeably, some industrial areas of South Wales, the center of Scotland and the north-east of the country are invested in the economy.

British agriculture is efficient, uses automation according to European standards everywhere, in total, 2% of the working population is involved in the production of agricultural products. The country does not import barley, oats, poultry, potatoes, eggs and whole milk, but a large number of food baskets, for example, a quarter of beef meat, butter, sugar, come from imported factories. The most successful livestock region in the UK is located in the Western Territories, with a favorable climate for animal husbandry.

This country is often used as identities of Great Britain. Today, there are several more synonyms for the name of this country, such as the United Kingdom and Britain. It is interesting that the motto of this hitherto existing kingdom sounds like this: “Godhood and its right”, putting God first, because the official religion here is Anglicanism.

Imagine, kings and queens, parliament and ministry rule here, and there is supposedly no indestructible constitution. And the British live, by the way, no worse, and maybe better than people in whose countries there is a constitution rewritten many times over.

Also worth noting that the geographical position of England is favorable, and it is located on more than 133 km². Foggy Albion was able to unite at the beginning of the 10th century, once conflicting counties and took the name from the Germanic tribe - the Angles, who settled on these lands from the 5th to the 6th centuries. And London is the largest city not only in Great Britain, but also among all EU countries.

History of England

I wonder what exactly thanks to English law, the foundations of legal systems have been formed in many powers . In addition, London (read our article:) is the heart of Britain, and the state is the ancestor of the Industrial Revolution. England carries the palm in industrial development throughout the world, being a power in which parliamentary democracy operates. The Principality of Wales, together with the kingdom of England, was a sovereign country until, in early May in 1707, united with Scotland, it became a stronger power - the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England inherited its name from who lived in Britain from the 5th to the 6th century. n. e. The largest Germanic people is the Angles, migrating from the Angeln Peninsula, which is divided between northern Germany and Denmark.

Interesting that already the ancient Roman scholar Tacitus, who lived at the end of the 1st century AD. in the book called "Germany" the Angles are mentioned. And in the Oxford English Dictionary, you can find a later mention of the word "England", which refers to the end of the 9th century.

Features of the geographical position of England

The country is distinguished by its geographical location, it is located on two-thirds of the island called Great Britain. From the north it connects with Scotland , but on the western side - with Welsh Principality .

The English landscape is made up of northern mountains and hills. Mountains and plains are divided along the border, as if drawn by an invisible hand of God, from the beginning of the Teese River or, as the natives call it Teeseside, located on the eastern side and the lower reaches of the Ex River, which has a different name Divon, flowing to the southwestern side. On the east side of England, there is a lowland swamp drained by local farmers.

The largest place in the country in terms of population density is London, and the smallest in the six English metropolitan cities is Manchester.

The lands of present-day England at the time of the capture by Julius Caesar in the second half of the first century BC, and a century later, during an unexpected visit by the emperor Claudius, were inhabited by the Celts, nicknamed the Britons. After they took the entire south of the island (today's Wales and Great Britain), it became subject to the Romans, falling under its oppression for four and a half centuries. However, without the help of Roman soldiers, Britain could not resist the Germanic barbarians, who in the V-VI Art. invited the Britons, relying on the fact that they would protect them from the raids of the Scots and Picts - the Celtic northern tribes. The mercenaries, representing the Angles, Saxons and Jutes, having settled in the lands of the Britons, began to force them out to the lands of Cornwall.

After some time, kingdoms appeared on the territories occupied by German foreigners, which formed the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy, which included 7 kingdoms. Sometimes one of the Anglo-Saxon kings, who was called the "Ruler of Britain", ruled over the greater territory of foggy Albion. England was united by the raid of the Danish Vikings, who annexed the east of England. Egbert became the first ruler of England, but only Alfred the Great, who reigned from 871 to 899, was titled "King of England".

William I the Conqueror planted a Franco-Norman leadership in England. Later in the XIII century. The principality of Wales was finally subjugated by England. During the Renaissance period during the reign of James I, who had ruled Scotland in the past, began to connect Scotland with England. But only at the beginning of ΧVIII did the final unification of Scotland with England take place, which turned into the Kingdom of Great Britain.

