The United Kingdom

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 more than 5, 000 smaller islands. The UK consists of four parts: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The total area of the United Kingdom is about 244, 820 sq km. The population of the country is over 61 million. About 80% of the population is urban.

Great Britain lies not far from the continent. It is 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. The Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream influence the climate of Great Britain. The south-western winds carry the warmth and moisture into Britain. The climate in Britain is usually described as cool, temperate and humid. The strong frosts are very rare. The British never know what the weather will be like the next day. They joke: " Other countries have a climate; in England we have weather ".The most unpleasant aspect of British weather is fogs.

The surface of Great Britain varies greatly. The northern and western part of the country is mountains and is called the Highlands. The Highlands of Scotland are the highest mountains in the British Isles. The highest peak in the Highlands is Ben Nevis (1, 343 m.) The rest territory (south, east and centre) is a vast plain which is called the Lowlands.

British rivers are not very long but they are deep. Big ships can enter ports at some distance from the coast. In the south of England the Thames (336 km.) is navigable for big ships. Other important rivers are the Severn, the Trent and the Clyde. Lakes are found in the Lake District in England and in the Highlands of Scotland.

Great Britain is a highly developed industrial country. It is known as one of the world's largest producers and exporters of iron and steel products, machinery and electronics, chemicals and textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding.

The capital of the UK is London which is situated on both banks of the River Thames. London dominates the life of Britain. It is the main port of the country and the most important commercial, manufacturing and cultural centre. London is one of the world's leading tourism destinations, and the city is home to an array of famous tourist attractions. The biggest cities of Great Britain are Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, Bradford, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester. Great Britain is a country with old cultural traditions and customs. The most famous educational centers are Oxford and Cambridge universities. They are considered to be the intellectual centers of Europe. The education is not free, it is very expensive. The UK is a constitutional monarchy with an unwritten constitution. The Queen is officially head of all the branches of government, but she has little direct power in the country. Parliament has two parts: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Members of the House of Commons are elected by the voters of 650 constituencies. They are known as Members of Parliament. Members of the House of Lords are not elected. About 70 per cent of them are “hereditary peers” because their fathers were peers before them. The 30 per cent are officially appointed by the Queen, on the advice of the Government, for various services for people. The Prime Minister, or leader of the Government, is usually the leader of the political party. There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the Labour party, the Conservative and the Liberal parties. The Conservative party is the ruling party nowadays.