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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