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. The area of the country 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, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast. In everyday speech “Great Britain” is used to mean the United Kingdom. The capital of the UK is London. The population is about 57 million people. About 80% of the population is urban. The largest cities are London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Manchester.

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

         The landscape of Britain varies a lot. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called the Highlands. England is mostly a vast plain. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain (1343 meters). There are a lot of gorgeous rivers and lakes. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one. England is also famous for its beautiful sandy beaches and seaside resorts. There are a lot of medieval castles and gorgeous villages with very old houses.

         The climate of Great Britain is mild the whole year round. The summers are warm and rainy, the winters have little snow. The British often say that they don’t have climate, only weather, meaning that the weather is very changeable.

The flag of Great Britain is called the Union Jack. The national symbols of the country are four flowers: the English rose, the Welsh daffodil, the Scottish thistle and the Irish shamrock. Some more symbols are the characteristic red phone booths, red double-deckers and red mail boxes.

         There are a lot of places, which are worth visiting. Of course, any tourist should come to London and enjoy its amazing architecture, cafes, parks and atmosphere. Stonehenge is the world-famous monument of the Stone Age. Cambridge and Oxford are not only university towns, but also beautiful places to visit.

The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It is famous for machinery, electronics, textile production and shipbuilding.

         The UK is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the Queen, Elizabeth II. But in reality she reigns, but does not rule. The country is ruled by the government, headed by the Prime Minister. The Parliament consists of two parts: the House of Lords and the House of Commons, where the members are elected. There are three major political parties in Great Britain: the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party. The Conservative party is the ruling party nowadays, but the government is a coalition. The Prime Minister is David Cameron.

         Britain’s location and clever people, historical heritage and industry make it one of the greatest countries of the world.