England at present

England today consists of counties that arose even before the reunification of England: Sussex, Essex, Yorkshire, Cornwall, Lancashire, Berkshire. Until the second half of the nineteenth century, these counties were divided into hundreds. Today England is made up of 9 regions, as well as 48 official counties. Sport plays the main role in the economy of England, ahead of other sectors of the country's economy.

Geographic location of Great Britain

A state in northwestern Europe, in the British Isles. It occupies the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and part of the island of Ireland, as well as independent administrative units - the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the north and west, the North Sea in the east and the Irish Sea in the west, in the south it is separated from the mainland by the English Channel and Pas de Calais. In the west and north of the country, mountainous, strongly dissected relief prevails, in the southeast and in the center - elevated plains and wastelands. The highest point is Ben Nevis in Scotland (1343 m). The total area of ​​the country is 244.1 thousand square meters. km.

Capital

Geography of Great Britain. Map, geographical location, population, climate of Great Britain.
Industry and economy of Great Britain, resources, symbols and anthem of Great Britain.

GREAT BRITAIN(Great Britain), Britain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), a state in the north-west of Europe, on the British Isles (the largest island in Great Britain), the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands and other small islands. Separated from the mainland by the English Channel and the Pas de Calais. The area is 244.11 thousand km2. Population 60.1 million (2003). Capital London.

Large cities and agglomerations: Greater London, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, Bradford, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol.

Government of Great Britain.
Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy (but formally there is no constitution, there are a number of basic legislative acts). The head of state is the queen. Legislative power is exercised by the Queen and a bicameral parliament (House of Lords and House of Commons). The executive power is headed by the Prime Minister - the leader of the party that received the majority of votes in elections to the House of Commons and forms the government. Great Britain leads the Commonwealth (Commonwealth), which includes 53 countries.

The administrative and state structure of Great Britain.
It consists of 4 administrative and political parts (historical national regions): England (39 counties, 6 metropolitan counties and a special administrative unit - Greater London), Wales (8 counties), Scotland (12 regions: 9 districts and 3 island territories) and Northern Ireland (26 districts). The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are separate administrative units. The possessions of Great Britain: in Europe - Gibraltar, in America - Anguilla, Bermuda, Virgin Islands(British), Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Falkland (Malvinas) Islands, in Africa - St. Helena Island, in Oceania - Pitcairn Island.

UK population.
About 80% of the population are English, 15% are Scots, Welsh (Welsh), Cornish and Irish; OK. 5% of the population are immigrants from Commonwealth countries. The English are descendants of the Anglo-Saxons and Normans; Scots, Irish, Welsh and Cornish are descendants of the Celts.

The official language is English. The English are adherents of the Anglican state church, the Scots are predominantly Presbyterian, the Irish are mostly Catholic. There are also a small number of Catholics and adherents of the High Church close to Catholicism among the British. The most densely populated areas are Central and South-East England, the least - areas of northern Scotland and Central Wales. High degree of urbanization; 89.4% of the population lives in cities. Almost 1/2 of the population lives in large cities (with a population of over 100,000). On the territory of the country, 8 large urban conurbations with a population of over 1 million people have formed, in which St. 1/3 of the country's population. The average population density is 245.5 people/km2.

UK nature. UK climate.
It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and its seas - the North and Irish, the English Channel, Pas de Calais, North and St. George. The coastline is strongly dissected by bays (fjords in the north and estuaries in the south), forming significant peninsulas of Wales and Cornwall. There are also significant geographical differences between the four historical regions. Scotland and Northern England are mountainous and geographically represent High Britain - the North Scottish Highlands (Ben Nevis, 1343 m, highest point Great Britain), the South Scottish Highlands, the Pennines and Cambrians, the Lake District in the north-west of England. Characterized by smoothed plateau-like peaks, gentle soddy slopes, glacial landforms have been preserved in the north. From High Britain, Low is separated by a conditional line that runs in a south-westerly direction from Newcastle at the mouth of the river. Tyne to Exeter at the mouth of the river. Ex in south Devon. In the south and southeast of Low Britain there are hilly plains (the London Basin, etc.), framed by cuesta ridges, a typical landscape of "good old England". The climate is temperate oceanic, humid, with mild winters and cool summers (influenced by the Gulf Stream). The average temperatures in January are 3-7 °С, in July 11-17 °С. Precipitation on the plains is 600-750 mm, in the mountains 1000-3000 mm per year, drizzling rains and fogs are frequent. The western part of the country receives slightly more rainfall than the eastern part. A dense network of full-flowing rivers (Thames, Severn, etc.), many of which are connected by canals, often outdated. There are many lakes in Scotland and Ireland (Loch Ness, Loch Lomond in Scotland, etc., Loch Ney in Northern Ireland). The mountains are dominated by peat bogs, moorlands used as pastures for sheep. Forests (of oak, beech, birch) occupy 9% of the country's territory. The plains are occupied by arable land and meadows and are densely populated. There are numerous national nature reserves and parks for recreational use (Peak District, Snowdonia, etc.).

