Great Britain

25% of land is airable and almost half is suitable for meadows and pastures. It's agriculture is extremely productive. 2% of the labor force produces 60% of the country’s food needs.

Barely wheat, potatoes, sugar beats, fruits and the vegetables are the main crops. The wide spread dairy industry produces milk, eggs & cheese.

Beef cattle and large member of sheep as well as poultry and pigs are raised throughout much of the country. There is also a sizeable fishing industry with cod, haddock, mackerel, whiting, trout, Selman, shellfish, making up the bulk of the cage.

Great Britain is one of the most leading industrialized nations. It has achieved this position despite the leak of most row materials needed for industry. It must also import 40% of it’s food supplies. Thus it’s prosperity has been dependent up on the export of manufacture goods in exchange for row materials and food stuff. Within the manufacturing sector the largest industries include electric power, machine tools, automation and railroad equipment. Ships, air croft, motor vehicles and parts, electronic and communication equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper, textiles and clothing.

By the early 21th century banking, insurance, business services and other service industries accounted for almost ¾ of the growth domestic product and employed 80% of the workforce. This trend was also reflected in a shift in Great Britain economic base, which has been afflicted the South East, South West and midlands regions of the country, while the North of England and Northern Ireland have been hard hit by the changing economy.

The main industrial and commercial areas are the great conurbation, where about 1/3 of the country’s population lives. The administration and finance centre and most important part is greater London, which also has various manufacture industries. London is the Europe’s foremost financial city. Great Britain has abandoned supplies of coal, oil, natural gas. Production of oil from offshore wells on the North sea began in 1975 and country is self-sufficient in petroleum.

The country’s chief exports are manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals, food and beverages and tobacco. The chief import are manufactured goods, machinery, fuels and food stuff. Since the early 70^th Great Britain trade focus has shifted from United States to European Union which now accounts for over 50% of it’s trade.

The USA, Germany, France and the Netherlands are the main trading partners. And the Commonwealth countries are also important.

Traditions and customs:

British nation is considerate to be the most conservative in Europe. It’s not a secret that every country and nation have their own customs.

In Great Britain people attached greater importance to traditions and customs than in other European countries. Englishmen carefully keep them up. The best examples are their queen, money system, their weights and measures. There are many customs and some of them are very old. For example the Marble Championship, where the British champion is crowned. He wins a silver cup known among folk dancers as Morris dance. Morris dancing is an event where people worn in beautiful clothes with ribbons and bells, dance with handkerchiefs of big sticks in their hands, while traditional music sounds.

An other example is the Boat race, which takes place on the river Thames often on easter Sunday. The boat with a team Oxford and other - Cambridge – hold a race. British people think that the grand national horse race is the most exciting horse race in the world. It’s take place near Liverpool every year. Sometimes it happens the same day as the boat race takes place, or week later. There are many celebrations in may, especially in countryside. A popular Scottish event is the Edinburgh festival of music and drama. A truly welsh is the Eisteddfod – traditional poetry and music. With the competition for the best new poem in Welsh.

British don’t use the internationally accepted measures. For a general use the smallest weight is ounce, than 16 ounce is equal to a pound. 14 pounds – 1 stone. Liquid they measure in pints, gallons, quarts. 2 pints – quart, 4 quarts – 1 gallon. For length they have inches, foot, yards, miles. Monetary system they have a pound sterling which is divided into 20 shillings, half crown is cost two shillings and 6 pens. 1 shilling equals 12 pennies.