Info:
The official name of the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Great Britain refers to only England, Scotland, and Wales. It is called “great” because it is the biggest island in the British Isles.
The United Kingdom is an insular country. Insular country means that a country is surrounded by water on all sides, being the only great power there. It also means that the country is isolated.
The official head of state is the Queen Elizabeth II., however, the head of the government is the prime minister, currently Theresa May.
The queen is the one who appoints the prime minister, and she has the power to dissolve the Parliament, but other than that her powers are more formal.
The Prime Minister is responsible for the decision-making.
The English Channel (La Manche) separates the southern part of the United Kingdom from France.
The North Sea separates it from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.
The UK is located in the north-west of Europe.
It shares a land border only with the Republic of Ireland.
Otherwise, it is surrounded by the North Sea to the east, the Celtic Sea to the south-west, the English Channel to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Geography:
The north and the west of the country is mountainous, there are mountains such as the Cumbrian Mountains, the Pennines, or Dartmoor.
The rest of the country is covered in the lowland.
Ben Nevis (1345m) is the highest mountain in the United Kingdom.
Two longest rivers are the Severn and the Thames. The Thames is also the deepest river in the United Kingdom.
Parts and population:
The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The countries have their own devolved governments.
The four capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast.
Most of the UK’s population is situated in England.
There are several different nationalities living in the United Kingdom.
Largest populations from overseas are Poland, India, Ireland, Pakistan, and Germany.
Weather:
Great Britain is known for being always rainy and cloudy.
The climate is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, therefore it is humid and temperate.- In general, the weather is very changeable with frequent rainfall.
The average temperature in the summer is 18°C and 5°C in the winter.
Industry:
Industries in the UK are very important for the country’s economy. They also employ thousands of people every year.
Aerospace Industry- the wings for Airbus A380 and the A350 XWB are manufactured in the United Kingdom. UK’s aerospace industry is the fourth largest in the world.
Automotive Industry- the UK produces sports cars, such as Jaguar, Bentley, Land Rover, Aston Martin, Mini, Rolls-Royce.
Famous people in UK:
Music: The Beatles, Queen, David Bowie, Elton John, Rolling Stones
Literature: W. Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Ch. Dickens, G. Orwell, O. Wilde, J.K. Rowling
Scientists: Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, A. Flemming, Stephen Hawking e.t.c.