UK economy. Industry and economy of Great Britain.
Great Britain is a highly developed industrial country. Over the past 20 years, the following transformations have been carried out in the British economy: the public sector has been reduced; reduced tax rates for individuals and legal entities; deregulation of the economy was carried out (with a simultaneous reduction in government spending). In 1995, in terms of total industrial production, Great Britain ranked 5th in the world (after the USA, Japan, Germany, France). GNP per capita $24,500 (2000). In terms of energy reserves, it ranks first in Europe, being a major producer of oil and gas (production is carried out on the shelf of the North Sea using the most advanced methods on platforms; approx. 1/3 of proven reserves in Europe are concentrated in the British sector) and coal. Oil production 124 million tons in 1996 (main fields Brent, Fortis), gas 89.9 billion m3 (17 fields are in operation, the largest are Lehman Bank, Brent, Morecam). British Petroleum and the Anglo-Dutch company Royal Dutch/Shell are among the leaders in their market segment. Historically very important hard coal mining is constantly declining. In the manufacturing industry, priority is given to such industries as transport engineering (12.4% of total industrial production), including the automotive industry (national companies and branches of foreign companies Rover, Ford, Jaguar, Vauxhall, Pegeout-Talbot, Honda, Nissan, Toyota); shipbuilding; the aerospace industry is the third largest in the world after the USA and France, producing civil and military aircraft (British Aerospace, Harrier, Tornado, Eurofighter), Rolls-Royce aircraft engines, equipment for the European concern Airbus Industry; food industry (12.5% ​​of total production); general engineering: production of agricultural machinery and machine tools, including the production of textile machinery (Great Britain is the world's seventh largest manufacturer of machine tools); electronics and electrical engineering; computers, processors and supercomputers (including manufacturers such as IBM and Compaq); software; means of telecommunications (fiber optics, radars, etc.); medical equipment; Appliances. The chemical industry provides 11% of the total production. These are: pharmaceuticals (Great Britain is the world's fourth largest drug manufacturer); agrochemistry; perfumery; new materials and biotechnologies. The development of modern UK industry is determined by the level of development of high technologies. Great Britain has the highest scientific and technical potential in Europe. Expenditure on research work is over 2% of GDP per year, including over 35% of all research work funded by the state. Traditionally, textile engineering has been important (dedicated to the old textile areas - Lancashire, Yorkshire). The oldest branch of English industry - textile - has now lost its former importance (the main areas of production of the cotton industry are Lancashire, woolen - Yorkshire, knitwear - the East Midlands, linen - Northern Ireland). Large food and flavor industry (production of food concentrates, confectionery and tobacco products, drinks (about 1/5 of the world export of alcoholic beverages, mainly Scotch whiskey and English gin).

Agricultural production is highly intensive, providing half of the country's food needs. In agriculture (1994) 24.8% of the country's territory is used (including St. 60% - under arable land, 35% - cultivated meadows), pastures occupy 45.9%, under forest 10.4%. The main branch of agriculture is animal husbandry. She suffered significant damage in the late 1990s. epidemics of bovine rabies (spongiform encephalitis) and foot and mouth disease. OK. 1/3 of arable land is occupied by cereals, predominantly. wheat and barley. The main agricultural regions are East and South East England.
25% of the country's GDP is generated by the financial services sector. It employs 12% of the country's workforce, and London is the world's financial center, the financial capital of the planet. Among financial services, it is worth highlighting banking (in addition to British banks, 50 largest banks in the world are represented in London), insurance, the market for derivative financial instruments (futures, options, global depositary receipts), the bond market (eurobonds), the foreign exchange market (transactions with eurocurrencies), financial leasing, trust transactions with foreign shares, transactions with precious metals. In addition to London, major financial centers are Manchester, Cardiff, Liverpool, Edinburgh. Tourism employs 7% of the working population, and the annual income exceeds $ 8 billion. London is the largest tourist centre peace. A significant part of the GDP comes from education at world-famous schools and universities.
The monetary unit is the pound sterling.

History of Great Britain.
Traces of the settlements of primitive people are found almost everywhere on the British Isles.
Of the pre-Celtic population, the most famous tribe of the Picts who lived in Scotland. In the 1st millennium BC. e. Here came the Celts. By the name of one of the tribes, the Britons, the country was called Britain. The first of the Romans landed here Julius Caesar, but soon left the island. His successors founded Roman settlements here, but they could not conquer the entire territory and did not try to move north. With the weakening of Rome, the Britons formed their own kingdoms. In the 5th-6th centuries. during the Great Migration period, England was conquered by the Anglo-Saxons, who formed several kingdoms here: Mercia, Wessex, Sussex, Kent, Northumbria. They were united by King Alfred the Great (late 9th century). He compiled the first set of common English laws. The Anglo-Saxons faced attacks by the Vikings and, starting from the 9th century, they paid tribute to them - danegeld. One of the Viking kings, Canute I the Mighty, included England in his empire (2nd half of the 11th century), but after his death, the Anglo-Saxons regained their independence. Their last king, Harold II, fell in a battle with Duke William of Normandy in 1066. The Norman conquest united the country, and the formation of the English nation began. In 1212, an uprising of the barons, supported by all estates, forced King John the Landless to sign the Magna Carta. This marked the beginning of the development of the English monarchy as an estate, that is, based on all the estates of the country. From the end of the 13th century Wales passed to the English crown. The Hundred Years' War of 1337–1453 with France resulted in the loss of the possessions of the English kings on the Continent. In Scotland, an independent kingdom arose c. 9th c. and often came into confrontation with England. The conquest of Ireland by the British began in the 12th century.

During the War of the Scarlet and White Roses (1455-1485) in England, the old tribal nobility was largely destroyed. The new nobility (gentry) increased their possessions by enclosing (driving peasants from the land), willingly participated in various commercial and industrial enterprises. In the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603), England, having defeated the Spanish fleet, achieved dominance at sea. Elizabeth was replaced by kings from the Scottish dynasty of the Stuarts, Scotland united with England in a personal union (and from 1707 officially united and deprived of independence). English Revolution 17th century ended with the establishment of a parliamentary monarchy. The long struggle with France for commercial and colonial hegemony ended in the 18th century. British victory; huge possessions in India and North America were seized, the colonization of Australia and New Zealand began. In the 1760s The Industrial Revolution began in England. By the middle of the 19th century. it accounted for 1/2 of world production. Scotland and Ireland (the union of 1801 eliminated the remnants of autonomy) developed much more slowly. Throughout the 19th century Britain expanded its empire, although it lost the United States of America. Vast territories were captured in Burma and South Africa, the capture of India, Cyprus, Egypt was completed, wars were fought against China. In 1867 the colonies in Canada were transformed into the first dominion, then Australia and some other colonies became dominions. Throughout the 19th century finally took shape the system "the king reigns, but does not rule." The struggle for power since the 17th century. There were two parties - the Tories and the Whigs. From the middle of the 19th century the Tories became the Conservatives and the Whigs became the Liberals.

After the First World War, Great Britain received a significant part of the former German possessions in Africa and b. including territories taken from Turkey. The Labor (Labor) Party gained great influence in domestic politics. After World War II, bombed-out Britain took a backseat to the United States on the international stage. In the 1940s-1970s. Almost all of the British colonies gained independence. The Labor Party pushed aside the Liberal Party and after the Second World War the government was alternately formed by Labor and Conservatives. Under the conservative government of M. Thatcher, most of the public sector enterprises were privatized, a course was taken to reorient the traditional coal-mining regions. Being one of the leading members of the EU since its inception, the UK has been pursuing an independent policy towards other European countries, focusing more on the United States. Traditional English conservatism does not yet allow Blair's government to switch to a common European currency, although the country's business circles are striving for this.

The national holiday is the Queen's Birthday (celebrated not on the true birthday of Her Majesty, but by decision of the government, usually on one of the Saturdays of the first half of June).

The country, located in the British Isles off the northwestern coast of continental Europe, is traditionally called Great Britain, and after the name of its main part, England. Officially, it is called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The UK itself includes three historical and geographical regions: England, Wales and Scotland. The United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland, which occupies the northeastern part of the island of Ireland. The Republic of Ireland was proclaimed in 1949.

The British Isles are the largest archipelago in Europe. It includes two big islands- Great Britain and Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, and another 5 thousand small ones, among which three groups of islands in the North stand out: the Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland and the Isle of Man, Anglesey and others.

The southern tip of the island of Great Britain is the Cornwall peninsula, and the most Northern part archipelago - Shetland Islands. The length of the island of Great Britain from north to south is 966 km, and its greatest width is half that. Located on the continental shelf, the British Archipelago is separated by the shallow North Sea from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Federal Republic of Germany and by the narrow English Channel (the British call it the English Channel) and the Pas de Calais from France.

Since 1993, a tunnel has been operating under the English Channel. The construction of this tunnel can be considered grandiose for the development of international relations. Suffice it to say that the total length of the tunnel is 49 kilometers, and the length of the galleries laid under the bottom of the strait is 38 kilometers. It takes only three hours to get from London to Paris by train. “Finally, Europe has joined England,” is what the British say about the Eurotunnel.

All state borders of the United Kingdom are maritime, with the exception of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The coastline with a total length of more than 10 thousand km is heavily indented. Thanks to numerous bays and fiords, there is no such place on the island that would be more than 120 km away from the coast.

In terms of area (244 thousand sq. km), Great Britain is 2 times smaller than the largest states in Overseas Europe- France and Spain.

The climate of the British Isles is influenced by the proximity of the ocean and especially the currents of the Gulf Stream. Traditional English weather is rainy and damp: the temperature in winter very rarely drops below zero (on average 3-5C). The most severe weather in the mountains of Scotland, Wales and Northern Scotland; in the western part of the UK, the climate is wetter than in the east due to the prevailing westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean. The oceanic nature of the UK climate is reflected in the predominance of unstable weather with gusty winds and thick fogs throughout the year. Winters are very wet and unusually mild, with a sharp temperature anomaly (of the order of 12-15 degrees) compared to mid-latitude indicators. The average temperature of the coldest month - January - does not fall below +3.5 degrees even in the extreme north-east of Great Britain, and in the south-west it reaches +5.5 degrees, and plants vegetate there all year round. Masses of warm sea air coming from the southwest increase winter temperatures, but at the same time bring overcast and rainy weather with strong winds and storms. With the invasion of cold air from the east and northeast, frosty weather sets in for a long time. snow in winter time falls throughout the country, but very unevenly. In the mountainous regions of Scotland, the snow cover lasts for at least 1-1.5 months, while in the south of England and especially the south-west, snow falls very rarely and lasts no more than a week. Here the grass is green all year round. In the west of the UK, winters typically receive twice as much rain as summers. In the eastern regions, winters are colder and less humid.

Cold winds blow in spring northern winds, significantly delay the growth of crops in the east of Scotland, and sometimes dry east. This time of year is usually the least rainy. Spring in the British Isles is cooler and longer than at the same latitudes on the continent.

In the UK, as in other countries with a maritime climate, the summer is relatively cool: the average temperature of the warmest month - July - is 1-2 degrees lower than at the same latitudes of the mainland. In the summer months, cyclonic activity decreases, and the distribution of average July temperatures corresponds to latitudinal zonality: +16 degrees in the southeast of the country, and +12 degrees in the extreme northwest.

In autumn, cyclonic activity intensifies, the weather becomes cloudy and rainy, sometimes with severe storms, especially in September and October. When warm air is carried to the chilled surface of the islands, there are often fogs on the coasts.

With warm and humid winds blowing from the Atlantic, there is an abundance of rain in the western regions of Great Britain. On average, 2000 mm of precipitation falls there annually, while in eastern England, located in the "rainy shadow" - only about 600 mm, and in some places even 500 mm in summer. The mountains thus serve as a natural barrier to trap moist air on the western side. The abundance of rainfall favorably affects the growth of many agricultural crops, especially wheat and barley. In general, grains in the British Isles do well in drier years, but then the grasses often burn out.

Based on this characteristic, the UK occupies a rather favorable economic and geographical position. It is located at the crossroads of sea routes and occupies a key position on the most important lines of shipping and world trade passing through the English Channel and Pas de Calais. This provides England with connections with the whole world and gives great prospects for the development and expansion of markets for its products.

Remark 1

The official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The capital of the kingdom is London. The country occupies the British Isles to the northwest of continental Europe. The country is often called simply England- by the name of the historical part or by name largest island – Great Britain.

The British Isles include, separated by the Irish Sea, Great Britain and Ireland, as well as about $5,000 of smaller islands. Among them are such as the Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland. From north to south, the island of Great Britain stretches for $966$ km, and the width, even the largest, is $2$ times less. The British archipelago is separated from Sweden and Denmark by the shallow North Sea. The islands are separated from France by two narrow straits - the English Channel and the Pas de Calais. A tunnel has been operating under the English Channel since $1993$, with a length of $49$ km. Traveling from London to Paris by train takes $3$ an hour. The Atlantic Ocean washes the northern western shores British Isles. In the coastal zone there are many bays, bays, deltas, peninsulas.

The borders of the United Kingdom, with the exception of Ireland, are maritime. The heavily indented coastline is over $100$ km long. Once the British archipelago was part of Europe, but, as a result of the flooding of the lowlands, it was cut off from the mainland. The zero meridian passes through the London Greenwich Observatory, this is how the geographical position of the country is marked.

The total area of ​​the UK is $240,842 sq km. Of the countries in the United Kingdom, the largest, both in terms of area and population, is England which explains its dominance in British history. The short distances between the countries of the United Kingdom contributed to the creation of a political union and close ties.

Great Britain is at the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations. This Commonwealth is a political and economic entity made up of $50$ of former colonies and dominions. The kingdom is separated from the continent, which is an important geographical feature. This feature contributed to the fact that for many centuries it did not experience foreign invasion, although it itself took part in European wars. Being on the way to the oceans, the UK has always used this benefit. The insular position has always contributed to the development of shipbuilding, and was a guarantee of a secure strategic position, made it possible to remain independent.

Sea and air transport routes passing through the United Kingdom link Europe with North America.

Territory composition

The United Kingdom includes $4$ previously independent areas - Wales, Northern Ireland, England and Scotland. Each area has its own Administrative division. The UK also has dependent territories. These include $3$ dependencies and $11$ dependencies for a total of $14$. In addition to these dependent territories, there are so-called crown possessions. They are not part of the United Kingdom and do not belong to overseas territories. They are located in the coastal waters of the island of Great Britain. Crown possessions are $2$ of the Channel Islands - Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, located in the Irish Sea. Their residents are citizens of the United Kingdom.

England is the largest region of the kingdom in terms of area and occupies more than half of its territory. Scotland, which ranks second, has a third of the territory and Wales occupies one tenth. The area of ​​Northern Ireland is only $14,000 sq. km.

England is the largest administrative and political part of the kingdom. It borders Scotland to the north and Wales to the west. Of the total population of the country, $ 84% lives in England. The area of ​​this region is $133.4 thousand sq. km, and the population is $53 million. Here is the capital of the whole country - London. The largest cities, other than the capital, are:

• Leicester,
• Manchester,
• Birmingham,
• sheffield,
• Leeds,
• Liverpool,
• Coventry.

England occupies the southern part of the island of Great Britain and belongs to the place where great amount attractions. The English language and the Anglican Church were born in this historic area. London was the center of the British Empire. This is the birthplace of the industrial revolution, which is why it was England that became the first industrialized country in the world. The English economy is represented by industry, agriculture, the high-tech industry, and the sports industry.

The second administrative and political part of the United Kingdom - Wales located in the southwestern part of the UK. From the $3$ sides it is washed by the sea, and only the eastern border of Wales passes with the English counties - Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire. The coastline stretches for $1200$ km. The area of ​​Wales is $20.8 thousand sq. km. The relief of the territory is mainly mountainous, turning into high hills, and a significant part of the territory is covered national parks– Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast. According to the $2011 census, a little more than $3 million people lived in Wales, and the main peoples are the Welsh and the British.

Scotland- Another administrative and political part of the kingdom, located in the northern part of the island of Great Britain and having a land border with England. From other sides it is washed by the seas of the Atlantic Ocean. The area of ​​the territory is $78.7 thousand sq. km, where $5.3 million people live. The capital is the city of Edinburgh, and in addition to its major cities include Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee. Scotland owns a large number of small islands, most of which are uninhabited. Large oil fields in the Atlantic Ocean and parts of the North Sea belong to Scotland, and the city of Aberdeen is nicknamed the oil and energy capital of Europe.

Northern Ireland. The territory is located only $21$ km from the Scottish coast. This is the fourth administrative and political part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland occupies the northeastern part of the island of Ireland. The capital is the city of Belfast. Northern Ireland is administratively divided into $6$ counties and $26$ districts. The island of Ireland itself is divided into $4$ historical regions - Ulster, Munster, Leinster, Connaught. Ulster, in turn, is further divided into $9$ counties, $6$ of which belong to Northern Ireland. The three remaining counties - Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan - belong to the Republic of Ireland.

There are 3 population groups in Northern Ireland:

1. East of Northern Ireland settled Presbyterians are immigrants from Scotland;
2. Northern and central territories settled English related to the Anglican Church;
3. The remnants of the indigenous population - Catholics - remained in the extreme western regions and areas bordering Ireland.

All $3$ groups not only differ in religion and culture, but they are also very wary of each other. The population is $ 1.6 million people and lives mainly in rural areas, because Northern Ireland belongs to the agricultural region of the United Kingdom.

Household of the United Kingdom

The UK is one of those Western European countries with a GDP of more than a trillion dollars. It is a world trade and financial center. In the international division of labor, the country acts as a supplier of industrial products. It must be said that in the modern world, the role of the kingdom is also determined by banking, insurance, ship-freight activities. Gross national product is $45% higher due to the service sector, which includes transport and communications, retail, insurance, banking, financial institutions, healthcare, and education. The share of the service sector is growing faster than the share of the manufacturing industry. The share of agriculture and the share of the extractive industry are declining. The export of capital still remains the most important source of income for Britain's international monopolies.

Remark 2

Today is characterized by the fact that the UK has lost many economic advantages. Among them are the following:

1. Undivided control over world deposits of non-ferrous metals, oil, natural rubber;
2. Lost control over cheap agricultural products;
3. Control over guaranteed markets for industrial goods;
4. It has lost unlimited opportunities for the export of capital to all continents.

AT industry a country that generates $1/3$ of the gross national product employs $1/3$ of the economically active population. It uses imported raw materials for its work and is oriented to the foreign market. Traditional industries today lag behind modern industries that use progressive technology and work organization, the latest equipment and modern management methods. The concentration of production led to the formation of the largest associations of industrialists, for example, Imperial Chemical Industries. Unilever, British Leyland, General Electric Company. These associations employ $200,000 people each.

Industrial enterprises are concentrated in a densely populated belt from London to Lancashire and from West Yorkshire to Gloucestershire. Other major industrial areas are in South Wales, the North East of England and central Scotland.

AT agriculture The kingdom employs only $2$% of the country's economically active population. It is efficient, intensive and highly mechanized according to European standards. The country fully meets its needs in barley, oats, potatoes, poultry meat, pork, eggs and fresh milk. But, nevertheless, the kingdom imports many foodstuffs. Imports include $4/5$ of butter, $2/3$ of sugar, half of wheat, bacon, $1/4$ of consumed beef and veal. The leading branch of agriculture is animal husbandry, and the conditions for it are more favorable. The livestock area is located in the western, wet part of the island of Great Britain.